Foundation

• AD

  ADI Foundation

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  Sporthilfe

  Frankfurt am Main, Germany

  Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe – often shortened to Sporthilfe – is Germany’s largest and most important private sports funding initiative. Established in 1967 ahead of the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, the foundation has supported more than 47,000 athletes across over 50 sports disciplines. Sporthilfe provides financial aid, scholarship programs, dual-career counselling, and access to business networks, enabling young and top-level athletes to combine elite sport with education and career development. The foundation is funded by donations, corporate partnerships (e.g. DEUTZ, Tipico), and public contributions. It operates flagship programs such as the Sporthilfe Talent Team, the Tipico Champion Fonds, and the Juniorsportler des Jahres award. Headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Sporthilfe is governed by an executive board and a board of trustees, employing approximately 60–70 staff.

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  Gauselmann Family Foundation

  Espelkamp, Germany

  The Gauselmann Family Foundation is the permanent holding entity and sole shareholder of the Merkur Group, one of Europe's largest privately held gaming and entertainment conglomerates. Founded in 1999 by Paul Gauselmann as a philanthropic vehicle, it was restructured on 1 January 2016 to consolidate the voting shares of the founder's four family lines, securing the group's long-term independence and preventing fragmentation. Headquartered in Espelkamp, North Rhine-Westphalia, the foundation does not conduct day-to-day operations but makes all fundamental strategic decisions, appoints the group's management board, and oversees the supervisory board. The underlying Merkur Group reported external revenues exceeding €2.7 billion in 2024 and employs approximately 15,000 people across its portfolio of slot machines, amusement arcades, land-based casinos, online gaming, and sports betting. The foundation also runs the separate Paul und Karin Gauselmann Stiftung, a charitable foundation with an endowment of €71 million focused on education, science, youth, and elderly welfare.