Research environment

36 institutions of higher education have R&D programs in photonics and microsystems technologies. Because important research institutes are present, the region has become a German center for photonics. These sites supply the region’s companies with necessary know-how.

These experts include (amongst others):

• Technical University of Berlin (TU)
• Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM
• Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich Hertz Institute, HHI
• Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik (FBH)

Close cooperation between science and industry:

• the Institute for Nanometer Optics and Technology at the Helmholtz Centre
• the University of Potsdam with its Center for Innovative Expertise, innoFSPEC
• the Max Born Institute for Nonlinear Optics and Short-Pulse Spectroscopy (MBI)

University and research landscape

• The highest concentration of research institutions and activities in Germany
• High investment in research and development
• Support for spin-offs from academic institutions
• Targeted support for start-ups
• Germany's largest start-up competition "Businessplan-Wettbewerb Berlin-Brandenburg"

Educational institutions in the region

• Beuth Hochschule für Technik
• Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences
• Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg
• Freie Universität Berlin
• HTW University of Applied Sciences
• Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
• Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau
• Technical University of Berlin
• University of Potsdam

Research institutions in the region

• BAM Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung
• Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Institute for Optical Sensor Systems
• Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik FBH
• Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP
• Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich Hertz Institute, HHI
• Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS
• Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK
• Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI-BB
• Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM
• The Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin
• IHP – Leibniz-Institut für innovative Mikroelektronik, Frankfurt/Oder
• Institute of Applied Photonics (IAP)
• Institut für Dünnschichttechnologie und Mikrosensorik e. V. (IDM)
• Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften – ISAS e. V.
• Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam AIP
• Max Born Institute for Nonlinear Optics and Short Pulse Spectroscopy
• Zentrum für Innovationskompetenz innoFSPEC Potsdam