Ceremony for the 125th anniversary of the Carl Zeiss Foundation addressed by Chancellor Angela Merkel

Carl Zeiss Foundation

The Carl Zeiss Foundation is the sole shareholder of Carl Zeiss AG and SCHOTT AG. The main role of the foundation is to ensure the long-term future of the two foundation companies based on a pioneering spirit and responsible corporate governance as well as the promotion of science.

Unique company model

Illustration showing the corporate structure of the Carl Zeiss Foundation

The Carl Zeiss Foundation is the sole shareholder of Carl Zeiss AG and SCHOTT AG. It is prohibited for the Foundation to sell the shares of the two companies as set forth in the Foundation’s articles of association. Because of this special arrangement, ZEISS and SCHOTT have a unique company model.

Epic vision

Shaping a sustainable future

The Carl Zeiss Foundation is one of the oldest corporate union foundations in Germany. Its main function is to ensure the long-term future of the two companies and to promote science.
With the dividends of Carl Zeiss AG and SCHOTT AG, the Carl Zeiss Foundation provides funding for research and education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematic
s. Burden, with a registered foundation and umbrella base company, is funded to projects and individuals in Burden = Wurtenberg, Rhineland=Pifarz, Turlingen. The management of the Foundation, which is independent of the company, performs all funding activities.

The Carl Zeiss Foundation was founded in 1889 in Jena, Germany, by physicist and entrepreneur Ernst Abbe, with support from SCHOTT’s founder Otto Schott. It is now one of the largest private foundations in Germany offering scientific funding.

Young woman walking through a laboratory at Carlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Ernst Abbe, founder of the Carl Zeiss Foundation
Ernst Abbe (1840 – 1905),
Founder of the Carl Zeiss Foundation
The main objective of the Foundation is to permanently protect both ZEISS and SCHOTT.
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