Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft | ANNUAL REPORT 2017

ANNUAL REPORT 2017

THE FUTURE OF WORKFraunhofer-Gesellschaft

With its clearly defined mission of application-oriented
research and its focus on key technologies of relevanceResearch of practical utility lies at the heart of all activities

to the future, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft plays apursued by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Founded in 1949,

prominent role in the German and European innovation

the research organization undertakes applied research

process. Applied research has a knock-on effect thatthat drives economic development and serves the wider

extends beyond the direct benefits perceived by thebenefit of society. Its services are solicited by customers

customer: through their research and development work,and contractual partners in industry, the service sector

the Fraunhofer Institutes help to reinforce the competitiveand public administration.

strength of the economy in their local region, andthroughout Germany and Europe. They do so by

At present, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft maintains

promoting innovation, strengthening the technological

72 institutes and research units. The majority of thebase, improving the acceptance of new technologies,

more than 25 000 staff are qualified scientists andand helping to train the urgently needed future gene-engineers, who work with an annual research budget

ration of scientists and engineers.

of 2.3 billion euros. Of this sum, almost 2 billion euros
is generated through contract research. AroundAs an employer, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft offers

70 percent of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s contract

its staff the opportunity to develop the professional

research revenue is derived from contracts withand personal skills that will allow them to take up

industry and from publicly financed research projects.

positions of responsibility within their institute, at

Around 30 percent is contributed by the German

universities, in industry and in society. Students who

federal and state governments in the form of basechoose to work on projects at the Fraunhofer Institutes

funding, enabling the institutes to work ahead on

have excellent prospects of starting and developing

solutions to problems that will not become acutely

a career in industry by virtue of the practical training

relevant to industry and society until five or ten years

and experience they have acquired.

from now.
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is a recognizedInternational collaborations with excellent research

non-profit organization that takes its name frompartners and innovative companies around the world

Joseph von Fraunhofer (1787 – 1826), the illustrious

ensure direct access to regions of the greatest importance

Munich researcher, inventor and entrepreneur.

to present and future scientific progress and economic
development.
Figures as at January 2018.
www.fraunhofer.deANNUAL REPORT 2017
THE FUTURE OF WORK

Ladies and gentlemen,2017 has been a year of profound change, both in politics andsociety, and in business and research. Amidst it all, ­Fraunhofer
continues to operate as a dynamic and forward-looking organization, constantly seeking to maintain and promote researchand innovation as a pillar of Germany’s and Europe’s economic
strength. Our focus is directed as a­ lways toward appliedresearch, which we now pursue through innovative forms ofcollaboration that deliver excellence, efficiency and results asnever before.
We grew once more in 2017. Today, more than 25,000
employees work across Germany in Fraunhofer’s 72 institutes
and research institutions, and in its national and international
subsidiaries, with a total budget of 2.3 billion euros. These­figures are proof that our research and development activities
are catering admirably to current market needs.
In order to build on our position as one of the world-leading
R&D organizations long term, we intend to engage fully withnew realities and new developments. This includes the digitalization of industry, research and society – a huge undertaking
both in its transformative potential and in its complexity anddynamism. In order to exploit such opportunities to their fullpotential, the Executive Board has drawn up the Fraunhofer2022 Agenda, which is split into the action areas of research,transfer, good business management and digitalization. A sectionof this annual report is devoted to this topic.

By implementing the Agenda, we seek to further improve theAllow me to join with my fellow Executive Board members

quality and synergy of our work, to build on what sets us

in extending a warm thanks to all our customers, contractors,

apart as a connected innovator with efficient research andand to governmental policy-makers for continuing to placetransfer structures and thus to increase our appeal to contract

their trust in us; fulfilling your highest expectations is ourresearch customers.

­ongoing goal. I would also like to extend a sincere thank you
to our employees for their commitment and first-class work –We can expect digital and biological transformation to have

it is thanks to you that Fraunhofer enjoys such high regard ina greater and greater impact on the entire world of work.

the research, business and political spheres.

Basic jobs will continue to disappear, replaced by a greaternumber of challenging, creative and responsibility-laden roles.
One of the key articles in our annual report looks at precisely

Sincerely,

these developments.
At Fraunhofer, too, the way we work is changing. It is a basic
truth that an organization’s success depends in large parton the knowledge, experience and commitment of its people,

Reimund Neugebauer

and nowhere is this more evident than in a research organi­

President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

zation. Accordingly, we are doing all we can to attract and­retain the best specialist and management personnel, aiming
for a diverse balance of people across our operations. That is
why we offer family-friendly working models as well as­challenging and self-regulated work.
In order to be at the forefront to shape any developments andpotential disruptions, we are also placing increasing importance on monitoring and forward-looking socio-economic­research. To this end, last year we established the FraunhoferGroup for Innovation Research – INNOVATION, which coordinates the work of five Fraunhhofer Institutes. We expect these
to become even more active in a political advisory role as timegoes on.

		
Report of the executive Board
8

The Executive Board

12

Management Report 2017

46

Report of the Senate on the financial year 2017

50

Inside the Fraunhofer Senate

		 R e v i e w o f Fr a u n h o f e r R e s e a r c h
58Work in a digitalized world68

Agenda 2022 – new topics, structures andinstruments for Fraunhofer research

76

Projects and results 201794

New initiatives and infrastructures

101

Awards 2017104

People in research

116

Fraunhofer Institute spin-offs

		 f i n a n c i a l r e p o r t
122

Balance sheet at December 31, 2017124

Income statement for the financial year 2017

126

Reconciliation between income statement andperformance statement (cash-basis accounting) 2017128

Performance statement for individual Fraunhofer entities

134

Excerpts from the notes to the financial statements 2017137

Independent auditor’s report		S e r v i c e
140Structure of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

142

Members, constituent bodies, ­committees

144

Fraunhofer Groups

145

Fraunhofer Alliances

146

Addresses in Germany

148

International addresses

150

Editorial notes

REPORT OF
THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
THE EXECUTIVE B OA R D
M ANA G E M ENT R EPO R T 2 0 1 7
R EPO R T OF THE SENATEON THE FINANCIA L Y EA R 2 0 1 7
INSIDE THE F R AUNHOFE R SENATE

THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Reimund Neugebauer is Professor of Machine Tools at the Technische Universität Chemnitz(TU Chemnitz). After leadership roles in the mechanical engineering industry, in 1991 he
set up what is now the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU,
which grew to become an international center for manufacturing engineering in his 21 yearsof service as its director. He has been President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft since 2012.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Prof. E. h. Dr.-Ing. E. h. mult. Dr. h. c. mult.
Reimund Neugebauer
President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Corporate Policy and Research Management

8

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Andreas Meuer has occupied a variety of leading roles at Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft headquarters
since 1992, most recently as Director of Finance, Accounting and Business Planning. He becamea member of the Executive Board at the beginning of 2018.

Dipl.-Kfm.
Andreas Meuer
Executive Vice President, Controlling and Digital Business Processes

9REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
The Executive Board

After studying to become a lawyer, Alexander Kurz worked as a manager and board member
for major research organizations such as CERN in Geneva and the Karlsruhe Institute of­Technology (KIT). He has been a member of the Executive Board of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
since 2011.

Prof. Dr. rer. publ. ass. iur.
Alexander Kurz
Executive Vice President Human Resources, Legal Affairs and IP Management

10Georg Rosenfeld holds a doctorate in physics. After working as a research scientist at the
Forschungszentrum Jülich and at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, he joined
the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft as Division Director Corporate Development and then as Division
Director Research. The Senate appointed him to the Executive Board in 2016.

Prof. Dr. rer. nat.
Georg Rosenfeld
Executive Vice President, Technology Marketing and Business Models

11

MANAGEMENT REPORT 2017

Strategy and operating environment
Profile of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

14

Strategic initiatives

15

New Executive Vice President, Controlling andDigital Business Processes

17

Structural growth17

Science policy framework

18

Business report
Total business volume

21

Contract research

21

Contract research of the Fraunhofer Groups

25

Defense research

25

Major infrastructure capital expenditure27

Financial and net asset position

27

Shareholdings and spin-offs

28

International activities

29Intellectual property activities

32

Corporate responsibility
Employees

34

Diversity

37

Social commitment

38

Governance

39

Resources and procurement

39

Research and development

41

Risk situation and outlook
Risk management and risks

42

Outlook45

12

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft – key data for 2017 (in € million)

2016

2017

Business volume by segment

2081

2286

+205

+10 %

Contract research

1879

1992

+113

+6 %

Defense research

114

121

+7

+6 %

Major infrastructure capital expenditure

88

173

+85

+97 %

Business volume by budget

2081

2286

+205

+10 %

Operating budget

1853

1940

+87

+5 %

of which: personnel expenses

1193

1260

+67

+6 %

of which: non-personnel expenses

619

640

+21

+3 %

of which: change in reserves 1

41

40

–1

–2%

Capital expenditure budget 2

228

346

+118

+52 %

Project revenue by segment

1451

1596

+145

+10 %

Contract research

1386

1466

+80

+6 %

of which: industrial revenue

682

711

+29

+4 %

of which: public-sector revenue 3

704

755

+51

+7 %

Defense research

49

57

+8

+16 %

Major infrastructure capital expenditure

16

73

+57

+356 %

International revenue 4

304

311

+7

+2 %

Patent applications (number)

608

602

–6

–1%

24,45825,327+869+4 %Employees (number)

Change1 Change in special license-fee revenue reserve.
2 Current capital expenditure on contract and defense research as well as major infrastructure capital expenditure.
3 Includes German federal and state governments, EU and other revenue.
4 Includes international subsidiaries’ project revenue generated with third parties; excludes license-fee revenue.

13

STRATEGY AND OPERATING ENVIRONMENT

Profile of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Each Fraunhofer Institute develops its own market orientationand core competences on the basis of its immediate market

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten

environment and its links with the scientific community.

Forschung e. V. (Fraunhofer) is a non-profit organization

Although the institutes operate as separate profit centers,that was founded in 1949 and has its headquarters in Munich.

they are not autonomous legal entities.

It carries out applied research and development (R&D) forthe benefit of business and society. By directing the focus of

The eight Fraunhofer Groups are a way for Fraunhofer

its work toward the key technologies of the future, the­Institutes with related areas of technological expertise to­Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft plays a central role in the innovation­coordinate their R&D strategies:

process, in both Germany and Europe.
–– Innovation Research – INNOVATION (since 2017)
Fraunhofer maintains 72 Fraunhofer Institutes and Research–– lnformation and Communication Technology

Institutions across Germany. The majority of the some–– Life Sciences

25,000 people who work for Fraunhofer are qualified scientists–– Light & Surfaces

and engineers. Together they generate an annual business–– Materials and Components – MATERIALS

volume of €2.3 billion, almost €2.0 billion of which relates to–– Microelectronics

contract research. Around 70 percent of Fraunhofer’s–– Production

contract research revenue is derived from contracts withindustry and publicly funded research projects, while aboutand–– Defense and Security VVS

30 percent of Fraunhofer’s budget is accounted for bybase funding provided by the German Federal Ministry of

In addition, institutes or departments of institutes with

Education and Research (BMBF) and the state governments

different core competencies work together in Fraunhofer

in a ratio of 90 : 10.

Alliances in order to develop and market solutions for specificbusiness sectors.

Seven Fraunhofer Institutes address topics that fall within
the sphere of interest of the German Federal Ministry ofAt an organization-wide level, Fraunhofer identifies fields ofDefence (BMVg). These activities, which are financed in fullenterprise and innovative technologies with significant market

by the BMVg, are grouped together under defense research.

potential and sets up in-house research programs to move

Capital expenditure on construction and infrastructure

them forward.

­projects, including the initial cost of equipment for new­institute buildings, is recognized as a separate accounting
item: major infrastructure capital expenditure.

14

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Management Report 2017

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft offers its employees theStrategic initiatives­opportunity to develop the professional and personal skills
that will allow them to take up positions of responsibility

Fraunhofer aims to find the best responses to new challenges,

within their institutes, at universities, in industry and in society.

whether they concern the increasing complexity of globallyStudents who choose to work on projects at the Fraunhofer

networked value chains or the digital transformation taking

Institutes have excellent prospects for a career in industry byplace in many areas of industry and society. That is why thevirtue of the practical training and experience they acquire.

organization’s Executive Board has drawn up a detailed
roadmap. Called the Fraunhofer 2022 Agenda, its purpose

At an international level, subsidiaries and representative

is to make clear to employees and stakeholders alike the change

offices as well as partnerships with other top-class research

processes currently considered essential at Fraunhofer andorganizations and innovative companies ensure Fraunhofer

the corresponding projects put in place to implement them.

direct access to the key regions of present and future scientific­progress and economic development.

The Fraunhofer 2022 Agenda draws on the vision expressed in
the new Fraunhofer Guiding Principles, namely to implement
initiatives of systemic importance to Germany as an industrial
hub. That is why Fraunhofer is intensifying the cross-institutedevelopment of system solutions in the seven areas of strategic
importance known as Fraunhofer’s Key Strategic Initiatives:–– Battery technology–– Biological transformation–– Cognitive systems / data sovereignty–– Programmable materials–– Public safety and security–– Quantum technology–– Translational medicine
The goals of these initiatives are either to achieve a leadership
position in science, to generate significant industrial revenue
or to raise social awareness of the topic in question. In orderto make maximum use of the potential synergies of crossinstitute collaboration when pursuing the Key Strategic
Initiatives, it is necessary to adapt not only Fraunhofer’s
research and transfer structures, but also its internal methodsof thematic research and project management.

15

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Management Report 2017

The purpose of the new Fraunhofer Clusters of Excellence

headquarters. In particular, this will enable Fraunhofer to

is to put in place a cross-cutting structure that enables institutes

make collaboration between its institutes more efficient and,to develop and address systemically important issues in abeyond that, to generate new business models for data utili-collaborative manner. In organizational terms, these researchzation on behalf of third parties.

clusters function like a virtual institute spread across several
locations. They are not temporary structures, focusing merely

Spin-offs are a key transfer path in Germany’s success as

on a temporary individual project, but follow a roadmap thata driver of innovation. In 2017, for instance, the number

sets out the long-term evolution of a complex technologicalof s­ pin-offs rose once again, to 25. Fraunhofer intends totrend. The Clusters of Excellence are helping Fraunhofer become

continue enhancing its ability to create spin-offs goinga leader in key areas of research, such as advanced photon

forward. That also includes being the only research organiza-

sources, programmable materials and immune-mediatedtion to participate in the third incarnation of Germany’s

diseases.

High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), a public-private partnershipthat provides seed capital for high-tech start-ups making it

Fraunhofer’s 17 High-Performance Centers are being

much easier for Fraunhofer spin-offs to gain access to German

evolved so, after carrying out an effective evaluation, they

investors. In addition, Fraunhofer is evolving its funding

can develop and implement transfer roadmaps together withformats for founders and stepping up its collaboration with

their university and non-university partners, and with local

external start-ups.

companies (particularly SMEs). These roadmaps will address
all transfer paths, from contract research, licensing andInternational activities and partnerships with R&D organiza-

spin-offs through to further-training courses and knowledge

tions across the globe have long been standard at Fraunhofer.

transfer. As of 2018, Fraunhofer will utilize its network of

They have developed into a complex network of direct

High-Performance Centers to establish a long-term national

commissions, consortium projects, strategic partnerships andtransfer infrastructure. Fraunhofer is working closely with theindependent Fraunhofer subsidiaries – one that requires

host states and industrial partners to finance the pilot phases.

constant recalibration to ensure its alignment with Fraunhofer’s

In the longer term, it is hoped that the federal government

objectives. To this end, Fraunhofer is currently updating its

will grant additional funds, for instance as part of the Joint

proven strategy of internationalization so as to ensure that its

Initiative for Research and Innovation.

international activities are more closely geared to its main
topics of interest and can be developed in a targeted manner.

As a leading research organization, Fraunhofer is driving

By expanding its strategy, Fraunhofer intends to address topics

the global trend toward digitalization in many different

such as mobility, partnerships with developing and emerging

application areas. For this reason, as part of its 2022 Agenda,

economies, and greater utilization of the potential synergies

Fraunhofer is digitalizing its own data stocks more thoroughly.

offered by the international Fraunhofer network.

Fraunhofer’s administrative and research data will be interlinked, aggregated and analyzed in order to optimize theorganization’s R&D processes and to support management
decisions, at the level of the individual institutes and that of16

New Executive Vice President, Controlling andStructural growth

Digital Business Processes
Fraunhofer is continuously developing its research portfolio,
A new member was appointed to the Executive Board of thetapping into new technological trends not only through its

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft as of January 1, 2018. After 15 years

existing institutes, but also by integrating external researchof service, Prof. (Univ. Stellenbosch) Dr. Alfred Gossnerinstitutions and setting up new project groups, some of which

stepped down as Executive Board member with responsibility

ultimately become new Fraunhofer Institutes in their own

for Finance, Controlling and IT on December 31, 2017.

right. In 2017, a start was made on integrating two external­Fraunhofer wishes to thank Alfred Gossner for his many

research institutions and establishing two new Fraunhofer

years of hard work and for the decisive contribution he madeInstitutes and one Fraunhofer Research Institution. As a result,to the success of the organization.

Fraunhofer has been operating a total of 72 Fraunhofer
Institutes and Research Institutions since the start of 2018.

The members of the Fraunhofer Senate voted unanimously toappoint Andreas Meuer as Alfred Gossner’s successor. Meuer,

Since January 1, 2018, the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy

who holds a university degree in business management, will

Economics and Energy System Technology IEE has beentake on responsibility for Controlling and Digital Businessworking in Kassel on the transformation of energy supply

Processes. He has been with Fraunhofer since 1992, duringsystems and on addressing the technical and economic

which time he has held a variety of management positions.

­challenges they face. Until 2017, Fraunhofer IEE was a very

Until recently, he was in charge of finance, accounting andsuccessful branch of the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy

business planning.

and Energy System Technology IWES. Located in Bremerhaven,

The new designation for Andreas Meuer’s Executive Board

future, but under the slightly amended name of ­Fraunhoferfunction reflects its altered focus. The strategic goal of theInstitute for Wind Energy Systems IWES.

Fraunhofer IWES will continue conducting research in the

Fraunhofer Digital project, which is assigned to this function
and forms part of Fraunhofer’s 2022 Agenda, is to make

Established on January 1, 2018, the Fraunhofer Institute for

Fraunhofer’s digital administrative regime the most efficient

Microengineering and Microsystems IMM is the first indepen-among all research organizations. Existing IT structures

dent Fraunhofer Institute to be set up in Mainz. Formerly

are to be adapted to the ever-changing environment so as

known as Institut für Mikrotechnik Mainz GmbH, it was incor-

to create added value for the institutes, the objective being

porated into the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in 2013 and was

to automate routine administrative processes and use

previously a branch of the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical

AI-based assistance systems to support more complex issues.

Technology ICT. A building extension commenced in 2017 will

This will lighten the load on all concerned, freeing up

enable the Fraunhofer IMM to further enhance its expertise inresources that can be directed, in particular, toward quality

its area of specialization – applied microstructure technology

assurance, the processing of complex issues, and meetingand microfluidics.

specific customer requirements.

17

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Management Report 2017

On January 1, 2018, LZN Laser Zentrum Nord GmbH and

Science policy framework

parts of the Institute of Laser and System Technologies (iLAS)of the Hamburg University of Technology were integrated

At the German federal elections last fall, Fraunhofer

into Fraunhofer and rebranded the Fraunhofer Research

positioned itself with its own policy recommendations and,­Institution for Additive Manufacturing Technologies IAPT,

beyond that, put forward joint positions on research andthe first independent Fraunhofer entity to be establishedinnovation policy that it had formulated with trade associa-

in Hamburg. Above all, Fraunhofer IAPT focuses on laser tech-tions and other scientific organizations. Tax incentives fornologies, including highly innovative 3D printing techniques

R&D services – from which companies collaborating withfor a wide variety of industrial applications.

Fraunhofer could benefit, for example – are once again
firmly on the political agenda. Ensuring that public-sector

As of January 1, 2018, Fraunhofer absorbed Centrum fürinvestment in science and research keeps pace with steadily

Angewandte Nanotechnologie CAN GmbH, anotherrising costs remains a challenge.

Hamburg-based enterprise. Given its research focus on
quantum dots, OLEDs and biofunctional nanoparticles, andThe High-Tech Forum, which was chaired by Fraunhofer

its expertise in nanoparticle synthesis by means of fluid­President Prof. Reimund Neugebauer and Stifterverband

reaction, CAN was integrated in the Fraunhofer Institute for­President Prof. Andreas Barner, presented its two final

Applied Polymer Research IAP and became its new site inpublications in 2017, successfully concluding its work at theHamburg.

end of the 18th federal legislature. At the High-Tech Strategy

The newly established Fraunhofer Group for Innovation

German Federal Minister of Research Johanna Wanka with

Conference held on May 16, 2017, the Forum presented
Research – INNOVATION, of which five institutes are now

its Innovation Policy Guidelines along with the suggestions

members, began operations on July 1, 2017. Comprisingfor implementation put forward by the specialist forums.

Fraunhofer ISI, IAO, INT, IRB and IMW, it is the first non-tech-

In close cooperation with Stifterverband für die Deutsche

nological Fraunhofer Group. Its portfolio of socioeconomic

Wissenschaft and the other members of the Forum, ­Fraunhofer

and sociotechnical research complements the activities of thewas able to make a decisive contribution – in terms of bothseven other Fraunhofer Groups. In setting up this new group,

content and methods – to the consultations on innovation

the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft intends to further expand its

policy in Germany. For example, the High-Tech Forum gave

research into, and support for, innovation processes and thebirth to the Learning Systems platform and made numerous

technological, economic and social parameters that influence

recommendations, e.g. concerning tax incentives for researchthem. One focus of the new group is on bolstering the

grants and instruments for funding radical step-change­Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s role in the research, technology­innovations.

and innovation policy dialog with industry, government andsociety.

18

At the sixth and final meeting of the German government’s

In its EU-related activities, Fraunhofer cooperates closely with

Innovation Dialog in the 18th federal legislature, Chancellor

the other members of the umbrella organization EARTOAngela Merkel came together with representatives of business(European Association of Research and Technology Organisa-

and science in June 2017. The meeting focused on Germany’s

tions), which is currently chaired by Prof. Frank Treppe,role in a pan-European innovation policy. Using examples such

Director of International Affairs and Research Programs at theas the digital transformation of the economy, cyber security

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. In March 2017, Fraunhofer organized

and smart mobility, the participants discussed innovation policy

EARTO’s annual conference in Munich under the slogan

action areas which, to a large extent, have to be tackled at“Shaping Europe’s Future: RTOs at the Forefront of Innovation

the EU level and, if properly addressed, promise tangible

Supporting Industry.” Together with more than 250 otheradded value for Germany and the other EU member states.

delegates, high-caliber speakers from politics, the EU Commis-

The Innovation Dialog also addressed what are known assion, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research

disruptive innovations. A dedicated working group came up(BMBF) and European research organizations discussed thewith recommendations for instruments designed to enable

future of European research policy.

step-change innovations and encourage trailblazing ideas.
Fraunhofer President Prof. Reimund Neugebauer is a member

Obtaining funding for education and research remainedof the steering committee. Through its involvement in thea key political objective last year. The budget of the BMBF

Innovation Dialog, Fraunhofer has exerted decisive influencerose to €17.6 billion in 2017, a year-over-year increase ofon the choice and content of the topics – thus helping shape

8 percent, and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft benefited fromthe political agenda.

this growth too. Effective 2017, the German Bundestag
approved an increase of €60 million in base funding fromIn Brussels, deliberations on the next EU Framework

the federal government. The state governments agreed toProgramme for research will soon get underway. They

the increase as well, contributing a further €7 million on thewill not cover defense research, however, which will be givenbasis of the 90 : 10 funding ratio. With continuing strong

its own EU program in the future. Fraunhofer was one

growth in project revenue, the proportion of base fundingof the main drivers of this new program. Furthermore, initialin the ­Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s budget had tended toproposals for the upcoming Ninth EU Framework Programme

decline in recent years. Now, it is back in line with the roughly(FP9) contain key initiatives promoted by Fraunhofer, including,

one-third share envisaged in the Fraunhofer funding model.

for example, ideas for a new European Innovation Council(EIC) and European “missions.” Negotiations for the Framework
Programme are set to last until at least spring 2019.

19

BUSINESS REPORTThe Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s total business volume, in € million

2286
2010

2060

2115

2081

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2010

2060

2115

2081

2286

Contract research

1661

1716

1835

1879

1992

Defense research

114

118

127

114

121

Major infrastructure capital expenditure

235

226

153

88

173

Business volume by budget

2010

2060

2115

2081

2286

Operating budget

1590

1664

1783

1853

1940

of which: personnel expenses

1012

1093

1142

1193

1260

of which: non-personnel expenses

578

586

612

619

640

– 15

29

41

40

420

396

332

228

346

Business volume by segmentof which: change in reserves

1

Capital expenditure budget 2

1 Change in special license-fee revenue reserve.
2 Current capital expenditure on contract and defense research as well as major infrastructure capital expenditure.

20

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Management Report 2017

Total business volume

Contract research

In business terms, 2017 was a very successful year for

Accounting for about 90 percent of business volume, contract­Fraunhofer. Compared with the prior year, business volume

research is the mainstay of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s

increased by 10 percent to €2286 million, with all threebusiness activities. In accordance with the organization’s

segments posting substantial growth. Contract research

mission statement, contract research includes researchaccounted for €1992 million, defense research for €121 million

conducted on behalf of industrial and service enterprises,

and major infrastructure capital expenditure for €173 million.

publicly funded projects and pre-competitive research

Project revenue also rose by 10 percent. It totaled €1596 million

financed with base funding. Base funding for the contract

across all segments and was a key contributor in financing

research segment is provided by the BMBF and the state

growth. The development of the three segments will begovernments in a ratio of 90 : 10. New project groups anddiscussed in greater detail in the following sections.

research institutions generally receive initial funding from their
host state during their first five years.

Business volume is based on the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s
performance statement, which meets the requirements of the

Budgeted expenditure for the contract research segment grewfunding agencies and includes the operating budget andby 6 percent year over year to reach €1992 million in 2017. Of

capital expenditure. In the operating budget, personnel andthat total, the operating budget accounted for €1832 million,

non-personnel expenses are recognized according to general

up 5 percent, and current capital expenditure for €160 million,

accounting practice and the change in the special license-fee

up 24 percent. In line with Fraunhofer’s funding model,

revenue reserve is disclosed as a separate item. As capital

two-thirds of budgeted expenditure is financed through project

expenditure is recognized at the amount incurred at the timerevenue, which rose at a similar rate to budgeted expenditureof purchase, depreciation, amortization and impairment losses(up 6 percent), reaching €1466 million. Fraunhofer was able

are not included in the performance statement.

to post substantial increases in both contract research andpublic-sector projects as sources of project revenue.

In 2017, capital expenditure accounted for a greater portionof business volume than in the previous year. With capital

Revenue from the EU was the only source of funds to record

expenditure totaling €346 million, Fraunhofer invested

a steep decline in 2017. The reason for this decrease was that,

52 percent more year over year, marking a return to the highfor the first time, the funds stemmed mainly from the Horizon

levels of earlier years. The personnel expenses recognized2020 framework programme launched in 2014, and the annual

in the operating budget rose by 6 percent to €1260 million,

budget set at the start of this programme was considerably

an increase that was due to workforce growth of just underlower than that of the previous framework programme.

900 employees (up 3.6 percent) and to a 2 percent wage

Nevertheless, Fraunhofer remains the third most successful

increase granted under the collective wage agreement for theorganization in Europe when it comes to securing EU project

public sector. At €640 million, non-personnel expenses were

funding – beaten only by CNRS of France and the Helmholtz

around 3 percent higher year over year. The special license-fee

Association, both much larger institutions.

revenue reserve increased by €40 million.

21

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Management Report 2017

Contract research: Revenue and budgeted expenditure, in € million

1835

1879

1992

1661

1716

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Revenue

1661

1716

1835

1879

1992

Total project revenue

1200

1272

1305

1386

1466

of which: industry

578

618

641

682

711

of which: federal and state governments

431

445

441

487

537

of which: EU

92

106

105

106

94

of which: other

99

103

118

111

124

 Additional funding requirement

461

444

530

493

526

Budgeted expenditure

1661

1716

1835

1879

1992

Operating budget

1494

1562

1675

1750

1832

167

154

160

129

160

(federal and state governments)

1

Capital expenditure budget

1 Includes change in the special license-fee reserve (2017: €40 million, 2016: €41 million).

Industrial revenue thus rose by 4 percent overall to €711 million.

Revenue from project funding granted by the federal and

Revenue from industrial and service enterprises, which Fraunhofer

state governments grew 10 percent, coming in at €537 million.

succeeded in growing by 5 percent, accounted for €568 million

This increase was due entirely to project funding from theof the total. At €143 million, license-fee revenue matched theGerman Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

high figure of the previous year.

and the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy(BMWi).

22

Contract research: Project funding ratio, in % 1

8075.3 %
Total project revenue

70

Industry
Federal and state governments

60

EU
Other 250
4037.0 %

30

27.0 %
1  Proportion of operating budget covered

20

by project revenue, including imputed
depreciation of capital assets. Calculation

10

4.8 %

excludes a) institutions still in the initialfunding period and b) change in reserves.

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2 Not shown in graph, 2017: 6.5%.

EU revenue decreased by 11 percent to €94 million, whileof the operating budget covered by project revenue wasother revenue grew by 12 percent to €124 million. An amount75.3 percent, while the proportion covered by industrialof €526 million in base funding from the federal and staterevenue was 37.0 percent. Project funding from the federal

governments was utilized to cover a shortfall in funds.

and state governments accounted for 27.0 percent, EU
revenue for 4.8 percent and other revenue for 6.5 percent.

In line with the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s tried-and-tested

The long-term trend in the project funding ratio bears

funding model, the Fraunhofer Institutes must cover two-thirds

witness to the Fraunhofer Institutes’ sustained success inof their budgeted expenditure from market sources. For thiscontract research and project business.

reason, the proportion of the operating budget (including
imputed depreciation on capital assets) covered by project
revenue and, in particular, the proportion covered by industrial revenue constitute key performance indicators for thecontract research segment. In 2017, the proportion
23

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Management Report 2017

Contract research: Performance statement of the Fraunhofer Groups 2017

FraunhoferGroupsNo. of institutes/
research institutions 1

Materials, Components –MATERIALS

Microelectronics

Operating budget andproject revenue, in € million

437
389

418
370

Production

260
215

Information andCommunication
Technology

Life Sciences

232
184

166
129

Light & Surfaces

144
119

Innovation Research –INNOVATION

Operating budget   Project revenue:

70
55

Industrial  Public sector 2

Share of project revenue
in operating budget, in %

35 %

54 %

56 %

32 %

38 %

45 %

39 %

40 %

34 %

44 %

47 %

35 %

25 %

54 %

Industrial  

1 As of January 1, 2018; includes contract research carried out by the seven defense-related Fraunhofer Institutes.
2 Comprises federal and state governments, EU and other revenue.

24

Public sector 2

Contract research of the Fraunhofer Groups

Defense research

In the contract research segment, the 72 Fraunhofer Institutes

The defense research segment unites the R&D activities of theand Research Institutions collaborate in seven groups based

seven Fraunhofer Institutes that together form the Fraunhofer

on related areas of expertise. That also includes the contract

Group for Defense and Security VVS. The German Federal

research performed by the defense-related Fraunhofer Institutes,

Ministry of Defence (BMVg) is the main provider of base andwhich are united in the Fraunhofer Group for Defense andproject-related funding for this segment. The objective of this

Security VVS. The organization of institutes working in related

research is to provide people, infrastructures and the environ-areas into groups enables them to coordinate the procurement

ment with the best possible protection against potential

and utilization of strategic equipment, and to develop a common­security threats with a military or terrorist background. The

market image. The groups delivered steady performance in 2017,

defense-related institutes are also active in contract research,with a funding mix approaching the targets of the Fraunhofer

developing successful solutions for civilian applications infunding model.

cooperation with industry and public-sector customers. In thisway, the institutes support the concept of dual-use researchWith an operating budget of €437 million, the Fraunhofer

and enable security issues to be studied from a holistic

Group for Materials and Components – MATERIALS isperspective.

­Fraunhofer’s largest group in business terms. It is closely
followed by the Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics,

Budgeted expenditure for the defense research segment grewwith an operating budget of €418 million. These two groups

by 6 percent year over year to €121 million. Of that figure,also occupy the top positions when it comes to the portion€108 million was accounted for by the operating budget,of their operating budgets (without depreciation of capitalwhich increased by 4 percent, and €13 million by capital

assets) covered by project revenue. Whereas 54 percent ofexpenditure, which rose by 30 percent. This budget growth

the operating budget of the Fraunhofer Group for Materials

was attributable entirely to BMVg project funding, which,and Components – MATERIALS is covered by public-sector

after a decline the year before, returned to a high level ofrevenue, the Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics has the€57 million in 2017. At €64 million, the amount required fromhighest share for industrial revenue, at 56 percent.

base funding was roughly the same as in the prior year.

The Fraunhofer Group for Innovation Research – INNOVATION,

Including its contract research activities, the Fraunhofer Group

which now has five member institutes, began operations in 2017

for Defense and Security VVS had an operating budget ofand achieved an operating budget of €70 million. The high€215 million, 17 percent of which was covered by industrial

share of its operating budget covered by public-sector revenue

revenue and 51 percent by public-sector revenue.

(54 percent) is an indicator of the group’s socio-economic
orientation, which includes advising policymakers and publicsector customers on matters related to research strategy andinnovation processes.

25

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Management Report 2017

Defense research: Budgeted expenditure and revenue, in € million

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Budgeted expenditure

114

118

127

114

121

Operating budget

96

102

108

104

108

Capital expenditure budget

18

16

19

10

13

Revenue

114

118

127

114

121

Project funding (BMVg)

53

58

64

49

57

Additional funding requirement (BMVg)

61

60

63

65

64

Major infrastructure capital expenditure: Capital expenditure budget and revenue, in € million

235

226
173

153
88

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

235

226

153

88

173

Building projects (major and minor)

174

179

118

62

98

Equipping of new facilities

61

47

35

26

27

Capital expenditure budget

Research FabMicroelectronics Germany (FMD)

48

Revenue

235

226

153

88

Additional project funding (ERDF and other)

72

54

28

16

Additional project funding (BMBF for FMD)

173
25
48

Additional funding requirement(federal and state governments)

26

163

172

125

72

100

Major infrastructure capital expenditure

ratio of 90 : 10. The funding required from the federal andstate governments in 2017 totaled €100 million. ERDF funds

Major infrastructure capital expenditure comprises all building

from the states accounted for €21 million of project revenue,

projects and the associated equipping of new facilities withwhile €4 million was accounted for by other revenue.

scientific instruments and furniture. As of 2017, this segment
also included capital expenditure on scientific instruments
for the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD), which

Financial and net asset positionis the product of several years of collaboration between
11 Fraunhofer Institutes and 2 Leibniz Institutes. Major infra-

As of December 31, 2017, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft had

structure capital expenditure totaled €173 million in 2017.

total assets of €3186 million, up €235 million or 8 percent
year over year. Assets presented in the ordinary accounts

At the launch of the FMD, Fraunhofer invested €48 million incomprised 99.5 percent of total assets, with capital of thescientific instruments, with project revenue for an equivalent

non-profit organization accounted for the remaining

amount coming from German Federal Ministry of Education

0.5 percent.

and Research (BMBF) funds. Over the entire period of the
project to set up the FMD, the BMBF will provide €350 million

Non-current assets accounted for 62 percent of assets

in funds, with Fraunhofer receiving €280 million and the two

and were €50 million higher at €1981 million. This increase

Leibniz Institutes €70 million. The FMD’s goal is to strengthen

was chiefly attributable to capital expenditure on property,

microelectronics research in Germany, one of the country’s

plant and equipment exceeding depreciation of those assets.

key industries, and to upgrade its corresponding portfolio of­Property, plant and equipment grew by €34 million tolaboratory equipment.

€1933 million.

Compared with earlier years, capital expenditure on building

Current assets accounted for 38 percent of assets andprojects and the equipping of new facilities was substantiallywere €187 million higher at €1193 million. This increase washigher in 2017. Capital expenditure on building projects rose

mainly attributable to growth of €101 million in cash andby a total of €36 million to €98 million, €71 million (up €35

cash equivalents (including bank account balances), which

million) of which was for major and €27 million (up €1 million)

totaled €185 million on the reporting date. Of that figure,for minor projects. At €27 million, capital expenditure on€83 million was base funding from the BMBF carried forward

equipping new facilities was roughly on par with the previous

under the terms of the management statutes. In addition,year.

the license-fee revenue reserve rose by €40 million, which

Special funding for major building projects (and their equipment)

and state governments in relation to project billing also roseis provided by the federal government and the government ofby €40 million.

increased the securities portfolio. Receivables from the federal

respective host state in a ratio of 50 : 50. The state governments
often provide additional funding from the European Regional

Equity – which comprises the non-profit organization’s

Development Fund (ERDF), which reduces the amount of

capital that is not financed by government grants (€15 million)

funding required from federal and state governments alike.

and restricted reserves (€1 million) – decreased slightly.

Minor building projects are financed from base funding in a

Economic equity also includes three kinds of special reserve
27

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Management Report 2017recognized in the balance sheet: The special reserve for

Shareholdings and spin-offs

grants relating to non-current assets increased in line withthose assets, rising by €50 million to €1965 million. The

At the reporting date, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft held equity

special license-fee revenue reserve grew by €40 million toinvestments in a total of 85 companies across a wide variety€339 million. The special reserve for the present value ofof sectors. The transfer of technology to industry formed thedeferred income from a patent deal came in at €73 million.

focus of activities at 61 of the companies in the investment

This reserve is matched by other receivables of an equivalent

portfolio, while the remaining 24 equity investments were ofamount on the assets side of the balance sheet.

a strategic nature. There was considerable activity in ­Fraunhofer’s

The special reserve for grants used to finance current assets is€1.0 million to acquire equity interests. The Fraunhofer-

investment portfolio in 2017. Overall, the organization spentused to account for income not yet received, less expenses not

Gesellschaft added 8 companies to its investment portfolio andyet paid, by the reporting date. This essentially corresponded

divested its shares in seven. Valuation allowances reduced theto advance project financing and amounted to €248 million as

total carrying amount of equity investments (including sharesof the reporting date.

in associated companies) to €8.8 million (2016: €9.8 million).

Provisions increased by €4 million to €157 million, €35 million€1.1 million.

Income from the divestiture of equity investments came toof which was accounted for by provisions with maturities ofmore than one year. In the case of pension and compensatedSpin-offs are an integral component of the Fraunhofer-

leave provisions, corresponding reimbursement claims totaling

Gesell­schaft’s strategy for exploiting its industrial property€66 million were entered on the assets side of the balancerights. The Fraunhofer Venture department typically provides

sheet.

support to the founders during the preparation phase of thespin-off. In individual cases, Fraunhofer takes a minority share

Liabilities climbed by €138 million to €388 million. Thisin the spin-off company as part of the technology transfer

increase was mainly due to a rise of €120 million (toprocess. In 2017, Fraunhofer Venture provided support to€275 million) in unappropriated grants from the federal and33 new spin-off projects, and 25 new businesses were spunstate governments from base funding and project billing.

off from the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Fraunhofer’s goal is to

There are no liabilities with maturities of more than one year.

increase both the number of spin-offs and the share of industrial­revenues they account for, and has put in place a variety of

As a beneficiary of public funds, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
is subject to budgetary constraints that prohibit it from making
use of the capital markets or of lines of credit with banks.
Nevertheless, the organization’s liquidity is guaranteed at all
times as it can regularly call on cash payments from its
funding agencies under base funding arrangements. The
funding mix for contract research corresponds to the proven
Fraunhofer funding model and is on a solid footing.

28

measures and programs to achieve this.

Fraunhofer’s only fully owned subsidiary in Germany isInternational activities

PIA gGmbH in Kaiserslautern. Since 2015, PIA has been
acting as an independent office under contract to the

In the competitive international research marketplace,

German Federal Ministry of Finance and is responsible­Fraunhofer is a highly sought-after partner for industrial

for carrying our risk-benefit analyses of pension insurance­enterprises and scientific organizations alike. Fraunhofer’s

products. In 2017, its provisional revenue amounted tointernationalization strategy is based on the principle of€0.7 million.

creating scientific value for Fraunhofer and generating positiveeffects both for Germany, Europe and the partner country

Fraunhofer manages and operates its R&D activities outside

in question. Working in collaboration with the world’s best

Germany through eight legally independent internationalin every field enables Fraunhofer to develop future-proof

subsidiaries (comprising five commercially registered­solutions and innovative responses to global challenges.

subsidiaries, two foundations and one association). In turn,these entities have their own business divisions and researchFraunhofer has developed a variety of formats for partnering

centers, which cooperate closely with the F­ raunhofer

leading international centers of excellence. The Fraunhofer-­Institutes in Germany. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s

Gesellschaft’s eight independent international subsidiaries­international subsidiaries will be further discussed in theare the most institutionalized form of international partnership:“International activities” section below.
–– Fraunhofer USA, Inc.
–– Fraunhofer Austria Research GmbH–– Fraunhofer Italia Research Konsortial-GmbH–– Fraunhofer UK Research Ltd–– Fundación Fraunhofer Chile Research–– Associação Fraunhofer Portugal Research–– Stiftelsen Fraunhofer Chalmers Centrum
för Industrimatematik (in Sweden)–– Fraunhofer Singapore Research Ltd. (since 2017)
The subsidiaries function as the legal entities for the– currently 16 – Fraunhofer Centers outside Germany.
The latter are institutionalized Fraunhofer partnerships withlocal universities, enabling long-term research activities
abroad. Establishing a local legal entity is a prerequisite
for participation in national public-sector funding programs
and for receiving base funding from the partner country
concerned. As their work is not profit-oriented, thesubsidiaries generally qualify for base funding from thepartner countries, and they are financed in line with the
Fraunhofer funding model.
29

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Management Report 2017

Fraunhofer Singapore Research Ltd., Fraunhofer’s firstmizing innovative manufacturing technologies, machinery

subsidiary in Asia, was established in April 2017. It has its roots

and control systems, e.g. for the production and assemblyin the Fraunhofer Project Center for Interactive Digital Media,

of structural subsystems for aircraft.

which was set up in 2010. Under the patronage of Nanyang
Technological University until 2017, the center will now be run

Fraunhofer’s internal program ICON (International Cooperation

by Fraunhofer Singapore. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is theand Networking) is another way of enabling strategicsole owner of this non-profit organization. On the basis ofproject-based partnerships with international universities

preliminary data, Fraunhofer Singapore’s operating budget

and non-university research organizations of excellence.

was equivalent to €1.5 million for the short financial year fromIn 2017, the ICON program was instrumental in initiating two

April 1 to December 31, 2017, and its project revenue fromnew partnerships with leading centers of excellence:

contracts with third parties amounted to around €0.2 million.
The International Consortium for Anti-Infective Research
The Fraunhofer Project Centers (FPCs) are vehicles enabling(iCAIR) – a joint project of Fraunhofer ITEM, the Institute for

Fraunhofer Institutes to collaborate with international research

Glycomics of Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia, andorganizations on particular topics for limited periods of time.

Hannover Medical School (MHH) – is focusing on developing

In each case, the partner organization sets up the FPC as a

new treatments for multiresistant pathogens.

local legal entity and cooperates closely with a Fraunhofer
Institute in Germany on the chosen topic. The aim of this form

In the TRANSNEURO project (Transatlantic network forof collaboration is to carry out joint contract research projects

neurovascular diagnostics and therapeutics), Fraunhofer EMB

for customers and take part in projects funded by the public

is working together with Massachusetts General Hospital tosector. Three new FPCs were established in 2017:find new ways of treating acute and chronic cerebrovasculardiseases.

At the University of Twente in the Netherlands, the Fraunhofer
Project Center for Design and Production Engineering forHigh levels of international revenue reflect Fraunhofer’s

Complex High-Tech Systems FPC@UT is developing new

success in the global research market. In 2017, international

technologies for smart products in the fields of energy, trans-

revenue (excluding license-fee revenue) totaled €311 million,

portation, medicine and security.

up by a slight 2 percent year over year. The Fraunhofer Institutes
in Germany accounted for €279 million of that total, while

At Dublin City University, the Fraunhofer Project Centre forthe remaining €32 million was generated by the international

Embedded Bioanalytical Systems FPC@DCU is conducting

subsidiaries through contracts with third parties. Some

research into microfluidic lab-on-a-chip systems for medical,

30 percent of international revenue came from EU funds,

pharmaceutical, manufacturing and analytical applications.

35 percent from customers and partners in Europe, and35 percent from those outside Europe.

In partnership with the Technological Institute of Aeronautics
in Brazil, the Fraunhofer Project Center for Innovations in
Advanced Manufacturing FPC@ITA is developing and opti-

30

Revenue from work with international customers and partners, in € million

276

291

304

311

250

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

250

276

291

304

311

Additional project funding (EU)

92

106

105

106

94

Europe

90

94

101

106

109

North and South America

38

44

44

47

55

Asia

29

30

40

44

52

1

2

1

1

1

International revenue 1   Other countries

1 Includes international subsidiaries’ project revenue generated with third parties (2017: €32 million, 2016: €29 million);­excludes license-fee revenue.

31

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Management Report 2017

The EU Commission is a key source of public-sector fundingIntellectual property activities

for Fraunhofer and, through its participation in the Horizon
2020 framework programme, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Fraunhofer remains the leader among German researchis helping actively to shape Europe’s economic and research

institutions in terms of annual number of invention disclosures,

environ­ment. In terms of funding received, Fraunhofer ranks

patent applications, and total industrial property rights. Its

third among the top 15 participating institutions. Nonetheless,performance is outstanding even when compared with that

EU revenue declined in 2017, by 11 percent year over yearof industrial enterprises. Over the last ten years, Fraunhofer

to €94 million. The reason for this decrease was that, for thehas always ranked among the German Patent and Trade Mark

first time, the funds stemmed mainly from the Horizon 2020

Office’s 10 to 20 most prolific patent applicants, and hasframework programme launched in 2014, the initial annual

consistently held positions ranging between 5th and 10th inbudget for which was substantially lower than that of thethe number of trade marks registered. Similar statistics compiled

previous framework programme.

by the European Patent Office (EPO) have placed Fraunhofer
among the most active patent applicants for many years.

Revenue generated with customers and partners in Europe
came to €109 million in 2017. Switzerland was the largest

As a result of this performance, Fraunhofer ranked among theEuropean market, with total revenues of €21 million, followed

Top 100 Global Innovators in 2017 – for the fifth successive

by Austria (€19 million) and the UK (€10 million). Fraunhofer’s

year. Clarivate Analytics (previously Thomson Reuters media

five European subsidiaries made a decisive contribution togroup) presents this award to companies and organizations on

its financial success, generating provisional project revenues

the basis of the number and quality of patented inventions.

from contracts with third parties: €4.1 million in Sweden,

Apart from Fraunhofer, four German industrial companies€3.2 million in Austria, €1.7 million in Portugal, €2.0 million

featured in the Top 100 in 2017.

in the UK, and €0.6 million in Italy.
In 2017, employees of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft submitted
In North and South America, Fraunhofer generated revenue

756 invention disclosure reports. Of these, 602 were filed withof €55 million, up 17 percent year over year. The United States

the relevant patent offices as patent applications claiming rights

alone accounted for €48 million of that, with Fraunhofer USA

of priority, which corresponds to a rate of more than two

generating €18 million. The next-ranking location was Chile,patents filed per working day. Fraunhofer’s portfolio of active

Fraunhofer’s largest market in South America, with €2.5 million.

patent families, each of which comprises all active rights in

Fraunhofer Chile accounted for €2.1 million of that figure.

different countries, rose to 7011. The total number of patents
granted to Fraunhofer in Germany was 3367.

In Asia, Fraunhofer achieved revenue growth of 18 percent
in 2017, posting total revenue of €52 million. With revenues

To guarantee a continuous flow of revenue from the exploitationof €16 million each, China and Japan were again well aheadof intellectual property rights, patents owned by differentof the other Asian markets. Fraunhofer generated €1.5 million

institutes are increasingly being grouped together in application-

in revenue in Singapore, €0.2 million of which with its newly

specific portfolios to create offers for selected companies. This

founded subsidiary Fraunhofer Singapore.

approach creates new opportunities to generate income fromlicensing agreements and R&D projects. In 2017, targeted IP

32

Number of invention disclosures and patent applications claiming rights of priority

798

736

733
616

2013

670
563

2014

756
608

602

506

2015

2016

2017

137

143

143

2015

2016

2017

Invention disclosures
Patent applications claiming rights of priority

License-fee revenue, in € million

116

2013

129

2014

33

Corporate Responsibility

portfolios were put together for thematic areas such as glass,

Employees

bionics, smart home and e-health, each comprising relevant
patent families stemming from the work of multiple institutes.

At year-end 2017, Fraunhofer had 25,327 employees, 17,965
of whom were research, technical or administrative staff (RTA

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft generates revenue from thestaff), 6888 graduate, undergraduate or school students, andcommercialization of industrial property rights not only with

474 trainees. That corresponded to a year-over-year increase

license fees, but also by utilizing patent pools. The mostof 3.6 percent or 869 employees in 2017. Personnel growth

successful pools of this kind contain patents for audio andwas thus much stronger in 2017 than in the prior year, wherevideo encoding. The pools – which include not only standard-

the corresponding figure was a rather subdued 1.6 percent.

relevant Fraunhofer patents, but also those owned by parties
in various other countries – are a vehicle for granting licenses

In accordance with its mission statement, the Fraunhofer-worldwide, enabling Fraunhofer to commercialize patents

Gesellschaft offers its employees the opportunity to develop

in well over 100 countries. The income from these pools is

the professional and personal skills that will allow them toreinvested in pre-competitive research and makes a lastingtake up positions of responsibility either at Fraunhofer or incontribution to strengthening Germany’s position as aother areas of science or industry. This approach, which builds

research hub.

on the Fraunhofer Guiding Principles, makes clear that, for the
overwhelming majority of employees – especially research

In 2017, Fraunhofer concluded 390 new licensing agreements.

personnel – Fraunhofer represents an important stage in their

Although the total number of active licensing contracts

individual careers. Fraunhofer offers both careers in management

declined marginally year over year to 2692, license-fee revenue

as well as career paths as specialists. The latter have already

was again high at €143 million.

been formalized at a number of Fraunhofer Institutes. Careers
may continue outside the Fraunhofer environment (springboard
careers) in line with the organization’s mission of knowledgetransfer. Experience gained at Fraunhofer prepares employees
not only for a later career in industry or science, but also forstarting up spin-offs.
Against this backdrop of knowledge transfer, Fraunhofer’s
high employee turnover rates among RTA staff are a positive
phenomenon. In 2017, 1509 RTA staff left the organization,
while 2142 employees were newly hired. Three-quarters of
new recruits were young researchers embarking on a career.
Overall, at year-end, Fraunhofer employed around 9800 scientists,
accounting for 55 percent of all RTA staff.

34

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Management Report 2017

Employees (number at year-end)

25,327

23,23623,78624,08424,458

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Employees

23,23623,78624,08424,45825,327 RTA staff (total)

16,048

16,687

17,07817,332

17,965

8841

9125

9295

9371

9792

7207

7562

7783

7961

8173

school students

6694

6619

6554

6654

6888

Trainees

494

480

452

472

474

of which: research1	of which: technical andadministrative Graduate, undergraduate and1 Employees in pay group 13 and higher, area of responsibility: “scientific research.”

Career paths at Fraunhofer and springboard careers beginning at Fraunhofer

Management careerSpecialist career

Science

Career paths at Fraunhofer

IndustrySpin-offs

Springboard careers
Fraunhofer

35

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Management Report 2017

The guidelines on short-term contracts launched in 2013

Share of RTA staff who are women, in %are being systematically implemented at the Fraunhofer
Institutes. In recent years, targeted discussion of the topic andsustained monitoring helped reduce the share of research

55

employees on short-term contracts by 3.5 percentage points

50

to 59.7 percent at year-end 2017. The ratio of technicaland administrative employees on short-term contracts was
29.7 percent. Overall, 46.1 percent of RTA staff are employedon short-term contracts.
Around 10 percent of Fraunhofer’s employees are from outside
Germany. A key factor in positioning Fraunhofer as an attractive
employer in the international employment market, particularlyin the science and research segment, was its signing of, andcompliance with, the European Charter for Researchers and Codeof Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (EU Charter &Code, for short). The EU considers the 40 principles containedin the EU Charter & Code to be critical criteria in ensuring thatscientific organizations remain attractive and economically

51.6 %

45
40

39.6 %

35

34.5 %

30
25
20

20.3 %

15

14.0 %

10
5

successful. This formed the basis of the Human Resources
Strategy for Researchers – HRS4R submitted by Fraunhofer to

2013

2014

2015

2016

the EU Commission in 2016 as part of its application to use
the EU’s HR Excellence in Research logo. In December 2017,
the EU Commission officially bestowed this logo on the­Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, making it the second applied researchorganization in Germany to be thus honored.

RTA staff
Technical and administrative staff
of which: Management

Vocational training is an integral part of Fraunhofer’s
personnel development strategy. Fraunhofer offers a wideand diverse range of vocational training courses and possible
careers, providing training for 40 or so different professions
in six career groups. Of the organization’s 474 trainees,
431 are in dual vocational training courses and 43 in dual
study programs that combine practical training and theory
to differing degrees.

36

Research staff
of which: Management 1
1 Excluding heads of institutes and directors.

2017Diversity

experts. At the end of 2017, around 39.6 percent of managers
in technical and administrative positions were women. Thus,

Diversity is an issue that concerns all HR functions atviewed across the whole range of RTA staff, some 19 percent­Fraunhofer. Equal career opportunities for women and men,of managers are women.

and the inclusion of people with disabilities, are the action
areas that have been accorded top priority. Other aspects of

A new focus of activity initiated in 2017 is to support morediversity include an international mix of employees andwomen of excellence in attaining professorships (W2/W3 level).

achieving a healthy work-life balance.

The main goal of this initiative is to help more female scientists

Providing women and men with equal career opportunities isgender-neutral paths to career excellence, ­Fraunhofer has been

into senior management positions. As part of a project on
a key component of the organizational culture at Fraunhofer.

supporting selected female scientists in their quest to qualify

An important goal in this endeavor is to win over more womenfor future professorships at universities and institutes offor applied research and to develop their careers. At the end­technology. The Fraunhofer Institutes at which the womenof 2017, women accounted for 20.3 percent of all researchconcerned are employed develop personalized career

staff, meaning we only just fell short of our self-imposeddevelopment plans with them and, at a strategic level, help

goal of 21.0 percent. In 2017, the recruitment ratio for female

coordinate partnerships with the potential universities.

scientists was 24.8 percent, which was actually higher thanthe measurable ratio for female applicants as a whole

Beyond that, Fraunhofer is aspiring to increase the representation(23.0 percent). In order to achieve any substantial increaseof women on scientific and supervisory boards. In particular,

in the percentage of female researchers at the organization,

the plan is to achieve a share of 30 percent on the institutes’

however, Fraunhofer will have to make an even stronger

advisory boards by 2020. At year-end 2017, the corresponding

commitment to the recruitment of young female talent. By

figure was 13.4 percent – with the mandates of those sitting

contrast, the proportion of women in technical and adminis-on more than one advisory board being counted individually.

trative posts is comparatively high (51.6 percent). Viewed

Women accounted for 31 percent of all new advisory board

across the whole range of RTA staff, the average share ofmembers appointed in 2017. In the Fraunhofer Senate, thewomen in the Fraunhofer workforce is 34.5 percent.

organization’s highest steering committee, women accounted

The share of women in scientific management positions

Assembly.

for 29 percent of the positions elected by the General
exhibited a positive trend. Across all levels of management, theshare of women grew from 11.1 percent in 2015 to 13.5 percent

As a beneficiary of public funds, Fraunhofer must act as aat year-end 2017. At 14 percent, the share of women inrole model when it comes to promoting and securing equalmanagement level 2 positions (excluding heads of institutes

participation for men and women, especially in the workand directors) was even substantially higher than our goal ofsetting. As for the inclusion of those with severe disabilities,

13.3 percent. It was the third year in a row that FraunhoferF­ raunhofer has set itself the target of increasing the proportionachieved its goal at this management level. The TALENTA

of such people in its workforce to 3.4 percent by 2020. At

career and development program for female scientists was a

year-end 2017, the ratio was 2.7 percent. Broken down by typedecisive factor in this positive trend, as was borne out by anof work, the figures were 1.7 percent for research staff, 6.0

assessment conducted in 2017 with the support of external

percent for technical staff and 5.1 percent for administrative staff.
37

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Management Report 2017

The long-term goal is to systematically raise the percentage

Social commitmentof people with disabilities among research staff. A central
program for this was launched at the end of 2017 and is still

Many Fraunhofer employees play an active role in various

in the ramp-up phase. Two applications for funding submitted

campaigns at their institutes to collect donations for children

by the institutes have already been approved for a total

and adolescents, a case in point being the Offene Jugend­

volume of around €40,000. The funds are intended to help

werkstatt Karlsruhe e. V. project organized by Fraunhofer ICT.

with the recruitment of people with disabilities and/or toprovide them with the necessary infrastructure.

Above and beyond such campaigns, Fraunhofer recognizes
that, to the extent possible for a research organization, it has
a responsibility to help with the integration of refugees.
A key factor in the integration of refugees is easing their way
into the employment market. Often, however, the direct routeto employment poses difficulties for the refugees themselves
and for the potential employers. That is why Fraunhofer has
developed a plan to integrate refugees via three different
channels: internships, training positions and RTA staff positions.
This will help enhance the refugees’ future prospects in theemployment market.
The plan will be tailored to the specific requirements of eachstate in cooperation with the respective Fraunhofer Institutes
and will be financed by state government funds. The refugees
are looked after at the institutes by sponsors in accordancewith their particular needs. Implementation of the plan began
in Saxony in 2016, with Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria
following in 2017. Thus far, a total of 57 orientation internships
have been assigned to refugees in these three states as well
as 5 training positions and 16 short-term RTA positions. There
are already signs that the Fraunhofer programs are enhancing
refugees’ chances of finding follow-on employment.

38

Governance

Resources and procurement

Governance is another area of corporate responsibility at

In line with the German Energy Services Act (EDL-G),

Fraunhofer. It involves the integration of the principles of­Fraunhofer conducted its first energy audit in accordance

responsibility into the organization’s strategy, guidelines,

with DIN 16247-1 in 2015. Such audits are to be carried

rules and culture. Since 2014, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

out every four years. The individual institutes are responsible

has published sustainability reports, detailing its goals,

for implementing, on an ongoing basis, the energy-saving

measures in place and latest figures for each area of

measures recommended in the audit. The experience gained

corporate responsibility. In this context, Fraunhofer publishedfrom the first audit was taken as a basis in 2017 to formulatea statement in 2017 concerning its compliance with theuniform standards for conducting the next one, due in 2019.

German Sustainability Code (GSC) reporting standard.
What is more, Fraunhofer became a signatory to the UN

Fraunhofer collects data annually on the CO2 emissions it

Global Compact, voluntarily undertaking to report at least

generates through business trips by train and plane. In recent

once every two years on its progress with regard to theyears, the number of business trips across Fraunhofer as a

Compact’s ten universal sustainability principles. The next

whole has risen continuously due to the rising number ofprogress report on corporate responsibility and sustainability

employees and to the growing volume of research carried out.

is due to be published in fall 2018.

Thanks to the framework agreement between the federal
government and German Rail (Deutsche Bahn), all rail travel is

In order to entrench the idea of corporate responsibility

carbon-neutral – an option that is not yet available for air

more firmly in Fraunhofer’s existing structures, the Executive

travel. Fraunhofer’s CO2 emissions from air travel amounted to

Board decided in October 2017 to set up a Corporate

around 10,876 metric tons in 2017, or roughly 0.6 metric tons

Responsibility Board at the level of the Presidential Council,

of CO2 per full-time equivalent.

whose members will be drawn from different Executive
Board functions and from different institutes. The aim is to

The Fraunhofer Institutes have appointed dedicated officers tocreate as streamlined a decision-making structure as possible

handle waste management at the individual locations and tofor the strategic management of this overarching topic,

document their activities in a waste register and corresponding

making it possible to address key corporate responsibility

annual report. In 2017, the institutes generated 5681 metricissues in unison.

tons of non-hazardous waste and 620 metric tons of hazardous
waste. Most hazardous waste relates to specific projects andthus varies from year to year. What is more, some waste is
generated only very seldom. It is often stored for years so thatit can be disposed of in large quantities, thus reducing transportation costs. As regards the procurement of products andservices, all tenders for new master agreements and projects
placed since 2016 have, wherever feasible, been tied to
product- and service-specific social and ecological criteria.
Against this backdrop, the Fraunhofer Institutes purchasedaround 18 percent of their electricity from renewable sourcesin 2017.
39

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Management Report 2017

CO2 emissions from business travel by Fraunhofer employees, in metric tons

10,876

8934

9624

9332

0

0

0

0

0

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

7991

Air travel
Rail travel: carbon-neutral due to Fraunhofer’s participation in the bahn.business program

Volume of waste produced by Fraunhofer Institutes, in metric tons 1
5681
5266

4200
3591

3274

658

2013

432
2014

369
2015

613

2016

620

2017

Non-hazardous waste
Hazardous waste
1 Volume of waste calculated partly on the basis of estimates by the Fraunhofer Institutes.
In cases where no information had been received before this report went into print, the calculation is based on prior-year figures.

40

Research and development

The F4D – Fraunhofer for Development program wasestablished in 2016 and the pilot phase ended in 2017. The

Many of Fraunhofer’s research solutions contribute to the

purpose of this new business endeavor is to bring Fraunhofer

goals of sustainable growth and to tackling the challenges

expertise to bear in the international development arena.

faced by society, e.g. with respect to climate change, health

Under the program, ten projects involving Fraunhofer wereand environmental protection. This contribution to society

launched in emerging and developing countries such as

is promoted by means of appropriate structures and activities.

Uganda, Kenya and Colombia. Following an evaluation of thepilot phase, an Open Innovation Platform was organizedAs part of the Fraunhofer 2022 Agenda, seven Key Strategic

at the start of 2018 in cooperation with World Association

Initiatives were defined in 2017, representing areas in whichof Industrial and Technological Research Organizations

Fraunhofer would like to attain a leading position going(WAITRO).

forward. One of these is biological transformation, i.e. theconvergence of nature and technology with the goal ofSocial responsibility in R&D also means ensuring that theachieving sustainable value creation. Through the use of

research processes themselves are responsible. Activities tobiological resources, and the integration of the processes andsafeguard scientific integrity are ongoing and, in 2016,

principles of living nature into technical innovations, this newmeasures were introduced to inform and advise Fraunhofer

focal topic has the potential to make a decisive contribution toscientists on how to handle ethical questions raised during

creating more-sustainable economic processes and thus

their research. These activities and measures provide the basis

solving ecological and social problems.

for the deeper integration of aspects such as ethics, open
access and social participation at Fraunhofer, and are theFounded in 2015, the High-Performance Center Sustain-

focus of the EU-sponsored JERRI project (Joining Efforts forability is a partnership between the five Freiburg-based

Responsible Research and Innovation) that was launched in

Fraunhofer Institutes and the University of Freiburg. In early2016 under the leadership of Fraunhofer ISI.

2018 the center received a positive evaluation from an independent expert. The goal of the center’s research is to findsolutions to the problem of resilience in complex infrastructure
systems and to questions raised by the transition to arenewable energy regime, such as energy storage and energy
system technologies as well as battery safety and building
services. The Fraunhofer Institutes and the University ofFreiburg are collaborating in the high-performance centeron an equal footing in order to develop innovative, sustainableproducts and services for, and in partnership with, SMEs.
The High-Performance Center Sustainability is one of 17 suchregional centers, which are to evolve into a future-oriented
network for research transfer in Germany with a clear international profile.

41

RISK SITUATION AND OUTLOOKRisk management and risks­Fraunhofer maintains an ongoing dialog with the funding
agencies at federal, state and EU level and, if necessary,

The risk management system is designed to identify existing

makes appropriate amendments to its funding model so thatand potential risks at an early stage and to manage them by

it continues to comply with current funding legislation.

means of appropriate measures in such way that they either
do not materialize at all or do not have consequences that

Established strategy planning processes permit constantcould endanger Fraunhofer’s business success or jeopardize

feedback from relevant market players in Germany, Europe

its ability to fulfill its mission in accordance with its statutes.

and worldwide as well as assuring ongoing enhancement

Fraunhofer understands risk to mean all internal and externalof Fraunhofer’s diversified research portfolio. By determining

events and developments that might threaten the organiza-

and analyzing research indicators, the individual institutes

tion’s success. These include both risks that can be given a

and groups support Fraunhofer in safeguarding its scientificmonetary value and those of a qualitative nature.

excellence in the long term.

The central departments inform the Executive Board of relevant

Fraunhofer contributes the results of its research – such as

risk-related developments – both routinely and on an ad hoc

patents and intellectual property rights – into existingbasis – via the established reporting channels. Once a year,

companies or its own start-ups. This may involve subsequently

Fraunhofer asks its risk assessment experts to carry out adisposing of the equity investments or generating income forsystematic review of the risk situation. The results are summa-

Fraunhofer through research contracts. The development

rized and prioritized in a separate risk report. For the purposesof equity investments is constantly monitored by the financialof risk reporting in the context of this annual survey, individual

controlling department.

risks are classified according to the four categories of mostinterest to Fraunhofer, namely business model, financing,

Financial risks may arise for the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft fromresources, and business operations. The risk management

contingent liabilities and operational risks in connection

structures and processes are set down in the Fraunhofer-with its international subsidiaries. The American subsidiary

Gesellschaft’s risk management manual.

­Fraunhofer USA, Inc. is currently engaged in legal action witha company in the United States for the alleged infringement

Business model risk encompasses those types of risk thatof intellectual property rights. The lawsuit is being handled byrepresent a threat to the continuation and evolution of the

Fraunhofer USA with the support of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.

Fraunhofer funding model. Such risks may arise from externalsources or from internal differences in the way the Fraunhofer

The controlling system for Fraunhofer’s international activities

model is applied.

is updated whenever necessary to take account of changes
in the national and international operating environment.

As a not-for-profit organization and beneficiary of public

The financial controlling department constantly monitors thefunds, Fraunhofer keeps a close eye on changes in legislation

performance and liquidity of Fraunhofer entities outside

and taxation that might affect its access to financial support

Germany.

and continuously evaluates these changes with respect totheir possible impact on the financing of its activities.

42

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Management Report 2017

A key issue in the context of financial risks is that of containing

downward trends, enabling the necessary countermeasuresrisks that might compromise Fraunhofer’s access to research

to be elaborated and implemented in good time.

funding or the organization’s solvency.
Projects for building and equipping new facilities that are
Base funding from the federal and state governments is one

co-financed by the federal and state governments and theof the three main pillars of the Fraunhofer funding model.

EU (ERDF) are subject to restrictions concerning how long theIn particular, such funding enables Fraunhofer to establish

funds are made available. If projects encounter lengthy delays,

new fields of research using a quality-assured process. In

that may result in the late payment, or even forfeiture, of theorder to maintain the share of base funding in the funding

funds. Fraunhofer has a construction controlling unit in place

mix in the long term, Fraunhofer proactively manages its

to closely monitor the progress of projects to build and equip

growth and lobbies the funding agencies to maintain its

new facilities and constantly looks for ways to expedite suchbase funding at a level in keeping with its mission and inprojects.

proportion to its performance.
Continual monitoring of prefinancing and accounts receivable,
In the area of public-sector projects, funding issues andcoupled with effective dunning and contractually agreed

instruments are constantly evolving at the federal, state andpayment terms, help to minimize credit risk, which essentially

EU levels. Altered funding conditions, such as the introduction

relates to project prefinancing and unrecoverable payments.

of flat rates, harbor the risk that income from projects may
be lower than calculated under the full-cost method on

Resource risk encompasses those types of risk that may

which the Fraunhofer funding model is based. That is why

affect the availability of material and intangible resources­Fraunhofer negotiates with the relevant EU and national

needed to successfully carry out research activities.

bodies to gain approval for its costing models and ensures,
through regular audits and continuous improvements, that

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft preserves and expands its

its system of cost reimbursement meets all the relevant

research expertise by recruiting highly qualified scientists andrequirements.

encouraging them to stay with Fraunhofer. To ward off thepotential risk of being unable to recruit a sufficient number ofFraunhofer counters the risk of a possible decline in its project

qualified specialists, Fraunhofer maintains close ties withrevenue from industrial research contracts by developing new

universities, which are one of its main sources of newareas of research and collaboration models geared to market

employees, and pursues a sustainable HR policy that respects

requirements, and by strategically expanding its customer

diversity and is geared to long-term staffing requirements.

acquisition and loyalty activities, especially at a cross-institutelevel.

Protecting and developing the organization’s intellectual

Systematic checks by the central controlling department are

and a prerequisite for the exploitation of research results.

property (IP) base is a critical factor in Fraunhofer’s successused to keep track of the spending and earnings of individual

Fraunhofer constantly monitors initiatives stemming frominstitutes. Regular comparisons of each institute’s results withthe regulatory environment and assesses them for possible

respect to its annual targets permit the identification ofnegative impact on the conditions governing the protectionand exploitation of intellectual property rights.
43

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Management Report 2017

Fraunhofer is exposed to capital market risk insofar as it

With requirements rising all the time, Fraunhofer is constantly

invests part of its capital and reserves with a view to earning

optimizing its rules and procedures to ensure that its businessa return. The investments are concentrated in open-end

processes are designed and implemented in compliance withfunds within the meaning of the German Investment Act andlaws and regulations. A compliance management system is inin closed-end funds. The organization pursues a widely

place to ensure that the subject of rules, and compliance withdiversified investment policy and, in view of the uncertainty

them, is dealt with in a systematic manner. The internal audit

prevailing in the money and capital markets, keeps a constantdepartment monitors compliance with internal rules andwatch on the risk situation.

control mechanisms at regular intervals or on an ad hoc basis.

Fraunhofer has financial reserves at its disposal, ensuring that,

The application of strict IT security measures is of elementaryin the long term, it can fulfill its mission as defined in its

importance to the ongoing existence of a knowledge-based­statutes. An important instrument in this regard is the option

research organization. Fraunhofer takes targeted measures toprovided for in its management statutes to carry forward

mitigate potential IT risks. These measures are defined in abase funding from one financial year to the next. If this option

binding IT security manual.

were curtailed, it would limit Fraunhofer’s liquidity and its
ability to make provision for risks and restrict its freedom of

The current overall assessment of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s

action.

risk situation reveals nothing that could endanger its existencein the long term.

Operational business risk comprises those types of risk that
may arise from processes used in research and administration,or from the execution of specific research projects.
Through its contract research projects with German and international business partners, Fraunhofer is exposed to liability
and performance risks such as product liability and warranty.
It manages these through suitable liability restriction clauses
in its standard terms and conditions of business and in its
standard contracts, as well as through a multi-tier approval
process based on competent legal advice.

44

Outlook

Fraunhofer is also pursuing the voluntary commitments itentered into with the Joint Science Conference (GWK) under

On the basis of its current planning for 2018, Fraunhofer

the Joint Initiative for Research and Innovation III. In some

expects to post a substantial increase in business volume,areas, Fraunhofer has already achieved the targets set

which will rise by 14 percent to €2.6 billion. Higher capitalfor 2020. For instance, prioritized research topics are being

expenditure will be the main driver of this strong growth.

coordinated among the different institutes and internal

For one thing, capital expenditure on building projects willfunding programs that are geared to fostering competition

rise; for another, the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany

and that utilize 10 percent of base funding are being

will continue to grow. Fraunhofer expects to see solid growthcarried out. Similarly, a program to raise the share of womenin contract research, with budgeted expenditure rising by

scientists at all career levels has been put in place.

5 percent to around €2.1 billion. This will reflect not only
growth in project revenue, but also rising funding requirementsfrom higher base funding.

In both strategic and structural terms, Fraunhofer is exceptionallywell placed to tackle today’s technological and social challenges
and, going forward, will continue to position itself as an inno-

Fraunhofer deploys quality-assured tools and processes tovation partner and provider of impulses for industry, the publicorganize and deliver quantitative growth. These include

sector and society.

transparent, integrated planning of the R&D portfolio atseveral levels of the organization, new instruments to

The Executive Board would like to thank the organization's

promote internal networking and enhance excellence, andmembers, patrons, friends and, most of all, the staff of the

an array of personnel measures designed to encourage theFraunhofer-Gesellschaft for their support, dedication and hardcareers of employees, especially those of women.

work last year.

With its 2022 Agenda, Fraunhofer is aligning itself with its

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

mission on the basis of the recently revamped Fraunhofer

zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V.

Guiding Principles. Its goal is to implement the vision theyembody by becoming the trendsetter and technology leader

The Executive Boardin Germany in certain areas of R&D, e.g. in digitalization andProf. Dr.-Ing. Reimund Neugebauer

biological transformation. Fraunhofer is systematically adapting

Prof. Dr. rer. publ. ass. iur. Alexander Kurz

its processes and management to achieve this goal. The

Dipl.-Kfm. Andreas Meuer­Executive Board and Presidential Council are monitoring theProf. Dr. rer. nat. Georg Rosenfeld

progress and quality of a total of ten operational projects toimplement the Fraunhofer 2022 Agenda.

45

REPORT OF THE SENATEON THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2017

In 2017, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft expanded its position

The main decisions taken in accordance with the Statutequalitatively and quantitatively as a key player in applied

concerned the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s structure and theresearch in Europe. As a consequence of adjusted institutional

composition of the Executive Board:funding, Fraunhofer was able to successfully continue its
mission, particularly with the aid of the targeted expansion–– By resolution of the Senate, the Fraunhofer Institute forof cross-institute pre-competitive research. Instruments

Wind Energy and Energy System Technology IWES wasinclude new research infrastructures such as internal Clusters

split into two separate institutes as of January 1, 2018: theof Excellence and the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany

Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES based(FMD) investment program funded by the German Federal

in Bremerhaven and the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy

Ministry of Education and Research, which is being imple-

Economics and Energy System Technology IEE based inmented by Fraunhofer together with the Leibniz Association­Kassel. Since their parent institute was incorporated into

on a cross-organizational basis. In addition, Fraunhofer has

the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft nine years ago, both branches

founded a platform for technology-related questions of theof the institute had developed extremely well in terms of

future with the new Fraunhofer Group for Innovation

size, funding and profile on the research market and were

Research.

already operating completely independently of each otherin practical terms.

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s solid financial statements for2017 again received an unqualified audit certificate from theindependent auditors.

–– LZN Laser Zentrum Nord GmbH and parts of the Chair of Laserand System Technologies (iLAS) at Hamburg University ofTechnology were integrated into the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

In 2017, the Senate fulfilled the duties with which it is entrusted

by resolution of the Senate as the newly created Fraunhofer

under the Statute of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. It convened

Research Institution for Additive Manufacturing Technologies

twice in the course of the financial year: on May 30 at the

IAPT, effective January 1, 2018. The decision was promptedInternational Congress Center in Dresden and on October 18

by the outstanding scientific expertise that LZN and iLAS

at the Kempinski Hotel in Frankfurt am Main.

possess in the domain of 3D printing, which represents avaluable addition to the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s existing
portfolio of institutes. Prof. Claus Emmelmann was appointed
Director of Fraunhofer IAPT. Having already presided over
LZN, he will ensure management continuity.

46

–– As the first step toward integration into the Fraunhofer-–– As his successor, the Senate chose Andreas Meuer for

Gesellschaft, a process begun in 2014, the former

a five-year term, commencing on January 1, 2018. In the

Mainz Institute of Microtechnology (Institut für Mikro-

newly created Executive Board function for Controlling

technik Mainz GmbH) initially operated as a branch

and Digital Business Processes, Andreas Meuer will beof the ­Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT.

responsible for the finances of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Following a successful performance evaluation in May

and also for the far-reaching digitalization process in the2017, the Senate has now decided to grant full instituteFraunhofer administration.

status to this entity, which as of January 1, 2018 will
operate as the Fraunhofer Institute for Microengineering

The Senate wishes to thank the Executive Board and all

and Microsystems IMM, based in Mainz, under theemployees of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft for theirproven direction of Prof. Michael Maskos. Fraunhofer

commitment and successful work in the financial year 2017.

IMM carries out research in the fields of energy andchemical engineering, analytical systems, and sensor­technology.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Heinz Jörg Fuhrmann
Chairman of the Senate of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft–– Prof. (Univ. Stellenbosch) Dr. rer. pol. Alfred Gossner
has stepped down from his position as member of the
Executive Board of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft incharge of Finance, Controlling and IT at his own request
after 15 years in office, effective December 31, 2017.
The Senate ratified the early departure of Prof. (Univ.
­Stellenbosch) Dr. rer. pol. Gossner.

47

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Report of the Senate on the financial year 2017

Prof. (Univ. Stellenbosch) Dr. rer. pol.
Alfred Gossner
Fraunhofer Vice President Finance, Controlling and IT from 20 02 to 2017

After 15 years of service, Prof. (Univ. Stellenbosch) Dr. rer. pol.

For 15 years, Alfred Gossner steered the financial fortunes

Alfred Gossner (67) left the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft as ofof Fraunhofer as a highly esteemed partner for research

January 1, 2018 to go into retirement. Since taking up his position

funding agencies, employees, and government, business andas Vice President Finance, Controlling and IT in 2002, hescientific stakeholders. Optimizations kick-started by Gossner

has made major contributions to Fraunhofer’s outstanding

contributed to the lasting improvement of control structuresdevelopment.

and to the status of Fraunhofer. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
was also able to more than double its business volume overWhen he took over the reins from Dr. Ulrich Wiese, Alfred

this period, particularly through the effective cooperation

Gossner already had a well-filled career behind him. As

between institutes and headquarters. At the colloquium held

­assistant professor at LMU Munich, consultant at McKinsey

in honor of Gossner’s departure, Fraunhofer President

and finally member of the Board of Management of Allianz

Prof. Reimund Neugebauer thanked him for his outstanding

Versicherungs-AG, he built up an extensive network, accumu-

achievements and expressed how he was looking forward

lated management and leadership experience, and acquired

to their continued cooperation in Gossner’s new role asa deep understanding of how commercial businesses andchairman of the board of the Fraunhofer-Zukunftsstiftung

scientific institutions work. Various periods of working abroad,(Fraunhofer Future Foundation). Ilse Aigner, Bavarian Ministersuch as his time as CEO of Allianz in South Africa from 1991 toof Economic Affairs and Media, Energy and Technology and

1995, also added to the experience of the father of two from

Deputy Minister-President of Bavaria, similarly praised

Bad Grönenbach in Bavaria. Gossner maintained his close ties

Gossner’s broad capabilities. As a parting gift, his successor

with South Africa and, in 2010, was awarded the title ofAndreas Meuer presented him with a 10-year-old sequoia

Professor Extraordinary by the Business School at Stellenbosch

tree for his garden.

University.

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49

INSIDE THE FRAUNHOFER SENATEREPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

At their annual assembly, the members of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft elect leading figuresfrom the worlds of science, industry, business and public life to serve on the Fraunhofer Senate
for a three-year term of office. Here we present profiles of newly elected senators.

REINER HOFFMANN

The incumbent President of the German Trade Union

Bergbau, Chemie, Energie) trade union, until he was elected

Confederation (DGB), Reiner Hoffmann, has been a member

to the National Executive Board of the German Trade Unionof the Fraunhofer Senate since January 1, 2018.

Confederation (DGB) on October 1, 2013 and to the positionof President of the DGB on May 12, 2014.

Born in 1955 in Wuppertal, Reiner Hoffmann started out his
career as an apprentice at the chemicals company Farbwerke

Reiner Hoffmann is a member of the German Social Democratic

Hoechst. With a grant from the Hans Böckler Foundation,

Party and of the IG BCE trade union. Since 2006, he has held

he studied economics at the University of Wuppertal. Aftera seat on the Supervisory Board of Bayer AG, Leverkusen.

completing his studies in 1982 with a degree in economics,
he worked as an aide at the European Economic and Social
Committee of the European Community in Brussels. From

“Social consensus has long prevailed on this point: new1983 to 1994, he worked for the Hans Böckler Foundation

technologies require the continuous training of employees.

in Düsseldorf, eventually heading up the Department for

The DGB and its member unions want to shape the future

Research Promotion there. From October 1994 to May 2003,

world of work. Accordingly, the unions support and parti-

Reiner Hoffmann was Director of the European Trade Union

cipate in work research so as to guarantee good working

Institute in Brussels; and from May 2003 to December 2009,

conditions into the future. With its expertise and above

he was Deputy General Secretary of the European Tradeall its practical orientation, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft isUnion Confederation. From November 2009 onward, he wasplaying an important role in the digital transformation

responsible for the collective bargaining and industrial policy

process. I’m very much looking forward to representing

for the North Rhine region in his capacity as North Rhine

the voice of the unions in the Senate.”­Regional Director of the IG BCE (Industriegewerkschaft

51

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Inside the Fraunhofer Senate

KERSTIN GROSSE

Kerstin Grosse joined the Fraunhofer Senate as of January 1,
2018.

A native of Chemnitz, Grosse studied linguistics, educational
science and psychology at Leipzig University, Voronezh State
University in Russia and the University of St Andrews in

As chair of the Supervisory Board, Kerstin Grosse represents­Scotland, graduating in 1992 with a degree in pedagogy for

KOMSA Kommunikation Sachsen AG, an information andadult education. While working, she also completed an MBAcommunications technology (ICT) company specialized inin customer relationship management at Chemnitz University

distribution, services and new, connected, digitalized businessof Technology between 2007 and 2009.

processes. It is also the largest family-operated business incentral Germany. In its parent company, Derossi Invest GmbH –with its four divisions of ICT; holding and investment manage-“Being elected to the Senate of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

ment in a family office; agriculture; and forestry – Kerstin

is a great honor for me. I’m looking forward to representing

Grosse has been responsible for the Organization & Businessthe SME point of view, drawing on my professional back-

Development unit since 2004. In 2006, she became chair ofground in this area. In times of growing digitalization and

the Supervisory Board of Forestris AG.

connectivity, small and medium-sized enterprises will be
the object of research more than ever at Fraunhofer.

Kerstin Grosse started her career at KOMSA in 1996 as PA

Moreover, SMEs will be a major customer for Fraunhofer

to the CEO. In 1997, she took on a new role as company

and an important part of its services.”

spokeswoman, and between 1999 and 2004 she was the
Head of Human Resources.
Between 1992 and 1996, Grosse worked for the Deutsche
Gesellschaft für Personalwesen e. V. (German association for
HR management) in the field of recruitment and management/
organizational development for the public sector.

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53

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Inside the Fraunhofer Senate

OLIVER ZIPSE

Since the start of 2018, Oliver Zipse, member of the Board“As a car manufacturer, we know very well that researchof Management of BMW AG, has been a senator of theand innovation are the fundamental basis for competitive-­Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.

ness in our industry. Only through innovations that offer
customers genuine added value can we remain viable inBorn in Heidelberg in 1964, Zipse studied IT and mathematics

the future. Many of the innovations in our vehicles owe

at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City from 1983 to 1985.

something to the expertise of partners such as Fraunhofer.

Between 1985 and 1991, he studied general mechanical

For this reason, I’m very much looking forward to myengineering at the Technische Universität Darmstadt, obtaining

duties in the Fraunhofer Senate.”

a Master of Engineering (Diplom-Ingenieur) qualification.
In 1991, he started his career at BMW AG as a trainee in­development, technical planning and production. From 1992
to 1994, he worked as a project engineer for technology­development. In the years between 1994 and 2006, he held
various management positions in development, manufacturing
and production scheduling in Munich and South Africa. While
working, he obtained an Executive MBA from WHU Koblenz and
the Kellogg School of Management in Evanston, Illinois. From2007 to 2008, he headed up the company’s Oxford plant in
the UK; and from 2009 to 2012, he headed the Technical
Planning department, before being named Senior Vice President
Corporate Planning and Product Strategy in 2012. On May 13,
2015, he was appointed to the Board of Management of BMW AG,
with responsibility for Production.

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55

REVIEW OFFRAUNHOFER RESEARCHWO R K IN A DI G ITA L I Z ED WO R L D
A G ENDA 2 0 2 2 – NEW TOPICS ,­ST R UCTU R ES AND INST R U M ENTS
FO R F R AUNHOFE R R ESEA R CH
P R O J ECTS AND R ESU L TS 2 0 1 7
NEW INITIATIVESAND INF R AST R UCTU R ES
AWA R DS 2 0 1 7
PEOP L E IN R ESEA R CH
F R AUNHOFE R INSTITUTE SPIN - OFFSREVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCHWORK IN A
DIGITALIZED WORLD

Prof. Wilhelm Bauer, Prof. Ina Schieferdecker

We are in the midst of a digital revolution. The opportunities

The driving force behind all these developments is the world

and risks that arise from this upheaval are endlessly appraised.

of data. As a part of software, it is neither easy to grasp nor

For example, the industry association Bitkom warns thattactile in any way. Via visualizations and automated decisions

3.4 million jobs will be lost in Germany over the next fiveand controls, data is being used in increasingly critical

years, because robots or algorithms will be doing the work.

processes, such as production and traffic control. Throughout

What people often overlook when numbers like this are being

the spreading data economies, questions about the role,

bandied about is that change brought about by technologicalvalues, ownership, and usage rights of data will become

progress has long been a constant in the history of ourcentrally important. With automatable work increasingly being

economy and our society. New technological developments

taken over by connected machines equipped with AI, andhave always transformed job profiles and work environments.

with data becoming increasingly important as a resource andAnd these changes have tended on the whole to improveasset, this also changes the role of work and its place inthe quality of work and the quality of life. Fraunhofer researchsociety. Companies, democracies and social systems must allhas played a role in bringing about these positive developments.

adapt and develop to grasp the opportunities while also

It helps us re-imagine and expand our conceptions of “work”

shaping the changes in the economy and society so that theyin the digitally connected world. Technology is already a hugebenefit everyone.

part of our society today. And this will accelerate and intensify
as digital connectivity advances: robotics, virtualization,
artificial intelligence (AI) and more are already transforming

Everyday life and work are changing

how we live and work today – and this will continue in the
future. Long-established methods and processes will be swiftly

The increasing “intelligence” of systems and machines aremodernized and revolutionized through digitalization. Evenchanging how humans interact and coexist with technology.

a traditional sector like agriculture has already been highly

The car is a good example, with the digital transformation

automated and digitalized. Soon, no egg or grain of wheat

so far advanced in this sphere that assistance systems arewill make it to wholesalers or retailers without the assistanceaccepted unquestioningly almost as equals alongside theof sensor systems and data analytics. Other industries suchdriver. This acceptance may be partly due to the fact that theas the media have already experienced major upheaval, while

technology works quietly in the background, supporting us

yet others such as the automotive sector are facing major

discreetly yet decisively as the situation demands it. This trend­challenges now – from e-mobility and multimodal mobility

is set to continue: In the “EMOIO” project, for example,

services to self-driving vehicles.

­scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering
IAO are working with partners to research a brain-computerinterface, via which future assistance systems could react
directly to the driver’s emotions. On the first inner-city digitallyconnected protocol route in Berlin, meanwhile, researchers at
the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems
FOKUS are studying how automated driving systems can makeeveryday traffic safer for all road users. They are investigatingcomplex cooperative driving functions, with which a groupof vehicles can be coordinated and act in a predictive manner.
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REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCHWork in a digitalized world

A precondition for such systems is a robust and reliable

Progressive automation of work

perception of the road situation. In the “RobustSENSE” project,
Fraunhofer FOKUS has worked with industrial partners toWith the further spread of the Internet of Things (IoT) anddevelop a software platform that combines various sensor dataof Industrie 4.0, our everyday working lives will change

from cameras, lasers, radar and even weather information.

dramatically. As systems become increasingly intelligent in how
they operate, soon they will be taking over not just simple,
monotonous tasks, but will become “digital colleagues.”

Trustworthy, secure and reliable digitalization

In office work for example, self-learning systems will perform
accounting tasks or evaluate specialist journals. This will leave

Just as digitalization is revolutionizing “driving,” so it is trans-

the human office workers with more time for more complex

forming the world of work. On farms, in factories and inactivities. Companies and researchers in the “SmartAIwork”

offices, technical systems are now performing so many routine

project are currently investigating how AI and learning systems

tasks that we only notice them when they break down.

can ensure that the work handled by the machines is

Accordingly, Fraunhofer is working not only on developing

performed in a way that is entirely helpful to the respective

new technological solutions, but also on ways of rendering

human employee.

them secure. In the Eclipse Foundation’s “IoT Testware”
technology project, researchers from Fraunhofer FOKUS are

In production, too, digital “enablers” are reducing the timeworking with industrial partners to develop standardized

and cost needed for workaday tasks. With their further

test solutions for IoT components in relation to conformity,

development and elaboration into “cyber-physical systems”

interoperability, robustness and security. In addition, industrial(CPS), machines, systems, products, warehouses, tools andpartners can use the Transfer Center IoT run by Fraunhofer’s

company IT will all learn to communicate with each other

Berlin Center for Digital Transformation for direct experience(despite their different interfaces) – and of course withand experimentation. Additional security analyses andemployees, too (despite their different personalities). This will

certifications are offered by the German Federal Office formake production much more efficient, flexible and customized,

Information Security in conjunction with Fraunhofer FOKUS.

as the tools will adapt automatically to the needs, skills andAnd recently the Fraunhofer “Certification 4.0” project

preferences of the individual worker and the task at hand.

was launched to research the further development of thetesting processes and certificates themselves.

If companies are not just to take a leap into Industrie 4.0, butalso to land safely, they must make the right decisions fromthe outset: How do they want to advance their business using
digital technology? What is the ultimate goal? How much
would they have to invest in technology and IT – and at whatstage? Where should they begin? A special “DigiCheck”
offered by Fraunhofer IAO provides important guidance about
the opportunities and risks facing small- and medium-sized60

enterprises for their own business model. And Fraunhofer

and fixed entryways in a virtualized, software-based environ-researchers are working with SME Industrie 4.0 pioneers

ment. Future 5G infrastructures will ensure a dynamicallyto develop and test the tools that will then be needed toconfigurable network that also incorporates decentralizedaccomplish the digital transformation. One such initiative iscomputing resources. The above-mentioned administration

the “ScaleIT” project, in which the partners create practical,

shells can be flexibly stored and processed in the places wherescalable solution concepts that facilitate swift, targeted

they are used – that is, in the factories themselves, on thedigitalization in production environments thanks to low entry“edge” as it is called. For this edge computing, TU Berlin andbarriers.

FOKUS developed the “OpenBaton” open-source software asa reference implementation of the ETSI NFV standard.

In the connected factory of the future, a product blank – whether
for a sneaker or a car – is an autonomous cyber-physicalsystem from the beginning. To this end, it is connected

Synthesis of two worlds

to a so-called asset administration shell, via which it cancommunicate with each relevant station on the production

The digitalized world generates a plethora of information aboutline. The “OpenIoTFog” Industrie 4.0 software fromproducts and production, but also about the requirements­Fraunhofer FOKUS creates and manages these administration

and wishes of customers and of the employees working inshells. To do this, it integrates industrial network standards,

factories. Evaluating and correlating the data this generates

such as the TSN (time-sensitive networking) standard fromwhile observing all data protection requirements will be a key

the IEEE, and communication standards, such as oneM2MD.

aspect of industrial value creation in the future. To utilize

Reprogramming the production equipment is no longer

this potential, companies need to recognize and understandrequired. The blank itself contacts the helpers it needs forwhat individual opportunities and also what threats thecompletion, and it knows how it has to be processed.

onward march of digitalization means for them in concreteterms. Only on the basis of this knowledge can they develop

A high-performance connection is the technological basis fora digital agenda to put their company “on course.” Practicalall cooperation in Industrie 4.0. Blanket infrastructure coverage

support is available to companies through the Digital Businesswith data transmission rates in the gigabit range and tactile

Innovation initiative and the Fraunhofer Big Data Alliance.

Internet with maximum availability, reliability and security
and minimum response times are indispensable. The main

Companies need a well-founded digitalization strategy

foundation for this will be the new 5G mobile wirelessbefore they can use the opportunities of the digitalstandard, in the development and standardization of whichtransformation. This strategy should be on three levels:­Fraunhofer FOKUS and Fraunhofer HHI are playing a majorFirstly, considerable efficiency potential can be exploitedrole. One of the outstanding features of 5G is that it enables

in production and administration – from real-time demandmuch more than a further development of “classic” mobile

forecasting in retailing to the energy- and job-optimized

wireless capabilities. The launch of 5G will provide the first-

control of whole factories. Secondly, making production

ever network technology that combines wireless networks

more flexible creates the conditions for the individualization

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REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCHWork in a digitalized world62

of products. In the “Mass Personalization – Toward asecurity-relevant IT processes, private companies andBusiness-To-User (B2U) Model with Personalized Products”

public-sector organizations need strong IT security expertise.

initiative, the Stuttgart-based Fraunhofer Institutes forTargeted further education courses are offered by theIndustrial Engineering IAO, for Interfacial Engineering and­Fraunhofer Cybersecurity Training Lab – which is funded by

Biotechnology IGB, for Building Physics IBP and for Manu­

the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research – atfacturing Engineering and Automation IPA have pooled

its five locations as well as by the Fraunhofer Academy.

their expertise in this area. And thirdly, digitalization presents
additional market opportunities. After all, the digital world

And last but not least, public-sector administration also has tois not about replacing our products and services, which arekeep up with these developments and respond to the challenges

world market leaders in many sectors; rather, the data fromof digitalization in society and the economy. To this end,

the connected world will enable us to enrich successful

Fraunhofer FOKUS has set up the Competence Center Public IT

concepts by adding new value creation elements and to bring(ÖFIT) to carry out research into the functions, infrastructures

entirely novel ideas to the market.

and further development of public IT.

The digital transformation will radically change companies.
Only agile businesses will be able to compete in markets that

New economic systems, new business models

are becoming more flexible. The success of this approach isdemonstrated by start-ups, which tend to be highly dynamic

Digitalization not only accelerates the development dynamics

in their structures. They are particularly successful in many ofof traditional and new markets, but the technologies andthe new digital niches. Cornerstones of this “new agility” areproducts developed as a result also lead to far-reaching,flexible working models and greater scope for employees tosometimes disruptive changes in their own right. A characteristic

pursue innovative ideas. In other words, digital transformation

feature is that many commercial and production structures

requires companies to create, trial, implement and embrace astruggle to respond successfully to the new developments.

new work culture. This does not mean completely abandoning

This is not a new phenomenon: the upheaval caused by thetried-and-tested structures – rather, we need both. In thisemergence of the large Internet platforms in sectors such as

spirit, Fraunhofer IAO has developed a range of concepts

the book trade and mail-order selling should be fresh in ourthat enable companies to remold their leadership style andminds.

organizational structures so that they are fit for the future.
The name of the game is ambidexterity: organizational

In the shade of these disruptive developments, however, newstructures that are “two-handed” and companies that canstructures can often grow. Innovative economic systems inwork in agile and traditional ways at the same time.

the platform economy and the sharing economy will thus
represent an opportunity for German business – provided that

It is equally vital for employees to have suitable further

the companies seize it and actively shape the development

education and training in digital skills. According to theof markets before it is too late. The conditions in Germany areindustry association Bitkom, 19 percent of German companies

good to make this possible: the close connection between

experience IT attacks at least once a week. To detect andlarge corporations and SMEs has been a key success factor inprevent possible cyber attacks and guarantee control over

our economy for decades. New market platforms offer a wide

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REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCHWork in a digitalized world

range of structural possibilities – not only in the retail trade

Many sectors need to rethink their conventional ways of doing

but in the B2B sector, too. Companies can connect with eachbusiness and establish new Industrie 4.0 models. For example,

other via open, neutral data and service marketplaces in orderthis might involve putting together new service bundles

to generate new business ideas or link up their existing datacomprising physical products and complementary real-time

to create value-added services.

services. However, many companies do not yet possess
suitable methods and the specific knowledge that would allow

These approaches are supplemented by public sharing initiatives.

them to evaluate such concepts and the attendant risks. To help

A current publication by ÖFIT explores the example of smart

these companies, measures such as the “GEN-I 4.0” collaboration

mobility to show how platform-mediated sharing makes new

between Fraunhofer IAO and the ESB Business School atservice offers possible, whereby private vehicles, public trans-­Reutlingen University provide businesses with support in trans-

portation, ridesharing, carpooling, taxi services and car rentals

forming their business models for Industrie 4.0.

all go hand in hand. The sharing of goods and services atthe commercial level is also possible. An example of a practicalimplementation of this opportunity was developed by the

Flexible connectivity for more effective work

partners in the “eMobility-Scout” project: using a cloud-based
platform, companies can conveniently share their own charging

Working where and when you want is a dream for many

infrastructure for electric vehicles with other companies in a way

people. Moreover, the technical conditions to make thisthat profits all parties.

possible have been around for years. Since its foundation over
20 years ago, the OFFICE21® innovation network has been

Connected value creation systems such as these, along with

continuously implementing concrete application solutions forco-developments with universities and the research sector andits partners. Particularly in the area of knowledge and office

open innovation laboratories, allow companies to combine

work, this is helping establish a growing flexibility as regards

tried-and-tested expert knowledge with a pioneering digital

working hours and locations. More and more employees are

spirit to create shared digital innovations. In this way, they can

supplementing their work in the company office with work inutilize cultural and technological differences as joint resources,a home office. This generally benefits both the employees

counterbalance their own weaknesses, offset the digitalizationand the company, as it makes for a more harmonious balancepressure and even transform it into positive opportunities for

between work and private life. In addition, companies obtainchange. In the ARENA 2036 research factory, for example,

greater flexibility in how they organize and schedule work.

researchers from Fraunhofer and the University of Stuttgart

So that organizations can actually realize these benefits, theywork with companies to develop and trial technology andrequire individual concepts for effective implementation. In

organizational solutions for the entire value chain of the fully

a study of mobile working, Fraunhofer IAO collaborated withdigitalized automobile.

the Institute of Human Factors and Technology Management
IAT at the University of Stuttgart to investigate what theimportant factors were. Meanwhile, the “KapaflexCy“ projectshows that even in production contexts, mobile communications
are able to provide a better equilibrium between the work-life64REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCHWork in a digitalized world

balance needs of workers and the increasing market-drivenof over-65s in Germany will increase to over 22 million people

flexibility needs of manufacturing: using an app, shiftby 2030. Although care is mainly defined by human-to-human­managers and workers coordinate their working schedules

interaction, a lot of hopes are now being placed in the digitaland requirements in a fast, flexible and easy process.

transformation, which can make a decisive contribution toeasing the work burden on care staff. As part of the Work andComprehensive changes in work organization and forms

Care 2020 innovation campaign, Fraunhofer IAO is developingof work are becoming particularly apparent in the area

innovative work and cooperation models. As well as focusingof knowledge work. The most conspicuous developmenton professional care, the campaign also considers the situationis that experts from different sectors and disciplines will beof private individuals who combine looking after relatives withable to cooperate more intensively in future. Increasingly,

their working lives. This kind of double burden already affects

the place they choose to do this collaborative work is neither

every tenth employee in Germany.

a home office nor the company office: instead, they meet up
in so-called coworking spaces. These venues offer a place for

How digitalization can support our health system on a wide

independence and creativity, while also offering workplaces

variety of levels is the topic of the Telehealth Innovation Centerwith optimum technical performance, including basic services

at Fraunhofer FOKUS. At the center, researchers develop andsuch as lighting, heating and cleaning. The “Coworking –test innovations such as new cooperation platforms via which

Driver of Innovation for Companies” study published bycare workers, doctors, patients and family members can connect­Fraunhofer IAO shows how companies can benefit fromand coordinate with each other. One of the researchers’ main

project work outside their premises. Temporary work environ-focuses is on the development of specific security architectures.

ments offer ideal conditions for undertakings of this nature,

Other focuses include an electronic patient file, which facilitatesin particular for crowd-workers, click-workers and digital

the exchange of medical data between doctors and ordinary

nomads. This cohort of specialized freelancers will grow incitizens by various technical routes, and electronic case files.

number Germany-wide and internationally as the digitaltransformation of companies progresses. The advantage for

Assistance robotics is a further technological priority, which

companies of these “experts on demand” is that they canis transforming human work on wards in care institutions andfetch the technical know-how and experience they require

hospitals and is set to ease workloads considerably in theinto their teams as and when required.

future. In the “SeRoDi” project, for example, researchers from
Fraunhofer IPA and Fraunhofer IAO are working with the
University of Stuttgart and other partners to develop a self-

Digitalization that works for people

driving nursing cart. This will replace old-fashioned “shoeleather logistics” by relieving nursing staff of long walks backFree places in resident elderly care facilities must sometimes

and forth along corridors and wards. In turn, this saves thembe left unoccupied because of a lack of qualified staff. And

time and physical energy. For example, a care robot can fetch

Germany’s aging demographics are set to exacerbate themedical supplies autonomously from the storeroom and carryproblem: the working population is declining, while the groupthem to where they are needed.

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The new role of workers

Industrie 4.0 and tomorrow’s world of work today. With its
Demonstrator World for the work of the future, the “Fit for

What work will remain for us humans when connected

the work of the future” Learning World, and the World ofsystems, smart machines and robots carry out more and more

Ideas for work research, the lab offers an ideal platform fortasks in offices and factories? The fact is that human labor

exciting dialog and intensive cooperation between science,is no longer required for a variety of monotonous routines

industry and society. Another important research instrument

and physically demanding jobs. Fundamentally, this must be

for the digital transformation is the Weizenbaum Instituteviewed as progress – even if certain jobs are partially or whollyfor the Networked Society, which was founded recently inabolished as a consequence. For example, it can alleviate theBerlin-Brandenburg and counts Fraunhofer among its members.

effects of the shortage in skilled labor. Furthermore, we will

The interdisciplinary research conducted by the Weizenbaum

not run out of work, as the digitalized world also needs

Institute focuses on the social changes that accompany thehumans. However, the type of tasks we carry out will change,

forward march of digitalization, and the question as to how

becoming more sophisticated and varied; there will be aself-­determination can be safeguarded in a connected society.

general shift away from four-square manual labor toward
activities that involve planning, controlling, creative thinking

Prof. Wilhelm Bauer is Executive Director of theand supervision. But the digital transformation to Industrie 4.0

Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO.

and the IoT will also be a huge undertaking for employees inevery single company. After all, it is not some ready-madeProf. Ina Schieferdecker is Director of the Fraunhofer Institutetechnology concept, but an ongoing development that eachfor Open Communication Systems FOKUS.

company must approach individually.
The question remains as to what the next steps might befor companies to successfully begin their journey into theage of Industrie 4.0. At all events, it is vital that their employees
possess suitable digital knowledge and skills. Companies
can find answers about the requisite competencies andexpertise, as well as useful further training measures, throughinitiatives such as the “FutureKomp 4.0” guidelines drawn
up by ­Fraunhofer IAO and the Institute of Human Factors andTechnology Management (IAT) at the University of Stuttgart.
In addition, the “New Work” project utilizes concrete casestudies to allow businesses to learn from companies that havealready progressed further down the road toward Industrie 4.0.
And finally, the Future Work Lab, which opened in the springof 2017, makes it possible to experience future concepts for67

REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCH

68

AGENDA 2022 – NEW TOPICS,
STRUCTURES AND INSTRUMENTS
FOR FRAUNHOFER RESEARCH
Prof. Reimund Neugebauer, Dr. Raoul Klingner

What prompted the Fraunhofer 2022 Agenda

The goals

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft wants to continue fulfilling its

As Fraunhofer 2022 Agenda is systematically based on theclearly defined mission of carrying out excellent researchFraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s mission, its general goals seekthat is geared systematically toward practical applications.

to increase the impact of its activities on the economy and

To do this, it must face new challenges, including thesociety through excellence and synergy. Equally, the Agenda

increasing complexity of globally connected value chains

incorporates the vision of the Fraunhofer Guiding Principles,

and the penetration of the digital transformation into many

namely to implement system-relevant initiatives for Germany.

areas of the economy and society. In this environment,

The strategies required for this are designed to intensify­Fraunhofer wants to structure its own growth such thatinternal collaborations through new governance and manage-

both productivity and value creation increase quantitatively,

ment methods and expand the corresponding research andand new qualities are generated in the form of disruptive

transfer infrastructures. At the same time, Fraunhofer 2022

innovations. To achieve these goals, as well as energetically

Agenda strives to increase quality in essential overarching topics

pursuing specific research topics such as the transition

that either help secure Fraunhofer USPs – such as the transfer

to a new energy economy and e-mobility, it also needs toof R&D results into applications – or contribute to increasing

pursue with equal vigor broad technological trends such

performance – such as collaborations with external partners.

as digitalization and the biological transformation. Against
this background of dynamic change, and with a view tomaintaining Fraunhofer’s worldwide leadership position
among contract research organizations into the future, theExecutive Board of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft worked with
the Presidential Council and the institutes to develop a jointroadmap – Fraunhofer 2022 Agenda. This development plan
describes the essential change processes for Fraunhofer fromtoday’s perspective and the corresponding implementation
projects with a horizon of 2022.

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REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCHAgenda 2022 – new topics, structures andinstruments for Fraunhofer researchFraunhofer operates through 72 institutes and possesses more
Fraunhofer 2022
AgendaGuiding
Principles

Visionthan 400 core competencies in the sphere of research anddevelopment (R&D). Accordingly, it is predisposed like no otherapplied R&D organization to form interdisciplinary teams
through internal collaborations and develop comprehensive

Missionsystem solutions for current issues. Fraunhofer had alreadyPrinciples
Goals

Long-term
Medium-term
Short-term

Strategies

undertaken such initiatives occasionally in the past. Now thisprocess is to be further professionalized and reinforced
through the Fraunhofer 2022 Agenda. To this end, Fraunhofer
is pursuing its own system-relevant initiatives (Key Strategic
Initiatives – KSIs).
To identify and select such initiatives, Fraunhofer employs

Measures and projects

a quality-assured search process that takes into account both
implicit and explicit sources. Following an evaluation andstructuring of topics, initiatives that are deemed suitable areincorporated into the Fraunhofer 2022 Agenda. Their goal

The Fraunhofer 2022 Agenda operationally implements

is either to obtain a leading scientific position, generate

the new Fraunhofer Guiding Principles.

significant industrial revenues or amplify perception of the
topic among society at large.
The Fraunhofer 2022 Agenda currently contains 7 Key Strategic
Initiatives:

Focused portfolio planning with new topics
1. Battery technology / battery cell production
When planning its research portfolio, Fraunhofer pursues

2. Cognitive systems / data sovereignty

an approach whereby individual plans are created at institute

3. Programmable materials

level before undergoing a structured comparison at the

4. Quantum technology­Fraunhofer Group and corporate levels. This model facilitates

5. Translational medicine

the decentralized embrace of a wide variety of research

6. Public safety and security

trends, market developments and social challenges while also

7. Biological transformation

enabling the systematic harmonization of the overall portfolio
and the generation of synergies through internal cooperation.

In order to utilize the maximum synergy potential for the
implementation of the Key Strategic Initiatives, it is ­necessary
to adapt the Fraunhofer research and transfer structures
as well as cross-institute thematic and project management.

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AGENDAFRAUNHOFER

2022

New research and transfer structures

In addition to the two new internal research infrastructuresdescribed above, Fraunhofer is also further developing

Fraunhofer has established a series of internal programs

the High-Performance Centers it launched in 2015. These

that pursue different funding objectives. The new “Cluster

Silicon-Valley-like alliances with university and non-universityof Excellence” instrument was created to support thepartners and local businesses have a strong regional profile

internal cross-institute development of system-relevant

and work on topics of the future such as Smart Production,

topics. Importantly, these research clusters are founded not

Electronic Systems and Photonics at a single location in an

just to implement an individual project, but to pursue aapplication-focused manner. This involves the creation of joint

comprehensive roadmap for the development of a complex

transfer roadmaps for the coordination of research andtopic. Organizationally, the research cluster – spread as it isteaching, continuing education and training, and innovation

over several locations – is equivalent to a “virtual institute.”

and transfer. For example, joint international courses ofstudy have already been set up and spin-offs have received

The Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD) is

comprehensive support. These spin-offs have been able

already practicing such a model: that is, a virtual instituteto bring new technologies to market in the protected andwith a connected research infrastructure. In 2017, theintegral environment of a High-Performance Center. As of

German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

2018, the network of positively evaluated High-Performance

granted Fraunhofer a substantial investment sum to bringCenters is to form the nucleus for the establishment of a

its technological infrastructure in the field of microelectronic

long-term national transfer infrastructure – analogous to the

manufacturing up to the state of the art. In order to success-established Max Planck Schools for developing new scientificfully realize the establishment of such an integral researchtalent.

factory spanning a total of eleven subject-specific Fraunhofer
Institutes and two Leibniz Institutes at the various locations,a new cross-institution organizational structure is neededin addition to the financial investment. Therefore, newinnovation and transfer processes are developed within FMD
and controlled via an institute-independent office (one-stopshop), so that effective and efficient cross-institute process
and value chains can be organized and established.

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REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCHAgenda 2022 – new topics, structures andinstruments for Fraunhofer research

Overview of Fraunhofer Digital

Business intelligence
Analyzedata

Analysis and reporting tools
Database

Integrate
data

SIGMA substitute
2. Ersatz SIGMA

Research data

Administerdata

ERP system

DMS

...

Publication
systemsIPmanagement
systemVarioussystems

Generate
data

Administrative
business
processes

Processes

Processes

Publications

Patents

ResearchFraunhofer Digital and its three project components:
Data is acquired from diverse sources in the Fraunhofer

Fraunhofer Digital

data space. At the same time, Fraunhofer processes
are being modernized and comprehensively automatedAs a leading research organization, Fraunhofer is at the forefront

through the substitution of the existing ERP system.

of the global digitalization trend, advancing technologies

In parallel, business intelligence tools can be developedin various fields of application, such as manufacturing. It is

to integrate and analyze the data.

thus imperative for Fraunhofer to utilize the digital potentialof its own data. As part of the Fraunhofer 2022 Agenda,
administrative and research data are to be linked, aggregatedand analyzed in order to optimize research and development
processes and support management decisions at institute andcentral levels. This comprehensive project employs various
data acquisition and utilization methods and techniques that
­Fraunhofer already offers to public-sector and industrial
clients in state-of-the-art services. In this way, it is possible
to carry out processes – especially collaborations between
institutes – more efficiently and, furthermore, to develop new
data utilization business models for external organizations.

72New project and thematic management

Preparing a system-relevant topic(e.g. public safety and security)

In view of topics such as e-mobility, Industrie 4.0 transformationand the transition to a new energy economy, Germany
is facing complex technical-scientific and also structural
challenges with high economic and socio-political relevance.

Identifying and coordinating Fraunhofer actors

For Fraunhofer, this means that its work increasingly requiresa systemic approach. Companies need a research partner thatconsiders long-term perspectives and can carry out research
on a cross-disciplinary basis. Therefore, a wider approachto project and thematic management is required both for theorchestration of Key Strategic Initiatives and for strategic
collaborations with global companies. For example, large

Developing a coordinated roadmap withfocused initiatives and projects for attaining
technological leadershipprojects currently underway are being analyzed in terms of
their structures, processes, instruments and resources inorder to derive new recommended actions for issues such as
incentives, controlling, governance and qualifications. With
this expanded management tool, Fraunhofer has gained thenecessary credentials to operate on an equal footing with its– Quality-assured implementation of projects– Interaction with external stakeholders– Communicating topic to outside world

industrial partners when it comes to implementing large-scale,system-relevant projects.
Alongside the management of individual major projects, anAcross Fraunhofer organization: transfer andutilization

additional challenge is that of orchestrating the collaboration
between multiple Fraunhofer Institutes on a broad R&D topic.
The aim here is to conceptualize a complex topic in the lightof Fraunhofer’s expertise, develop a suitable roadmap, connect

Stronger cross-institute coordination throughthe internal and external players, set up the corresponding

more intensive corporate management.

R&D projects, and finally to evaluate the results jointly. To
do so, the present system of corporate portfolio management
needs to be revised by assigning strategic management
prerogatives to the Executive Board and in this way facilitating
the effective and efficient organization of cross-institutecoordination.

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REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCHAgenda 2022 – new topics, structures andinstruments for Fraunhofer research

Gender-neutral paths to career excellenceInternational collaborations based on Fraunhofer policy

Family-friendly structures and processes that guarantee equal

International activities and collaborations with global R&D

opportunities for outstanding young scientists of both sexes

partners have long been part of Fraunhofer’s core business.

are essential if an R&D organization aims to attract the best

This activity has grown into a complex web of consortium

talent. Therefore, Fraunhofer has set itself the goal of further

projects, strategic collaborations, project centers abroad andincreasing the proportion of female scientists and particularly

autonomous Fraunhofer subsidiaries. This network has to beof female managers it employs. In a project to promote

constantly recalibrated and realigned with Fraunhofer’s goals.

gender-neutral paths to career excellence, selected female

To facilitate this focus, Fraunhofer is currently elaborating

scientists are given guidance to prepare them for futurea new internationalization strategy with the twin goals of

positions as professor or chair of a university department.

setting out strategies for cooperation with the highest-caliber

In this case, a personalized career plan is elaborated with theinternational partners and qualitatively bolstering its own

institute where the scientist works, and central support is also

institutionalized commitments abroad. In this way, theprovided for the strategic structuring of cooperation agree-

realignment will also lay down clearly defined criteria andments with potential universities. This project is accompanied

models for the interaction of international Fraunhofer

by an individual career program.

organizations with the German institutes.

Revenue-oriented start-up strategy

Prof. Reimund Neugebauer is President of the
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.

Among the various transfer routes within Fraunhofer, spin-offs
that benefit Germany as a home of innovation are accorded

Dr. Raoul Klingner is Director of Research at theparticular importance. For example, on a long-term average,

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft headquarters.

the number of Fraunhofer spin-offs has been increasing and,in individual cases, substantial revenues have been generated
in the past from licensing agreements and exits. In the future,spin-offs and exits are to be further developed through thesystematic use of existing and new methods. Alongside established funding formats for founders of spin-outs and support
from the internal Venture Group, Fraunhofer wants to achieve
an increase in the spin-off rate and higher industrial revenues
from spin-offs in the medium-term, particularly through theimplementation of suitable transfer structures for SMEs and by
opening up to external start-ups.

74

Structure of the Fraunhofer 2022 Agenda

Impact through excellence and synergy
STAKEHOLDER ORIENTATIONINTERNAL ORIENTATION

Priority
overarching topics

Priority
Strategic
Initiatives (PSIs)

International collaborations basedon Fraunhofer policy
Gender-neutral paths to career­excellence

IMPLEMENTATION

Revenue-oriented start-up strategy
Research and transfer

Management

Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence

Fraunhofer Digital

Research infrastructure (FMD)

Large projects

High-Performance Centers
as national research transfer­infrastructure

Corporate management

The Executive Board and committees of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
continuously supervise Fraunhofer 2022 Agenda, monitor the­objectives of the implementation projects and adapt them dynamicallyaccording to current requirements. In combination, the transparencyof Agenda 2022 and the dialog with stakeholders will ensure thatin the future, Fraunhofer will continue to play a significant role in thesustainable development of Germany’s economy and society.

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PROJECTS AND RESULTS 2017

HEALTH AND­E NVIRONMENT

Biodegradable electronics
If a patient needs a temporary medical implant, they generally
need to go under the knife twice: once to put in the implant,
and a second time to take it out again. Under the leadershipof the Fraunhofer Institute for Organic Electronics, Electron
Beam and Plasma Technology FEP, Fraunhofer researchers are
now working on a way to render this second operation
unnecessary, by developing electronic components that fully
dissolve after a defined period. This kind of technology has
advantages that are not limited to medical engineering, butalso include the development of environmentally friendly
products. The researchers are developing the main components
for such biodegradable electronics – including the conductor
paths, electrode contacts and thin-film transistors.

Focus on individual cells 1
Is a cancer treatment having the desired effect? An indicator
for this is the number of tumor cells that travel through theblood. Moreover, the more tumor cells existing in the blood,
the greater the danger of metastasis. Before now, however,it has only been possible to estimate the number of thesecirculating tumor cells very roughly – the method commonlyused quickly reaches its limits, and it is unable to record alltumor cells due to a lack of markers. A new microhole chipfrom the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering
IBMT, by contrast, effortlessly captures up to 200,000 cells
from a blood sample. Within a few minutes, the cells slide
individually onto a hole, where they are suctioned and fixed inplace by a slight negative pressure. The cells thus lie neatly
one beside the next as if served up on a tray. In this way, they
can be characterized and removed unharmed for further
analytical steps. Using this technology, doctors will be able todetermine why a drug works or fails to kill the tumor cells.
Moreover, a whole range of other applications are conceivablefor the new microhole chip.
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1

Joseph von Fraunhofer PrizeFight against infectious diseases

Effective wastewater treatment
Infectious diseases are yet again a growing threat. Numerous
Without water, there is no life. Effectively, this means thatgerms have already developed a resistance to conventional

wastewater has to be efficiently cleaned and reused, by

antibiotics – in such cases, treatment is ineffective. New therapies

means such as ceramic membranes. Before now, however, thismust therefore be found. However, many pharmaceuticaltechnology ceased to work at molecule sizes of 450 Daltons,

companies fear treatments developed will prove to be unpro­

being unable to separate out molecules smaller than this.

fit­able. As a result, many potentially effective substances fallExperts even believed it impossible to go below this threshold.

by the wayside on their journey from discovery to finished drug.

Dr. Ingolf Voigt, Dr. Hannes Richter and chemist Petra P­ uhlfürßThis is where the iCAIR project comes in – a collaborationfrom the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies andbetween the Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experi-

Systems IKTS have now made the “impossible” possible. They

mental Medicine ITEM, Hannover Medical School (MHH) andsucceeded in lowering the cut-off to 200 Daltons for the firstthe Institute for Glycomics (IfG) at Griffith University ontime – thereby achieving a whole new level of quality in filter

Australia’s Gold Coast. iCAIR wants to close the gap in themembranes. This was made possible through advances in thedevelopment chain – the laborious step from the laboratory to

sol-gel technique. The scientists successfully scaled up theclinical trials – so as to clear the way for new kinds of active

membrane synthesis for production and fitted out a pilot plantingredients. The research alliance thus develops new treatment

in Alberta, Canada. The membrane surface is 234 square meters.

options for various infectious agents – from the identification

Since 2016, the plant has been purifying wastewater that isof therapeutic target structures to the preclinical proof ofgenerated during the production of petroleum from oil sand.

concept.

For this work, the scientists were awarded the Joseph vonFraunhofer Prize.

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REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCH
Projects and results 20171

Protein drink made from lupines

1

Alternative to animal testing

Whether out jogging, cycling or at the gym: When you comeThe flu virus is constantly changing, making it necessary tohome, you crave a drink that is refreshing, delicious andreview and adapt the composition of the flu vaccine every

reinvigorating. But it should not contain too many calories.

year. Doing this has frequently involved animal testing,

A new lupine protein drink is just the ticket. It resembles

which is performed on ferrets and other animals worldwide.

a cool whey beverage with carbon dioxide added. Purely

Together with colleagues from other research institutions,plant-based – and thus vegan and lactose-free – it supplies

researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy andthe body with valuable proteins. Because the lupine extract

Immunology IZI, Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses Branch inhas a relatively neutral taste, many different aromatizations

Potsdam, now want to change this in a project entitledare possible. But the lupine plant is not just rich in proteins,“FluType: Development of an influenza sub-classification

it also contains undesirable phytic acid, which binds valuable

platform based on peptides.” Their goal is to develop a fastminerals and inhibits enzymes. To solve this problem, resear-in-vitro analysis method for the vaccine tests, thereby avoiding

chers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering andanimal experiments. This is made possible by small protein

Packaging IVV have developed a technique that preserves

sections known as peptides, which are fitted on a biochip

the proteins during the processing of the sweet lupines, whileand can help distinguish the various flu strains from each other.

also strongly reducing the phytic acid. This is made possible

Another advantage of the technique: The sub-classification

by a combination of malted cereals and special microorganisms.

of the influenza viruses should only take a few hours – instead

The manufacturing process is similar to brewing beer andof several weeks as was previously the case. In October 2017,

uses apparatus which can be found in any brewery, such as

the research team in Berlin received an award and prize moneya mash tun, a lauter tun or a fermentation tank. Accordingly,of 25,000 euros for their alternative methods to animal testing

big additional investments are not required.

in research and education.

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2

COMMUNICATIONAND KNOWLEDGE

Weather forecasting with microwaves

2

For weather forecasts, meteorologists rely on computer
simulations fed by data provided by thousands of satellite
measurements. Accordingly, the better the sensors on board
the satellites, the more precise the measurement values – andtherefore the more accurate the weather forecasts. Over the
next two years, the European Space Agency (ESA) will launch
into space the second generation of its MetOP (Meteorological
Operational) weather satellites, which are able to record
important meteorological variables better than ever before.
At the heart of these measurement devices are extremely
sensitive microwave amplifiers, which were developed at the
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF. These
amplifiers capture microwaves that are emitted by water
vapor, rain, fog and ice crystals – particularly the ice crystals
contained in cirrus clouds high up in the atmosphere. Moreover,
the temperature on the ground can be extrapolated very
precisely from the microwave radiation.

Augmented reality in the operating theater
Malignant tumors often form metastases, which spreadthroughout the body via the lymph node system. Determining
the exact position of such nodes and removing them completely
requires a lot of skill on the part of surgeons. Was the entiretyof the affected lymph node actually removed? A navigation
aid by the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research
IGD is designed to make the procedure easier for surgeonsin the future: 3D-ARILE is an innovative augmented reality
system which takes the form of data glasses. Displayed on theglasses, doctors see directly the exact position of the lymph
node. What makes the system really special is that the AR glasses
are combined with high-performance software for medical
navigation along with a stereo system made up of near

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1

infrared (NIR) cameras and indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescent

Joseph von Fraunhofer Prizedye. The glasses are very light and comfortable to wear, as

Clear voice on the telephonedermatology doctors at Essen University Hospital confirmed
It often seems as if smartphones can do everything. However,after numerous tests.

there is one thing that remains substandard: voice quality
during phone calls. This is set to change with the Enhanced
CT for musical instruments

1

Voice Services (EVS) standard. Instead of hearing a muffledand distorted voice on the other end of the line, the otherIs the violin still playable? In what condition is the pianoforte?

person sounds as clear and as natural as if you were talking

And the basset horn – what shape is that in? 3D X-rays canface to face. The new codec was initiated and developed byprovide a unique insight, revealing information about how an

the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), the international

instrument was made, its body, hidden repairs, possible damage

body that publishes standards for mobile communication.

such as cracks, and much more. In the MUSICES project,

One of the major participants in the project was the ­Fraunhofer

researchers at the Fraunhofer Development Center X-Ray

Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS in Erlangen. Instead of simply

Technology EZRT, a division of the Fraunhofer Institute forcutting off the audio signal beyond a frequency of 3.4 kilohertz,

Integrated Circuits IIS, used 3D computed tomography to peer

as previous standards do, EVS transmits the full audible

inside historical musical instruments from the collection

frequency spectrum – at data rates comparable with existing

belonging to the Germanisches Nationalmuseum (GNM).

mobile phone codecs. The Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize for

Measurement standards on how best to examine old musical2017 was given to Markus Multrus, Dr. Guillaume Fuchs andinstruments using 3D computed tomography have yet to

Stefan Döhla for the development of the EVS codec. Theybe established. To remedy this situation, the researchers are

accepted the prize on behalf of the 50-strong team who

collaborating with specialists from the GNM in Nürnberg

worked on the project.

and the Chair of X-ray Microscopy at the Julius-MaximiliansUniversität in Würzburg to draw up guidelines. This will
enable museums worldwide to digitalize all different kindsof instruments with comparable image quality.

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2

Hugo Geiger Prize
Transparent electrodes for displays

Higher performance through cooling2
If a processor gets too hot, it throttles the clock speed andWhat would our modern information and communications

operating voltage. As a result, the computing speed falls

technology be without active photonic components, such asor the processor switches off completely, in order to protect

flat screens, LEDs and OLEDs? Key parts of all these components

the CPU and mainboard from heat damage. Cooling is

are transparent coatings that are also conductive. These are

therefore an important factor when it comes to computing

often referred to as transparent conductive oxides (TCOs).

power. A team of researchers at the Fraunhofer InstituteHowever, indium tin oxide, which is used for these TCOs in mostfor Reliability and Microintegration IZM in Berlin and Dresdencommercial products, is very expensive. In her doctoral thesis,

has now found a way to cool microchips not just from theDr. Astrid Bingel at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics

top, but also – for the first time – from the bottom, using

and Precision Engineering IOF created TCOs based on zinca fluid-based cooling system. This allows heat to be carriedoxide which exhibit a wide variety of transparency ranges andaway more effectively and leads to higher performance.

electrical conductivities. In addition, she developed a material

To do this, microchannel structures with hermetically sealed

system that contains an intermediate layer of silver just a few

vias are installed in the silicon interposer, which is locatednanometers in thickness and offers a promising alternative

between the processor and the printed circuit board. Coolant

to the commercially used indium tin oxide. The manufacturingis then pumped through the microchannels, drawing harmful

technique is established, straightforward and can easily beheat away from the processor. In addition, the scientists

scaled up for industrial production. For her dissertation, Astrid

integrated passive components for voltage regulators,

Bingel was awarded the 2017 Hugo Geiger Prize.

photonic ICs and optical waveguides into the interposer.

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1

PROTECTION AND­S ECURITY

Certainty with quantum mechanics 1
So that data does not fall into the wrong hands, it is encrypted– usually using mathematical techniques. However, theprocessing power of computers is growing rapidly, making
it ever easier to decode encrypted messages. Developments
like the quantum computer could even render current
methods of encryption obsolete. Coding with entangled lightquanta offers a solution to this problem. Researchers at
the F­ raunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision
Engineering IOF are now taking a major step in the directionof secure communication. They are developing a quantum
source that permits the transmission of entangled photons
from satellites. Special keys can then be generated basedon this quantum source: Senders and receivers can recognize
at a glance whether third parties have tried to intercept
or manipulate them. The telecommunications industry has
already shown interest in this robust solution.

Fight against human trafficking
Human trafficking – often coupled with sexual exploitation –remains a huge international problem. The victims are often
underage girls and boys smuggled over the border by people
traffickers who supply them with false ID documentation
stating they are of legal age. A technological solution to tackle
this kind of passport fraud would allow the authorities tobe much more effective. With the PRIMSA mobile ultrasoundhand scanner, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for
Biomedical Engineering IBMT have now developed such atechnology in the multidisciplinary research project PRIMSA(prevention and intervention in sex trafficking). The technology
uses ultrasound scans to analyze bone formation in the wrist.
It takes 18 years for the growth plates in the radius and ulnabones to ossify fully in women, so that their existence is82

2

an indicator for immaturity. Accordingly, this provides a quick

Remedies for space junk 2means of identifying underage women when there is asuspected case of passport fraud. Because the ultrasoundEarth’s orbit is a busy place. Numerous satellites zip around,measurement technique is non-invasive, it can be usedproviding smooth telecommunications, transmitting TV

without the court order generally required for X-ray analyses.

signals, and supplying data for navigation, weather forecasts
and climate research. However, a serious threat is posedby uncontrolled objects, such as decommissioned or damaged

Joseph von Fraunhofer Prizesatellites, pieces of space stations and the remains of space

Support for senior citizens

missions. If they crash into a satellite, it will not only bedestroyed, it can also break into thousands of new pieces

Now that the proportion of elderly people in our society isof debris – a dangerous snowball effect. Experts at thegrowing a care bottleneck looms on the horizon. Moreover,­Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engi­

many people want to be able to live independently in their

neering IOF have developed a laser system that allows theown home well into old age. This is only feasible, however,position and direction of travel of objects in Earth orbit

with efficient new care approaches that quickly recognize

to be reliably determined with centimeter precision. A laser

emergencies, organize suitable help if necessary, and ensure

developed by Fraunhofer IOF, which is able to withstand thecontinuous support and consultation. Cornelius Moucha,

inhospitable conditions in Earth orbit, forms the centerpiece

Mario Schmitt and Rolf van Lengen from the Fraunhoferof the system. The system has already been tested successfully

Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESE haveduring a docking maneuver of a spacecraft to the International

collaborated with Anne Gebert from the German InstituteSpace Station (ISS). But space junk can also be precisely

of Applied Nursing Research and Bernd Klein from CIBEK

located from the ground thanks to the TIRA space observation

technology + trading GmbH to develop and test an IT platform

radar from the Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics

that makes this possible. Using self-learning software thatand Radar Techniques FHR. This radar is unique in Europe

updates itself continuously, the platform registers personalized

and holds several world records for its technical performance.

behavioral patterns – and thanks to non-invasive technologies,
residents do not notice a thing. Via a user-friendly communication platform, users can also make contact with other seniorcitizens or with care workers. The system has already beensuccessfully tested in a two-year trial conducted in the Greater
Trier area; further application possibilities are currently being
developed. For this research achievement, the partners won a2017 Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize.

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Hugo Geiger Prize

posts – and permit deformations. In the case of an earthquake,

Malware quickly detected

this means that although the houses start to vibrate, they
do not collapse. Numerous tests have already demonstrated

The media carry stories almost every week of cyberattacks,that the moment connectors work as expected.

in which hackers spread malware. These attacks threaten
businesses, government institutions and private individuals alike,and time and again they cause great damage. A particularly

Avalanche: danger from infected systems

risky scenario is if malware is hidden in software products,
where ordinary anti-virus protection programs have scarce

Avalanche was the largest botnet infrastructure in the world.

chance of finding it. Before now, the operators of app storesOver many years, it caused millions of euros’ worth of damage

had great difficulty in automatically identifying disguised

by infecting computer systems with malware. A team frommalicious apps. In his dissertation, Dr. Siegfried Rasthofer fromthe Cyber Analysis & Defense department at the Fraunhofer

the Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology SIT

Institute for Communication, Information Processing andsupplied new approaches designed to detect and investigate

Ergonomics FKIE played a major role in the Avalanche takedown

malware in apps. This even works in cases when hackers

at the end of 2016. It supplied the German Federal Office for

disguise the malware. Among other things, his doctoral thesis

Information Security (BSI) with technical support for under-

gave rise to the licensable CodeInspect software, which isstanding the infrastructure, analyzing the malware and warning

offered by Fraunhofer SIT. For his work, Rasthofer was awarded

the victims. Since then, Fraunhofer FKIE has operated so-calleda Hugo Geiger Prize for 2017.

sinkhole servers together with BSI. They replace the criminals’
former control servers and prevent computers infected with
Avalanche malware from being reused for illegal purposes. In

Stability during earthquakes

1

this way, affected users are identified and notified. As a result,the number of infected systems worldwide was reduced by

Around the world, heavy earthquakes regularly convulse

45 percent in 2017; in Germany, there was an even greaterwhole regions. They often lead to fatalities, because many

reduction of 61 percent.

of the homes in the affected areas are not earthquake-proof.
Together with industrial partners, researchers at the­Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-KlauditzInstitut, WKI are therefore developing building materials that
could save thousands of lives. Engineers at Fraunhofer WKI
are currently working on ultra-durable bracing that willprotect even high-rise buildings during an earthquake. Taking
the form of so-called moment connectors, the bracing isdesigned for buildings with post-and-beam structures. These
connectors join the horizontal beams or joists to the vertical84

cloud

4G
LTE

IEEE

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802.11pIEEE

802.11pIEEE

802.11p2

MOBILITY AND
TRANSPORTATION

Infrastructure for mixed traffic2

A car that motors past you without a driver? This is set tobecome reality on roads all over the world. In the INFRAMIX
project, researchers from eleven European companies
and research institutions are developing an expanded roadinfrastructure. It will take into account both vehicles driven
by humans and vehicles controlled by computers. First of all,various traffic scenarios – such as a road narrowing as it
approaches road works – will be tested in simulations, before
being evaluated on test routes in Austria, Spain and Germany.
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication
Systems FOKUS also took part in the project. Among otherthings, they developed a connected Local Dynamic Map(LDM++ ), which will be installed in both the virtual and thereal trials. LDM++ links a high-precision digital map withcurrent data from the environment, such as the speeds ofnearby vehicles, and further sensor information.

Safely through road works
Road works are not exactly popular among motorists: the lanes
narrow, tailbacks build up, and many drivers feel stressed or
uncertain about what to do. However, the systems in automatedvehicles are also quickly overwhelmed by this complex situation.
The sensor systems find it difficult to register traffic signs
and cones, and the signs often contain divergent information
about the allowed speed. A technology by the Fraunhofer
Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS
now enables self-driving systems to read such signs witha high degree of accuracy. To do this, it uses an automotive
camera that currently supplies 20 to 25 pictures per second.
With deep learning – a key technology for the future of
the automotive sector – the researchers teach the software

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to recognize the traditional patterns more quickly andBattery for 1000 kilometers

effectively. As a result, freeway exits that are signposted
differently due to road works can be correctly interpreted,

Today’s electric cars don’t get you very far. One reason is thatthe distances to other vehicles can be optimally measured,

the batteries take up a lot of space, greatly limiting theand the vehicle’s speed can be adjusted on time. It isnumber that can be used. Under the trade name EMBATT, theenvisioned that this camera may act as a primary interface

Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems

in the future, rendering many sensors unnecessary.

IKTS in Dresden has collaborated with ThyssenKrupp System
Engineering and IAV Automotive Engineering to transfer the
bipolar principle, which is familiar from fuel cells, to the

Data logger for mobility research

1lithium battery. In this approach, individual battery cells are
not lined up separately beside each other in bitty arrays but

Our mobility is now changing rapidly. Trends such as electro-

are placed directly over each other in large stacks. As a result,mobility, autonomous driving and carsharing are transforming

the whole casing and contacting structures are no longer

our driving behavior and opening up new markets of therequired, and more batteries fit into the car – increasing its

future. But how are the vehicles actually used? This question

range. Initial tests in the laboratory were successful. As the next

is answered by a data logger developed by the New Drive

step, the researchers are planning to develop larger battery

Systems project group at the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemicalcells and install them in electric cars. For the medium term,

Technology ICT, enabling new generations of automobiles tothe project partners are targeting ranges of 1000 kilometers

be adapted to the driving behavior of the individual. The data

for electric cars with the installation concept.

logger is fitted into a car over several weeks and months. During
journeys, it saves all relevant operating data, helping researchers
create usage-specific evaluations. Scientists combine several
users into user groups and evaluate that driving data on agroup-specific basis. A unique feature of the data logger is that
it is flexibly configurable: its use is not restricted to conventional
vehicles with IC engines. This versatility makes the technology
interesting for industrial partners. The first collaboration has
begun with an international original equipment manufacturer(OEM), where the logger is already being used in the conceptual
design of hybrid vehicles. Another possible field of applicationis the management of vehicle fleets.

862Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize
Solution to chromium ban

3

Hybrid storage system with market potential 3

2
How about an energy storage device that charges in seconds,

If components need to be protected against corrosion and wear,

has a large capacity and a long lifetime? Many have dreamed

they are often given a coating that contains chromium(VI).

of just such a device. In the FastStorageBW II project, researchers

Since September 2017, however, the environmentally harmfulat the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering andtechnique is permitted only with special authorization. This

Automation IPA, working with counterparts from the battery

ban presents industry with huge challenges. Dr. Andres Gasser

manufacturer VARTA Microbattery GmbH and other partners,

and Thomas Schopphoven at the ­Fraunhofer Institute forhave now gone ahead and developed one. The high-perfor-

Laser Technology ILT in Aachen and Gerhard Maria Backes atmance hybrid storage system combines the advantages of an

the Chair for Digital Additive Production (DAP) at RWTH

NiMH battery and a double-layer capacitor: the PowerCaps

Aachen University have developed a cost-effective alternative:

have a specific capacity approximately as high as lead-acidextreme high-speed laser material deposition, known by its

batteries, and with over 20,000 charge cycles (50 percent DOD),

German acronym EHLA. The method is cost-effective,

they offer a long service life; also, they charge almost as quickly

resource-efficient and environmentally friendly, as it does not

as supercapacitors – that is, in a few seconds. In addition,

use any chemicals. Another advantage of EHLA is thatthey can be used up to a temperature of 85°C, and they retain

heat-sensitive components can now be coated for the first

their charge for several weeks – without any notable losses

time. This brings completely new material combinations

through self-discharge. The Fraunhofer research is devoted

into the realms of the possible. For their work, the researchers

primarily to production engineering. It optimizes manufacturing

were awarded a Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize for 2017.

processes that are suitable both for small batches and forthe series production of PowerCaps, and designs them for theneeds of Industrie 4.0 from the outset.

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PRODUCTION ANDSERVICES

Hugo Geiger Prize
A new vision for image sensing 1
Before incoming light strikes the pixels of an image sensor –in a digital camera for instance – an optical filter breaks it
down into the primary colors of red, green and blue.
Currently, these filters are made out of organic polymers.
However, there are limits to how small these filters canbe made, and they also age through exposure to UV raysand heat. In his dissertation, Dr. Maximilian Rumler at the­Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device
Technology IISB studied plasmonic filters, which offer analternative to the color filters generally used today. What
plasmonic filter structures are most suitable for image
sensing? Using the Dr.LiTHO simulation program createdby Fraunhofer IISB, he calculated spectral filter behavior andinvestigated the influences of various factors. In addition,
he reduced the computing time required for the simulation.
Furthermore, he optimized the embossing techniqueemployed in substrate conformal imprint lithography andused it for the first time to manufacture large-area plasmonic
filter structures. In this way, Rumler was able to show thatphotonic structures in the nanometer range can potentiallybe produced cost-effectively. For his work, he was awardeda Hugo Geiger Prize for 2017.

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2

Reliable production

and into production – for which they received a 2017 Joseph
von Fraunhofer Prize. They removed all previously existing

If a machine suddenly breaks down during production, it not

drawbacks of the interferometric technique and developed

only drives up the costs, but also impacts on delivery reliability,a system that for the first time allows micrometer-precise

which ultimately reduces a company’s competitiveness. And

measurements during the production process. It captures data

yet the problem is often caused by relatively small defects or

on raw components a centimeter in size across their wholesigns of wear, which initially remain undetected but later leadsurface in fractions of a second and offsets interfering factors

to bigger failures and production stoppages. In the SelSus

such as vibrations. In addition, it is the fastest system available

project (short for Health Monitoring and Life-Long Capabilityon the market worldwide for high-precision three-dimensional

Management for Self-Sustaining Manufacturing Systems),

measurements.

researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing­Engineering and Automation IPA are developing a new kind ofsystem. It monitors the status of machines and components,

Marker-free tracking

recognizes weaknesses and signs of wear at an early stage
using intelligent software and sensor networks, and predicts

Production flows are closely connected, and supply chainsfailures. The diagnostic method they developed also gives

are global. For industrial companies, this makes it difficult totips on how the problem should be solved. Project partners

trace the individual components of complex products post

Electrolux in Pordenone (Italy) and the Ford engine plant

manufacture. However, efficient track and trace solutions arein Dagenham (UK) are already using the SelSus system. Withan important condition for production and process optimiza-

this practical trial, Fraunhofer IPA and the project consortium

tion – particularly in the context of Industrie 4.0. Now thehave demonstrated that the technology also works reliably­Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM

in practice.

has developed Track & Trace Fingerprint, a marker-free system
for tracking mass production components. To do this, thetechnology uses the distinctive microstructure of the surfaces

Joseph von Fraunhofer Prizeof components and semi-finished products – effectively a sort

Holography in productionof “fingerprint” of the individual objects. Even with batch2

sizes of several hundred thousand units, these fingerprints
Sometimes every thousandth of a millimeter counts – ascan be uniquely identified by the second, which allows

exemplified by components for the automotive or aviation

component-related data to be reliably assigned during theindustries. The challenge is to verify during production

production cycle. Additional markers or IDs on the productwhether the individual components are fault-free and true toare not required. Consequently, the system is not only

size. Before now, there was no method for checking thiscounterfeit-proof, but also very economical to implement

at second intervals and with the required accuracy. To remedy

because costs are not dependent on quantity.

this deficiency, three researchers at the Fraunhofer Institutefor Physical Measurement Techniques IPM – Dr. Markus Fratz,
Dr. Alexander Bertz and Dr. Tobias Beckmann – have now
taken the method of digital holography out of the laboratory

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1

Heat-resistant ultrasonic transducers

Bending sheet glass with the help of lasers 1

If there are cracks, corrosion or other flaws in a component

A new technique developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for– such as the steam pipes in coal-fired power stations – they

Mechanics of Materials IWM makes it possible to bend sheetneed to be repaired urgently. Ultrasonic sensors fitted to theglass into complex or unusual shapes using a laser beam. Thisoutside of the components are able to detect such defects.

will pave the way for innovative new products in architecture

However, they only work on components that are not hotter

and design in the future. For the technique, the researchers

than 200°C. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for

exploit the special characteristic of glass to become viscous

Silicate Research ISC have now created piezo sensors forand malleable at high temperatures. The rest is accomplishedhigh-temperature applications for the first time. At the institute,by exact calculations and the power of gravity. The laser-

the sensors have already been implemented at temperatures

supported technique allows architects and industrial designersof up to 600°C. Generally speaking, temperatures of up toto make use of complex shapes that were previously very

900°C are possible. Additionally, the ultrasonic sensors remaindifficult and costly to produce. Here, sheet glass is shaped

stable over long periods – at least two years in any use case –without the need for a bending mold to apply pressure. In thisand for many applications, researchers expect a service life

way, the new process doesn’t leave behind any unsightlyof several decades. The principle is the same as for othermarks – the flat glass surfaces remain visually undistorted.

piezo sensors – the challenge consisted in constructing thepiezoelectric crystals so that they could withstand long-term
use as sound transducers on hot components. Happily,
the scientists were able to solve this problem by using heatresistant glass solders, which they employed instead of thetemperature-sensitive glue and housing material.

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2

ENERGY AND
RAW MATERIALS

Customized spectroscopy
Each chemical substance absorbs a distinct portion of infrared
light. Like a human fingerprint, this specific absorption canbe used to identify substances. Such methods are used in
sectors as various as the chemical industry, the health sector
and criminology. If a company is planning a new project, it
often requires customized sensor solutions. In the EU-funded
MIRPHAB Pilot Line, leading European research institutions
and companies have joined forces to provide customers with
tailored offers of this technology from a single source. ThreeFraunhofer Institutes are involved: the Fraunhofer Institutes
for Applied Solid State Physics IAF, for Photonic Microsystems
IPMS and for Production Technology IPT. MIRPHAB offers
solutions based on infrared semiconductor lasers, which
possess much greater optical intensity. Capable of recording
up to 1,000 spectra per second, these lasers can be used
to automatically monitor and control chemical reactions andbiological processes in real time, for example.

Energy in containers 2
How can an energy storage unit inside a container help industrial
companies and larger building complexes receive a clean,secure supply of energy? This question is being investigatedby the Fraunhofer Institutes for Integrated Systems and Device
Technology IISB and for Integrated Circuits IIS together withexperts at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität ErlangenNürnberg (FAU) and regional industrial partners. At Fraunhofer
IISB in Erlangen, the consortium is setting up a system for thecompact seasonal storage of large amounts of energy. It is
integrated into a modern DC microgrid. In this unique system,
which is unlike any other in the world, all the components fit
inside a 20-foot container. The project was developed within
the High-Performance Center Electronic Systems (LZE).
Its basic concept involves generating hydrogen out of surplus

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electrical energy (e.g. from a local photovoltaic plant) and

Self-programming paint boothstoring it securely and compactly – over longer periods if
required – in an organic carrier under normal environmental

Products of all kinds are becoming increasingly customized.

conditions as regards pressure and temperature. The maximum

Batch sizes of one are the long-term goal. As far as the painting

electrical charging capacity is 25 kilowatts. When subsequently

process is concerned, however, companies still have major

required, the hydrogen can be released again from the carrier

hurdles to overcome. Before now, automation and individuali-

and converted into electrical energy using a fuel cell. Somezation of products have not gone well together when it

300 liters of LOHC can be stored in the tanks, which corresponds

comes to painting technology. In many industries, therefore,

to an energy of almost 600 kilowatt hours locked up in thewell over half of all components are painted by hand. The

hydrogen. The storage quantity can be increased without limit

SelfPaint self-programming paint booth is designed to offer

by simply adding extra tanks.

companies a solution to this problem for the first time – aswell as providing a whole range of cost-saving opportunities.
It is being developed jointly by the Fraunhofer Institutes

Heat-resistant capacitors 1

for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA and for
Industrial Mathematics ITWM and the Swedish Fraunhofer-

Heat is one of the worst enemies of electronics. It can cause

Chalmers Centre for Industrial Mathematics FCC. SelfPaint

electronic components to malfunction, or age more quickly,

makes possible the automated painting of small batches andand even destroy them. Fortunately, the Fraunhofer Instituteeven individual pieces – and does so very efficiently: companies

for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems IMS has a solution

can save up to 20 percent on paint and reduce solvent emissions

to this problem. Its researchers have developed a capacitor thatby 20 percent. In addition, SelfPaint requires 15 percent lesscan withstand temperatures of up to 300°C, whereas conven-energy and is 5 percent faster than the manual painting

tional electronics can cope with temperatures of only up

methods generally used to date. On top of this, the automatedto 125°C. When manufacturing the conducting metal layers,technique outperforms manual work in terms of reproducibility.

tiny holes are etched into the baseplate in order to increase
its surface area. This 3D approach increases the capacitance
while also improving heat resistance. In addition, a new material mix of tantalum pentoxide – a compound of the metaltantalum and oxygen – is used. The metal oxide semiconductor(MOS) manufacturing technique developed by the scientists
also brings advantages: It allows the processing of films of justone atomic layer in thickness, making production very flexible.
The manufacturer can produce components exactly according
to the customer’s specifications without having to change theflow of the process.

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2

Making the electricity yield predictable

The strength test 2

Storm or calm, dark clouds or clear skies – depending on theWind turbines are supposed to be environmentally friendly,

weather situation, wind turbines and photovoltaic plants

highly efficient and cost-effective – and also to work reliably

feed more or less electricity into the grid. This is a big challenge

for at least 20 years. However, as turbines become increasingly

for the operators of transmission networks, who have to predict

powerful, the the component stress grows, increasing thethe amount of energy fed into the grid as exactly as possible

risk of material fatigue. Defects such as dross inclusions are

in order to keep the networks stable. To help find a solution,

undesirable, as they significantly reduce the ability of components

the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System

to withstand stresses. As there has been no structural durability

Technology IWES teamed up with Germany's national meteo-

concept available now for reliably dealing with dross, foundries

rological service, the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD), in the

only approve dross-free products for use. In the “unverDROSSen”

EWeLiNE project to develop mathematical models that allow

project, researchers at the ­Fraunhofer Institutes for Structural

significantly better predictions than conventional techniques.

Durability and System Reliability LBF and for Nondestructive

The project was successfully completed in May 2017. Practical

Testing IZFP have developed testing methods and dross strength

tests show that the new forecasting models exhibit a very

classes for the purpose of detecting and modeling thesehigh level of prediction accuracy. A key aspect of the project

inclusions and characterizing them in terms of their strength.

consisted in adapting the weather models to the specific

Therefor they use mechanized ultrasonic testing for therequirements and conditions of renewable energy sources.

volumetric exami-nation of components and use magnetic

For example, the models now permit exact predictions

and electromagnetic methods to test machined componentof wind conditions at the height of wind turbine hubs.

surfaces. Although each component will still have to be

In addition, the platform can be used online.

examined individually in the future, with the information
provided by the nondestructive IZFP testing technologies anda component design concept for cyclic loaded components
provided by Fraunhofer LBF, the manufacturer can now keep
the amount of rework needed to a minimum or even release
the component without rework.

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NEW INITIATIVESAND INFRASTRUCTURES

Fraunhofer Clusters of Excellence

Immune-Mediated Diseases

Virtual institutes for big topics
This Cluster of Excellence pools together Fraunhofer’s expertise
When research fields are growing in complexity all the timein disorders of the immune system within a virtual instituteand yet need to be advanced quickly and with the requisite

for drug and therapy research. Its work is directed towardthoroughness, the proper answer to this challenge is virtual

developing personalized drugs and therapies for dysfunctions

institutes – research communities that can achieve worldwideof the immune system. Working together in the cluster are

technological leadership with high capacities, swiftness andthe Fraunhofer Institutes for Molecular Biology and Appliedinternational visibility. Fraunhofer founded four such structures

Ecology IME, for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM

– “Clusters of Excellence” as they are called – in 2017.

and for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, under the directionof Prof. Gerd Geisslinger.

Advanced Photon Sources
Programmable Materials
The vision of this Cluster of Excellence is to achieve world
leadership in laser systems offering the highest power

This research cluster signals a paradigm change in the design

combined with the shortest pulses. Its defined research

process by integrating functionality directly into materials. Its

objective is to develop laser sources and beam shaping fordefined research objective is to realize previously unobtainable

laser powers greater than 5 kilowatts and pulse lengths

functionalities by using materials that are dynamic in function

from 100 to 1000 femtoseconds. In addition, applications

or form, or composite materials, or surfaces that can be controlledof this technology are to be created for manufacturing andin targeted ways or that can be altered in reversible ways. Amongscience. Above all, this requires advances in laser material

the institutes participating in the cluster are the ­Fraunhofer

processing, miniaturized X-ray lasers and XUV imaging.

Institutes for Mechanics of Materials IWM, for Applied Polymer

The Fraunhofer Institutes for Applied Optics and Precision

Research IAP, for Chemical Technology ICT, for Building

Engineering IOF and for Laser Technology ILT are active

Physics IBP and for Machine Tools and Forming Technology

members of the cluster, which is headed up by Prof. Reinhart

IWU. Prof. Peter Gumbsch is the director of the cluster.

Poprawe.

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Cognitive Internet Technologies

ML4P
Machine Learning for Production

Through this cluster, Fraunhofer wants to integrate theprinciples of learning and understanding – based on reliable,

In this lighthouse project, the consortium comprising thetrustworthy data – directly into the system design of the

Fraunhofer Institutes for Intelligent Analysis and Information

Internet, so as to generate useful information from data

Systems IAIS, for Factory Operation and Automation IFF, forin a controlled manner. It links the physical with the digital

Industrial Mathematics ITWM, for Mechanics of Materials

world, develops key technologies, and ultimately establishes

IWM and for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU

technological leadership for the Cognitive Internet with aand led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Optronics, System

focus on Industrie 4.0 and mobility. The expertise is concentrated

Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB plans to develop ain three research centers: loTCOMMs (trustworthy sensor

tool-supported process model and corresponding interope-systems), coordinated by Prof. Albert Heuberger; Fraunhofer

rable software tools. In this way, the data from a production

Data Space (sovereign data space), coordinated by Prof. Boris

system is to be recorded, expressed in formal terms andOtto; and Informed Machine Learning, coordinated by Prof.

prepared for use in the machine learning method spectrum

Stefan Wrobel. Aside from the four Fraunhofer Institutes

in order to detect existing optimization potential.

chiefly involved in the cluster (the Fraunhofer Institutes
for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS, forIntegrated Circuits IIS, for Software and Systems Engineering

QUILT

ISST and for Applied and Integrated Security AISEC), a further

Quantum Methods for Advanced Imaging Solutions 1

nine Fraunhofer Institutes are currently contributing to thecluster’s work. Prof. Claudia Eckert is director of the cluster.

Under the leadership of the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied
Optics and Precision Engineering IOF, the QUILT lighthouseproject pools together quantum technology platforms andLighthouse projects

market knowledge from the Fraunhofer Institutes for Applied

Strategic topics for industry

Optics and Precision Engineering IOF, for Physical Measurement
Techniques IPM, for Laser Technology ILT, for Microelectronic

With its focus on applied research, Fraunhofer is always

Circuits and Systems IMS, for Optronics, System Technologies

particularly close to business and industry. The idea behind

and Image Exploitation IOSB and for Industrial Mathematics

the concept of lighthouse projects is to pool together

ITWM and joins them with the scientific excellence of leading

outstanding expertise within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft forquantum technology institutions worldwide. The goal isacute and future challenges facing industry. The objective

to make the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft the first port of call forof the lighthouse projects is to generate clear profiles inside

quantum optics application solutions.

the Fraunhofer portfolio by exploiting synergies. The project
proposals approved in 2017 have the potential to strategicallyfurther expand Fraunhofer’s thematic leadership in thecorresponding subject areas in Germany and Europe for thecommercial exploitation of ideas.

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1

ZEPOWEL

involvement of the Fraunhofer Institutes for Electronic Nano

Towards Zero Power Electronics

Systems ENAS, for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced
Materials IFAM, for Laser Technology ILT, for Applied Optics

The motivation behind this lighthouse project is the exponential

and Precision Engineering IOF, for Silicate Research ISC and forincrease in electronic devices, their connectivity and the asso­

Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU.

ciated rise in energy demand. Experts predict that the research
will reduce energy consumption by a factor of 5; demonstrators
are already in the planning stage. The lighthouse projecteHarshbenefits from the participation of the Fraunhofer Institutes

Sensor systems in extremely rough environments

1

and Research Institutions for Microsystems and Solid State
Technologies EMFT, for Embedded Systems and Communication

The objective of the eHarsh lighthouse project is to develop

Technologies ESK, for Applied Solid State Physics IAF, forand provide a technology platform that can be used as theIntegrated Circuits IIS – including the Branch Engineering ofbasis for developing and manufacturing sensor systems for

Adaptive Systems EAS – for Integrated Systems and Device

deployment in extremely rough environments. In this way, theTechnology IISB, for Photonic Microsystems IPMS, for Siliconconsortium is addressing the rapidly growing demand forTechnology ISIT and for Reliability and Microintegration IZM.

smart control and communication technologies – particularlyin the “Mobility and Transport,” “Energy and Raw Materials”
and “Production and Services” research fields of special

Go Beyond 4.0

interest for Fraunhofer.

The automation, digitalization and connectivity of high-volume

As part of the lighthouse project, the following technologies

industrial production are among the biggest challenges of theand expertise will be developed and provided:

21st century. Above all, companies operating in the burgeoning–– Robust sensors for use up to 500°C and MEMS sensors

automotive, consumer electronics, manufacturing and lighting
sectors need to retain the economic benefits of mass productionin order to manufacture the customized products demandedby the market. The Go Beyond 4.0 lighthouse project, whichis led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems
ENAS, marries traditional manufacturing methods with
innovative technologies and digital production techniques.
Digital printing and laser techniques will be used by the
project consortium to customize mass-produced products.
This will pave the way for the individualized design of series
products in a resource-efficient and cost-effective manner,
all the way down to one-of-a-kind items. The lighthouseproject kicked off on February 10, 2017 and benefits from the96

for use up to 300°C–– Integrated circuits and system components for use
up to 300°C–– Hermetically sealed housings that also facilitate media
access to sensors–– 3D integration and encapsulation at the system level(system-scaled packaging)–– Analytics and test procedures for various stress patterns,
including combined loads–– Understanding the behavior of utilized materials withregard to the risk of defects and degradation mechanisms–– Expanded reliability analyses and models

2

The lighthouse project is seeking to establish Fraunhofer as

2

Microelectronic and optical systems for biomedicine

the technological leader in the field of sensor systems for
extremely harsh environments. Taking part in the project are

Health, demographic change and autonomy into old age are

the F­ raunhofer Institutes for Electronic Nano Systems ENAS,

some of the biggest societal challenges of the coming years.

for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS, for High-Speed

It will only be possible to successfully manage them if players

Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institut, EMI, for Laser Technology ILT,

from business and science work closely together. The further

for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems IMS, for Physicaldevelopment and linking of key technologies such as biosciences,

Measurement Techniques IPM, for Microstructure of Materials

microelectronics and optics and photonics are of particularand Systems IMWS and for Reliability and Microintegration IZM.

importance here. For this reason, a new Fraunhofer Project
Hub is being established in Erfurt, the capital of the German
State of Thuringia. At the center, scientists from the Fraunhofer

Project hubs

Institutes for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF,

Strong research through cooperation

for Photonic Microsystems IPMS and for Cell Therapy and
Immunology IZI will carry out research on interdisciplinary

When applied research topics call for particular attention,

approaches for biomedicine in close cooperation with partners

the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft seeks to strengthen the relevantfrom business.

research areas with project hubs, which allow several­Fraunhofer Institutes to cooperate directly with other researchHigh-Performance Centersinstitutions.

The fast track from ideas to applications
Energy storage and systems

2

With its creation of the first High-Performance Centers in 2015,
the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft established a unique support

Agreement has been reached to found a new hub for energy

format in the German science funding landscape. The direct

storage research in the German State of Lower Saxony. Involving

cooperation between universities, research institutions andclose cooperation with Braunschweig University of Technology,

industry inside this collaborative infrastructure has createdthe center will develop new solutions for batteries and fuel cells

new, effective and targeted paths and mechanisms for scientificboth for electromobility applications and for stationary battery

added value. By 2017, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft had

systems. Advances are needed in these fields in order to realize

founded 17 High-Performance Centers in 11 German states.

new vehicle concepts, autonomous driving and alternative

At the centers, the partners jointly carry out application-

powertrain technologies. The strategic research field of mobility

oriented research into future-oriented topics with a regional

at Braunschweig University of Technology – represented by the

profile. The High-Performance Centers have proved to offer an

Automotive Research Center Niedersachsen (NFF), the Battery

ideal basis for successful innovation ecosystems. Consequently,

LabFactory Braunschweig (BLB) and the Open Hybrid LabFactory

Fraunhofer is further developing them into a national structure(OHLF) – will be further strengthened by the project hub.

for research transfer in Germany. This will sustain and increase

On the Fraunhofer side, the Fraunhofer Institutes for Ceramic

the impact of R&D services on the founding and performance

Technologies and Systems IKTS and for Manufacturing Tech-of technology-oriented companies and make a contribution

nology and Advanced Materials IFAM are represented.
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REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCH
New initiatives and infrastructures1

to creating more – and more future-proof – employment in

Science at the Helmholtz Zentrum Geesthacht, and theGermany.

Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces. Under thebanner of sustainability and efficiency, the priority researchgoal of the High-Performance Center resides in linking

Secure Connected Systems

together various structural and functional characteristics of
new materials and composites. To do this, the processing

Opened in 2017, the new High-Performance Center Securetechniques and manufacturing technology are taken directly

Connected Systems offers a platform for digitalization in theinto account when developing the materials. The activities

priority areas of mobility, production engineering and health.

are primarily situated in the context of Industrie 4.0 and range

It provides an application-oriented platform with an interdisci-from structurally integrated sensor systems in composites

plinary focus for cross-sector and cross-disciplinary systematic

for lightweight design, to functional integration in fibers,

research and cooperation. Participating companies benefit

textiles and smart card technologies for the security industry,from the connectivity and outstanding subject-matter expertiseto medical applications with lab-on-a-chip modules andof the Technical University of Munich, the Bundeswehr Univer-implants with biofunctional surfaces.

sity Munich, Fraunhofer Institutes and Research Institutions
for Applied and Integrated Security AISEC, for Microsystems
and Solid State Technologies EMFT and for Embedded Systems

Smart Production 1

and Communication Technologies ESK, and of the associatedindustrial partners. To expand the partner network, the center

In September 2017, the High-Performance Center Smartis open for collaborations with further research institutions.

Production was opened in Chemnitz. The focus of this colla-

The High-Performance Center is supported and funded by theboration is the development of efficient value chains for

Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Media, Energy andfunction-optimized products through material and process

Technology, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft e. V. and industrial

innovations. Members of the consortium are the Fraunhofer

partners who engage in joint projects.

Institutes for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU andfor Electronic Nano Systems ENAS, Chemnitz University ofTechnology and local industry. At the center, research organi-

Integration of Biological andzations in the fields of production, materials and lightweight

Physical-Chemical Material Functions

design research work together on an interdisciplinary basis
to develop new technologies on the subject of digitalization

The High-Performance Center in Potsdam-Golm brings together

in manufacturing. Areas for action include 3D manufacturing

the local Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Researchtechnologies for functional integration, self-adapting autono-

IAP and the Department of Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses atmous systems and product-oriented auto-configuration of

the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI.

production chains.

In addition, the consortium comprises the University of
Potsdam in an anchoring role, the Brandenburg University ofTechnology Cottbus-Senftenberg, the Institute of Biomaterial982Translational Biomedical Engineering

2

Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society
Self-determination in a digitalized world

The infrastructure of the High-Performance Center Transla­
tional Biomedical Engineering in Hannover offers a platform forWith the establishment of the German Internet Institute,the transfer of medical developments from basic research into

the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research

the sphere of clinical application and commercial exploitation.

is promoting cross-sectoral, interdisciplinary research into

Its partners combine decisive expertise in the development

the Internet and digitalization. Its goal is to generate inspiringof testing methods and compliance-based manufacturing andnew ideas for the research landscape and create a scientificquality controls and in the field of risk analysis with safety andfoundation for the debates in society at large and for political

functional testing in accordance with the corresponding ISO

decision-making. The institute is named after the Internet

standards. With a special emphasis on system definitions andpioneer, founding father of computer science and cultural

studies for verification and validation, the High-Performancecritic, Joseph Weizenbaum.

Center is strategically positioning itself in critical development
processes for the successful commercial utilization of medical

As a member of the Founding Board, Professor for Quality

engineering. Situated in one of the most prominent national

Engineering of Open Distributed Systems at the Technicalhubs of medical research, the core of High-Performance Center

University of Berlin, and Director of the Fraunhofer Institute forin Hannover is formed around the Fraunhofer Institute forOpen Communication Systems FOKUS, Prof. Ina ­Schieferdecker

Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM together withensures that the requisite technical expertise is at hand.

the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration
IZM and the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and

At the Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society, someThin Films IST. Broad participation by regional universities

120 scientists will carry out research into the social changes

characterizes the make-up of the High-Performance Center,associated with advancing technologization. Social scientists,

with the involvement of Hannover Medical School, Leibniz

economists and legal specialists work closely together with

University Hannover, the University of Veterinary Medicine

experts from the fields of design research and IT. At the core

Hannover and Braunschweig University of Technology, andis the question as to how self-determination can be ensured

also of non-university partners in the shape of the Lower

in a networked society. The institute focuses on six major topics:

Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering and Laser Zentrum

work and innovation; contracts and responsibility in digital

Hannover (LZH).

markets; governance and the setting of norms; technologicalchange; digital education; and participation and the publicsphere.

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REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCH
New initiatives and infrastructures

Fraunhofer “futureAM” focus project

The goal for futureAM is to secure and further develop

Next-generationadditive manufacturing

Fraunhofer’s technological leadership in the field of additive
manufacturing. Each institute coordinates one of fourWith futureAM, Fraunofer is systematically driving forwarddefined areas for action:

the further development of additive manufacturing for metal–– Industrie 4.0 and digital process chainscomponents. To this end, six institutes have entered into–– Scalable and robust AM processes

a strategic project partnership: the Fraunhofer Institutes for–– Materials

Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM,–– Systems technology and automation.

for Computer Graphics Research IGD, for Laser Technology ILT,
for Material and Beam Technology IWS, for Machine Tools

Project goals in the four action areas include a new type

and Forming Technology IWU, and the Fraunhofer Researchof software for automated AM component identification andInstitution for Additive Manufacturing Technologies IAPT.

optimization; a scalable SLM system concept with productivity
increases of greater than a factor of 10; a method and a

The partners want to build up a comprehensive cooperation

system technology for generating spatially resolved, customized

platform for highly integrated collaboration, drawing on

multi-material characteristics; and an autonomous manufacturing

Fraunhofer’s decentralized, distributed resources in the area

cell for reworking AM components. The cooperation platformof additive manufacturing (AM). In addition, they wantis created through intensive collaboration between the individual

to create the technological conditions for a practice-relevant

action areas, particularly through the establishment of aincrease in the scalability, productivity and quality of“virtual lab,” where technology demonstrators will be developed.

AM processes for the manufacture of individualized metalcomponents.

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AWARDS 2017

Alongside numerous prizes for first-class research,Fraunhofer researchers were also honored with someparticularly prominent national and international
awards for advances in applied research. We pay ­tributeto their achievement.

Franco-German Business Award

Fraunhofer FEP, meanwhile, has more than a decade ofInnovative microdisplays

experience in the development of OLED microdisplays. Thishas proven the perfect soil for a fruitful partnership that

The Franco-German Business Award is bestowed bienniallybegan some time ago in the course of other joint EU-fundedby the Franco-German chamber of industry and commerce,

projects. In this particular joint project, Fraunhofer FEP is

its aim being to further collaboration between French anddeveloping an innovative design for an integrated circuit forGerman business by rewarding outstanding joint projects.

ultra-low-power OLED microdisplays, known as a backplane.

In 2017, the award in the Innovation, New Technology andOn the basis of this backplane, MICROOLED has developed

Industry 4.0 category went to partners MICROOLED and

a complete OLED microdisplay module and together with

the Fraunhofer Institute for Organic Electronics, Electron­Fraunhofer FEP they transferred the technology into production.

Beam and Plasma Technology FEP in Dresden. MICROOLED

Typical applications include devices such as data glasses

was created in 2007 as a start-up spun off from CEA-LETI

or wearables. The microdisplay employs a new concept thatin France; since then it has become one of the world’s leading

requires extremely little power and is simpler to control.

providers of high-performance AMOLED microdisplays,

It is ideal for applications in which the entire system takes up

featuring ultra-sharp and high definition images.

little space, with a minimal integration environment andfor applications which require just simple display functions –fitness trackers, for example.

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REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCHAwards 2017

Primetime Engineering Emmy Award

The members of the team have been instrumental in shaping

Efficient broadcasting of UHD video

the HEVC standard, a codec that makes it extremely efficient
to store and broadcast video in ultra high definition (UHD).

The Primetime Emmy Engineering Award is bestowed in

The new HEVC standard is used in almost every UHD TV

recognition of an engineering development that significantly

broadcasting medium, including antenna, satellite, cable, opticalimproves on an existing technique, or else yields innovation

fiber and wireless TV. It is also supported by virtually all UHD-

that has a significant impact on TV broadcasting, recording

ready devices, including TVs, tablets and cellphones. HEVC

or reception. At a ceremony held on October 25, 2017, thisoffers a unique balance of extreme compression, HDR processing

prestigious international prize was awarded to the Joint

capacity, low complexity and minimum power consumption,

Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC), which consists

making it an indispensable tool for a wide range of relatedof the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-products.

Hertz-Institut, HHI, Huawei, MediaTek, Nokia, Qualcomm
Incorporated, Samsung and the Sony Corporation.

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EARTO European Innovation Award

Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT has developed a new

Reducing the cost of leather tanningtechnique that helps solve the chrome salt environmental problem.
Other advantages of the innovative CLEANTAN® technique

Leather is a popular and high-quality material, yet its production

include an up to 60 percent reduction in the sulphate load in theis not without its environmental problems. Usually, chromewastewater, a fivefold improvement in the processing time andsalt is used as the tanning agent in the leather tanning process.

significant cost savings. This means that the new technology

Up to 40 percent of these salts end up in the wastewater,

provides a return on investment in under two years. Because

and recycling it is both technically complex and cost-intensive.

of its cost benefits and environmental advantages, there is

As a result, the leather manufacturing industry is underhuge potential for applying the tanning technique both withinincreasing pressure to reduce emissions from the tanning

the EU and internationally.

process. Now, the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental,
Dr. Manfred Renner of Fraunhofer UMSICHT was honored
for his development of this technique in an awards ceremonyin Brussels on October 11, 2017 at which he was presented
with the Innovation Award from the European Associationof Research and Technology Organisations (EARTO). EARTO
is a non-profit international association. Its innovation award
recognizes products and services that promise to deliversignificant social or economic benefits for the EU.

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PEOPLE IN RESEARCHREVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCH

Enthusiasm and expertise are the lifeblood of our success. Here we spotlight six researchers as a representationof the many others who are doing top-rate work and delivering first-class results.

DR. HABIL. MARIO TRAPP
Engineer and computer scientis t | Head of the ENARIS ® Think L ab and ac ting managing direc torof the Fraunhofer Ins titute for Embedded Sys tems and Communication Technologies ESK in Munich

Design can become a passion – especially when a natural gift

Having completed his highly praised doctoral thesis, in 2006

is coupled with career success. Often, the inclination is first

Trapp began building up a new department at the Fraunhofer

observed in a person’s choice of a creative environment. For

Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESE. This

Mario Trapp, that meant studying a particular mix of computer

was a huge success, and he was rewarded by institute director

science and electrical engineering – and getting away fromProf. Peter Liggesmeyer with the leadership of his own division

the rigid prescriptions of a specific field. His studies encouraged

department. Trapp completed his post-doctoral lecturing

him to get to grips with the different ways in which engineers

qualification in 2016, and in 2017 he took over as head ofand computer scientists think. The nature of the work in

the ENARIS® Think Lab, which involves both Fraunhofer IESE

this new field of study often called for improvisation – and a

and the Fraunhofer Institute for Embedded Systems andwillingness to get hands on in terms of design. In fact, it isCommunication Technologies ESK in Munich.

this early experience with hands-on design that Trapp sees as
the basis of his career with Fraunhofer. His diploma thesis

Evidently, the relationship between Trapp and Fraunhofer has

garnered early attention, his work honored as an outstanding

been marked by mutual respect on both sides. As the researchachievement by the Friends of the University of Kaiserslautern.

manager puts it: “Fraunhofer offers a unique blend of application

This was followed up by a doctorate undertaken in closeand research. You can realize your projects, and you have an

collaboration with Robert Bosch GmbH; the fruits of his labor

unmatched opportunity to be creative. Here, if you have a good

would go straight into its electronic stability program (ESP).

idea, you can always find a way to implement it.” As he takes

This was a rich source of new experiences and new successes,

on responsibility for others, he sees a chance to take the positivesince work on the industry scale follows its own rules andexperience he has had with the people who encouraged him

presents its own challenges. Today, Trapp has the satisfaction

and to pass it on to his own employees.

of knowing that the results of his work have been incorporated
into millions of cars, helping to keep people safe on the road.

It is little wonder that the father of two also likes tinkering andAs his enthusiasm for development and design continued todesigning outside of work. In his free time, Trapp is a keen

blossom, he was soon tasked with forming new organizational

carpenter, and his family home on the edge of the forest nearstructures.

Kaiserslautern is now largely furnished with furniture he madein his own workshop.

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REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCH
People in research

Jelena Ochs M. Sc.
Technical biologist | Head of the Life Sciences Engineering business unit at the Fraunhofer Institutefor Production Technology IPT in Aachen

Life sciences engineering is a dynamic field that calls for a

The young, dynamic environment at Fraunhofer IPT is the ideal

great deal of teamwork. Its purpose is to utilize insights fromplace from which to conduct her research – and for her personal

the life sciences and apply them in a technical environment.

development. The young researcher already heads up her own

Expert teams of engineers, biologists and medics work handbusiness unit in Life Science Engineering, working at the interface

in hand to develop tailored concepts and solutions to technicalbetween engineering and the life sciences. Ochs sees her teamproblems by applying engineering principles in a life sciences

as a highly motivated and productive community: “We havecontext. In this process, it is vital to consider the entire processa unique chance to shape the medicine of the future, and thatchain and the way in which production processes are inter-really spurs us on!” Together, the team develops new technology

connected. This is the exciting and demanding field in which

solutions for the automation of time- and cost-intensive processes

Jelena Ochs works on a daily basis. From here, she can drivein stem cell research.

developments and is always learning something new. This issomething she really loves and was a motivating factor even

Still, it’s not just in the lab that Ochs is constantly striving forback when she was choosing her course of study. By opting for

improvement. The responsibilities of her role also include

technical biology for her master’s degree, she found her way

launching new initiatives, encouraging exchange between theinto a diverse and interdisciplinary discipline – one that not only

specialist departments and ultimately using the institute’soffers an interface to industrial, medical, and plant biotechno-­resources to the best possible effect. Here, lighthouse projects

logy, but also maintains a connection with engineering. This

with Fraunhofer CMI in Boston lend her work an international

makes it the ideal environment in which to put good ideas

dimension. She also visits trade fairs and is involved in

into action.

net­work­ing with representatives from other research institutions and industry.

While still a student, Ochs was able to build on both her
professional expertise and her language skills during a period

All of these roles demand spontaneity, imagination and­abroad in Denmark. She completed her master’s thesis at

assertive communication. Luckily, Ochs is one of those people­Sartorius Stedim Biotech in Göttingen, thus bringing her

who makes a great public impression. Away from work, shemaster’s studies to a highly successful close. In 2016, while

is also a keen actress and likes to get involved in improvisational

looking for a position in which to complete her doctorate,

theater. Here, she can put her talents to use, just as she does

she came upon the Fraunhofer Institute for Productionin leading and spearheading her business unit. We have no doubt

Technology IPT in Aachen, heralding the beginning of herthat there are some glittering performances ahead, both in­career as a researcher working in laboratory automation.

and outside of work.

The following year, Ochs was among the women chosen
to receive Fraunhofer’s TALENTA speed up support.
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REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCH
People in research108Dr.-Ing. Ilja Radusch
Computer scientis t | Head of the Smar t Mobilit y business unit at the Fraunhofer Ins titutefor Open Communication Sys tems FOKUS, Head of the Daimler Center for Automotive Information
Technology Innovations (DC AITI) at the Technische Univer sität Berlin

An end to all traffic jams – that’s the big dream associated withcomputer scientist’s work involves developing virtual test

automated driving. Not only should it make transportation

programs for automated vehicles, which save the time andmore efficient, the hope is that it will make it safer and more

expense of conducting tests using real automated vehicles.

convenient, too. Ilja Radusch heads up the business unit for
Smart Mobility at the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communi-

One of the big challenges of automated driving is how tocation Systems FOKUS, and it is his mission to improve people’s

assemble the information from the various sensors, which are

lives by optimizing mobility.

busy gathering information on obstacles and the distance andspeed of other road users, into a complete picture. After all,Born in East Berlin, Radusch has been fascinated with computers

the computer requires the whole picture if it is to accurately

and mathematics since an early age. Back in the third grade,assess the traffic situation and make the right decisions. “Whenfor instance, he won first place in the Maths Olympiad. With thisyou realize the technical complexity behind the concept of

passion for numbers, technology and tinkering, it was natural

automated driving, you’re left full of admiration for the people

that he should go on to study computer science at the Technische

who drive themselves safely from A to B,” says ­Radusch.

Universität Berlin. Alongside his studies, he also worked forEven so, human drivers don’t always stick hundred percent

an agency that designed and organized trade fair appearances

to the rules of the road – which poses yet another problem

for a wide range of companies. “It was a great opportunity tofor automated cars. This is because, in the first instance,

learn how to present complicated technical solutions in a clear

automated vehicles will have to share the road with theirand comprehensible way,” says Radusch – a skill that serves

human counterparts. Accordingly, the focus of Radusch andhim to this day in his contact with customers, politicians andhis team is directed toward the ambitious goal of regulating

the media.

this transitional phase and finding ways to improve mobility
for all road users. He was r­ ecently involved in an important step

Radusch joined Fraunhofer FOKUS straight from university andin this direction when he coordinated the EU-funded TEAM

has now worked there for fifteen years. He is a proud Berliner,

research project on tomorrow’s elastic adaptive mobility.

and delighted that he didn’t have to leave his home city to

TEAM combines vehicle electronics, mobile devices, navigation

find a job. “Berlin is a young and dynamic place. You couldn’tsystems, tablets and smartphones into one big ­network, andfind the same range of students and start-ups anywhereuses the available data to provide road users with real-timeelse in Germany.” These days, his mission is to get self-driving

traffic recommendations optimized for the ­entire city. This has

cars on the road as quickly as possible. “I like that my work

real advantages both for road users and for the environment.

at Fraunhofer is really application-focused, and the feeling

The project was given the top “Excellent” rating by the European

I get that I’m directly shaping the future with my work.” The

Commission.
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REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCH
People in research

110Prof. Dr. Liliana Ferreira
Mathematician | Engineer for elec tronic s , telecommunications and information technology;
direc tor of Fraunhofer Por tugal AICOS, professor at the Univer sit y of Por to’s Facult y of Engineering

Life begins with communication – as anyone who has ever had

As part of her research work, Liliana Ferreira spent time as

the privilege of witnessing the birth of a child can confirm.

a guest scientist working at IBM Research and Development

And communication remains essential throughout our lives.

in Böblingen in southwestern Germany. Here she was involved

Hence the need to ensure that modern communication media

in developing a system that can speak written text in Portuguese.

are open and accessible to all members of society. This is the

These kinds of language processors are not only employed inmotivation that drives Liliana Ferreira’s professional ambitions.

modern smart-home devices but can also be used in service robots,

First and foremost, we must understand exactly how commu-

in museums and at events as well as in medicine and nursing.

nication works – how information is produced, conveyed,absorbed and processed. We also need to be practiced in today’s

Ferreira hopes above all that her research can benefit medicine:communication technologies in order to further develop them

“I would like to make helpful communication systems thatin a useful way. This of course also applies to communication

have been inaccessible until now available especially to people

between humans and computers, which is rapidly gaining inlike doctors, nurses and carers.” In March 2011 she discovered

significance.

the right environment to achieve this at the Fraunhofer ResearchCenter for Assistive Information and Communication Solutions

Liliana Ferreira began her academic training in 1998 at the

AICOS in Porto. After a period spent conducting research

University of Porto studying for a degree in technical mathe-

at Philips Research in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, she took overmatics. After gaining her Licenciatura – comparable with athe helm of AICOS in September 2017. She also holds a

master’s degree – she moved to Aveiro in 2002 and dedicatedprofessorship in information technology at the University

her further research to the same topics that still interest herof Porto’s Faculty of Engineering. In her development work,

most today: natural language processing and the use of artificial

she uses COLABORAR, a network of senior co-designers.

intelligence for clinical and health knowledge representation,

The highly motivated Fraunhofer research group bases a large

information extraction, and high-performance, reliable human-part of its work on the experience and needs of senior citizens.

machine communication. Her academic work culminated in amaster’s degree in electronics and telecommunications at the

Liliana Ferreira also frequently finds inspiration in her own

University of Aveiro and a doctoral thesis on computer-aided

family’s language abilities. With parents of mixed nationality

processing of medical language for which she was awarded

who have worked in many different countries, it’s no surprisea distinction.

that the two children are at home in four different languages:
German, Portuguese, English and Dutch. The next generationof the multilingual Ferreira family is therefore following hardin their parents’ footsteps.
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REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCH
People in research

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Hans-Martin Henning
Physics graduate | Managing direc tor of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems
ISE in Freiburg, Professor for Solar Energy Systems at the University of Freiburg’s Institutefor Sustainable Systems Engineering, Spokesman for the Fraunhofer Energy Alliance

Anyone who grew up in the 1970s no doubt remembers

and end-use sectors. This makes it possible to calculate notthe energy controversies of the time, including oil crises,

only how to effect energy change most efficiently, but also

the warnings from the Club of Rome, and lively public

where there is room for maneuver. For instance, one project

debate about the finite nature of our resources to namecurrently underway on behalf of the German Federal Ministry

just a few. Ever since, energy has been a topic that stayedof Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) is developing awith Hans-Martin Henning, director of the Fraunhofer

climate protection scenario for the transportation sector within

Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg since 2017.

the context of the entire energy system based on renewableenergies.

Fresh from school, he heard about a new department being
set up at the University of Oldenburg focusing on the physics

Thanks to the passionate physicist’s hard work, Fraunhoferof renewable energy sources – and he was immediately

ISE is also first on the list in Europe when it comes to heat

hooked. At the beginning of the 1980s, he was one of thepumps. This technology extracts low-level temperature fromfirst physicists in the whole of Germany to focus on thethe environment and converts it into useful heat using

topic of renewable energy in his undergraduate studies andelectrical energy or natural gas. The technique is extremely

doctoral thesis. Having obtained his PhD, Henning was

efficient, making it an important and sustainable component

brought to Fraunhofer ISE in Freiburg by his PhD supervisor.

of heat provision to households and industry in the future

There he continued to pursue the topic that had formedin combination with renewables. As spokesman for thethe focus of his doctoral thesis: the development of efficient­Fraunhofer Energy Alliance, Henning has made it his goal tosolar thermal cooling processes. Over the next years, Henning

make further progress on pooling the outstanding expertisemade a global name for himself as “Mr. Solar Cooling,”of the F­ raunhofer Institutes, thereby putting Fraunhofer on

a committed researcher who coordinated big international

the map as the number one go-to for applied energy research.

projects, including for the International Energy Agency(IEA) and on behalf of the European Union. Today, he also

These are ambitious goals, calling for extraordinary dedication.

holds a chair at the University of Freiburg.

When asked what motivates him, the father-of-two says:“I passionately believe that we must all do our bit to limit the

One of Henning’s current research interests is numericaleffects of man-made climate change. It’s the only way tosimulation, and at Fraunhofer ISE he has developed a mathe-

avoid dramatic changes in the natural systems that regulate

matics- and physics-based calculation and optimization model

our climate and the impact this will have on humanity. I’m

for the entire energy system. The model takes into accountconvinced that technology targeting renewables and energy

development paths and interactions across all energy sources

efficiency has a critical role to play.”

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REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCH
People in research

114

Melanie Gralow M. SC.
Mechanical engineer | Head of the Bionic Func tion & Design group at the Fraunhofer Research
Ins titution for Additive Manufac turing Technologies IAP T in Hamburg

Being open to new ideas is a great motto for anyone looking

to generate current that subsequently drives a ventilation

to prepare themselves for the work of the future, in which

system. Additive manufacturing was used to produce essential

creativity and lifelong learning are called for as never before.

components for the self-regulating system. It took a year

Ironically “new” can actually be something very old thatto get from the idea to a functioning prototype, which was

we didn’t really look at before. Biomimetics for instance,

when the international accolades began pouring in: First prize

is a whole discipline that revolves around the designs foundfrom Stratasys, world leader in 3D printing from the U.S.,in nature – designs based on millions of years of evolution.

first prize from Additive Industries, a newcomer from the

The really fascinating thing is that it is only today – using

Netherlands, and first prize from Rapid.Tech, the international

ultramodern technology – that we are able to reproduce

trade fair for additive technologies in Erfurt.

some of these “ancient” structures at all.
These are great accomplishments for someone who was still
With her wide-ranging education, career path and internationala student. Having completed her master’s thesis on the use

experience, Melanie Gralow is the ideal candidate to makeof biomimetic design in additive manufacturing at what is now

the most of this exciting interface between evolutionary research­Fraunhofer IGCV in Augsburg, Gralow entered the world of work.

and state-of-the-art high-tech manufacturing. After leaving

When a job came up that fit her talents perfectly, she didn’t

school, the young researcher quickly expanded her horizons

have to think twice: LZN Laser Zentrum Nord in Hamburg waswith a year spent abroad in the U.S., studies in biomimetics inlooking for a researcher to work on the EU-sponsored Bionic

Bremen, a semester spent studying abroad in Australia andAircraft project, with experience in additive manufacturing,

numerous other travels around the globe. Constantly moving

bionics, design, sustainability and international collaboration.

from one place to another, Gralow has cultivated a great
openness for new roles and new topics – laying the foundation

Gralow took up the position in December 2016 – expanded

for her success.

to include leadership of the Bionic Function & Design researchgroup in May 2017. However, her time with Fraunhofer was

Her first contact with Fraunhofer was in 2013, when she became

only briefly interrupted, since at the beginning of 2018 LZN

a student assistant at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing

Laser Zentrum Nord was integrated into the Fraunhofer

Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM in Bremen. It was

Research Institution for Additive Manufacturing Technologies

here that she teamed up with four other students in additive

IAPT. This is a great triumph for Fraunhofer since, as the

manufacturing to embark on a master’s project entitled “Coolingexample of Melanie Gralow goes to show, the expertise andwith Heat.” In this project, the ambitious team set out to show

skills assembled in the LZN Laser Zentrum Nord are ideallythat you can use heat for cooling purposes by drawing on asuited to forward-looking applied research.

thermoelectric generator that uses the temperature difference
115

FRAUNHOFER INSTITUTE
SPIN-OFFS

Fraunhofer Institutes are prized by business and government alike because they draw
existing companies into their orbit and provide the seedbed from which new companies
are born. Every year, a multitude of Fraunhofer Institute employees use the expertisethey have collected there to start up their own businesses. Here we present just someof the companies founded in 2017.

REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCH

SpinPlant GmbHmHealth Pioneers GmbHAn innovative collagen membrane for regenerative medicine

Digital infrastructure for health apps

Diabetics often suffer from wounds that refuse to heal. An

You haven’t heard anything from your grandma for two days

innovative collagen membrane developed by SpinPlant GmbH– is she alright? Is your Dad getting enough exercise after his

could help to speed along the healing process. Moreover, theheart operation? And what about your own sleep? These aremembrane can also be used for many other purposes, including

all familiar questions to families, health service providers andbone filling material, bone regeneration, dental medicine andresearchers – and answering them has always cost a lot of time

tissue replacement. Collagen is one of the basic building blocks

and effort. Now, everyone can sit back and let the “Thryve”

of the human body, found in bone and skin cells in particular.

platform of mHealth Pioneers GmbH do the work. The company

So when doctors insert a collagen membrane into the body oroffers access to all currently available fitness trackers, coupled

on top of a wound, the patient’s body accepts it as its own.

with precise algorithms to fuse sensor data and automatically

The collagen also inhibits inflammation and stimulates the bodyrecord health data on standard Smartwatches. This auto-

to produce its own organic tissue. The best thing about themated generation and interpretation of diverse data relieves

new collagen membrane, though, is its hair-thin woven fibers

both patients and health care services.

that create tiny pores at the micrometer and nanometer level.
These pores allow cells to grow through the membrane, adhere

The company is also accelerating the development of entire

to the nanofibers for support, clump and divide. The collagen

new health services by offering a comprehensive care infra-

remains structurally intact even after the production of thestructure as a white label solution. This allows client companies

nano- and micro-porous membranes. It is biologically active

to operate the Thryve services under their own brand. The

and, thanks to their specific wetting properties, the nanofibers

system complies with all relevant regulations and is certified

remain stable within the human body. The membrane is alsowith regard to medical product regulation and data protection.

cheaper to produce than standard collagen products.

mHealth Pioneers GmbH is a spin-off of the ­Fraunhofer
Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD, founded in

SpinPlant produces the membranes at the Fraunhofer Institute

October 2016 as part of the EXIST research transfer program.

for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS. The company

One year later, it had doubled its number of employees,

intends to enter the marketplace both as an OEM supplierserving customers from both research and the care sector

and as a manufacturer of finished products. It will shortly obtainas well as the digital health industry.

medical device certification according to ISO 13485, with
end-product approval in Europe and the U.S. to follow. The
supplier products are intended for use in bone filling andbone regeneration, the healing of wounds, tissue engineeringand cell therapy. The first end product is a bone filling material.

117

REVIEW OF FRAUNHOFER RESEARCH
Fraunhofer Institute spin-offs

Elosun GmbH

Virtual Fort Knox AG

New sunflower proteins for tasty veggie foods

Cooperative service platform helps small andmedium-sized businesses access Industrie 4.0

On average, it takes seven kilograms of plant mass to produce
the equivalent of one kilogram of animal protein – meat,

Industrie 4.0 promises to connect production machinery andsausage or milk, for instance. In the long term, we need totools, bringing increased efficiency to production processes.

rethink our approach to food production, in the light of the

Even so, small and medium-sized businesses often struggle toplanet’s steadily growing population. The hope is that

apply this approach to their daily operations. The main problem

products made from soybeans, lupines, almonds and the likeis the infrastructure required to implement the desired

could replace animal products, providing more sustainability

connectivity, seeing as the platform solutions offered by thein the food supply. However, most of these products havebig players are extremely expensive. In addition, if companies

a peculiar taste that takes a lot of getting used to. Sunflower

do decide to go with a solution from one particular provider,proteins are different because they actually taste good. There

they are tied in for the long term. There are only limited possi-

is no genetic modification involved, nor do they contain any

bilities to integrate solutions from other providers with theseallergens. The proteins are ideal for producing vegetarian orsorts of platform – if it is possible at all. This prompts some smallvegan foods such as meat substitutes, baked goods, spreads,

and medium-sized businesses to build their own platforms

milk chocolate and milk substitutes. Mayonnaise is the perfect– an extremely expensive and time-consuming undertaking

example. The egg yolk traditionally used as an emulsifier tothat not all of them can afford. Virtual Fort Knox AG, a spin-offbind the fat and water could be replaced with sunflowerof the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering

protein.

and Automation IPA, offers a solution to the problem in theform of an independent, open service delivery platform that can

Elosun GmbH was founded in April 2017 as a spin-off of thebe used by customers ranging from software companies toFraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging

machine-tool manufacturers to host their solutions and offerings.

IVV, for the purpose of commercializing the new functional

In turn, the SME end users benefit from a fully protected data

sunflower protein. The company plans to manufacture thespace in which their data is stored securely and within which

proteins in a purpose-built factory and market them worldwide.

they can put together the solution that suits their business theCurrently, Elosun is looking for investors to help finance the

best.

production facility. The aim is to be able to start production inearly 2019, followed by commercialization of the new product.

118

Virtual Fort Knox AG was founded in 2015. A pilot version

Enerthing GmbHof the platform is already up and running in the institutes

Powering small devices with photovoltaic energyof the Fraunhofer Group for Production so that interested
companies can test it out at institutes spread across Germany.

These days, it can be hard to keep track of things in the busy

Currently, Virtual Fort Knox is looking for five to six investors

world of a big hospital. Has my patient’s bed been moved– with the desire that the ownership structure should remain

to another unit? In which ward can I find that mobile device

evenly distributed and reflect the cooperative nature of the

I need? To help in these sorts of situation, more and more

platform. The commercial version of the platform is expected

objects are being fitted with small transmitters known as

to be ready by the fall of 2018.

beacons. In other sectors, too, the Internet of Things meansthat billions of electronic components, sensors and othersmall devices are being connected with one another, as in
the domain of logistics. Currently, almost all of these devices
are powered by disposable batteries. These have to be
replaced every two years or so – and can easily cost up to
100 euros per beacon.
What Enerthing GmbH offers is a more economical – andmore ecological – alternative. The idea is to replace disposable
batteries with malleable photovoltaic foils to power the devices.
The foils don’t need more than the few hundred lux from­interior lighting such as LED lamps – you could almost think ofthem as a successor to the solar cells on pocket calculators,
but twice as efficient. Instead of having to replace the batteries
every two years, it is enough to service the beacons once
every eight years. An innovative production concept has madeit possible to produce the photovoltaic modules quickly andcost effectively in a roll-to-roll process.
Enerthing GmbH was founded in 2016, and currently employs
six people. Its investors include the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
and NRW.BANK. By mid-2018, the employees expect to beable to produce small batches of ten to one hundred customer
modules using their laboratory facility. At the same time,they are working with various industry partners to scale up
the production processes, and bigger quantities should beavailable in 2019.

119

FINANCIAL REPORTB A L ANCE SHEET AT DECE M B E R 3 1 , 2 0 1 7
INCO M E STATE M ENT
FO R THE FINANCIA L Y EA R 2 0 1 7
R ECONCI L IATION B ETWEEN INCO M E
STATE M ENT AND PE R FO R M ANCESTATE M ENT ( CASH - B ASIS ACCOUNTIN G )2017
PE R FO R M ANCE STATE M ENTS FO R
INDIVIDUA L F R AUNHOFE R ENTITIESEXCE R PTS F R O M THE NOTES TO THE
FINANCIA L STATE M ENTS 2 0 1 7
INDEPENDENT AUDITO R ’ S R EPO R T

Balance sheet at December 31, 2017

FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFTZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E. V., MÜNCHENASSETS																
€		€		

2017		
€		2016
€ (1000)

Cash and cash equivalents 						 184,549,086.55				

83,586

Marketable securities						337,942,451.90				

298,872

Current assets

Accounts receivable and other current assets
		 Trade receivables				237,075,119.56								 Receivables from the federal and state governments			 relating to base funding				 27,275,768.37									 relating to project billing,			 including contract research				157,966,686.64									 relating to pension and compensated			 absence provisions			
66,017,700.00												251,260,155.01																					 Accounts receivable from associated companies			 11,738,450.15								 Other current assets			 135,428,439.36														635,502,164.08																	Inventories						 34,742,006.84				
Prepaid expenses and deferred charges					240,190

35,568118,199
62,379216,146
13,452
122,235
592,023
31,357

12,632,907.01			

14,786

				1,205,368,616.38		

1,020,624

Intangible assets								 27,080,800.64		

10,610Property, plant and equipment								1,932,593,451.89		

1,898,300

Total current assets				Financial assets							 	 21,164,376.74

22,125

Total assets							3,186,207,245.65

2,951,659

Trust assets								 27,120,041.33		

122

58,969F I N A N c ia l R e p o r t

Liabilities and equity															
€		€		

2017		
€		2016
€ (1000)

Trade payables						103,514,291.37				

84,081

Unappropriated grants from the federal
and state governments
		 relating to base funding				210,845,378.36								 relating to project billing			
63,777,671.12														274,623,049.48				

119,105
36,032
155,137

Current liabilities

Accounts payable to associated companies					343,556.87				

–Other current liabilities					9,560,046.50			

11,299Total current liabilities								388,040,944.22		

250,517

Deferred income								86,145.17		

4,236

Provisions for pensions and similar obligations							9,287,700.00		

9,379

Other provisions								148,030,150.00		

143,261

Special reserves
License-fee revenue reserve						 338,908,285.76		
		
Grants relating to non-current assets						1,964,583,357.11				Grants used to finance current assets						 247,555,110.08				
Present value of deferred income from patent deal				73,260,967.01														2,624,307,719.96		
EquityCapital of the non-profit organization
		 Carried forward				 15,148,728.45		
						 Retained earnings 			
84,082.36														 15,232,810.81				
Restricted reserve					1,221,775.49			
													Total equity				 			16,454,586.30
Total liabilities and equity							 3,186,207,245.65
Trust liabilities								 27,120,041.33		

298,908
1,914,730
236,056
78,051
2,527,745

14,928221
15,1491,372
16,521
2,951,659
58,969123

Income statement
for the financial year 2017
FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFTZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V., MÜNCHEN																								€		
€		2017 		
€		2016
€ (1000)

Federal government						604,266,494.60				State governments					97,806,983.72																	702,073,478.32		

583,593
87,992
671,585

Revenue from base funding

Revenue from own activities
Revenue from research and development activities
		 Federal government: Project funding			480,287,902.49												    Contracts				 9,446,542.44								 State governments: Project funding			137,107,257.06												    Contracts				 1,430,662.68								 Business, industry and trade associations			 692,147,911.23								 Research funding organizations and other sources		 187,622,644.41																	1,508,042,920.31				

370,685
9,902
149,134
2,183
668,461
197,536
1,397,901

Other revenue						9,831,022.02			
Total revenue									1,517,873,942.33		

15,071
1,412,972

Increase in work in progress 						 39,358,041.02		
		
Other internally constructed and capitalized assets					7,340,709.32				Other operating income						 28,666,443.75				
Income from equity investments						 1,727,640.01				Other interest and similar income					927,919.05																 78,020,753.15

842
7,258
17,74912,95650
38,855

Total base funding and revenue from own activities							2,297,968,173.80		

2,123,412

Change in special reserves
License-fee revenue reserve						– 40,000,000.00				
Grants relating to non-current assets						 – 58,361,920.09				Grants used to finance current assets					 – 11,498,882.47																– 109,860,802.56

Total income available to cover expenditure						 2,188,107,371.24

124– 40,700
60,615– 41,577– 21,662

2,101,750

F I N A N c ia l R e p o r t																								€		
€		2017		
€		2016
€ (1000)

Cost of materials							357,952,261.29				

336,141

Personnel expenses							1,247,808,098.78				

1,181,594

Amortization of intangible assets and depreciationof property, plant and equipment						285,722,611.58				

287,193

Other operating expenses						294,234,690.62				

294,595

Amortization of financial assets and current marketable securities			Interest and similar expenses						1,856,780.66				

1,566

598,802.97			

411

Total expenditure									2,188,173,245.90

2,101,500

Net income for the year								– 65,874.66		

250

Transfer from reserves								152,157.02		

–Transfer to reserves								– 2,200.00– 29

Retained earnings

84,082.36		

221

Allocation to capital of the non-profit organization						– 84,082.36– 221													–

–								125RECONCILIATION BETWEENINCOME STATEMENT AND
PERFORMANCE STATEMENT(CASH-BASIS ACCOUNTING) 2017

Income/receipts					Performance		Non-profit												statement		organization														capital										€		€		Reconciling		
items		

Incomestatement€		€Income/receipts
from base funding				698,434,478.32				 3,639,000.00		702,073,478.32
from research and development activities			1,549,269,642.47				 – 41,226,722.16		1,508,042,920.31
from other sources				385,785.98			
9,445,236.04		 9,831,022.02
Increase in work in progress								Other internally constructed and capitalized assets			

39,358,041.02		

39,358,041.02

7,340,709.32						7,340,709.32

Other income					 38,559,161.40		
								Total income/receipts				2,293,989,777.49

339,396.31		 – 7,576,554.90		 31,322,002.81

Change in special reserves
		 License-fee revenue reserve								– 40,000,000.00		– 40,000,000.00
		 Grants relating to non-current assets
			 Allocations to special reserves			 (capital expenditure)								– 345,789,110.48		
– 345,789,110.48
			 Reversal of special reserves			 (depreciation)						43,762.92		287,383,427.47		287,427,190.39
		Grants used to finance current assets			 – 11,498,882.47						 – 11,498,882.47

Change in grants receivable relating to pension
and compensated absence provisions				
3,639,000.00				 – 3,639,000.00								Total business volume (cash basis)				2,286,129,895.02
											383,159.23– 98,405,683.01 2,188,107,371.24

126

F I N A N c ia l R e p o r t

Expenditure/disbursements				Performance		Non-profit												statement		organization														capital										€		€		Reconciling		
items		

Incomestatement€		€

Expenditure/disbursements
Cost of materials					326,064,724.84		
27,008.18		 31,860,528.27		357,952,261.29
Personnel expenses				
1,259,575,419.56		
5,640.00		– 11,772,960.78		
1,247,808,098.78
Amortization of intangible assets anddepreciation of property, plant and equipment					195,964.77		 285,526,646.81		 285,722,611.58
Other operating expenses				314,657,721.45		
220,420.94		– 18,187,868.14		296,690,274.25															Expenditure as per the income statement									2,188,173,245.90
Change in special reserves
License-fee revenue reserve				 40,000,000.00				– 40,000,000.00
Capital expenditure(current and major infrastructure)				 345,832,029.17				– 345,832,029.17
Net income for the year														Total business volume (cash basis)			 2,286,129,895.02
											– 65,874.66				

383,159.23– 65,874.66– 98,405,683.01 2,188,107,371.24

127

Performance statement
for individual Fraunhofer entities

Fraunhofer Institute/		Research Institution for		
			

2017
€ (1000)2017€ (1000)2017€ (1000)

Sankt Augustin

10,346.4

693.3

8,559.3

2,480.4

Garching b. München

8,402.3

454.1

7,343.3

1,513.1

Sankt Augustin

15,913.4

734.3

13,844.4

2,803.3

Wachtberg

6,458.4

56.0

6,216.3

298.1

Darmstadt, Rostock

17,411.7

635.0

11,061.8

6,984.9

Ilmenau, Oldenburg

13,150.6

568.1

8,925.4

4,793.4

München5,170.2

238.1

3,751.4

1,656.9

Kaiserslautern

12,642.5

580.2

11,343.9

1,878.9

Kaiserslautern

24,607.4

1,141.1

18,643.5

7,105.0

Sankt Augustin

18,572.7

444.0

18,048.4

968.3

Bremen8,567.1

499.9

5,052.0

4,015.0

BerlinKarlsruhe, Ettlingen,Ilmenau, Lemgo

31,911.7

1,295.2

26,147.7

7,059.2

33,973.4

3,317.5

25,063.9

12,226.9

Darmstadt

11,314.9

141.8

8,312.0

3,144.8

Dortmund3,662.9

179.3

2,692.2

1,150.0

Dresden  9,536.6   949.1  9,016.1

1,469.6

231,642.3

11,927.1

184,021.6

59,547.8			128

Base funding2017€ (1000)						
Fraunhofer ICT Group
Algorithms and Scientific
Computing SCAI
Applied and Integrated Security
AISEC
Applied Information Technology
FIT
Communication, Information
Processing and Ergonomics FKIE
Computer Graphics
Research IGD
Digital Media Technology
IDMT
Embedded Systems and Communication Technologies ESK
Experimental Software
Engineering IESE
Industrial Mathematics
ITWM
Intelligent Analysis andInformation Systems IAIS
Medical Image Computing
MEVIS
Open Communication Systems
FOKUS
Optronics, System Technologies
and Image Exploitation IOSBSecure Information Technology
SIT
Software and Systems
Engineering ISST
Transportation and Infrastructure
Systems IVI

Expenses	Income
Operating
CapitalFrom external
expenses
expendituresourcesF I N A N c ia l R e p o r t

Fraunhofer Institute/		Research Institution for					

Base funding2017€ (1000)2017€ (1000)2017€ (1000)2017€ (1000)

5,487.0

93.4

3,328.8

2,251.6

31,298.6

3,135.0

27,069.9

7,363.7

7,033.5

110.8

2,552.6

4,591.7

23,901.7

213.4

20,225.7

3,889.4

2,726.0   41.6

2,237.3   530.3

70,446.7

3,594.2

55,414.3

18,626.6

Sulzbach, St. Ingbert

15,697.4

1,107.3

12,397.7

4,407.0

Leipzig, Potsdam-Golm

32,720.7

1,941.5

25,583.8

9,078.4

Stuttgart, Leuna24,509.5

2,290.8

16,458.5

10,341.8

Lübeck2,931.0

60.3

1,977.4

1,013.9

Aachen, Schmallenberg

41,108.4

3,944.3

36,874.1

8,178.6

Freising, Dresden
Hannover, Braunschweig,
Regensburg

20,206.0

1,238.6

15,703.6

5,740.9

28,492.3

1,921.0

19,536.5

10,876.7

165,665.5

12,503.6

128,531.7

49,637.4

						
Fraunhofer Group for
Innovation Research – INNOVATION 1
Center for International
Management and Knowledge
Economy IMW
Leipzig
Industrial Engineering
IAO
Stuttgart
Information Center for
Planning and Building IRB
Stuttgart
Systems and Innovation
Research ISI
KarlsruheTechnological Trend
Analysis INT
Euskirchen			Fraunhofer Group forLife Sciences
Biomedical Engineering IBMT
Cell Therapy and
Immunology IZIInterfacial Engineering andBiotechnology IGB
Marine Biotechnology andCell Technology EMB
Molecular Biology and Applied
Ecology IME
Process Engineering andPackaging IVV
Toxicology and Experimental
Medicine ITEM

Expenses	Income
Operating
CapitalFrom external
expenses
expendituresources			

1 New Fraunhofer Group since 2017; including Fraunhofer IRB, official member of this Fraunhofer Group since January 1, 2018.

129

F I N A N c ia l R e p o r t

Performance statement forindividual Fraunhofer entities

Fraunhofer Institute/		Research Institution for		
			

2017
€ (1000)2017€ (1000)2017€ (1000)

Jena

29,267.7

5,635.6

24,572.0

10,331.3

Aachen34,405.0

5,501.7

30,662.8

9,243.9

Dresden

29,090.6

2,426.0

23,057.0

8,459.7

Dresden24,734.2

1,090.2

19,657.1

6,167.3

Freiburg

15,242.8

813.0

12,043.0

4,012.8

Braunschweig

11,654.5   693.3  8,595.5

3,752.2

144,394.8

16,159.8

118,587.3

41,967.3

Freiburg

11,427.9

1,121.4

10,184.1

2,365.2

Chemnitz

12,620.9

2,723.7

9,724.8

5,619.8

Wachtberg
Erlangen, Nürnberg,
Dresden16,459.2

1,156.1

14,518.0

3,097.3

168,336.0

18,112.3

167,494.5

18,953.8

Erlangen

26,081.9

2,447.7

21,803.1

6,726.5

Duisburg

28,528.9

446.1

21,911.4

7,063.6

München

13,746.8435.9

9,534.4

4,648.2

Dresden37,907.0

1,691.5

27,872.1

11,726.4

Berlin, Dresden

30,211.2

1,660.3

25,614.7

6,256.7

Itzehoe

24,919.9

613.0

19,581.1

5,951.8

Berlin, Goslar

47,736.0

5,774.0

41,113.4

12,396.6

417,975.6

36,182.0

369,351.7

84,805.8

			
Fraunhofer Group for
Microelectronics
Applied Solid State Physics IAF
Electronic Nano Systems
ENAS
High Frequency Physics andRadar Techniques FHRIntegrated Circuits IIS
Integrated Systems andDevice Technology IISBMicroelectronic Circuits
and Systems IMS
Microsystems and Solid State
Technologies EMFT
Photonic Microsystems
IPMS
Reliability andMicrointegration IZM
Silicon Technology
ISIT
Telecommunications,Heinrich-Hertz-Institut, HHI

			

130

Base funding2017€ (1000)						
Fraunhofer Group forLight & Surfaces
Applied Optics and Precision
Engineering IOF
Laser Technology
ILT
Material and BeamTechnology IWS
Organic Electronics,
Electron Beam andPlasma Technology FEP
Physical Measurement
Techniques IPM
Surface Engineeringand Thin Films IST

Expenses	Income
Operating
CapitalFrom external
expenses
expendituresourcesFraunhofer Institute/		Research Institution for		
			

2017
€ (1000)2017€ (1000)2017€ (1000)

Augsburg,
Garching b. München

11,150.5

1,288.2

10,675.3

1,763.4

Oberhausen,
Sulzbach-Rosenberg

39,329.9

2,064.9

34,189.3

7,205.6

Magdeburg

20,186.4

735.2

16,586.7

4,334.8

Rostock

6,976.4

216.8

5,795.1

1,398.1

Chemnitz

38,170.5

2,173.5

29,315.6

11,028.4

Stuttgart

59,231.6

3,820.2

48,423.1

14,628.8

Dortmund, Hamburg

29,163.3

1,592.2

24,087.8

6,667.7

Paderborn

9,257.9313.7

8,301.3

1,270.3

Berlin18,400.8

1,497.3

15,865.5

4,032.7

Aachen27,912.5

2,887.7

22,248.6

8,551.7

259,779.9

16,589.8

215,488.2

60,881.4

Freiburg

15,104.3

3,228.8

9,539.7

8,793.5

Pfinztal

13,494.9

1,504.0

4,438.6

10,560.3

Wachtberg

24,426.6

1,841.3

13,539.5

12,728.4

Wachtberg

15,845.4

1,114.2

6,112.2

10,847.4

Freiburg

15,075.5

1,375.6

6,116.0

10,335.2

Ettlingen17,691.5

1,759.5

13,177.5

6,273.5

Euskirchen  6,586.4

1,472.9

3,437.6

4,621.7

108,224.6

12,296.4

56,361.0

64,160.0			Fraunhofer Group for
Defense and Security VVS  1
Applied Solid State Physics IAF
Chemical Technology ICT,
Department ofEnergetic Materials
Communication, Information
Processing and Ergonomics FKIEHigh Frequency Physics andRadar Techniques FHR
High-Speed Dynamics,
Ernst-Mach-Institut, EMI
Optronics, System Technologies
and Image Exploitation IOSB,
Ettlingen branch
Technological Trend Analysis
INT

Base funding2017€ (1000)						
Fraunhofer Group for
Production
Casting, Composite andProcessing Technology IGCV
Environmental, Safety andForming Technology
UMSICHT
Factory Operation
and Automation IFF
Large Structures in
Production Engineering IGP
Machine Tools and Forming
Technology IWU
Manufacturing Engineeringand Automation IPA
Material Flow and Logistics
IML
Mechatronic Systems Design
IEM
Production Systems andDesign Technology IPK
Production Technology
IPT

Expenses	Income
Operating
CapitalFrom external
expenses
expendituresources			
1 Not including contract research activities.

131

F I N A N c ia l R e p o r t

Performance statement forindividual Fraunhofer entities

Fraunhofer Institute/		Research Institution for					

Expenses	Income
Operating
CapitalFrom external
expenses
expendituresourcesBase funding2017€ (1000)2017€ (1000)2017€ (1000)2017€ (1000)

Potsdam-Golm

19,316.7

1,576.1

14,361.3

6,531.4

Stuttgart, Holzkirchen

24,341.1

467.0

17,077.8

7,730.3

Dresden, Hermsdorf

52,381.7

3,132.0

42,048.1

13,465,6

Pfinztal, Karlsruhe

38,162.3

4,527.9

34,182.3

8,507.9

Freiburg

7,851.7490.5

6,340.9

2,001.3

Bremen, Dresden, Stade

44,700.9

3,897.7

36,681.4

11,917.2

Freiburg

20,288.9

1,619.3

15,051.8

6,856.3

Halle

20,377.7

2,252.5

16,732.9

5,897.4

Saarbrücken
Würzburg, Bronnbach,
Garching b. München,
Bayreuth

14,019.3

1,578.0

8,637.4

6,959,933,067.0

1,968.3

25,911.1

9,124.1

Freiburg, Halle

76,414.6

13,950.1

83,275.3

7,089.4

Darmstadt

28,187.6

2,063.2

21,328.3

8,922.5

Bremerhaven, Kassel

41,484.9

17,585.0

53,490.9

5,579.0

Braunschweig

16,049.1

1,857.2

13,442.6  4,463.7

			436,643.4

56,964.9

388,562.3

105,046.0

Centrally managed entities
Fraunhofer headquarters
MünchenInstitute Center Birlinghoven
Sankt Augustin
Institute Center Stuttgart
Stuttgart
General overhead costs		

26,581.5
709.7
– 9.6
78,243.5

5,113.6
33.9
591.6
451.1

4,494.0
231.9
15,2
1,446.8

27,201.2
511.7
566.8
77,247.8

Major infrastructure
capital expenditure			

173,424.1   73,049.2

100,374.8

			105,525.1

179,614.4   79,237.2

205,902.3

Performance Statement		

1,940,297.9

345,832.0

1,595,555.3

690,574.6

						
Fraunhofer Group for Materials
and Components – MATERIALSApplied Polymer Research IAP
Building Physics
IBP
Ceramic Technologies
and Systems IKTS
Chemical Technology ICT,Polymer Engineering
Department
High-Speed Dynamics,
Ernst-Mach-Institut, EMI
Manufacturing Technology
and Advanced Materials IFAM
Mechanics of Materials
IWM
Microstructure of Materials
and Systems IMWS
Nondestructive Testing
IZFP
Silicate Research ISC

Solar Energy Systems
ISE
Structural Durability
and System Reliability LBF
Wind Energy and Energy
System Technology IWES
Wood Research,
Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut,
WKI

Total Business Volume		

132

2,286,129.9

EXCERPTS FROM THE NOTESTO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2017

I. General disclosures

accounting principles. Capital expenditure on property,
plant and equipment and on financial assets, on the other

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten

hand, is recognized at cost on acquisition of the assets.

Forschung e. V., headquartered in Munich, is a non-profit

Therefore the operating budget does not include anyorganization registered with the district court of Munich under

depreciation/amortization expenses on these items. In order

the reference code VR 4461.

to provide full accountability for grants received from funding
agencies, the performance statement for the organization

The annual financial statements for the year ending December 31, as a whole is reconciled to the income statement format
2017, were prepared voluntarily and in accordance with therequired by public authorities by eliminating the effect of

requirements of the German Commercial Code (HGB) as appli-

non-cash income and expense items. The amounts presented

cable to large corporate entities. The income statement wasin the income statement include items showing the changes

prepared in accordance with the total cost method.

in payables and receivables and in depreciation/amortization
charges compared with the previous year. On the face of

The basis of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s accounting is thethe balance sheet, these reconciliation items are included

performance statement, from which the annual financial

in the special reserves for grants relating to fixed assets and­statements are derived.

for grants used to finance current assets. The figures fromthe performance statement are explained in the management

The performance statement is adapted to the requirements

report, where they are broken down into the areas of contractof the public funding authorities in terms of format andresearch, defense research and major infrastructure capitalreconciliation. It provides a breakdown of operating expenses

expenditure.

and capital expenditure at three different levels: individual
institutes, headquarters, and the organization as a whole.
The components of the operating budget are presented
as income or expenses in accordance with generally accepted

Annual financial statements of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Reconciliation withincome statement
format requiredby public funding
authorities

Income statement

Balance sheet
Management
reportNotes to thefinancial­statements

134

Reconciliation between income statement
and performance statement
Performance statement

Budgeted operating expenses and capital expenditure
at Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft level “total business volume (cash basis)”
Separate financial statements of the institutes/headquarters
Operating budget

Capital expenditure

Costs (excluding depreciation and amortization)

Expenses

IncomeIncomePresentation ofannual accounts of the
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

F I N A N c ia l R e p o r t

II. Recognition and measurement methods

Since the non-current assets presented in the ordinary accounts
are financed by government grants, the special reserve for

Intangible assets and property, plant and equipment are

grants relating to non-current assets is reduced by an amountmeasured at amortized cost, i.e. the cost of acquisition

corresponding to the depreciation/amortization of theseor construction less depreciation/amortization calculated

assets. Therefore, these adjustments have no impact on theon a straight-line basis.

income statement.

Intangible assets are amortized over a useful life of three

Work in progress is measured at the cost of construction

years.

or fair value, whichever is lower. Construction costs include
applicable personnel expenses, cost of materials, general

Institute buildings on own and third-party land are depreciatedadministrative expenses, and depreciation/amortization

as follows:

charges. Advance payments received (including VAT) are–– Added before April 1985: at 2 percent

recognized under inventories.

–– Added between April 1, 1985 and December 31, 2000:
at 4 percent–– Added after January 1, 2001: at 3 percent

Trade receivables and other assets are recognized at theirnominal value. Irrecoverable debts are remeasured at thereporting date. The overall non-payment risk is limited

A useful life of five years is applied to movable items

by creating a provision for doubtful debts correspondingof property, plant and equipment. However, a useful life

to 2 percent of the total amount of accounts receivable.

of four years is assumed for communication, video andaudio systems and of three years for IT hardware. Motor

Current marketable securities are recognized at cost.

vehicles are depreciated over a useful life of four years.
Cash and cash equivalents are recognized at their nominal
Financial assets are measured at cost or at fair value,

value.

whichever is lower.
Payments made before the reporting date for which the associated benefits will be received in a future period are recognized as prepaid expenses in the balance sheet.

135

F I N A N c ia l R e p o r t
Excerpts from the notes
to the financial statements 2017

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft makes use of the instrument

Other provisions comprise amounts set aside to cover all

provided for in its financial statutes of recognizing a balance

identifiable risks and contingent liabilities. These provisions

sheet reserve, which mainly comprises revenues from theare measured in accordance with Section 253 (1) of thelicensing of audio-encoding technologies. The purpose of thisGerman Commercial Code (HGB) on the basis of a reasonable

reserve is to enable the organization to finance its own

estimate of the most probable outcome. Other provisions

pre-competitive research in the medium term.

for liabilities due in more than one year are discounted at the
average market interest rate for loans of a similar maturity

Funding used to finance non-current assets is allocated to theas calculated by the Deutsche Bundesbank in December 2017,

special reserve for grants relating to non-current assets.

pursuant to Section 253 (2) of the German Commercial CodeA separate special reserve is used to account for grants used

(HGB). Provisions for phased early retirement are calculated

to finance current assets.

on the basis of the contracts already concluded and on an
estimate of those to be concluded in the future.

Provisions for pensions and similar obligations, for which the
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has a reinsurance policy in place,

Liabilities are measured at the settlement amount.

are measured on the basis of the capitalized amount calculatedby the insurance company at the reporting date. The capitalized

Payments received before the reporting date for benefits

amounts are calculated in accordance with the information

to be delivered in a future period are recognized in the balance

provided by the insurance company and on the basis of DAV

sheet as deferred income.

2004 R guideline tables. Adjustments to current pensions
and to applicable income are not taken into account. If there

Amounts recognized for transactions in foreign currencies

is no reinsurance policy in place, or if the settlement cost

are translated at the applicable hedging rates of the respectiveof the pension obligations exceeds the capitalized amountcurrencies. In the annual financial statements, foreign currency

calculated by the reinsurer, the amount recognized as aholdings are translated at the average spot exchange rate

provision is calculated in accordance with an expert opinion

prevailing on the reporting date.

based on actuarial evidence. The settlement amount of thepension obligation is calculated using the present value

Items in transit are noted as trust assets and trust liabilities

method (method for calculating current single premiums).

in a separate line at the foot of the balance sheet for the

A 10-year-average actuarial interest rate of 3.68 percent was­Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.

used in the calculation in accordance with Section 253 (2)of the German Commercial Code (HGB), along with the

The following independent auditor’s report is based on the2005 G guideline tables of Klaus Heubeck.

balance sheet at December 31, 2017, the income statement
for the financial year 2017 and the full notes to the 2017financial statements and the management report 2017.

136

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

We have audited the annual financial statements – comprising

Our audit did not lead to any reservations.

the balance sheet, the income statement and the notes to thefinancial statements – together with the books and records,

In our opinion, and based on the findings of our audit, theand the management report of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

annual financial statements comply with the legal requirements

zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V., Munich, forand supplementary provisions of the non-profit organization’s

the financial year from January 1 to December 31, 2017. It is

Statute and give a true and fair view of its net assets, financial

the responsibility of the organization’s legal representatives

position and operating results. The management report isto maintain the books and records and to prepare the annual

consistent with the annual financial statements, complies withfinancial statements and management report in accordance

the statutory requirements and, overall, is a true reflection

with German commercial law. Our task as independent auditorsof the organization’s position. It also provides an appropriate

is, on the basis of our audit, to express an opinion of the annual

picture of the organization’s future opportunities and risks.

financial statements, including the applied accounting methods,
and of the management report.
Nuremberg, March 19, 2018
We conducted our audit of the annual financial statementsin accordance with Section 317 of the German Commercial

Rödl & Partner GmbH

Code (HGB) and the generally accepted standards for the

Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, Steuerberatungsgesellschaft

audit of financial statements promulgated by the Institute(auditors, tax consultants)of Public Auditors in Germany (Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer,IDW). These standards require that we plan and perform

Vogel

Hahn

the audit such that misstatements materially affecting theWirtschaftsprüfer (auditor)

Wirtschaftsprüfer (auditor)

presentation of the net assets, financial position and operating
results in the annual financial statements, as prepared inaccordance with generally accepted accounting principles,and in the management report are detected with reasonableassurance. Knowledge of the organization’s business activities,
and of the economic and legal environment in which it operates,
together with expectations as to possible misstatements,
are taken into account when determining the audit procedures.
The effectiveness of the accounting-related internal control
system and the evidence supporting the disclosures in the books
and records, the annual financial statements and the management
report are examined to a large extent on the basis of random
samples. The audit includes assessing the applied accounting
principles and any significant estimates made by management,
as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the annual
financial statements and management report. We believe that
our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

The auditor‘s report issued in German refers not to the foreign
language version of the balance sheet and income statement,
which are enclosed hereto as appendices, but to the original
version of the complete financial statements and management
report prepared in the German language.

137

Service
ST R UCTU R E OF THE
F R AUNHOFE R - G ESE L L SCHAFTM E M B E R S , CONSTITUENT B ODIES ,­CO M M ITTEESF R AUNHOFE R G R OUPSF R AUNHOFE R A L L IAN c E s
ADD R ESSES IN G E R M AN Y
INTE R NATIONA L ADD R ESSES
Editorial notes

STRUCTURE OF THE
FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT

Constituent bodies and their tasks

The General Assembly is made up of the members of the
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Official membership is open to

The Executive Board consists of the President and several

members of the Senate, the Executive Board, institute directors

other full-time members. Its duties include managing

and senior management, and the governing boards. Ordinary

the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and representing its interests

membership is open to individuals and legal entities who wish

both inside and outside the organization. It formulates

to support the work of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Honorary

the basic principles of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s science

members may be elected from among the research staff

and research policy, plans its growth and its finances,and patrons of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in recognition

ensures its base funding, organizes the distribution of fundsof outstanding services to the organization. The Generalamong the individual institutes, and appoints the institute

Assembly elects the members of the Senate, discharges the

directors.

Executive Board of its functions, and formulates decisions
concerning amendments to the Statute.

A total of 72 institutes and research institutions at locations
across Germany operate under the umbrella of the Fraunhofer-

The Scientific and Technical Council (STC) is the organization’sGesellschaft. Each cultivates its own market presence

internal advisory body. It consists of the directors and seniorand manages its own budget. They are organized in eight

management of the institutes and an elected representative of­Fraunhofer Groups, each devoted to a specific area ofthe scientific and technical staff of each institute. The STC

technology and tasked with coordinating thematically related

provides advice to the Executive Board and other constituent

areas within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and harmonizing

bodies in matters of fundamental importance. It makes

the market presence of the respective group members.

recommendations concerning research and HR policy, expresses

The chairs of the Fraunhofer Groups, together with theits opinions regarding the creation of new institutes or themembers of the Executive Board, make up the Presidential

closure of existing institutes, and participates in the appointment

Council of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. The Presidentialof new institute directors.

Council participates in Executive Board decision-making
processes and, as such, is entitled to make proposals and

The advisory boards are external advisory bodies of therecommendations and has the right to be heard.

institutes. They consist of representatives of science, businessand public life. For each institute, approximately twelve

The Senate has around 30 members, comprising eminent

members are appointed to the advisory board by the Executive

figures from the worlds of science, business and public life,

Board with the approval of the director(s) of the institute.

representatives of the federal and state governments, andThe advisory boards act as advisors to the institute directors

members of the Scientific and Technical Council (STC). The

and the Executive Board on matters concerning the research

Senate’s duties include appointing members of the Executive

orientation and any structural changes to the institute.

Board, defining the outlines of Fraunhofer’s science andresearch policy, and formulating decisions concerning theestablishment, devolution, merger or dissolution of research
entities belonging to the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.

140

ServicE

Structure of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Presidential Council

appoints
Senateelectsadvises
Executive Board

Scientific andTechnical Council(STC)

delegates

discharges

General AssemblyGroup chairs
72 Fraunhofer Institutes
and Research Institutions

delegates
8 Fraunhofer Groups

organized into
8 Groups– Defense and Security VVS– Information andCommunication Technology
advise– Innovation Research –INNOVATION– Life Sciences– Light & Surfaces– Materials and Components –MATERIALS

Advisory boards
External advisory bodiesof the institutes– Microelectronics– ProductionS

Although the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is basically a decentralized organization, its structure also allows for a centrally agreed strategy
and effective centralized management. Various constituent bodies and committees are responsible for coordination, consultationand leadership across the organization as a whole.

141

MEMBERS, CONSTITUENT BODIES,­C OMMITTEESMembers

Senate– Reiner Hoffmann

Members representing

President of the German Tradegovernment institutions– MinDirig

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has

Members from the science

Union Confederation DGB

1165 members, comprisingand business communities,– Dr. Nicola Leibinger-Kammüller

213 ordinary members, 942 official

and from public life

President and Chairwoman of

Ministry of Economy, Science

members, 2 honorary senators– Prof. Dr.-Ing.

the Managing Board, TRUMPF

and Digitalisation of the State

Hans-Joachim Hennings

and 10 honorary members. Some

Heinz Jörg Fuhrmann

members have multiple functions.

Chair of the Senate of the– Dr.-Ing. E. h. Friedhelm Loh

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft,

Owner and Chairman ofGerman Federal Ministry for

Chairman of the Executive

the Board of Management,

Economic Affairs and Energy

Honorary members

Board, Salzgitter AG– Prof. Dr. phil. habil. Dr.-Ing.

GmbH & Co. KG­Friedhelm Loh Group– Hildegard Müller

of Sachsen-Anhalt– MinDirig Dr. Ole Janssen(BMWi)– Parliamentary secretary– Dr.-Ing. Peter Draheim

Birgit Spanner-Ulmer

Chief Operating Officer Grid

Thomas Rachel– Dr. Alfred Hauff

Deputy chair of the Senate

and Infrastructure, innogy SE

German Federal Ministry of– Dr. Axel Homburgof the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft,– Dr.-Ing. Horst Nasko

Director of Production

Hans J. Naumann– Dr. Dirk-Meints Polter

and Technology, Bayerischer

Chairman and CEO,President, German Federal– Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr.-Ing. E. h.

­Rundfunk

NILES-SIMMONS

Office of Bundeswehr

Dr. h. c. Ekkehard D. Schulz– Prof. Dr. rer. nat.
Erwin Sommer– Prof. Klaus-Dieter Vöhringer– Prof. em. Dr.-Ing.
Prof. h. c. mult. Dr. h. c. mult.
Dr.-Ing. E. h.
Hans-Jürgen Warnecke– Dr. rer. pol. Hans-Ulrich Wiese– Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hubert Waltl

Education and Research (BMBF)– Harald Stein

Industrieanlagen GmbH

­Equipment, Information

Deputy chair of the Senate of– Prof. Dr. Siegfried Russwurm­Technology and In-Service

the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft– Tankred Schipanski

Support– Dr.-Ing. E. h. Michael von Bronk

Member of the German

Member of the Management

Bundestag, CDU/CSU

Annette ­Storsberg

Board, Lausitz Energie­parliamentary group

Ministry of Culture andBergbau AG – LEAG
– Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Prof. E. h.

– Carsten Schneider
Member of the German Bundes-– State secretary

Science of North RhineWestphalia

mult. Dr. h. c. mult.

­tag, SPD parliamentary group

Hans-Jörg Bullinger– Prof. Dr. Wiltrud Treffenfeldt

Bavarian Ministry of Economic

Professor of Industrial Science

Chief Technology Officer

Affairs and Media, Energy andand Technology Management,

Europe, Middle East, Africa

Technology

University of Stuttgart– Kerstin Grosse– MDirig Dr. Manfred Wolter

and India, Dow Europe GmbH
– Prof. Dr. rer. nat.

Chair of Supervisory Board,

Christiane Vaeßen

Members delegated by

KOMSA Kommunikation

Managing director,

the Scientific and TechnicalZweckverband Region Aachen

Council (STC)

Sachsen AG– Dr. Sabine Herlitschka

142– Prof. Dr.-Ing. E. h.

– Oliver Zipse– Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil.

CEO and CTO, Infineon

Member of the Board of

Andreas Tünnermann­Technologies Austria AG

Management, BMW AG

Chair of the STC, Director

ServicEof the Fraunhofer Institute– MinR’in Dr. Ulrike Mattig

Chair of the STC:

– Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Prof. E. h.

for Applied Optics andHessen State Ministry of– Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil.

­Precision Engineering IOFHigher Education, Research

Andreas Tünnermann

Fraunhofer Instituteand the Arts

Director of the Fraunhofer

for Factory Operation and– Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Schmidt
Deputy chair of the STC,

– Prof. Dr. Martin Stratmann­Fraunhofer Institute for

President of the Max Planck­Material Flow and Logistics IMLSociety for the Advancement(Guest member)of Science e. V.

Fraunhofer Institute for– Prof. Dr. Peter Gumbsch
Director of the Fraunhofer– Dipl.-Ing. Dominik ToussaintInstitute for Applied Optics

Dr. h. c. mult. Michael Schenk

and Precision Engineering IOFPresidential Council

Institute for Mechanics ofChairman,Materials IWM

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

The Presidential Council of thegeneral works council,

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is madeHonorary senators

Fraunhofer Institute for

up of the members of the– Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr.-Ing. E. h.

Systems and Innovation

Executive Board and the chairs

Research ISIof the eight Fraunhofer Groups,

Dr. h. c. Ekkehard D. Schulz– Prof. em. Dr.-Ing.
Prof. h. c. mult. Dr. h. c. mult.
Dr.-Ing. E. h.

Advisory boards

Hans-Jürgen Warnecke

Automation IFF– Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Beyerer

Op­tron­ics, System Technologies
and Image Exploitation IOSBExecutive Board– Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Prof. E. h.

named below:

Dr.-Ing. E. h. mult. Dr. h. c. mult.

– Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wilhelm Bauer

Reimund Neugebauer

Fraunhofer Institute forIndustrial Engineering IAO(President)– Prof. Dr. rer. publ. ass. iur.

In total, the advisory boards of the– Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Elsner

Permanent guests

institutes consist of 822 members,

Fraunhofer Institute for– Dipl.-Kfm. Andreas Meuer– Prof. Dr. Martina Brockmeiersome of whom hold seats on

Chemical Technology ICT(as of January 1, 2018)

Chair, German Council ofthe advisory boards of more than

Science and Humanities

one institute.

– Prof. Dr. Pascale EhrenfreundAlexander Kurz

– Prof. Dr. techn. Dieter W. Fellner– Prof. Dr. rer. nat.

Fraunhofer Institute for Com­-

Georg ­Rosenfeld

puter Graphics Research IGD

Chair of the Executive Board,– Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Phys.

German Aerospace Center e. V.

Scientific and Technical

Hubert Lakner(DLR)

Council (STC)

Fraunhofer Institute for– Bernd Lietzau

Listed information valid
as at January 31, 2018

Photonic Microsystems IPMS

Head of Division, Senate

The STC has 150 members, 85 of– Prof. Dr.

Chancellery for the governing

whom are delegated instituteHorst-Christian Langowski

mayor of Berlin

directors or senior managers,

Fraunhofer Institute for– Dipl.-Ing. Wolfgang Lux

while 65 are elected representa-

Process Engineering and

Deputy Chairman,

tives of the scientific and technicalPackaging IVV

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

staff of each institute.

– Prof. Dr. rer. nat.

general works council,

Reinhart Poprawe

Fraunhofer Institute for

Fraunhofer Institute for

Manufacturing Engineering

Laser Technology ILT

and Automation IPA

143

FRAUNHOFER GROUPSThe Fraunhofer Groups are organizational units of the­Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in which institutes and research–	Fraunhofer Group for Defense and Security VVS
www.vvs.fraunhofer.de­institutions specializing in related areas of technology
have joined together to coordinate their activities andpresent a single face to the market. They also help–	Fraunhofer ICT Groupwww.iuk.fraunhofer.deto formulate the organization’s business policy andto implement its working methods and funding model.

–	Fraunhofer Group for Innovation Research – INNOVATION
www.innovationsforschung.fraunhofer.de

For further information on the Fraunhofer Groups,
please consult our website:–	Fraunhofer Group for Life Sciences
www.lifesciences.fraunhofer.de

www.fraunhofer.de–	Fraunhofer Group for Light & Surfaceswww.light-and-surfaces.fraunhofer.de–	Fraunhofer Group for Materials and Components –­MATERIALS
www.vwb.fraunhofer.de–	Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics
www.mikroelektronik.fraunhofer.de–	Fraunhofer Group for Productionwww.produktion.fraunhofer.de144

Fraunhofer AlliancesInterdisciplinary alliances have been established between

Fraunhofer Adaptronics Alliance

Fraunhofer Institutes or individual research departments

Fraunhofer Additive Manufacturing Allianceto enable them to jointly develop and market solutions for

Fraunhofer AdvanCer Alliancespecific business sectors.

Fraunhofer Ambient Assisted Living Alliance AAL
Fraunhofer AutoMOBILE Production Alliance

For further information on the Fraunhofer Alliances,

Fraunhofer Battery Allianceplease consult our website:

Fraunhofer Big Data Alliance
Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliancewww.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Cleaning Technology Alliance
Fraunhofer Cloud Computing Alliance
Fraunhofer Digital Media Alliance
Fraunhofer Embedded Systems Alliance
Fraunhofer Energy Alliance
Fraunhofer Food Chain Management Alliance
Fraunhofer Lightweight Design Alliance
Fraunhofer Nanotechnology Alliance
Fraunhofer Photocatalysis Alliance
Fraunhofer Polymer Surfaces Alliance POLO®
Fraunhofer Simulation Alliance
Fraunhofer Space Alliance
Fraunhofer Technical Textiles Alliance
Fraunhofer Traffic and Transportation Alliance
Fraunhofer Vision Alliance
Fraunhofer Water Systems Alliance (SysWasser)

145

		 S e r v i c E

146

ADDRESSES IN GERMANY

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V.

Postal address

Executive Board

Postfach 20 07 33
80007 München

President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft,

Germany

Corporate Policy and Research Management

Phone +49 89 1205-0

Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Prof. E. h. Dr.-Ing. E. h. mult.

Fax +49 89 1205-7531

Dr. h. c. mult. Reimund Neugebauer

Address for visitors

Executive Vice President, Human Resources,

Hansastrasse 27c

Legal Affairs and IP Management

80686 München

Prof. Dr. rer. publ. ass. iur. Alexander Kurz

Germany
Executive Vice President, Controllingand Digital Business Processes
Dipl.-Kfm. Andreas Meuer
Executive Vice President, Technology Marketing andBusiness Models
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Georg Rosenfeld
Information on fields of research, links to all
Fraunhofer Institutes and Research Institutions,as well as to the Fraunhofer Groups and Alliances,and contacts for the central departments areavailable on both the German and English versions
Historicof the Fraunhofer website:

Fraunhofer Glassworks
Fraunhoferstrasse 1

www.fraunhofer.de

83671 Benediktbeuern­Germany147

		 S e r v i c E

148

INTERNATIONAL ADDRESSES

Fraunhofer International

Contact in Germany

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft operates

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

subsidiaries in Europe, North America,

International Business Development

South America and Asia. In other regions,Thomas Dickert

Fraunhofer Representative Offices andPhone +49 89 1205-4700

Fraunhofer Senior Advisors form a bridge

Fax +49 89 1205-77-4700

to local markets worldwide. The Fraunhofer

thomas.dickert@zv.fraunhofer.de

Office in Brussels serves as an interface

Hansastrasse 27 c

between Fraunhofer and the institutions

80686 Münchenof the European Union. For specificGermany

contact addresses, please consult our
website:Contact in Brussels
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

www.fraunhofer.de

Brussels Office
Mathias Rauch
Phone +32 2 50642-42
Fax +32 2 50642-49
mathias.rauch@zv.fraunhofer.de
Rue Royale 94
1000 Brussels, Belgium

149

Editorial notes

Editorial teamYou can call up the addresses,

Editorial address

Dr. Martin Thum (editor in chief)

focal fields of research, andHansastrasse 27c

Markus Jürgens (picture editor)

contacts for all Fraunhofer Insti-

80686 Münchentutes and Groups in English

Germany

Editorial assistanceor German on the Internet:

Dr. Martin Thum

Janine van Ackerenwww.fraunhofer.deInternal Communications

Eva Bachmann

Phone +49 89 1205-1367

Sonja Endres

martin.thum@zv.fraunhofer.de

Dorothée Höfter
Ina Promper

Reproduction of any material

Eva Rathgeber

requires the editors’ consent.

Laura Rottensteiner
Tobias Steinhäußer

© Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur
Förderung der angewandten

Production
Silke Schneider
Jürgen Mosler
Design concept
Markus Jürgens
Silke Schneider
LayoutKruse+Company
English edition
Burton, Van Iersel & WhitneyGmbH, Munich

150

Forschung e. V., München 2018

Photo acknowledgments

Page 86: Fraunhofer ICT

Title page, inside title pages,

Page 87: Fraunhofer ILT,

back title page, pages 56/57,

Fraunhofer IPA

58, 71, 99, 116, 120/121,

Page 88: Fraunhofer IISB

138/139: iStockphoto

Page 89: Fraunhofer IPM

Pages 4/5: Fraunhofer IAO/

Page 90: Fraunhofer IWM/

Ludmilla Parsyak

Felizitas Gemetz

Pages 6/7: Getty Images

Page 91: Fraunhofer IISB/

Pages 8 –11, 49: Bernhard Huber

Kurt Fuchs

Page 47: Salzgitter AG/

Page 92: Fraunhofer IMS

Frank Bierstedt

Page 93: Fraunhofer LBF

Page 50: Simone M. Neumann

Page 95: Fraunhofer IOF

Page 53: KOMSA

Page 96: Fraunhofer IMS

Page 55: Eric Krügl

Page 97: Fraunhofer IKTS/

Page 61: Fraunhofer IAO

Jürgen Lösel

Page 62: Oliver Killig

Page 98: Fraunhofer IML

Page 64: E³-Forschungsfabrik

Page 100: Fraunhofer futureAM

Pages 65, 67: Fraunhofer IAO/

Page 101: Fraunhofer FEP

Ludmilla Parsyak

Page 102: Fraunhofer HHI

Page 66: Fraunhofer IWU

Page 103: Fraunhofer UMSICHT/

Page 77: Fraunhofer IBMT

Koehring

Page 78: Fraunhofer IVV

Pages 104 –108, 113, 114:

Page 79: Fraunhofer IAF

Oliver Soulas

Page 80: Fraunhofer IIS,

Page 110: João Macedo

inventory number MIR809

Fotografia 2017

Page 81: Fraunhofer IOF/
Jan-Peter Kasper

All other photos:

Page 82: Fraunhofer IOF© Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft e. V.

Page 83: Fraunhofer FHR/
Uwe Bellhäuser
Page 84: Fraunhofer WKI/
Norbert Rüther
Page 85: Fraunhofer FOKUS

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

With its clearly defined mission of application-oriented
research and its focus on key technologies of relevanceResearch of practical utility lies at the heart of all activities

to the future, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft plays apursued by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Founded in 1949,

prominent role in the German and European innovation

the research organization undertakes applied research

process. Applied research has a knock-on effect thatthat drives economic development and serves the wider

extends beyond the direct benefits perceived by thebenefit of society. Its services are solicited by customers

customer: through their research and development work,and contractual partners in industry, the service sector

the Fraunhofer Institutes help to reinforce the competitiveand public administration.

strength of the economy in their local region, andthroughout Germany and Europe. They do so by

At present, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft maintains

promoting innovation, strengthening the technological

72 institutes and research units. The majority of thebase, improving the acceptance of new technologies,

more than 25 000 staff are qualified scientists andand helping to train the urgently needed future gene-engineers, who work with an annual research budget

ration of scientists and engineers.

of 2.3 billion euros. Of this sum, almost 2 billion euros
is generated through contract research. AroundAs an employer, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft offers

70 percent of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s contract

its staff the opportunity to develop the professional

research revenue is derived from contracts withand personal skills that will allow them to take up

industry and from publicly financed research projects.

positions of responsibility within their institute, at

Around 30 percent is contributed by the German

universities, in industry and in society. Students who

federal and state governments in the form of basechoose to work on projects at the Fraunhofer Institutes

funding, enabling the institutes to work ahead on

have excellent prospects of starting and developing

solutions to problems that will not become acutely

a career in industry by virtue of the practical training

relevant to industry and society until five or ten years

and experience they have acquired.

from now.
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is a recognizedInternational collaborations with excellent research

non-profit organization that takes its name frompartners and innovative companies around the world

Joseph von Fraunhofer (1787 – 1826), the illustrious

ensure direct access to regions of the greatest importance

Munich researcher, inventor and entrepreneur.

to present and future scientific progress and economic
development.
Figures as at January 2018.
www.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer-Gesellschaft | ANNUAL REPORT 2017

ANNUAL REPORT 2017

THE FUTURE OF WORK