About us
Zennström Philanthropies was founded in 2007 by Niklas and Catherine Zennström. Its mission is to support and engage with organisations that fight for human rights, work to stop climate change and encourage social entrepreneurship in order to protect our natural environment and allow those who live in it to realize their full potential.
We believe that the issues we focus on require a collaborative approach. One in which NGOs, funders, governments and individuals work together to achieve action and change. In forming partnerships and making investments, Zennström Philanthropies will seek organisations with strong leadership and that have the ability to scale their work and sustain their impact over the long-term period.
At Zennström Philanthropies we believe that our energy and resources are best employed by working long-term, in strategic partnership with organisations that match our areas of focus and our way of working. Our goal is to build relationships based on a firm understanding of and passion for each organisation's mission, initiatives, accomplishments and future plans. To that end we search out groups which provide thought leadership, capacity building and coalition building around human rights, climate change and social enterprise. By taking a proactive approach to identifying complementary organisations we can create a grant portfolio that is more than the sum of its parts and can leverage synergies, networks and resources more efficiently. While we are always interested in learning more about the groups working in our areas of focus we are unable to accept unsolicited grants.
Our logo
The logo of Zennström Philanthropies is the sycamore seed.
The symbolism of the trees in the sycamore family is deeply rooted in history. It is a species that grows in many continents, playing its part in many different ways. The sycamore can live for centuries, it is strong and resistant to deterioration. It naturally provides shelter and shade to humans and animals; some species produce food in the form of nutritional fruits; and the wood, although light, is used worldwide in construction.
This seed pod is a symbol of long life, durability, strength, nurturing and resistance to harm. Growing with deep root systems all over the world, the sycamore seed is a truly compatible icon for the work and ethos of Zennström Philanthropies, as we look to ensure that across our portfolios, our work creates long lasting and far-reaching change.
