Velux Foundations

The Velux Foundations are comprised of the two non-profit, private charitable foundations Velux Fonden (1971) and Villum Fonden (1981). Both foundations were created by Villum Kann Rasmussen – the Danish founder of Velux and other companies in the VKR Group. The VKR Group expanded from a one-man business to an international corporation that today employs over 13,500 people in 40 countries. Today, the VKR Group is owned by foundations and family members of Mr Kann Rasmussen, and its focus remains on providing people with more daylight, fresh air and a better indoor environment. The major shareholder of VKR Holding is the foundation VILLUM FONDEN. During its history, VILLUM FONDEN and VELUX FONDEN have made a total of DKK 7.4 billion in grants to all manner of non-profit projects.

Mission

The mission of the Foundations is to support non-profit organisations or individuals in carrying out projects that support fundamental areas of the civil society such as research in technical, natural, health and human sciences along with environmental, social, cultural purposes. It is therefore a precondition for the activities that the grants seek to make a significant difference to those areas in the civil society and to the individual grantees.

Programme areas

The foundations have separate programme areas:

VILLUM Foundation

The foundation supports research in the technical and natural sciences, as well as environmental, social and cultural projects in Denmark and abroad. The foundation is responsible for awarding the Villum Kann Rasmussen Annual Award in Science and Technology.

VELUX Foundation

The foundation supports scientific, cultural, social and environmental projects that seek to advance an informed, open, inclusive and sustainable society. The foundation’s priority areas are: active senior citizens, ophthalmology and gerontology.