Novo Nordisk Foundation
The Novo Nordisk Foundation is an international enterprise foundation focusing on medical treatment and research.
In 2023, the foundation had a net worth of DKK 1,060bn, making it the wealthiest charitable foundation in the world. NNF owns Novo Holdings A/S, a holding company that is the majority voting shareholder of Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical corporation.
In 2024 the foundation awarded DKK 10.1bn in grants.
In 2023, the foundation awarded grants worth 9.1bn DKK and paid out 5.8bn DKK.
From 2016 to 2022, the foundation distributed more than US$4.5bn in grants for research, innovation, treatment, education, humanitarian and social purposes.
While the main focus lies within biomedicine and biotechnology research, NNF also awards grants for research in general practice and family medicine, nursing and art history.
History
In 1922, Danish professor August Krogh received permission to produce insulin in the Nordic countries. This sparked the development of new diabetes treatments and the beginning of a Danish business and export venture. Several foundations were also established which have subsequently merged into the Novo Nordisk Foundation.In recent years, the Novo Nordisk Foundation has increased its focus on innovation, diabetes treatment and grants for humanitarian and social purposes. In 2016, the Novo Nordisk Foundation awarded a little over 420 million US dollars to the Capital Region of Denmark to establish Steno Diabetes Center in Copenhagen, a diabetes treatment and research institution. In 2020, the Novo Nordisk Foundation established the BioInnovation Institute in Copenhagen with a €470 million grant, an independent Novo Nordisk Foundation aimed at accelerating life science start-ups.
Legal structure
The Novo Nordisk Foundation is an established enterprise foundation. It is a self-governing entity with no owners, focusing on long-term ownership of the Novo Group while combining business and philanthropy with scientific, humanitarian and social purposes. The Novo Nordisk Foundation's investment activities are managed by its 100%-owned subsidiary, Novo Holdings A/S whose sole purpose is to invest the foundation's wealth and ensure financial returns. Novo Holdings A/S is also the holding company for the foundation's ownership in Novo Group.Ownership structure
The Novo Nordisk Foundation is obligated to maintain its controlling ownership in the Novo Group's two largest companies: Novo Nordisk and Novozymes.- The foundation owns class A and B-shares in Novo Nordisk corresponding to approximately 28 percent of the total equity and approximately 75 percent of the total voting rights.
- The foundation owns class A and B-shares in Novozymes corresponding to approximately 25 percent of the total equity and approximately 71 percent of the total voting rights.
The current chairman of the Novo Nordisk Foundation is Lars Rebien Sørensen and Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen is the current CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
Profits and taxation
The Novo Nordisk Foundation receives cash flows and profits from paid dividends from Novo Holdings A/S. The paid dividends are taxed in the underlying companies in correspondence with Danish corporate tax laws, prior to being paid out as dividends.Endowment
The Novo Nordisk Foundation is the primary owner of Novo Nordisk A/S and Novozymes A/S through the foundation's subsidiary company Novo Holdings A/S. Aside from Novo Nordisk and Novozymes, the foundation is also a major shareholder in more than 135 other companies as of 2022. The foundation's financial endowment is maintained by dividends and returns on these investments.Types of grants
The Novo Nordisk Foundation offers grants under five main models:- Open-competition Grants: These are regular research grants awarded through open calls to the academic community. They include both shorter-duration project-focused grants and longer-duration research leader grants.
- Stand-alone Grants: These are awarded within the Novo Nordisk Foundation's focus areas based on peer reviews. They encompass project grants, research leader grants, investigator grants, fellowships, infrastructure grants, and more.
- Partnerships: Grants awarded for collaborations with public and/or private partners.
- Impact Investments: Targeting companies like start-ups, often in the form of loans and investments, to support activities with positive societal impact.
- Own Initiatives: Grants for initiatives that start as local units of the Novo Nordisk Foundation and then are spun out as independent foundations.
Distribution of grants
Annual distribution summary
- In 2024, the foundation distributed a total of DKK 10.1 billion and paid out DKK 6.9 billion in grants.
- In 2023, the foundation distributed a total of DKK 9.1 billion and paid out DKK 5.8 billion in grants.
- In 2022, the foundation distributed a total of DKK 7.5 billion and paid out DKK 5.2 billion in grants.
- In 2021, the foundation distributed a total of DKK 8.8 billion and paid out DKK 4.8 billion in grants.
- In 2020, the foundation distributed a total of DKK 10.17 billion and paid out DKK 4.6 billion in grants.
- In 2019, the foundation distributed a total of DKK 8.5 billion and paid out DKK 3.6 billion in grants.
- In 2018, the foundation distributed a total of DKK 3.9 billion and paid out DKK 1,75 billion in grants.
- In 2017, the foundation distributed support for DKK 5.8 billion
- In 2016, the fund provided support for DKK 4.2 billion.
Prizes
International prizes
- The Novo Nordisk Prize – Advances in medical science
- The Novozymes Prize
- The Marie and August Krogh Prize
- The Jacobaeus Prize
- The Hagedorn Prize
- The EFSD and the Novo Nordisk Foundation Precision Diabetes Medicine Award
- Obesity Prize for Excellence
- Diabetes Prize for Excellence
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Lecture Prize
- EFSD/Novo Nordisk Novo Nordisk Foundation Future Leaders Award Programme
Teaching prizes
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Prize for Upper-secondary School Science Teachers
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Prize for Science Teachers at University Colleges
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Prize for Science Childhood Educators
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Prize for Primary School Science Teachers
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Prize for Lower-secondary School Science Teachers
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Nature-based Educator Prize
Criticism
Role in research and funding
The level of research funding concentration granted from enterprise foundations has consistently been a central issue in science policy discussions. Intensive concentration has been viewed both as a means to enhance and direct research investments effectively and as a concerning trend leading to excessive competition, reduced diversity, and the selection of conservative topics.There is a focus on evaluating potential imbalances in the distribution of research funds in Danish society regarding the role of the Novo Nordisk Foundation in advancing scientific research and innovation.
One criticism is related to the foundation's significant economic influence in the research landscape. The substantial grants from the foundation may inadvertently overshadow other sources of research funding and potentially lead to a concentration of resources in certain research areas closely aligned with the foundation's priorities and interests.
Concerns have been raised about the potential influence of the Novo Nordisk Foundation's agenda on the direction of scientific research. Critics express concerns about the potential effect of the foundation's allocation of funds on the diversity of research topics and perspectives within the Danish scientific community, as it tends to prioritize projects that align with its strategic goals.
Funding disparities
The Novo Nordisk Foundation has faced criticism for the concentration of its research funding, often favouring a select group of established researchers. This trend, prevalent in many countries, leads to funding disparities, where a majority of resources are allocated to a small percentage of researchers, often to the detriment of early-career, female, and diverse researchers. In response to these concerns, the Novo Nordisk Foundation has introduced partial randomisation in its grant allocation process. This approach was designed to mitigate biases and increase the diversity of funded research, aiming to support projects that might otherwise be overlooked. The effectiveness of this strategy has been under evaluation during a three-year trial period.Initiatives
Major initiatives (2024–present)
Global Science Summit: Since 2024 the Foundation has launched or expanded several large-scale programmes and international activities. In May 2024 it convened the first Global Science Summit in Copenhagen, bringing together approximately 150 scientific leaders to discuss challenges in health, sustainability, and technology.Gefion AI Supercomputer: The Foundation funded Gefion, Denmark’s first dedicated artificial intelligence supercomputer, to support research in areas such as healthcare, life sciences and quantum computing.
Climate Resilient Crops initiative: The Foundation launched the Ancient Environmental Genomics Initiative for Sustainability in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust, providing up to DKK 585 million to develop climate-resilient crops.
Partnership for Education of Health Professionals : In global health, the Foundation initiated the Partnership for Education of Health Professionals with a budget of DKK 1 billion to train nurses and health workers in Africa and India.
BRIGHT: Biotechnology Research Institute for the Green Transition at the Technical University of Denmark, funded with DKK 1.05 billion.
Antimicrobial Resistance: In antimicrobial resistance, the Foundation committed USD 25 million to the CARB-X initiative, a global, non-profit public-private partnership that accelerates the development of new antibiotics, therapeutics, diagnostics, and vaccines to combat the growing threat of drug-resistant bacteria, led by Boston University.