Funds worth approximately 3.9 million Euros are being allocated to the Fraunhofer Institutes by the Government.
The Fraunhofer Society, one of the largest research organisations in Europe, has received a significant boost from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism of Baden-Württemberg. Eight projects at Fraunhofer institutions in the region will be supported with a total funding amount of approximately 3.9 million euros from 2025 to 2028.
These projects, chosen for their potential to have a significant impact on the economy, aim to develop new solutions together with companies, test them in practice, and establish them sustainably. The projects cover a wide range of topics, including hydrogen technologies, AI-supported material data analysis, and digitalisation in construction.
The Double Budget 2025/2026, a special fund available from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism of Baden-Württemberg, is being used to promote collaborations between institutes of the Fraunhofer Society and medium-sized companies. The selected projects demonstrate the performance of research institutions in transferring technology to the economy, particularly in times of technological change, when SMEs need excellent partners from research.
The Fraunhofer Society, with its 76 institutes and research facilities in Germany and around 32,000 staff members, is well-represented in Baden-Württemberg. The organisation employs approximately 6,100 staff members in the region, with a budget of around 600 million euros. All key technologies of the Fraunhofer Society are well-represented here, ranging from energy research to bioeconomy and environmental technologies.
The Minister of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism, Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, stated that the goal is for excellent research to lead to tangible progress for SMEs. The aim of the support is to strengthen the transfer of knowledge and technology from research to medium-sized companies in the region and to future-proof the Innovation Location Baden-Württemberg.
In addition to funding, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism also supports the expansion and development of the Fraunhofer Society through investments in buildings and equipment. The further expansion of applied research and the founding and settlement of new institutes are among the strategic goals of the state government in innovation policy.
For further information, please contact the Press Office or the Citizen's Representative of the Fraunhofer Society. The Fraunhofer Institutes generate an annual research volume of approximately 3.4 billion euros, with 3.0 billion euros coming from contract research. The Fraunhofer Society's research activities are focused on applied research, with the aim of creating new solutions that can be tested and implemented in practice.
