Number of Fraunhofer spin-offs on the rise

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

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has presented a positive spin-off balance 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 spun off from a Fraunhofer institute in 2021.

The approximately 60 existing investments of the spin-off department Fraunhofer Venture also performed well. The spin-offs were able to conclude financing rounds earlier than in previous years and raise around 10 percent more venture capital. Last year, for example, the Austrian Federal Real Estate Company acquired a 25.1 percent stake 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 spin-offs' lifespan. After three years, almost 96 percent are still active on the market, and after ten years the figure is still 82.5 percent. A total of 500 spin-offs have been founded since 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.