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Stiftung Charité
Stiftung Charité was founded in 2005 by Johanna Quandt, whose family's fortune stems from a controlling stake in BMW. Rather than building a broad...
Stiftung Charité
Stiftung Charité was founded in 2005 by Johanna Quandt, whose family's fortune stems from a controlling stake in BMW. Rather than building a broad philanthropic portfolio, the foundation concentrates on a single mission: strengthening Berlin as a premier location for the life sciences. Its primary beneficiary is Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, one of Europe's largest university hospitals. Johanna Quandt's children, Stefan Quandt and Susanne Klatten, remain deeply involved as major donors, with Stefan serving as Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees. The foundation deploys capital through three structured programs. The Innovation Funding stream backs translational projects bridging research and clinical application. The Science Funding program supports international profile partnerships, including a recent €900,000 grant to implement Charité's Internationalization Strategy 2030 (per the firm, 2026). The Open Life Science initiative fosters collaboration and knowledge exchange across Berlin's research community. Stiftung Charité also directly programs scientific events, such as the Charité Management Lectures and Welcome Receptions, to connect its grantees. Its investment posture is exclusively grant-based and non-dilutive, targeting academic medicine and early-stage clinical innovation within the Berlin ecosystem. The foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees. In 2026, Jan Eder succeeded Prof. Dr. E. Jürgen Zöllner as Chairman, marking a leadership transition after Zöllner's five-year tenure (per the firm, 2026). While the foundation does not publicly disclose its endowment size, its funding capacity is underpinned by one of Germany's largest industrial fortunes. Stiftung Charité is a member of the European Venture Philanthropy Association and partners with Angels4Health, a network of life science angel investors, signaling a posture that blends classical grant-making with venture philanthropy principles. Its adjacent Johanna Quandt Private Excellence Initiative further extends support to high-potential researchers. Stiftung Charité's architecture is structurally distinct from a typical endowed foundation. It sits at the nexus of a single-family fortune, a major public university hospital, and an explicit city-level economic development mandate. This hybrid model — private wealth funding public research infrastructure — gives it an unusual degree of influence over Berlin's life sciences pipeline without direct commercial investment. The foundation is also building a succession bridge, with the founder's children integrated into governance, ensuring generational continuity of the mission.
General information
Firm type
Foundation
Year founded
2005
Location
Region
Europe
Country
Germany
City
Berlin
Corporate office
Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Principals
Jan Eder
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Stefan Quandt
Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Susanne Klatten
Donor and Supporter of the Private Excellence Initiative
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Frequently asked questions
How does Stiftung Charité deploy capital?
The foundation makes non-dilutive grants through three programs: Innovation Funding, Science Funding, and Open Life Science. It does not make venture capital or private equity investments. Funding targets translational medical research, international research partnerships, and clinical fellowships, primarily at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. A recent example is a €900,000 grant for Charité's Internationalization Strategy 2030 profile partnerships (per the firm, 2026).
Who governs Stiftung Charité's grant-making decisions?
The foundation is overseen by a Board of Trustees. In 2026, Jan Eder became Chairman, replacing Prof. Dr. E. Jürgen Zöllner. Stefan Quandt, son of founder Johanna Quandt, serves as Deputy Chairman. The board guides the foundation's strategic priorities and approval of funding programs.
What is Stiftung Charité's relationship to the Quandt family?
The foundation was established by Johanna Quandt, the late entrepreneur and BMW heiress. Her wealth originated from her family's controlling stake in BMW. Today, her children Stefan Quandt and Susanne Klatten are major donors and remain actively involved in governance and funding initiatives, such as the Johanna Quandt Private Excellence Initiative.
Does Stiftung Charité invest in for-profit biotech startups?
No. Stiftung Charité operates as a pure grant-making entity supporting academic research and clinical innovation. It does not take equity in companies. Its membership in Angels4Health and the European Venture Philanthropy Association reflects an ecosystem-building approach, but its own capital is deployed non-commercially.
What is the geographic focus of Stiftung Charité's funding?
The foundation's mission is explicitly tied to Berlin. It funds life sciences institutions and researchers within the city, with Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin as the anchor beneficiary. While it supports international research partnerships, those collaborations are led by Berlin-based researchers and institutions.
How does the Johanna Quandt Private Excellence Initiative relate to Stiftung Charité?
The Private Excellence Initiative, supported by Susanne Klatten among others, is a related philanthropic vehicle that also provides targeted support to individual researchers. It is distinct from Stiftung Charité's main grant programs but operates within the same Berlin life sciences mission.
What are the typical grant sizes and award cycles?
The foundation publishes open calls with specific funding envelopes and deadlines. For example, the Clinical Fellows program targets senior physicians with practice-oriented projects, with annual deadlines (e.g., July 2026 for the current cycle). The International Profile Partnerships program recently distributed €900,000. Stiftung Charité does not publicly detail its full annual grant budget.
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