Our Mission

Interface and transfer pioneer

As a strong research partner, the FZI keeps an eye on the real-world application

As an independent foundation, the FZI Research Center for Information Technology has stood for applied, cutting-edge research in information technology and its fields of application for over 40 years. The FZI researches and develops innovations for the common good and offers excellent researchers a unique springboard to their professional future. For its partners in industry, business, science, associations, and the public sector, the FZI is a research, training, and transfer institution.

Non-profit institution

For computer science application research and technology transfer

For more than four decades, the FZI, as an independent and non-profit institution, has been developing the latest scientific findings in information technology into practical solutions for companies and public institutions.

Broad research expertise

Scientific excellence, practiced interdisciplinarity, and broad expertise are firmly anchored in the organization of the FZI.

What is unique about the projects at the FZI is that specialists in computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, economics, mathematics, psychology, law and many other fields and subjects work hand in hand. With their professional and scientific excellence, the 27 members of the FZI Board of Scientific Directors support our interdisciplinary research groups, which are organized into five units.

Innovation partnership with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

Members of the Board of Scientific Directors as transfer guarantors

As members of the Board of Scientific Directors, professors provide impulses from university research to FZI application research.

Of the 27 members of our Board of Scientific Directors, 23 teach at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in one of the four faculties of computer science, electrical engineering and information technology, mechanical engineering, and economics. This creates a special link to the excellence of KIT as an innovation partner.

Particularly in the current times, I see it as urgently necessary, both economically and socially, to let people participate in important decisions – be it in the workplace, in social life, in the cultural sector and, above all, in political matters. That's why we need to understand much better how we can use digitization for this purpose as well. We call this "digital citizen participation".

Prof. Dr. Christof Weinhardt Scientific Director at FZI

Who does the FZI work for?

For and with companies and public institutions of all sizes – cross-industry, methodical and competent.

Whether the partners are small businesses or corporations, regional administrations or institutions of the states, the federal government or the EU: Regardless of sector and task, FZI scientists research markets, technologies and methods and develop prototype solutions for partners from business, science, administration and politics. Together, the work of the FZI creates tailored and application-oriented innovations that strengthen the economy and society in international competition.

Federal and state positioning

The FZI is an innovation hub in the state and strengthens its supra-regional profile with the Berlin branch office.

The headquarters of the FZI is in Karlsruhe. In addition, the FZI is represented by a branch office in Berlin. This strengthens the FZI’s supra-regional position and promotes direct contact with politics and associations at the federal level as well. In the state of Baden-Württemberg, the FZI assumes the position of an innovation hub in the field of information technology. As a neutral interface between science and industry, the FZI combines university research with practical usage.

Networking in the country and region

Commitment to the country’s small and medium-sized enterprises

The FZI is a member of the Innovationsallianz innBW (innBW Innovation Alliance) and a shareholder in the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion Innovation Alliance. In the region, the FZI is also active with the innoWerft – Technologie- und Gründerzentrum Walldorf Stiftung GmbH. Furthermore, the FZI is involved in the European Center for Information and Communication Technologies – EICT GmbH.

Together with the entrepreneurs’ association CyberForum e.V., the FZI has launched the DIZ | Digitales Innovationszentrum. As a neutral and independent point of contact, the DIZ accompanies Baden-Württemberg’s SMEs on their way to digital sovereignty and helps to sustainably transfer value chains into the digital world.

FZI as a career springboard

Excellent continuing education for future specialists and managers

Work, do research for your doctorate and establish a startup at the same time. Not possible? Sure, it is! At the FZI.

In addition to the rapid transfer of research results to business, administration, and society, the central task of the FZI is also the training and further education of future specialists and managers for the digital transformation who, after their work at the FZI, move to companies, public administration or even academia.

The FZI sees itself as a training ground for outstanding experts who combine scientific issues with practical activities in their work. Research at the FZI is therefore not only on a high scientific level, but always has a strong practical relevance.

Our transfer strategy

How our research benefits your company

We guarantee our partners direct access to research findings and technological innovations in information and communication technology. And we rapidly translate our research into market-ready products, processes, and services. Our close collaboration with industry ensures short innovation cycles, allowing us to transfer expertise precisely and build competitive advantages in a targeted manner. In doing so, we always take your individual requirements into account.

We promote the path from scientific excellence to economic value creation. Our spin-off process also specifically fosters entrepreneurial thinking by ensuring a structured transition from research to practice.

Our current FZI brochure gives you insights into our projects, activities as well as the work at the FZI and presents our research institution in more detail.