Foundation

Mission

The Kaiserschild Foundation is active in the fields of education, science and art. It develops its own projects and implements them in collaboration with partner organisations.

Education

The Foundation’s educational projects focus on science and technology. From kindergarten through to university, these projects accompany young people, spark their interest in these fields and support them in realising their full potential.

Science

In the field of science, the Kaiserschild Foundation focuses on innovation. Through the Kaiserschild Lectures, it organises a series of events that explores innovation from a range of disciplinary perspectives. Kaiserschild Advance provides funding for early-career researchers in the fields of economics and social sciences who are engaged in academic research on innovation.

Art

The Foundation’s mission in the field of art is twofold. Firstly, it is responsible for caring for and preserving the Founder’s art collection and making it accessible to the public. Secondly, it supports contemporary forms of visual art and explores new digital approaches to art education and engagement.

Founder

Dr Hans Riegel impressed people with his positive energy, forward-thinking ideas and ability to inspire others and win them over to his vision. His drive and determination in bringing projects to life were remarkable, and he succeeded in achieving outstanding results in both his professional and personal life. Together with his brother Paul, he established their parents’ company, HARIBO, as an international success after the Second World War.

When reflecting on his legacy, his objective was clear: he wanted to give something back to society. Dr Riegel passed away in Bonn in 2013 at the age of 90. He left behind two charitable foundations: the Dr Hans Riegel Foundation in his native Germany and the Kaiserschild Foundation in Austria, the country he had chosen to call home.

Development

The Kaiserschild Foundation was established in 2007.

The Foundation launched its first educational initiative in 2010 with the inaugural presentation of the Dr Hans Riegel Awards at Austrian universities. The project Wissenschaftswerkstatt followed in 2014, professional development programmes for teachers in 2018, and the missimo truck set off on its first tour in 2023.

In 2020, the Foundation launched its first project in the field of science with the Kaiserschild Lectures series. In the same year, it also announced its first research funding programme for early-career researchers.

Since 2019, Dr Hans Riegel’s art collection has been on permanent display in the exhibition "Between Dying and Dancing" at Alte Galerie of the Universalmuseum Joanneum in Graz. In 2022, the Kaiserschild Foundation realised its first urban art project, and in 2025 it launched Kaiserschild Art Defined, a project dedicated to digital art education and engagement.

Team

Executive Board

  • Marco Alfter

    Chairman

  • Anna Maria Bischof

    Deputy Chairwoman

  • Univ.-Prof. i.R. Dr. Markus Achatz

    Member of the Executive Board
Advisory Board

  • Hermann-J. Konradi

    Chairman

  • Karl-Heinz Schupp

    Deputy Chair

  • Dirk Alfter

    Member of the Advisory Board

  • Prof. Ingeborg Henzler

    Member of the Advisory Board

  • Mag. Manuela Madlmayr

    Member of the Advisory Board
Employees