Introduction — What Is the EQT Foundation?
The EQT Foundation is an independent philanthropic and impact-oriented foundation created by partners of the global investment organisation EQT AB. It exists to support scientists, entrepreneurs, and agents of change working on breakthrough solutions that contribute to a more inclusive, regenerative, and positive future. The foundation backs early-stage research and deeptech innovation with catalytic capital, strategic grants, and access to EQT’s global network.
History and Background
The EQT Foundation was established in 2019 concurrent with EQT’s stock exchange listing to formalise and expand the firm’s global philanthropic efforts. At its launch, the foundation received around 1 % of EQT AB’s shares, enabling a recurring revenue stream through dividends that fuel its grant-making and investment activities. It operates independently of EQT’s commercial business while remaining aligned with EQT’s values and purpose of creating positive impact.
Mission and Purpose
The core purpose of the EQT Foundation is to push the frontiers of impact by investing both financial and intellectual capital into early-stage scientific and entrepreneurial endeavours that address major global challenges. Its mission includes:
- Supporting research innovation before technologies reach commercialization.
- Backing impact-driven startups and deeptech pioneers.
- Providing scale-oriented grants to organisations and individuals working to close capital and knowledge gaps.
- Safeguarding and promoting EQT’s core values, including long-term thinking, inclusivity, and regenerative approaches to economic growth.
By combining catalytic capital with strategic expertise from the broader EQT ecosystem, the foundation aims to accelerate high-impact breakthroughs that traditional funding mechanisms might overlook.
Governance and Structure
The EQT Foundation is governed by a partner committee made up of senior leaders from EQT who donated shares to launch the foundation. This committee elects a board of directors that oversees strategic direction, investment decisions, and the grant programs. While structurally independent from EQT, the foundation benefits from integration with EQT’s knowledge base and talent pool, and it serves as a learning platform for EQT employees engaged in philanthropic, scientific and entrepreneurial work.
Funding Mechanisms and Programmes
Catalytic Capital and Grants
The EQT Foundation uses dividends from its shareholding in EQT, contributions from EQT partners (including a portion of carried interest compensation), and donations to deploy funding through several key mechanisms:
- Breakthrough Science grants — catalytic grants typically in the range of €25,000 to €100,000 for early-stage research projects. These calls have focused on critical areas such as women’s health innovation, rare diseases, and climate-centric deeptech solutions like reducing reliance on critical minerals for decarbonisation technology.
- Breakthrough Startups funding — catalytic investments in startups that are transforming deeptech fields from laboratory proof-of-concept to commercial viability.
- Scale grants — supporting individuals and organisations addressing systemic barriers to funding and technical progression by delivering innovative approaches to complex problems.
Programme Focus Areas
EQT Foundation emphasises funding where capital gaps and high societal impact intersect — such as frontier scientific research that traditional funding bodies may underfund, and deeptech innovation that addresses health disparities, environmental transitions, and sustainability challenges.
Major Initiatives and Global Calls
Several high-visibility grant cycles illustrate the foundation’s strategic priorities:
- A global grant program for women’s health innovation, supporting diagnostics, therapeutics, and deeptech solutions to historically underfunded female health challenges.
- A Breakthrough Science call on rare diseases, funding research targeted at early diagnosis and treatment development for conditions with limited traditional funding.
- Climate-related grants focused on alternatives to critical minerals that underpin clean energy technology, supporting sustainable technologies that reduce environmental cost and supply-chain vulnerability.
All programmes provide not just funding but access to EQT’s network, including industry partners, commercialization support, and mentoring — helping grantees bridge the gap between scientific innovation and real-world impact.
Impact and Examples of Work Supported
Since its establishment, the EQT Foundation has backed numerous researchers and startups across domains such as agricultural technology, tissue engineering, energy transition technologies, and environmental solutions. It continues to open global calls that attract applicants worldwide, fostering advancements in both climate and health innovation.
The foundation’s model helps address funding gaps at early stages, promoting breakthrough science that might struggle to secure traditional investment and encouraging a transition from lab to commercial impact.
Conclusion
The EQT Foundation is a purpose-driven philanthropic and impact-investment organisation that leverages long-term shareholder support, grant capital, and global networks to accelerate scientific discovery and entrepreneurial ventures addressing pressing societal challenges. By combining catalytic funding with strategic expertise and mentorship, it pushes forward breakthroughs in health, climate technology, and inclusive innovation, ensuring that high-potential research and ideas can flourish and scale.
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