The Bukhman Family Foundation, founded by tech billionaires Igor and Dmitri Bukhman, has recently been established to support research for finding a cure for type 1 diabetes, as well as funding projects in science, education, and the arts. The foundation has already backed a commission by artist Alvaro Barrington at London’s Tate Britain gallery and is actively hiring staff to run wellness projects in schools across the British capital. Registered in the U.K. in November 2023, the foundation aims to support charitable causes in the U.K., Israel, and Ukraine, although the exact amount of donation made by the brothers has not been disclosed.
With a reported commitment of $4 billion to their family office, Rix Capital, in April 2023, the Bukhman brothers are among Europe’s wealthiest tech billionaires. Their success stems from their stake in mobile games developer Playrix, founded in 2004 in Russia before relocating its headquarters to Ireland in 2013 and the brothers moving to Israel in 2016. Despite the company’s decision to cut ties with Russia in October 2022, Playrix remains a profitable business under the control of the Bukhman brothers, who received a $225 million dividend in 2022 despite a slight decrease in sales following the pandemic-related industry downturn.
While family philanthropic foundations are popular among Silicon Valley and Wall Street billionaires in the U.S., they are less common in the U.K. and Europe. However, founders in Europe are now following suit, with Checkout.com founder Guillaume Pousaz establishing education-focused Pousaz Philanthropies, joining other philanthropists like ecommerce billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen and British billionaire James Dyson in initiating charitable foundations. The Bukhman Family Foundation’s focus on supporting research for type 1 diabetes, along with their contributions to projects in science, education, and the arts, reflects a growing trend of tech billionaires using their wealth for philanthropic endeavors.
The establishment of the Bukhman Family Foundation, led by Igor and Dmitri Bukhman, marks a significant step in their journey as tech billionaires, as they seek to support charitable causes in the U.K., Israel, and Ukraine. With a reported commitment of $4 billion to their family office, Rix Capital, the brothers are among Europe’s wealthiest tech billionaires, thanks to their successful venture in Playrix, a mobile games developer. The brothers’ decision to prioritize funding for research into a cure for type 1 diabetes, along with other projects in science, education, and the arts, reflects a trend among tech billionaires to use their wealth for philanthropic purposes, following in the footsteps of other European founders like Guillaume Pousaz, Anders Holch Povlsen, and James Dyson.
In a move that reflects a growing trend among tech billionaires, Igor and Dmitri Bukhman have set up the Bukhman Family Foundation to support charitable causes in the U.K., Israel, and Ukraine. With a reported commitment of $4 billion to their family office, Rix Capital, the brothers are among Europe’s wealthiest tech billionaires, thanks to their successful stake in Playrix. The foundation’s focus on research for type 1 diabetes, as well as projects in science, education, and the arts, aligns with a trend of tech billionaires using their wealth for philanthropic endeavors, following in the footsteps of other European founders who have established charitable foundations. The Bukhman Family Foundation’s commitment to supporting various charitable causes reflects the brothers’ desire to give back to society and make a positive impact through their wealth and resources.
