Misk Foundation

Misk Foundation (stylized MiSK Foundation; مؤسسة مسك), also known as Mohammed Bin Salman Foundation (مؤسسة محمد بن سلمان), is a non-profit foundation established by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2011.

History
Created in 2011, the MiSK foundation was initiated by Mohammad bin Salman, then advisor to the Governor of Riyadh. The name of the Foundation comes from "misk" ("musk" in English); the perfume is a symbol of generosity and benevolence. The Foundation's work is focused on education, culture and media.

In 2017, the Foundation became a "member company" of the MIT Media Lab consortium.

The MiSK Art Institute, launched in 2017, is the artistic branch of the MiSK Foundation. MiSK led the Saudi pavilion at the 2019 Venice Biennale, organizing an exhibition by the Jeddah-based Saudi artist Zahrah Al Ghamdi.

In November 2018, a month after the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation pulled funding from the foundation. In 2017, the Gates Foundation had committed $5 million to MiSK. “Jamal Khashoggi’s abduction and murder are extremely troubling,” said the Gates Foundation in a statement.

In April 2022, MiSK Foundation acquired 96% ownership of the Japanese video game company SNK.

In April 2024, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced the opening of its first regional office in partnership with Misk in Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City. The announcement was made during the World Economic Forum special meeting held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.