FraunhoferInstitute

Fraunhofer Institute refers to the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., commonly known as Fraunhofer, a German applied research organization. It conducts contract research for industry and the public sector and focuses on translating scientific discoveries into marketable technologies. It is named after Joseph von Fraunhofer, a 19th‑century German physicist.

Headquartered in Munich, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft operates a nationwide network of institutes and research units across Germany, with additional collaborating centers abroad. The institutes cover a broad range of technology fields, including information and communications technology, micro- and nanoelectronics, photonics and materials, energy, transport and automation, life sciences, and production.

The organization is a non-profit association funded through a mix of public funding by federal and state governments and contract work with industry and public sector clients. It emphasizes technology transfer, prototype development, demonstration projects, licensing, and the creation of spin-off companies to bring research results to market. Fraunhofer institutes regularly partner with universities, industry consortia, and government agencies, and publish research outputs and patents.

Fraunhofer is widely regarded as a driver of innovation in Germany and Europe, and its collaborative model is frequently cited as a leading example of applied research that links science to business. The organization operates internationally through collaborations and joint programs, including research projects and technology transfer initiatives with other countries.