Prof. Dr. Holger Hanselka, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

© Markus Breig / KIT

"In the tradition of its namesake, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft stands for the combination of scientific research spirit and entrepreneurship. The efficient and sustainable transfer of scientific knowledge into application is the common thread that runs through our 75-year history. Our success is based on the commitment of more than 30,000 employees who work every day to develop innovative solutions for current and future markets, thus giving our cooperation partners a decisive advantage in international competition. We would like to thank them all," explains Prof. Dr. Holger Hanselka, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, on the occasion of the anniversary.

The success story of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

On March 26, 1949, State Secretary Hugo Geiger invited 210 representatives from science, business and society to the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs. He wanted to contribute to the development of the economy in Bavaria and Germany by founding the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. It was named after the Munich scholar Joseph von Fraunhofer (1787-1826), who was equally successful as a researcher, inventor and entrepreneur.

In line with the needs of the post-war period, the focus in the early years was on research in the fields of mining, metallurgy and mechanical engineering. With the election of Hermann von Siemens as president in the mid-1950s and the founding of the first institutes, Fraunhofer increasingly developed into an essential pillar of the scientific landscape in Germany. In the mid-1960s, Fraunhofer officially became the supporting organization for applied research in the German innovation system.

Since the 1970s, the Fraunhofer model of success-dependent basic funding has generated the dynamic of success that continues to this day. German reunification opened up unexpected opportunities for new expansion. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft seized the opportunity and founded over 20 new institutes and facilities in the new federal states.

Following the establishment of the Microelectronics Alliance in 1984, more and more Fraunhofer Institutes have joined forces since 1997 to form thematically oriented alliances and develop joint marketing concepts and research strategies. In 2015, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft established so-called Regional High-Performance Centers for the first time. Here, Fraunhofer Institutes work closely with industry and other local research partners on thematically related projects in order to pool strengths and exploit the region's potential.

With currently 76 institutes and research facilities, more than 30,800 employees, an annual research volume of around 3 billion euros and numerous international collaborations, Fraunhofer is one of the most effective research organizations.