Novo Nordisk Foundation granted DKK 10 billion (€1.35 billion) to benefit people and the planet in milestone year
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Jan. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2024, on its 100th anniversary, the Novo Nordisk Foundation reached a new milestone, awarding close to DKK 10.1 billion (€1.35 billion) to support nearly 1,800 new projects aimed at improving people's health and the sustainability of society and the planet.
The Foundation's support spanned a diverse array of initiatives, both within Denmark and globally, including projects focused on the green transition, advancement of new technologies, cardiometabolic diseases, and antimicrobial resistance.
"2024 was a highly impactful year for the Novo Nordisk Foundation," says Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. "In addition to projects funded, we launched new international collaborations and expanded our geographical presence beyond Denmark."
It is the first time the Foundation has awarded more than DKK 10 billion in philanthropic grants and investments in a year, surpassing the DKK 9.1 billion (€1.21 billion) awarded in 2023.
"It is a great privilege to be able to contribute to science and innovation that will help create better lives and a more sustainable future. We want to recognise the invaluable contributions from our partners and grant recipients on this journey. By engaging in public and private partnerships in Denmark and abroad we aim to ensure that our efforts are in line with societal needs," says Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen.
"Looking ahead to 2025, we plan to further increase our grant-giving capacity thanks to the continued success of the Novo Group companies and the strong performance of Novo Holdings, our wholly owned holding and investment company," says Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen.
Major 2024 Novo Nordisk Foundation initiatives and grants include:
- The first Novo Nordisk Foundation Global Science Summit held north of Copenhagen, which gathered 150 international experts to discuss the interplay of major health and sustainability challenges.
- A global partnership with the Gates Foundation and Wellcome to address a series of global health challenges.
- The launch of Denmark's first AI supercomputer, Gefion, powered by NVIDIA technology, to accelerate research in academia and industry in areas including healthcare, quantum computing, and the green transition.
- The launch of the Partnership for Education of Health Professionals (PEP) in Kenya, in partnership with the Ministry of Health in Kenya and six African-based institutions. This initiative aims to strengthen the education of health professionals in cardiometabolic diseases.
- A new office in Nairobi, Kenya, as part of the Novo Nordisk Foundation's internationalisation efforts and increased engagement in East Africa.
- Regenerative medicine, with a focus on advancing and applying stem-cell based therapies, was made an explicit part of the Novo Nordisk Foundation's strategy.
- More than DKK 2.8 billion (€375 million) awarded through grants in open competition. This included:
- Funding for six projects across three themes through the Challenge Programme, with two projects seeking to advance nuclear energy research.
- Funding for 41 exceptional researchers across various scientific disciplines in grants through the 2024 Research Leader Programme
- A grant of DKK 500 million (€67 million) for the Ancient Environmental Genomics Initiative for Sustainability (AEGIS) project, which aims to enhance crop resilience and agroecosystem sustainability. This project was also funded by Wellcome.
- Launch of a partnership with CARB-X to support the early-stage development of tools to prevent, diagnose and treat the most dangerous drug-resistant bacterial infections.
- A contribution of DKK 1 billion (£134 million) to the BRIGHT initiative at the Technical University of Denmark, which aims to accelerate the development of biosolutions and strengthen the bio-based economy.
- The Foundation's first major grant in the mental health space, an award of DKK 150 million (€20.1 million) for "Best for Us", a project aiming to help children and adolescents affected by mental distress or mental illness. This project was also funded by the Obel Family Foundation.
- A DKK 202 million (€27.1 million) grant for Campus Kalundborg, aiming to create a unique educational environment for students within the biomanufacturing and biosolutions sphere.
In addition, the Foundation committed up to DKK 10 billion (€1.35 billion) to convert land in Denmark to enable space for more nature and biodiversity and for agricultural production based on modern technologies. These funds are to be awarded for projects over a period of ten years, with the first grant being awarded in December 2024 for a rewilding project along the Kongeåen River.
About the Novo Nordisk Foundation
Established in Denmark in 1924, the Novo Nordisk Foundation is an enterprise foundation with philanthropic objectives. The vision of the Foundation is to improve people's health and the sustainability of society and the planet. The Foundation's mission is to progress research and innovation in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic and infectious diseases as well as to advance knowledge and solutions to support a green transformation of society.
www.novonordiskfonden.dk/en
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