Press FAQ

Novo Holdings is the investment company of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, one of the world’s largest enterprise foundations, and is responsible for managing the entirety of the Foundations holdings and assets.

Since its inception in 1999, Novo Holdings has invested in the life sciences sector. Initially led by Venture Investments, and later adding Seeds, Growth, Planetary Health, Principal and Capital Investments. Today we invest across the full continuum of the life sciences sector, from early start-ups to global well-established companies.

Our Capital Investments team manage a broad portfolio of equities, bonds, real estate, infrastructure and private equity assets.

Novo Holdings is the majority shareholder of the Danish companies Novo Nordisk and Novonesis. Novo Holdings owns more than 25% of the ordinary share capital of the companies, including all the preferred (A) shares, and more than 70% of the votes. In both Novo Nordisk and Novonesis each preferred (A) share is allocated 10 votes and each ordinary (B) share one vote.

Novo Nordisk and Novonesis generate income to Novo Holdings in the form if dividends and share buybacks. This income is then added to and invested by the Novo Holdings Investment Portfolio. Each year a portion of the returns from the investment portfolio are funneled to the Novo Nordisk Foundation for grant giving activities.

The Novo Group is a group of three independent companies that are controlled by the Novo Nordisk Foundation: Novo Holdings, Novo Nordisk A/S, and Novonesis A/S.
Novo Holdings is responsible for managing the assets and wealth of the Novo Nordisk Foundation and serves as the holding company of the group.
Through Novo Holdings, the Novo Nordisk Foundation is the controlling shareholder in Novo Nordisk A/S and Novozymes A/S. Novo Holdings owns more than 25% of the ordinary share capital of the companies, including all the preferred (A) shares, and more than 70% of the votes. In both Novo Nordisk and Novozymes each preferred (A) share is allocated 10 votes and each ordinary (B) share one vote.
As part of its enterprise foundation structure, the Foundation is obligated to maintain its controlling ownership in both companies.

No, Novo Holdings does not invest for the strategic benefit of Novo Nordisk or Novozymes. Novo Holdings invests to generate attractive long-term returns for the benefit of the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

Novo Nordisk is one of many portfolio companies that is owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation through Novo Holdings. The CEO of Novo Holdings sits on the board of Novo Nordisk and Novozymes.

With a portfolio of more than 170 companies, Novo Holdings is a globally leading life sciences investor. Novo Holdings invests in life science companies at all stages of development and also manages a broad portfolio of capital investments. In addition, with our ownership in Novonesis, combined with a portfolio of more than 20 bioindustrial companies, Novo Holdings is among the world’s leading investors in industrial biotech, or biosolutions.