Press/Newsroom

Under the theme “Fraunhofer—Transfer for Our Future,” leaders from research, industry and government gathered on the evening of June 10, 2026, at Congress Center Leipzig as part of the Fraunhofer annual assembly. The event focused on how scientific excellence can be translated more quickly and effectively into economic value, technological sovereignty and societal progress.

Energy savings, faster calculations and permanent data storage: In collaboration with GlobalFoundries, research scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS have developed a novel storage technology that meets precisely these requirements. The team has succeeded in integrating hafnium oxide-based ultra-fast ferroelectric FRAM memory into an existing industrial manufacturing technology. They have been singled out to receive the Stifterverband Science Prize Forschung im Verbund (Joint Research) for their efforts.

Green hydrogen is seen as a key technology for the decarbonization of industry. As yet, however, shortcomings in the areas of production efficiency, cost and scalability have prevented it from making a breakthrough. Mihails Kusnezoff, Stefan Megel and Sindy Mosch from the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS have developed a high-temperature electrolysis stack that is setting new standards world-wide: It generates hydrogen with unprecedented efficiency, can also operate as a fuel cell and is designed for industrial-scale serial production. This technology has earned the three researchers the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize for 2026.

The precise measurement of trace gases plays a key role in climate protection, industrial processes and the safety of critical infrastructure. This previously required large, expensive equipment. By further developing a well-known measurement method to be suitable for industrial use, a team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM has now succeeded in implementing highly sensitive gas sensor technology in a robust and compact format—at a fraction of the previous cost. Their efforts have earned the researchers the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize for 2026.

Precision optical coatings are key technologies for modern optical systems. These complex coatings impose stringent requirements for uniformity, process stability and productivity on an industrial scale. Stefan Bruns, Philipp Farr and Michael Vergöhl from the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST in Braunschweig have developed a unique coating technology for precision optics systems that meets these requirements and is already in use in industry. Their efforts have earned them the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize for 2026.

Which technologies are making aerospace safer and more competitive? And how can new propulsion systems, sustainable materials and satellite technologies be produced economically? Under the direction of Fraunhofer AVIATION & SPACE, researchers from the Fraunhofer‑Gesellschaft will be presenting answers to these questions at ILA, the leading international aerospace trade show, which will take place in Berlin from June 10 to 14, 2026.

Drone swarms can monitor progress on large construction sites, inspect remote offshore wind farms and search for survivors after natural disasters. When multiple drones are deployed, they generally are controlled centrally by mobile communications up to now. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS are working on a decentralized solution that is less susceptible to interference while at the same time ensuring greater flexibility.

Innovative mRNA-based therapeutics and vaccines offer hope in the fight against cancer, genetic disorders and infections. However, their development and production are complex, slow and difficult to scale. Seven Fraunhofer institutes are working to change this situation. In the RNAuto project, they have now developed an automated, digitally controlled production system that is fast, flexible and cost-effective.

The vacuum of space makes cooling extremely challenging. The Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-Hertz-Institut, HHI is developing technologies for thermal management in aerospace applications. The research team is using femtosecond and nanosecond lasers to treat the outer surfaces of satellite components and rocket nozzles to improve their heat dissipation. The researchers will be at the joint Fraunhofer booth at ILA 2026 to demonstrate that metal surfaces structured for high-emissivity ensure significantly more efficient cooling.

In its 2022 condition assessment, the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) classified 8,000 highway bridges as requiring rehabilitation. In other words, it is time to start continuously monitoring Germany’s bridges. With the COMOBASE modular acoustic emission monitoring system, the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS presents an innovative solution for continuous infrastructure monitoring, specially customized for the respective requirements and significantly more economical than conventional technologies.