In 2025 Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation awarded grants totalling over SEK 2.5 billion, making the Foundation one of the largest private funders of scientific research in Europe.
Long-term investments
The Chairman of Stockholms Enskilda Bank, K. A. Wallenberg, and his wife Alice, founded Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation in 1917 with an initial endowment consisting of shares in SEB and Investor worth SEK 20 million. The value is equivalent to SEK 744 million in today’s value.
Even though the Foundation since 1917 has awarded almost SEK 42 billion in grants, the assets have grown to SEK 303 billion, thanks to active, long-term investments.
The Wallenberg Ecosystem
The Wallenberg ecosystem comprises 16 non-profit foundations – the Wallenberg Foundations, the industrial holding company Investor, and the privately held company Wallenberg Investments. Through long-term and engaged ownership, returns are generated that enable the Foundations to support basic research and education, strengthening Sweden over time.
The Wallenberg family is an active part of the ecosystem through their involvement in boards, governance, and networks. Today, members of the fifth generation lead the family’s activities, with growing engagement from the sixth generation.
Long-term work with these international corporations — and their successes — enabled the Foundations to award SEK 3.1 billion in grants to Swedish research and education in 2025 of which, the biggest one, Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation granted SEK 2.5 billion.
Ownership structure
The Wallenberg Foundations’ largest assets are the listed industrial holding company Investor AB and the wholly owned holding company Wallenberg Investments with the investments units Industrials, Real Assets, Alternative Funds, Special Investments and Venture.
The purpose of the Foundation
The Foundation’s aim is to benefit Sweden by supporting Swedish basic research and education, mainly in medicine, technology, and the natural sciences.