What is it?

Kærtor Foundation

The Kærtor Foundation is a private, non-profit foundation, registered in the Register of Foundations of Galician Interest of the Xunta de Galicia under the protectorate of the Galician Ministry of Economy, Employment and Industry.

Its objective is to provide expert knowledge in drug discovery that contributes to transform, guide and accelerate research projects on new therapies for unmet medical needs. Also, it serves as an instrument to connect basic investigation in drug discovery with the pharmaceutical industry in an open innovation context.

The Foundation arose as a result of the conclusions reached after two years of intensive work with a committee of international experts in open innovation, drug discovery and financial models.

It is an unprecedented model in the context of open innovation and public-private co-development in drug discovery, set up to manage the know-how and results achieved in the Innopharma project and to facilitate the reciprocal transfer of knowledge in drug discovery programs.

Our logo

Galician itinerant tinkers travelled the world looking for work with their wheel-driven grindstones sharpening tools, fixing umbrellas, pots and pans. Following their wheels they reached far. We have chosen the tinker’s wheel as the logo for the Kærtor Foundation; furthermore the wheel is the symbol for technological advances.

In Spanish, the spokes of the wheel are also called “rays”, our symbol for a lighthouse on the Galician coast.

Our mission

Generating, managing, executing and promoting drug discovery programs and the social and productive economy of this sector in Galicia.

Our activities are aimed at the reciprocal transfer of research results in the context of open innovation in drug discovery.

The trustees of the Foundation combine experience, knowledge and prestige in their respective fields of expertise.