Major donors - their stories, and why they support us.
Every one of our benefactors can tell a story in which he or she plays a major role. There is the industrialist dedicated to pushing the boundaries of cancer research. There is the investor, who's venture capital bridged the gap from finding to a concrete application. There is the donor, who saw her own goals substantiate in a sciencists' work.
They all share a common ground: they are all convinced that frontier research propells innovation, making it essential for innovation and prosperty of this country, and mankind as a whole. And they all are proud to have brought change by supporting our research. This a selection of their stories.
Thanks to a legacy of a considerable nine digit sum, Hermann Neuhaus established a foundation in 2007. The foundation's sole mission is to support research carried out by the Max Planck Society.
[more]Reinhard Pöllath's resounding reputation leaves no room for improvement, and he avails of it tirelessly to help and promote science. He is a linchpin, and his commitment and foresight are pivotal to the success of the Max Planck Foundation, the establishment of which he made possible with Stefan von Holtzbrinck in 2005.
[more]Anne-Liese Gielen was associated with the Max Planck Society in a very special way. For herself she demanded "the freedom and strength to keep doing extraordinary things".
[more]"The whole is always more than the sum of its parts" – it would be difficult to find someone to whom this maxim is more applicable than to businessman Rudolf Wanzl. Hard-working, dogged, curious, brimming with ideas and at the same time down-to-earth and modest. And at all times, his dedication to business was accompanied by an exemplary commitment to social, cultural and socio-political issues.
[more]Helmut Storz, a successful building contractor from Baden-Württemberg, continued to develop his creativity well beyond the building phase. "Following a busy and eventful life, which often positioned me on the sunny side of things, the establishing of a foundation seemed like a logical step," says the 90-year-old looking back on his achievements.
[more]Innovation through venture investment shaped Wolfgang Hanrieder's professional life. Today, he continues to invest venture capital with the establishment of the Hanrieder Foundation for Excellence. The foundation's aim is to provide support for talented young scientists.
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