A number of excellent universities, research and development centers, and business partnerships has significantly increased the attractiveness of the new federal states for international investors. A broad range of industry clusters – covering everything from renewable energies, optics, biotechnology, chemicals and electronics to nanotechnology, aerospace, and automobile assembly – provide promising opportunities.
Investors can profit from the know-how of more than 40 Leibniz Association institutions, 22 Max-Planck Institutes, 26 Fraunhofer Institutes, and 4 Helmholz Association institutions. The 23 universities and 36 colleges located in Eastern Germany also play an important role in training the region’s highly qualified workforce as well as in research.
Germany’s Fundamental and Applied Research Institutes
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is Europe’s largest application-oriented research organization. Founded in 1949, the research organization undertakes applied research that drives economic development and serves the wider benefit of society. Its services are solicited by customers and contractual partners in industry, the service sector and public administration. More
Helmholtz Association
Established in 1995 as a successor organization to the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Großforschungseinrichtungen (“syndicate of large-scale research institutes”), the Helmholtz Association is dedicated to pursuing the long-term research goals of society, and to maintaining and improving the quality of life of the population. More
Leibniz Association
The Leibniz Association is a non-profit association made up of 89 basic and applied science and research institutions. Non-profit organized in nature, the Leibniz Association promotes science and research objectives among its member institutions with specific significance accorded their scientific, legal and economic independence. More
Max Planck Society
The Max Planck Society (MPG) is an independent, publicly funded research organization focused on basic research. Established in 1948 as the successor organization to the Kaiser Wilhelm Society (founded in 1911), the Max Planck Society consists of 83 institutes and research facilities (including four institutes in other European countries and one Max Planck Institute in the USA). Each institute is assigned to one of three designated research areas: Chemistry, Physics and Technology; Biology and Medicine; and the Humanities. More