GEBERT RÜF STIFTUNG wishes to help facilitate breakthroughs for applied science projects with the potential to have a major impact. Its aim is not support for the sciences as such. Its support strategy is based on areas of activity with a limited duration and on clear selection criteria.

Areas of activity as support vehicles
GEBERT RÜF STIFTUNG seeks to create impetus by bundling its operations into areas of activity without maintaining clearly defined and consolidated programme lines. It periodically redefines its areas of focus. The fact that the areas of activity are time-limited means that capacity is repeatedly freed up for the development of new areas of activity.

Support vehicle "Pilot projects"
One of the five areas of activity is available for the "free support" of projects which conform particularly closely to the foundation purpose and the resulting strategic (non-content-based) support criteria:
- High degree of innovation and originality: distinctive features
- Pre-competitive, application-driven R&D
- Suitable to serve as a model or having potential