Number of Fraunhofer spin-offs on the rise

The Fraunhofer Institute's spin-offs are active in sectors such as sensor technology, artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing. The spin-offs developed positively last year.

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has presented a positive spin-off balance sheet for the past year: According to the report, the number of spin-offs grew by 15 percent despite the corona pandemic. A total of 30 teams founded spin-offs from a Fraunhofer Institute in 2021.

The approximately 60 existing investments of the spin-off department Fraunhofer Venture also developed well. The spin-offs were able to close financing rounds earlier than in previous years and raise around 10 percent more venture capital. Last year, for example, the Austrian Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft acquired 25.1 percent of the shares in Ampeers Energy, a spin-off of the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation(we reported).

The company's new figures also show a positive development in the lifespan of the spin-offs. According to the figures, almost 96 percent are still active on the market after three years and 82.5 percent after ten years. A total of 500 spin-offs have been founded since the year 2000. Fraunhofer start-ups are particularly active in sectors such as sensor technology, artificial intelligence, imaging, additive manufacturing and sustainable materials. Fraunhofer Venture gives them access to the technologies, knowledge and infrastructure of the 76 Fraunhofer Institutes through investments and spin-offs.