BMW Foundation

Foundations as Drivers of Innovation

May 22, 2025 - 3 min read

A group of people seated in an audience, with a man in a blue suit clapping and others smiling and watching attentively.

“Freedom is not possible without courage.” With these words, former German Federal President Joachim Gauck kicked off the German Foundation Day #DST25 in Wiesbaden. The theme of this year’s meeting was “MutigMachen: How Foundations Strengthen Togetherness.”

The two-day meeting asked: Is the sector doing enough? Is it doing the right things to strengthen democracy and social cohesion in Germany? Burning questions, especially in times of upheaval, crises, and global tensions.The BMW Foundation held a panel on “Foundations as Drivers of Innovation.” It focused on how tech and social innovations help tackle today’s global challenges – and, above all, on how foundations can support these innovations through non-material instruments or asset management.The panel featured Bryan Scheler, VP of Solutions, Investments & Partnerships at the BMW Foundation; Klaus Grünfelder, CFO of the Hasso Plattner Foundation; Sabine Kunst, CEO of the Joachim Herz Foundation; and Andrea Opel, Professor of Tax Law at the University of Lucerne.
Four people seated on a stage in a panel discussion. One holds a microphone, while others listen attentively. Bottles and glasses on the table.
Bryan Scheler (left) on the BMW Foundation panel on “Foundations as Drivers of Innovation.”
Audience seated in a conference room, attentively listening to a presentation. Large windows and wooden flooring are visible.
The room was packed during our session.
Two women smiling for a photo, one in a purple top and the other in glasses and a scarf. A person in blue takes their picture with a phone.
Sarah Wiener (left), entrepreneur, television chef, politician and founder of Sarah Wiener Foundation.
The theme of this year’s meeting was “MutigMachen: How Foundations Strengthen Togetherness.”
Colorful card with geometric shapes and the text "IS IT MUT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR?" on a white surface.
Yes, it is!
A group of four people engaged in conversation, holding smartphones and name tags, in a bright indoor setting.
Participants of Deutscher Stiftungstag.
Participants of Deutscher Stiftungstag in conversation.
Three musicians play brass instruments on stage with large "#LDST25" letters in the background, while an audience watches.
A band opened the event on Wednesday.

German Foundation Day
(Deutscher Stiftungstag)

Deutscher Stiftungstag (German Foundation Day) is Europe's largest foundation congress, organized annually by the Association of German Foundations. In 2025, it took place on May 21–22 at the RheinMain CongressCenter in Wiesbaden under the theme “Mutig machen. Wie Stiftungen das Miteinander stärken” (“Encouraging Courage: How Foundations Strengthen Togetherness”).

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A woman speaks at a podium with "Deutscher Stiftungstag" projected on a red curtain in the background.

“I’m not asking anyone to stand in the fire. We are already doing that. But let’s not do it alone.”

Düzen Tekkal

BMW Foundation Responsible Leader, founder of HÁWAR.help and GermanDream

Across Europe, 175,203 foundations are working for the common good. The Association of German Foundations has more than 4,500 members – among them the BMW Foundation and many members of its Responsible Leaders Network such as Düzen Tekkal. The human rights activist, journalist, and social entrepreneur urged the audience to act with courage. She called on them not to let fear control them. Instead, they should stand up for human dignity, justice, and against hate in any way possible. “I’m not asking anyone to stand in the fire. We are already doing that. But let’s not do it alone.”

BMW Foundation Responsible Leaders Network

Currently, the BMW Foundation Responsible Leaders Network unites more than 2,600 Responsible Leaders in over 117 countries. These bright minds shape our present and future by molding institutions, communities, and movements across continents and industries. They are developing forward-looking approaches and solutions to the challenges of our time.

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Questions? Contact us.

BMW Foundation Team
E-Mail communication@bmw-foundation.org