Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation is Sweden’s largest private research funder, supporting long-term basic research and education, mainly in medicine, technology, and the natural sciences.
The Foundation aims to benefit Sweden by funding free, long-term basic research and education, primarily in medicine, technology, and the natural sciences, through grants to leading researchers, projects, strategic initiatives, and scholarship programs.
Knut Agathon Wallenberg and Alice Wallenberg established the Foundation on December 19, 1917. Before creating it, they had supported construction and public development projects in Sweden through private donations. As the number of requests increased, they created a foundation to manage grantmaking more systematically. Its original endowment was shares in SEB and Investor valued at SEK 20 million. Since 1928, its stated purpose has focused on scientific research and education beneficial to Sweden
The Foundation funds long-term basic research beneficial to Sweden, with emphasis on medicine, technology, and the natural sciences. It awards grants for investigator-initiated research projects, individual researchers, strategic initiatives, scholarship programs, and Proof of Concept work. Universities submit nominations and applications, which are assessed by a Scientific Committee and peer reviewed by five to eight international experts before Board decisions. Applicants must be connected to a Swedish university or equivalent institution, and applications must be prioritized by the university’s vice-chancellor or equivalent.
Since 1917, the Foundation has awarded almost SEK 42B for Swedish research and education. In 2025, annual grants exceeded SEK 2.5B. Its long-term support has shaped Swedish research capacity through programs for senior researchers, young investigators, clinical researchers, mathematics, strategic research fields, and innovation pathways.
The Foundation is part of the wider Wallenberg Foundations ecosystem, which includes 16 nonprofit foundations. It collaborates with Swedish universities, scientific academies, research institutions, and international peer reviewers. The Program for Mathematics is run in collaboration with the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The Foundation’s Principals’ Council includes major Swedish academies and universities.
The Board of Directors has ultimate responsibility for management and grant awards. Daily work is led by the Executive Director, who oversees academic management and application review. The Principals’ Council may observe the Foundation’s activities and submit proposals to improve coordination between the Foundation and Swedish research and education. Grant recipients must follow award conditions, use funds only for the stated purpose, submit financial and scientific reports, and publish funded research with open access where applicable. Remaining funds revert to the Foundation at the end of the grant period unless otherwise approved.