Application-focused research - research that can be put into practice

Research of practical utility is at the core of all activities undertaken by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Founded in 1949, the organization conducts applied research that drives economic development and serves the broader benefit of society. Its services are in demand from customers and contractual partners in industry, the service sector and public administration.

Today, the institution maintains 76 research institutes and units. Most of the more than 30,000 employees are qualified scientists and engineers, working with an annual research budget of 2.8 billion euros. Of this, almost 2.5 billion euros is generated through contract research. About 70 percent of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft's contract research revenue is derived from contracts with industry and publicly funded research projects. About 30 percent comes from German federal and state governments in the form of core funding, enabling the institutes to work on solutions to problems that will not yet be relevant to industry and society for the next five or ten years.

International collaborations, with excellent research partners and innovative companies around the world, guarantee direct access to the regions of greatest importance for present and future scientific progress and economic development.

With its clearly defined mission of application-oriented research focused on key technologies of relevance for the future, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft plays a prominent role in the German and European innovation process. Applied research has a decisive effect that extends beyond the direct benefits perceived by the customer: Through their research and development work, the Fraunhofer Institutes help to strengthen the competitive strength of the economy in their local region and throughout Germany and Europe. They do this by promoting innovation, strengthening the technological base, improving the acceptance of new technologies, and helping to train the future generation of urgently needed scientists and engineers.

As an employer, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft offers its employees the opportunity to develop the professional and personal skills that will enable them to assume positions of responsibility within their institute, at universities, in industry and in society. Students who choose to work on projects at the Fraunhofer Institutes have excellent prospects of starting and developing a career in industry by virtue of the practical training and experience they have acquired.

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is a recognized non-profit organization, named after Joseph von Fraunhofer (1787-1826), the distinguished Munich researcher, inventor and entrepreneur.

https://www.fraunhofer.de/en.html

Our motivation

From simple requests to more complex, large-scale projects and strategic partnerships, cooperation with Fraunhofer knows no bounds. We help companies develop, optimize and bring to market products and processes:

Developing new products and services

Improving products

Optimizing existing processes and organizational structures

Moving from product development to short-run production

Conducting market analysis and feasibility studies

Incorporating new technologies

Obtaining licensing

Promoting characterization, testing and certification