The Toni Piëch Foundation, based in Zug, Switzerland, is a grant-making organisation established on April 20, 2022. Its founding was inspired by Toni Piëch, whose family is associated with significant automotive heritage, although the foundation itself functions independently from Piëch’s commercial ventures.
The foundation’s core aim is to support the acceleration and strengthening of developments that foster a sustainable way of life and a viable future for humanity. It focuses particularly on issues linked to climate change, the energy transition, construction and urban development, digitalisation, and artificial intelligence. Projects funded generally seek to create impactful solutions in these areas, often providing early-stage support to innovative research, policy initiatives, or entrepreneurial ventures.
The foundation operates with a small team of 2–10 employees. Its board includes Toni Piëch (President), Stefan Schurig (Manager), Eva Piëch, Thomas Kottmann, and Michael Kloter. Grants are issued by invitation only and typically range from 10,000 to 100,000 CHF annually. Selection is tied closely to the foundation’s thematic priorities and innovation potential.
Recent activities include providing seed funding to research and entrepreneurial projects aligned with the global climate agenda or the transformation of energy systems. The foundation also collaborates with partners, such as supporting scientific initiatives at ETH Zurich, that further these objectives.
The Toni Piëch Foundation’s approach is characterised by seeking out promising ideas, helping them gain early traction, and fostering systemic dialogue around the future of sustainable societies.