Körber-Stiftung is a private, nonprofit foundation based in Hamburg, Germany, founded in 1959 by entrepreneur Kurt A. Körber. Its primary funding comes from its role as the sole shareholder of Körber AG, the holding company of the Körber Group, a global technology enterprise. As of recent figures, the foundation controls assets worth around 580 million euros and supports its initiatives with an annual dividend from Körber AG.
The foundation's activities are organized into several thematic areas: Knowledge for Tomorrow, International Understanding, Democracy and Cohesion, Age and Demography, History and Politics, Education, Culture, and Science. Körber-Stiftung operates both locally and internationally, with main sites in Hamburg’s HafenCity and Bergedorf, as well as an office in Berlin. About 100 employees run and coordinate the foundation’s work.
Signature projects include the Körber European Science Prize, which awards one million euros annually for pioneering life and physical science research, and the German Thesis Award for outstanding doctoral graduates. The foundation also operates the KörberForum in Hamburg, hosting around 80 public events a year on social and scientific issues, and supports networking for young entrepreneurs through the Körber Start-Hub.
Recent project themes span support for exiled academic institutions, such as the collaboration with the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin, youth science initiatives in Hamburg schools, and public debate programs focused on European cohesion and technological innovation. Körber-Stiftung maintains a distinctive profile through operational projects and dialogue platforms rather than acting as a mere grant-giving body.