Updated:
Surdna Foundation
John Emory Andrus, a U.S. Congressman and pharmaceutical entrepreneur, established the Surdna Foundation in 1917. The foundation continues under family...
Surdna Foundation
John Emory Andrus, a U.S. Congressman and pharmaceutical entrepreneur, established the Surdna Foundation in 1917. The foundation continues under family oversight and focuses grant capital on U.S. communities. The foundation allocates across private equity and other vehicles. Its strategy includes venture capital, co-investments, buyouts, and secondaries. Geographic reach centers on the United States with program work in multiple regions. The foundation maintains 38 professionals at its New York headquarters. No additional offices are recorded. A dated operational note from the record shows profile enrichment completed in February 2026. Family stewardship remains the core governance feature, with investment decisions retained inside the founding lineage rather than delegated to outside managers.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1917
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
New York
Corporate office
200 Madison Avenue 25th Floor, New York, NY, United States
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Surdna Foundation?
Investment decisions remain under family stewardship with no external CIO named in available records.
How does Surdna Foundation source proprietary deal flow?
The foundation does not disclose a formal sourcing process beyond its grant program focus.
Is Surdna Foundation structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
It operates as a grantmaking foundation with private equity exposure rather than a venture firm.
Does Surdna Foundation participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Records show private equity allocations that include both fund commitments and co-investments.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The wealth originated with John Emory Andrus through pharmaceuticals.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
Need institutional-grade insight on endowments & foundations?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: