Engage Us

In short, yes. Innovations offer the basis for both a successful economy and successful companies. This is especially true in industries where product life cycles are steadily getting ever shorter owing to global competition and rapid technological development. Ideas alone are not enough – you also need experienced professionals who can help you transform your ideas into innovations and, ultimately, into successful products.

Contract research is Fraunhofer USA's main field of business – a fact that is reflected in their employees’ expertise. Fraunhofer USA researchers are familiar with the conditions and constraints that companies encounter on a daily basis and they understand what is important, often because they have worked in the industry themselves.

Our close cooperation with industry partners means we can constantly tailor Fraunhofer USA research to address the mounting challenges that companies face. The cornerstones of our approach are guaranteed confidentiality, continuity in key positions, top-class facilities, and reliable project management. Our efficient style of collaboration ensures that our customers get the agreed solution on time and ready to put into practice. We also handle the issue of usage rights with the utmost professionalism. 

Other research providers, the bulk of whom are publicly funded, may seem like a more economical option at first glance. But what ultimately gives Fraunhofer USA the edge, even from an economic perspective, is its professional approach towards cooperation and its long-standing ties to industry. The high levels of customer satisfaction confirmed by survey after survey are an indication of the excellent reputation and stature that Fraunhofer USA enjoys as a partner to business.

Customers tend to have a fairly concrete idea of the challenge they are facing and the deadlines they must meet, and in many cases they simply make a direct approach to Fraunhofer USA. Feel free to contact us to discuss your needs. 

The scope and scale of cooperation with Fraunhofer USA is flexible, with the Centers catering to the specific needs of each particular client. Successful cooperation often begins with an entry-level project. But regardless of whether your project is large or small, you can be sure you will receive the same professional level of research and development services from Fraunhofer USA and its employees. The classic model of cooperation beings with a one-off contract: A company perceives a need for research or development – for example it wants to launch an innovative product, improve a method or technique, solve a logistical problem, or audit a process to obtain certification. A discussion with Fraunhofer USA identifies possible solutions and clarifies the form the partnership could take and the estimated cost. Regardless of whether the project is large or small, its goal is to solve the problem and to launch the innovation within the company or on the market.

The initial consultation phase is free of charge. Fraunhofer USA only starts charging for its research and development work once the scope of the cooperation has been defined and the corresponding agreements have been finalized.

After-sales service is an important aspect of customer satisfaction. Once the innovation has been launched, you can request specific information from  Fraunhofer USA concerned to address your ongoing needs, for example in the form of staff training and development.

Yes. We always use the very latest, state-of-the-art technical equipment. Also, thanks to the close collaboration between Fraunhofer USA and universities we get access to the most recent developments in each field. Our international activities keep us in touch with the cutting-edge aspects of each field of technology – and of course in many fields the latest technological developments are being pioneered by the Fraunhofer Network itself.

Cooperation with companies is the bread and butter of Fraunhofer USA employees’ work. They see it as their fundamental duty to ensure their work always focuses on practical applications. Thanks to their broad customer base, Fraunhofer USA researchers also have plenty of experience in how companies think and work and have been able to gain major insights into different corporate cultures. Many of our staff worked in industry before they joined Fraunhofer USA. Fraunhofer USA research can best be compared to a company’s outsourced research department, another environment where application of the results is the primary goal. And that is how we define ourselves at Fraunhofer USA, too: We work for businesses, and we help our customers transform knowledge into profit.