About the
Bikuben Foundation

The Bikuben Foundation applies several philanthropic tools beyond the simple provision of financial support. We undertake analyses and initiatives for the purpose of facilitating the development or strengthening of potentials and, ideally, we unite a diversity of parties around shared approaches – collaborating for the creation of permanent change, for making the greatest possible difference. In our view, the Bikuben Foundation's role in society is to facilitate the space for innovative thinking, quality and long-term solutions. We primarily operate in Denmark and, to a certain extent, in Greenland.

DEBATe, awareness and transparency 

The keywords for our communication is to generate debate, awareness and transparency. We would like to share the knowledge and the experiences we gain through our work. To that end, we communicate openly about our work, so that our cooperation partners – and the surrounding world in general – can gain insight into the foundation’s activities. We participate actively in debate events and meetings. Among other events we host Charlottenborgs Kaffeklub, which puts topics within the performing arts and visual arts to debate.

Historically rooted in the Danish savings bank movement

Historically, the Bikuben Foundation is rooted in the Danish savings bank movement. Established in 1857, the self-governing institution, Sparekassen Bikuben, was founded in response to the necessity for increased welfare among the growing working classes in Copenhagen. The Bikuben Foundation has continued the savings bank's fundamental beliefs in social commitment, innovative thinking and the concept of assistance supplementary to the individual's own efforts.

Over time, mergers, fusions, and a takeover by another financial institution have changed Sparekassen Bikuben’s relations and ownership structure. Smaller non-profit foundations that originated from these activities were later integrated with other similar foundations. Most recently, in 2010, the foundation BG Fonden merged with Bikuben Fonden af 1989 (the Bikuben Foundation of 1989), continuing under the name of the Bikuben Foundation. The assets of the Bikuben Foundation stem from the foundation’s ownership share of Sparekassen Bikuben and, subsequently, BG Bank.