The Berthold Leibinger Stiftung -
Who we are

The Berthold Leibinger Stiftung GmbH supports non-profit, charitable and church organizations as well as its own funding projects as it pursues its mission of preserving and further developing innovative science, a rich cultural landscape and a strong social commitment within society. It does this through sponsorship in culture and the sciences as well as by promoting church projects and fostering social commitment.
Foundation purpose
The Berthold Leibinger Stiftung GmbH supports non-profit, charitable and church organizations as well as its own funding projects as it pursues its mission of preserving and further developing innovative science, a rich cultural landscape and a strong social commitment within society. It does this through sponsorship in culture and the sciences as well as by promoting church projects and fostering social commitment.

In the sciences, we promote laser technology. In culture, our focus is on supporting individual institutions and projects in the areas “classical music” and “spoken language and literature”. Another key issue involves the process of reappraising the crimes committed during the Nazi dictatorship. The “relations between different peoples and democracy” are a further area of concern, which is why we support various fellowship programs, among other projects. Many of our church-related grants are approved for “Diakoniekirchen”, which are Protestant churches that run social welfare programs. At the heart of our social commitment is the promotion of disadvantaged persons who exist on the fringes of society.
We have also initiated a number of our own operational projects such as the Berthold Leibinger Innovationspreis and Zukunftspreis, the Comicbuchpreis and the Berthold Leibinger initiative “Zeit für Zukunft” in order to be actively involved in social and scientific developments.


Our not-for-profit activities
Our not-for-profit activities involve, on the one hand, committing to be a reliable partner for individual institutions and facilities through the establishment of long-term collaborations and, on the other hand, setting up funding areas and accepting requests for funding in these areas. These funding areas change over time. We are open to ideas for new projects, particularly if the outcome is relevant to more than one of our funding areas (for example, if a commemorative site uses comics as a communication medium) or if the project makes content accessible to new target groups (for example, classical music programs for convicts).

Science
Science and its findings form the basis on which our society will develop further. This process is driven by curiosity and the desire to create. It is important for us to play an active role in its advancement.
Culture
We support cultural initiatives and activities because culture is an inestimable element of social coexistence.


church
We maintain close ties particularly with the regional Protestant church in Württemberg and support the work of the church’s Diakonie social welfare program. We also provide funding for structural improvements to church buildings and their furnishings.
Social commitment
Providing assistance to disadvantaged persons living on the fringes of society is a central element of our activities in the area “social commitment”.

Facts and figures
By mid-2022, the Berthold Leibinger Stiftung had approved grants for a total amount of 31.4 million euros. Since the foundation was established, it has made contributions in the funding areas science and culture amounting to 14.8 million euros for cultural projects and more than 12.5 million euros for grants in the sciences. The foundation has donated 1.8 million euros for social concerns and about 1.8 million euros for church-related projects.
The primary source of our funds is a 9.5% share in TRUMPF SE + Co. KG in Ditzingen held by the Berthold Leibinger Stiftung via the Berthold Leibinger Beteiligungen GmbH.
We are committed to promoting tolerance and solidarity within a society that is based on the principles of the free democratic basic order of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We will not support any political endeavors or factions that are not aligned with these principles.
Shareholder
Board of Trustees
The board of trustees advises on and makes recommendations with respect to the projects we support.

Foundation Team
We are always interested in exchanging ideas with non-profit institutions and foundation partners and developing projects together.
Feel free to contact us: