Who We Are

The Joachim Herz Foundation in Hamburg, Germany, promotes education, science, and research in economics and the natural sciences as well as the personal development of teens and young adults. In these areas we also fund small, innovative third-party projects.

Since 2017, additional funding has been granted to support research projects in the fields of medicine, law and engineering technology. The Joachim Herz Foundation was founded in 2008 after the death of German entrepreneur Joachim Herz. It is one of the largest private foundations in Germany.

Back in the early 1980s, Joachim Herz and Petra, the woman who would later become his wife, began talking about the possibility of setting up a foundation, discussing mission statements and areas of activity. In 2003, Joachim Herz wrote down these considerations as detailed instructions to be carried out in the event of his death. The Foundation’s mission statement, statutes, and inaugural Board of Trustees were all listed in his will. Just two months after his passing, the Joachim Herz Foundation was established in accordance with his wishes and using his and his wife’s assets.

On July 24, 2008, Petra Herz was joined at Hamburg City Hall by then mayor Ole von Beust as she announced the formation of the Joachim Herz Foundation, the 1,100th charitable foundation to be set up in Hamburg. Petra Herz has led the Foundation ever since in her capacity as Chairwoman of the Executive Board.