About Novo Holdings

Novo Holdings

Novo Holdings

We are a holding and investment company

Novo Holdings is a holding and investment company, responsible for managing the assets and wealth of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Headquartered in Copenhagen and wholly owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Novo Holdings is the controlling shareholder in Novo Nordisk and Novozymes (the “Novo Group” companies) and manages an investment portfolio (the “Investment Portfolio”), with a long-term return perspective. The Novo Holdings Investment Portfolio is comprised of Life Science Investments and Capital Investments. We aspire to be a leading responsible investor, recognised for delivering strong financial returns and positive societal impact. Novo Holdings operates from offices in Copenhagen, London, Boston, San Francisco, Singapore and Shanghai. As of year-end 2021, Novo Holdings had total assets of $106 billion.

Novo Holdings is among the world’s leading life science investors and invests in companies at all stages of development. Life Science Investments includes Seed Investments, Venture Investments, Growth Investments and Principal Investments. In 2021 Life Science Investments invested $2.2 billion in 71 companies. Capital Investments manages a diversified portfolio of equities, bonds, real estate and infrastructure assets, as well as private equity investments.

The purpose of Novo Holding is to improve people’s health and the sustainability of society and the planet by generating attractive long-term returns on the assets of the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

For more information, download our fact sheet.

Holdings Investments

We bring more than capital to life science companies at all stages of development

Kasim Kutay, CEO, Novo Holdings

Purpose
To improve people’s health and the sustainability of society and the planet, by generating attractive long-term returns on the assets of the
Novo Nordisk Foundation

Aspiration
To be a leading responsible investor, recognized for delivering strong financial returns and positive societal impact

Purpose
To improve people’s health and the sustainability of society and the planet, by generating attractive long-term returns on the assets of the
Novo Nordisk Foundation

Aspiration
To be a leading responsible investor, recognized for delivering strong financial returns and positive societal impact

Bioindustrials

The green transition

Together with the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Novo Holdings has embarked on a journey to make biotechnology a spearhead for the green transition of society. The ambition is to invest in promising discoveries that can be translated into applicable biosolutions. With our bioindustrial investments we strive to not only generate attractive financial returns, but also have a positive impact on society.

Responsible Investments at Novo Holdings

We aspire to become catalysts of change by investing in companies that – like Novo Holdings – believe that we have a responsibility to alleviate the pressing challenges facing humankind and our planet.

Read more.

Responsible Investments at Novo Holdings

We aspire to become catalysts of change by investing in companies that – like Novo Holdings – believe that we have a responsibility to alleviate the pressing challenges facing humankind and our planet.

Read more.

How we do business

The Novo Holdings way

At Novo Holdings, we aspire to a set of values that define the way we work. Our values underpin the Novo Holdings culture of high performance with respect and responsibility.

Performance
  • We strive to deliver outstanding long-term results
  • Vision, collaboration and diversity are key to our performance
Respect
  • We conduct ourselves with integrity and transparency
  • We build long-term relationships based on trust and respect
Responsibility
  • Sustainability is integral to our business
  • Learning is core to our organization

Leadership

  • Board of Directors

    The Board of Directors comprises eight members each with a long and proven track record in investments or the life sciences.

  • Advisory Group

    The Novo Advisory Group is an expert panel that supports Novo Holdings in analysing its larger life science investments.

  • Leadership team

    The leadership team of Novo Holdings comprises the CEO and the heads of the six departments.

Go to Leadership

History of Novo Holdings

In 1999, the Novo Nordisk Foundation established a wholly owned subsidiary, Novo A/S, to manage the Foundation’s assets. In 2017, Novo A/S changed its name to Novo Holdings A/S.

December 1999

Novo A/S established (now Novo Holdings A/S)

December 1999

Henrik Gürtler appointed CEO

December 2000

Novo Ventures established

December 2007

Novo Seeds established

January 2011

Principal Investments established

May 2014

Eivind Kolding appointed CEO

June 2016

Kasim Kutay appointed CEO

October 2017

Growth Equity established

February 2018

Novo Holdings launches the Repair Impact Fund to combat antimicrobial resistance

July 2018

Lars Rebien Sørensen becomes new Chairman of Novo Holdings

July 2020

Novo Holdings establishes new Asian life sciences investment platform in Singapore

News

Novo Holdings co-leads new investment in FIRE1 $25M financing

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Novo Holdings A/S expects to appoint Dr Susanne Schaffert to its Board of Directors as well as the Novo Advisory Group

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Novo Holdings invests in water technology company Aquafortus

Read more

Novo Holdings participates in Hemab Therapeutics $135M Series B Financing

Read more

2023 newsletter – Venture Investments

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Four partners agree to jointly redevelop Jernbanebyen in Copenhagen

Read more
More news

Key figures

Investments and transactions

  • € 13 bn

    currently invested in the life science sector.

  • 300+

    life science investments since 1999.

The Novo Nordisk Foundation

Striving to improve the health and welfare of people

The Novo Nordisk Foundation awards grants for research, humanitarian and social purposes. The history of the Foundation dates back to 1922, when Professor and Nobel Laureate August Krogh and his wife, Marie, took a trip to North America and succeeded in acquiring the necessary knowledge and permission to manufacture insulin in Scandinavia. In return, August Krogh promised that profit from the sale of insulin would be returned to society as support for scientific and humanitarian purposes.

The production of insulin marked the beginning of the development of world-class diabetes medicine and a subsequent Danish business and export venture. It also led to the establishment of several foundations that, many years later, merged into today’s Novo Nordisk Foundation. In 2021, the Foundation awarded a total of DKK 8.8 billion in grants, an increase from DKK 5.54 billion the previous year. Its payouts rose from DKK 4.6 billion in 2020 to DKK 4.8 billion in 2021.

Visit The Novo Nordisk Foundation

The Novo Nordisk Foundation

Striving to improve the health and welfare of people

The Novo Nordisk Foundation awards grants for research, humanitarian and social purposes. The history of the Foundation dates back to 1922, when Professor and Nobel Laureate August Krogh and his wife, Marie, took a trip to North America and succeeded in acquiring the necessary knowledge and permission to manufacture insulin in Scandinavia. In return, August Krogh promised that profit from the sale of insulin would be returned to society as support for scientific and humanitarian purposes.

The production of insulin marked the beginning of the development of world-class diabetes medicine and a subsequent Danish business and export venture. It also led to the establishment of several foundations that, many years later, merged into today’s Novo Nordisk Foundation. In 2021, the Foundation awarded a total of DKK 8.8 billion in grants, an increase from DKK 5.54 billion the previous year. Its payouts rose from DKK 4.6 billion in 2020 to DKK 4.8 billion in 2021.

Visit The Novo Nordisk Foundation

Contact

Our location

Novo Holdings A/S
Tuborg Havnevej 19
2900 Hellerup
Denmark
+45 3527 6500
CVR# 24257630

Novo Ventures (US) Inc.*
200 Clarendon Street, Floor 45
Boston, MA 02116
USA

Novo Ventures (US) Inc.*
501 2nd Street, Suite 300
San Francisco, CA 94107
USA
+1 (415) 552-6686

Novo Holdings Equity US Inc.*
501 2nd Street, Suite 300
San Francisco, CA 94107
USA
+1 (415) 552-6686

Novo Holdings Equity Asia Pte. Ltd.*
6 Battery Road #23-03
Singapore 049909
Singapore

Novo Holdings Equity US Inc.*
200 Clarendon Street, Floor 45
Boston, MA 02116
USA
+1 617 775 9836

Media Relations
Christian Mostrup Scheel
Senior Press Officer
cims@novo.dk
+45 3067 4805

*Novo Ventures (US) Inc., Novo Holdings Equity US Inc., comprising Novo Growth and Principal Investments, and Novo Holdings Equity Asia Pte. Ltd. are separate legal entities that provide certain consultancy services to Novo Holdings A/S, mainly within the areas of identifying, analysing and negotiating various investment opportunities among life science and biotech companies in the US as well as certain follow-up activities related thereto, such as board memberships, financial control and reporting efforts.