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 32,000 employees, predominantly scientists and engineers, work with an annual research budget of €3.6 billion. Fraunhofer generates €3.1 billion of this from contract research. Unlike other public research organizations, base funding from the German federal and state governments is merely the foundation for the annual research budget. This serves as the basis for groundbreaking precompetitive research that will become important for the private sector and society in the years ahead. Fraunhofer’s distinctive feature is its large share of industry revenue, guaranteeing close collaboration with the private sector and industry, and the consistent focus of Fraunhofer’s research on the market. In 2024, industry revenue accounted for €867 million of its budget. Fraunhofer’s research portfolio is augmented by competitively acquired public-sector funding, pursuing the right balance between public-sector and industry revenue.

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.