Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is a German research organization dedicated to applied research, headquartered in Munich. It comprises more than 70 institutes and research units spread across Germany, each focusing on a different field. The organization employs roughly 30,000–32,000 people, mainly scientists and engineers. Its annual research budget is approximately 3.6 billion euros, funded through industry contracts and public money. It is named after Joseph von Fraunhofer, a scientist, engineer and entrepreneur. The MP3 audio compression format was developed at the Fraunhofer IIS institute, one of the organization’s most recognizable achievements. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft was founded on 26 March 1949 in Munich and operates as a non-profit registered association (e.V.). Since the 1990s it has expanded internationally, establishing centers and representative offices in Europe, the United States, Asia and South America.