The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft based in Germany is the world's leading applied research organization. Prioritizing key future-relevant technologies and commercializing its findings in business and industry, it plays a major role in the innovation process. It is a trailblazer and trendsetter in innovative developments and research excellence. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft supports research and industry with inspiring ideas and sustainable scientific and technological solutions and is helping shape our society and our future.

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft's interdisciplinary research teams turn original ideas into innovations together with contracting industry and public sector partners, coordinate and complete essential key research policy projects and strengthen the German and European economy with ethical value creation. International collaborative partnerships with outstanding research partners and businesses all over the world provide for direct dialogue with the most prominent scientific communities and most dominant economic regions.

Founded in 1949, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft currently operates 76 institutes and research units throughout Germany. Over 30,000 employees, predominantly scientists and engineers, work with an annual research budget of €2.9 billion. Fraunhofer generates €2.5 billion of this from contract research. Industry contracts and publicly funded research projects account for around two thirds of that. The federal and state governments contribute around another third as base funding, enabling institutes to develop solutions now to problems that will become crucial to industry and society in the near future.

The impact of applied research goes far beyond its direct benefits to clients: Fraunhofer institutes enhance businesses' performance, improve social acceptance of advanced technology and educate and train the urgently needed next generation of research scientists and engineers.

Highly motivated employees up on cutting-edge research constitute the most important success factor for us as a research organization. Fraunhofer consequently provides opportunities for independent, creative and goal-driven work and thus for professional and personal development, qualifying individuals for challenging positions at our institutes, at higher education institutions, in industry and in society. Practical training and early contacts with clients open outstanding opportunities for students to find jobs and experience growth in business and industry.

The prestigious nonprofit Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft's namesake is Munich scholar Joseph von Fraunhofer (1787–1826). He enjoyed equal success as a researcher, inventor and entrepreneur.