The Foundation

Established in 2015, the Hasso Plattner Foundation promotes philanthropic initiatives that aim to educate and inspire generations in the areas of Science and Education, Social and Conservation, as well as Art and Culture. Our main office is in Potsdam, Germany. 

OUR STORY

At the core of our work lies the belief in the power of innovation and education to bring about positive societal change. Established to harness this aspiration, we carry the vision of our founder, Hasso Plattner, a technology pioneer and a patron of the arts.  

Our story has its roots in Hasso Plattner’s personal journey. Grateful for Germany’s largely tuition-free education system – which played a pivotal role in his own success –, Hasso Plattner wanted to give back to the society. In particular, he wished to support young people in tackling the challenges and opportunities of the digital revolution. To this end, he founded the Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Engineering (HPI) in Potsdam in 1998, marking his first significant philanthropic contribution.  

Hasso Plattner’s desire to make a positive and meaningful impact on society led him to sign the Giving Pledge initiated by Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates and Warren Buffett, establishing the Hasso Plattner Foundation in 2015. Since then, we have supported more than fifty projects in over twenty countries. Our philanthropic approach focuses on a select number of projects, where we believe that we can make a significant and lasting impact. 

OUR PHILANTHROPIC APPROACH 

Rather than giving one-off grants for projects, at the Hasso Plattner Foundation we predominantly establish and run long-term projects in partnership with experts in relevant fields, ensuring that our commitment has the greatest possible impact. Working closely with our project teams, we identify the most effective strategies for achieving our shared goals. This approach enables the sustainable and longer-term outcomes of our joint initiatives.  

We are committed to measuring the impact of our giving. To ensure that our resources are being used effectively, we establish clear metrics with our project partners and regularly evaluate progress. This allows us to make informed decisions and refine our strategy towards more impact.   

At times and on our own initiative, we might support specific projects with one-time donations. These usually fall under one of our areas of focus but might also include additional purposes such as in response to acute crises. It is generally not possible to support individuals or individual projects. We kindly ask you to refrain from sending requests for funding and ask for your understanding if we have to decline requests of this kind. 

Learn more about our current projects in:

• Science & Education: Hasso Plattner Institute, Data4Life, Design Thinking
• Social & Conservation: Sabine Plattner African Charities, Embark in Knowledge, Leadership for Conservation in Africa, George Child & Family Welfare
• Art & Culture: Museum Barberini, DAS MINSK Kunsthaus in Potsdam, Wildenstein Plattner Institute, TALES, Navigating.art