More than 3200 experts were surveyed for the study and asked to name the respective most innovative companies for their industry. Awards were presented to a total of 473 companies in 20 industry sectors. Fraunhofer IMWS has been included in the ranking for the third time already, after 2019 and 2020, and earned the best rating of five stars in the “Energy and Environment” category. Fraunhofer CSP, a joint venture of Fraunhofer IMWS and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, is also included.

“I am very pleased about this award. It confirms that we are recognized as a driver of future technologies and a reliable research and development partner for our customers, even under challenging conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In my opinion, the pandemic has underscored the importance of boosting the innovation capacity of industry, making companies more competitive and resilient,” says Prof. Matthias Petzold, acting director of Fraunhofer IMWS.

Around 330 institute employees offer diagnostic and technology development services for innovative materials, components, and systems to industry partners and public sector customers. They research functionality and application behavior aspects as well as the reliability, safety, and service life of materials used in various market segments and business areas of high importance for social and economic development, such as electronics, plastics engineering, the chemicals industry, energy technology and photovoltaics, the healthcare sector, automobile construction, and transportation technology. Thus Fraunhofer IMWS contributes to the accelerated development of new materials, thereby driving economic viability and sustainability for its customers.

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is represented with a total of nine institutions in the list of “Germany's most innovative companies 2021”. Four of the companies recognized in the extensive analysis are based in Saxony-Anhalt.