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FraunhoferGesellschaft

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., commonly known as Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft or Fraunhofer, is a German research organization that specializes in applied science. It operates as a non-profit registered association and coordinates a network of research institutes across Germany and Europe. Its mission is to bridge scientific discovery and commercial application by performing contract research for industry and public-sector clients.

Founded in 1949, and named after Joseph von Fraunhofer, a 19th-century optics pioneer, the society conducts

Its activities cover information technologies, materials and manufacturing, life sciences, energy and environment, mobility, and related

Fraunhofer institutes have contributed to notable technologies, including MP3 audio encoding developed at Fraunhofer IIS, advances

Headquartered in Munich, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft operates through a central management and a governance structure that includes a

applied
research
with
the
goal
of
developing
marketable
technologies
and
systemic
innovations.
It
maintains
a
multi-institute
structure,
with
around
70
institutes
and
project
centers
and
tens
of
thousands
of
staff.
disciplines.
The
organization
focuses
on
technology
transfer
and
practical
demonstrations,
licensing
of
intellectual
property,
and
collaboration
with
industry,
universities,
and
public
authorities.
Research
is
funded
through
a
mix
of
government
support,
European
Union
programs,
and
industry
contracts.
in
solid-state
lighting,
imaging,
and
scalable
solar
and
bioeconomy
solutions.
The
network
also
supports
start-ups
and
spin-off
companies,
translating
research
results
into
products
and
processes.
supervisory
board.
It
is
considered
one
of
Europe’s
leading
applied
research
organizations
and
plays
a
key
role
in
Germany’s
innovation
ecosystem.