A global leader in research

The is one of the world’s leading and largest organisations dealing with applied research. It was founded in 1949 and has its headquarters in Munich. The Fraunhofer institutes are based at locations throughout Germany, including Berlin, Dresden and Leipzig. This research institution was named after the researcher, inventor and entrepreneur .

How is the Fraunhofer Society structured?

The Fraunhofer Society is a registered association, whose complete German name is Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V. In practice, though, it is generally only referred to as the Fraunhofer Society, the Fraunhofer institutes, or simply as ‘Fraunhofer’.

Fraunhofer currently employs around 32,000 staff in its 76 institutes and research units. Each has its own research priority, such as computer science, environmental technologies or health research.

Their focus on applied research and their research priorities within future-oriented key technologies mean that the Fraunhofer Society’s institutes play a decisive role in the . This involves Fraunhofer operating as ‘supporter, guide and impetus provider’ in close collaboration with employers from industry, business and the public sector. This in practice enables and facilitates the transfer of research results. Their applied activities mean that the Fraunhofer institutes make a substantial contribution to technological development and to augmentation of Germany as a research location.

How is Fraunhofer financed?

Financing of applied research in the Fraunhofer institutes comes from various sources. Firstly, it is assured by core funding from the German government and federal states. Fraunhofer also receives payment for its commissioned research. This revenue includes commissions from industry, license income and publicly financed . The total annual business volume of the Fraunhofer institutes is some €3.4 billion.