The Hilti Foundation is a philanthropic organization established in 1996, based in or near Schaan, Liechtenstein. Its origins trace back to the Martin Hilti Family Trust, which also controls the globally active Hilti Group known for its construction technology. The initial impetus was to formalize and build on the social engagement of Hilti’s founder, Martin Hilti, who supported employee welfare and community development both locally and beyond.
The foundation’s funding comes from both the Martin Hilti Family Trust and the Hilti Group since 2007. Its activities have gradually shifted from sporadic support of selected projects to a defined strategy targeting systemic change. Today, it works internationally and in Liechtenstein on a range of projects—about 95 globally as of the most recent company report.
The Hilti Foundation focuses on three core areas. Music for Social Change supports youth through music education, with programs like Sinfonía por el Perú enabling personal growth. The Affordable Housing & Technology initiative includes work with bamboo construction in Nepal, combining traditional methods and new research to give vulnerable families safer homes and economic opportunities. Economic empowerment is addressed by offering skill-building and entrepreneurship training, notably in rural Eastern Africa, where the BET & Scale-Up program helps create sustainable agribusinesses.
Locally, the Foundation also promotes biodiversity, demonstrated by initiatives like the “supergut” escape room in Schaan, which has attracted thousands of participants and highlights environmental challenges. The foundation intentionally targets regions and issues where it believes its resources can foster long-term, self-sustaining change, while avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach.