WIFU Foundation – Charitable Commitment for Family Businesses

For strong family entrepreneurship: conduct and promote research, make results usable for practice.

WIFU Foundation – Your Strong Supporter

The WIFU Foundation is a non-profit organisation that supports research and teaching surrounding family entrepreneurship, conducts its own research, and engages in science communication.

About the WIFU Foundation Support the WIFU Foundation

The WIFU Foundation – Focusing on Entrepreneurial Families and Family Businesses!

WIFU Events
Each calendar year, the WIFU Foundation offers around 50 events for members of family businesses and entrepreneurial families.
to the events
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WIFU Foundation – Charitable Commitment for Family Businesses
For strong family entrepreneurship: conduct and promote research, make results usable for practice.

WIFU Foundation – Your Strong Supporter

The WIFU Foundation is a non-profit organisation that supports research and teaching surrounding family entrepreneurship, conducts its own research, and engages in science communication.

About the WIFU Foundation Support the WIFU Foundation

The WIFU Foundation – Focusing on Entrepreneurial Families and Family Businesses!

Wifu Online Library
The WIFU Online Library offers over 800 publications on topics related to family businesses and entrepreneurial families.
to the online library
Wifu-Gabentisch-2000
WIFU Foundation – Charitable Commitment for Family Businesses
For strong family entrepreneurship: conduct and promote research, make results usable for practice.

WIFU Foundation – Your Strong Supporter

The WIFU Foundation is a non-profit organisation that supports research and teaching surrounding family entrepreneurship, conducts its own research, and engages in science communication.

About the WIFU Foundation Support the WIFU Foundation

The WIFU Foundation – Focusing on Entrepreneurial Families and Family Businesses!

Funding activities
The WIFU Foundation promotes research into family entrepreneurship and connects science and practice on national and international stages.
to our funding activities
ifera-2024

The WIFU Foundation as a bridge between theory and practice

Family businesses are not only the backbone of our economy, but also represent the heart of the social market economy. This is precisely where the WIFU Foundation's mission begins. We create spaces for exchange, fund research into current issues from our network, and bring findings specifically into practice. In this way, we sustainably strengthen family businesses, enhance the intergenerational capability of family businesses and entrepreneurial families, and thus also secure jobs.

Specialising in family businesses and their families

A strong network & the chance to exchange ideas with like-minded people

Connecting Science and Practice

Active as a non-profit organisation for over 15 years

WIFU Library with over 800 publications

Around 30 million euros in research funding since 2009

News

Our Library | Figures, Data, Facts

To the WIFU Library
0 Videos
0 Practice guides
0 Practise article
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Key topics

Classifications, models and practical ideas

Family businesses and entrepreneurial families follow their own logic. Our focus topics offer guidance on key challenges in family entrepreneurship. On the topic pages, you will find explanations of key terms, models, and fundamentals. They help you to better understand topics such as governance, succession, family strategy, and shareholder competence.

  • Longevity
  • Crises & Conflicts
  • Business management
  • Family Governance & Family Strategy
  • Digitalisation & AI
  • Business succession
  • Sustainability

 

On the focus topics
Library

The WIFU Library is at the heart of our science communication. With over 800 publications, it offers concentrated knowledge on topics that are relevant to family businesses, entrepreneurial families, and consulting practice – scientifically sound, close to practice, and in almost all cases accessible free of charge.

To the WIFU library
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The WIFU Foundation looking ahead – Our Vision 2030

„The WIFU Foundation is the leading funding organisation
for research on family entrepreneurship in German-speaking countries. We shape the research landscape, translate knowledge into practical applications, and foster exchange between academia and practice.“

 

WIFU Foundation: An Interdisciplinary Look at Family Businesses

Promotion of Research & Teaching

Supporting innovative research projects and promoting excellent teaching to strengthen emerging scientists.

Science communication

Transfer of scientific findings into practice and society through target-group-oriented communication.

Fundraising

Acquisition of funds and building strategic partnerships for the sustainable financing of foundation activities.

Term Overview

OCT 30

14th WIFU@NextGen Organising Committee Meeting

„Operational and collaborative forms of NextGen involvement in family businesses“

View event
NOV 02

WIFU Research Camp 2026

Monday 2 November 2026 to Thursday 5 November 2026 at Haus Hohenstein in Witten

View event
NOV 02

77th WIFU Online Forum: Practical experiences

Non-family management – between trust, responsibility and governance

View event

WIFU-EVENTS-APP

The WIFU Events app offers WIFU Foundation scholarship holders exclusive access to events, event materials, an annual overview of all dates, and an integrated chat function.

Download the app directly:
Download in the App Store ↗ Available now on Google Play ↗ To the web app ↗
WIFU Events App for Family Business Events

WIFU Foundation and WIFU Institute: What connects them, what differentiates them

The WIFU Foundation supports research and teaching, as well as the transfer of knowledge on the subject of family business. A central recipient of funding is the Witten Institute for Family Business (WIFU) at the University of Witten/Herdecke. Furthermore, the WIFU Foundation supports other scientific projects and research institutions.

The acronym WIFU is used differently in both organisations:

  • WIFU Foundation: WIFU stands for Wscientific IInstitute for Ffamily businesses and UEntrepreneurial families.
  • WIFU Institute WIFU stands for Wit is IInstitute for FAmylinuCompany.

 

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