Our Thesis

We live in an age of extraordinary progress and scientific advances. Life expectancy has doubled since 1900. Knowledge is more accessible than ever. These leaps were set into motion during the Renaissance, a period of profound transformation. The printing press accelerated the exchange of knowledge, the scientific method transformed discovery, and the microscope and astrolabe deepened our understanding of the world. 

Back then, visionary patrons enabled innovators like Galileo and Leonardo da Vinci to thrive. Today’s philanthropists can do the same – just as the Rockefeller Foundation once catalyzed the Green Revolution and the creation of molecular biology. 

Despite its potential, science philanthropy remains complex and time intensive. Too often, breakthrough ideas go unfunded because they don’t fit conventional systems.

Renaissance Philanthropy was founded to increase ambition in science, technology, and innovation by making it easier for donors to support breakthroughs through time-bound, thesis-driven philanthropy. 

Our mission is to fuel a 21st-century renaissance by increasing the ambition of philanthropists, scientists, and innovators. Our vision is a brighter future for all through science, technology, and innovation.