The Kavli Foundation was established by Fred Kavli in 2000 with a mission to advance science for the benefit of humanity. Kavli's primary way of achieving this is by funding basic research in the fields of astrophysics, nanoscience, neuroscience and theoretical physics. Using their distinct endowment model, Kavli fund research institutes in one of these four sciences at universities around the world. At present, there are 20 Kavli Institutes globally. Their Science Program also supports initiatives and pursues partnerships that advance these scientific fields.

Through Kavli's Science and Society Program, they go beyond scientific research and focus on ways to strengthen the relationship between science and society. Through collaborations with academies and societies, philanthropies and more, they are working to ensure the people, processes and products of science contribute meaningfully to society.

Finally, they honor scientists with The Kavli Prize in celebration of breakthroughs in astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience – the big, the small and the complex. This signature international award is a partnership among The Kavli Foundation, The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and The Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research.

At the core, all of these efforts are united through Kavli's values, dedication to basic research, drive to identify promising ideas and opportunities, desire to create lasting impact, and directive to catalyze and enable actions that unlock the benefits of science.

Mission

The Kavli Foundation’s mission is to advance science for the benefit of humanity. Everything they do is guided by the vision of their founder, Fred Kavli, the mission of the foundation, and its values.

Values

Kavli's values reflect the character and philosophy of the foundation’s mission and are inspired by their founder, Fred Kavli – a risk-taker, an entrepreneur, a curious individual inspired by the natural world and a champion for science. These values, along with Kavli's Code of Conduct, guide their work every day and help us make their mission – advancing science for the benefit of humanity – a reality.