ForTISS
fortiss GmbH is the State Research Institute of the Free State of Bavaria for software-intensive systems, providing applied research, contract R&D, and technology transfer in AI, IoT, and software engineering to Bavarian and European industry and public administration.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersMunich, Germany
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ForTISS does
fortiss GmbH is the State Research Institute of the Free State of Bavaria (Landesforschungsinstitut des Freistaats Bayern) for software-intensive systems, organized as a non-profit limited liability company (HRB 176633) headquartered in Munich. Founded in 2008 with between 101 and 250 employees, the institute operates as a state-funded applied-research body whose mandate is to facilitate research and technology transfer in software-intensive systems and services to Bavarian and European industry and public administration. It does not pursue traditional for-profit commercialization; instead it generates revenue through bilateral contract research, prototyping, potential analyses, qualification programs, and competitively awarded public project funding, including EU Horizon Europe, federal programs, and Bavarian state initiatives. Ownership rests with the Free State of Bavaria, and Dr. Holger Pfeifer serves as Managing Director.
The institute is structured around three research focus areas (Software & Systems Engineering, AI Engineering, and IoT Engineering) and nine competence fields including Machine Learning, Neuromorphic Computing, Model-based Systems Engineering, Automated Software Testing, Platform Engineering, Requirements Engineering, Human-centered Engineering, Industrial IoT, and Architectures for Critical Infrastructures. Tangible software artifacts include the Neurorobotics Platform (a 3D simulator coupling virtual robots with spiking neural networks), OpenSBT (search-based testing for automated-driving systems), and the GenKI family of base models for GraphRAG, medical, and SME applications. Technology investments span neuromorphic hardware integration, edge-cloud orchestration, semantic knowledge representation, and digital-sovereignty platform engineering.
Commercially, fortiss sells services rather than products: contract research engagements with negotiated fixed-price or effort-capped fees, direct bilateral research partnerships, and participation in EU consortia such as the Human Brain Project, the European Factory Platform, and the Mittelstand-Digital Zentren program. End customers include industrial manufacturers, energy and grid operators, automotive OEMs and suppliers, public administration, and defense and security clients (e.g., OHB System AG on ESA-funded AI4FDIR work and Mittelstand-Digital Zentren Augsburg/Chemnitz on the EILE energy-management project). Distribution is direct, sales-led, and concentrated in Germany and the EU, with selective international research linkages such as the SemComIIoT cooperation with Shandong University.
ForTISS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ForTISS
- Legal name
- fortiss GmbH
- Website
- https://fortiss.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- fortiss GmbH is the State Research Institute of the Free State of Bavaria for software-intensive systems, providing applied research, contract R&D, and technology transfer in AI, IoT, and software engineering to Bavarian and European industry and public administration.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where ForTISS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Munich
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
ForTISS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Contract Research Services: fortiss GmbH conducts commissioned research and development work for industry and public administration clients. Fees are calculated as fixed prices or based on effort with maximum cost limits. Research results are delivered to clients following contract completion.
- Research Project Funding: Government-funded research projects including EU Horizon Europe programs, federal and state (Bavaria) funding for digital transformation initiatives in SMEs, manufacturing, energy, and public administration sectors.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Contract research with negotiated fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
ForTISS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ForTISS (fortiss GmbH) is the State Research Institute of the Free State of Bavaria for software-intensive systems. It conducts applied research in Software & Systems Engineering, AI Engineering, and IoT Engineering, and delivers contract research, potential analyses, prototyping, qualification programs, and research partnerships to industry and public administration clients. It also releases open-source software tools such as the Neurorobotics Platform and OpenSBT.
Product overview
fortiss is the Research Institute of the Free State of Bavaria for software-intensive systems, conducting applied research rather than selling commercial products. The institute is organized around three main research focus areas: Software & Systems Engineering, AI Engineering, and IoT Engineering. Within these, nine competence fields (Machine Learning, Neuromorphic Computing, Human-centered Engineering, Model-based Systems Engineering, Automated Software Testing, Platform Engineering, Requirements Engineering, Industrial Internet of Things, and Architectures & Services for Critical Infrastructures) provide specialized expertise. The institute produces software tools including the Neurorobotics Platform and OpenSBT, and develops GenAI & LLMs for various applications. Services include potential analysis, prototypes, contract research, funding opportunities, qualification, and research partnerships.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Contract Research (Auftragsforschung) Commissioned applied research and development work for industry and public administration clients. Delivered as bilateral research contracts with fees calculated as fixed prices or effort-based with maximum cost limits; research results are handed over to clients upon contract completion.
- Potential Analysis (Potenzialanalyse) Analytical engagement to assess technology potential, feasibility, and applicability for industrial and public-sector partners, delivered as a contract service by fortiss researchers.
- Prototypes (Prototypen) Prototyping service taking research outcomes from fundamental research to market-ready prototypes in collaboration with industry and public administration partners.
- Research Partnership (Forschungspartnerschaft) Collaborative research partnerships in EU Horizon Europe projects, federal and state funded initiatives, and bilateral industry partnerships for software, AI, and IoT topics.
- Qualification (Qualifizierung) Qualification and training programs (e.g., SME-focused) to transfer knowledge on software, AI, and IoT topics to industrial and public-sector participants.
- Funding Opportunities Support (Fördermöglichkeiten) Advisory and project support to identify and access public funding programs (EU, federal, Bavarian state) for applied research and digitalization initiatives.
- Neurorobotics Platform Open-source 3D simulator for neural-network-controlled robots, enabling development of intelligent robotic systems by simulating virtual 3D robots and neural networks in a shared environment. Developed within the Human Brain Project flagship.
- OpenSBT Open-source search-based testing framework for automated driving systems, enabling efficient and scalable validation of complex autonomous systems through integration of simulations, search algorithms, and analysis tools.
Quantifiable outcome
- Development of secure and sovereign AI systems and bringing technological innovation into industrial practice for Bavaria and Europe
Companies that use ForTISS
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
ForTISS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability13 records
Feature8 records
ForTISS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Shandong University (China)coreMobility cooperation between fortiss and Shandong University China for the SemComIIoT project exploring semantic interoperability in Industrial IoT communication.
- European Factory Platform (EFPF)coreEFPF connects digital manufacturing environments, intelligent tools, and Industry 4.0 concepts, providing a unified portal for simple, efficient, and innovative solutions for European industry.
- Human Brain ProjectflagshipEuropean flagship project equipping robots with artificial neural networks. fortiss participates in developing the Neurorobotics Platform for neural network controlled robotics simulation.
- Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum (Augsburg and Chemnitz)corePartnership through the Mittelstand-Digital initiative developing AI, digitalization, and energy solutions for SMEs. Project EILE focuses on data-based, transparent industrial decision-making in the context of energy transition.
- OHB System AGcoreESA-funded project AI4FDIR led by OHB System AG to develop AI-based framework for autonomous fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR) as well as resource optimization in satellites.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ForTISS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research): Dutch state-funded applied research organization offering contract research across digital, defense, energy, and industrial domains — a near-analogue to fortiss in scope, funding model, and customer base.
- CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission): Major French public research organization with digital and systems engineering divisions serving industry and government, comparable in scale, public ownership, and applied research mandate.
- German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI): Germany's leading applied AI research center with public funding and multiple sites, directly comparable to fortiss in offering contract research, AI/IoT engineering, and technology transfer services to industry and government.
- Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT): Austria's largest non-university research institution with publicly funded applied research in digitalization, AI, and energy — directly comparable scale and structure to fortiss.
- Fraunhofer Society: Europe's largest applied research organization with institutes across software, AI, and production domains. Closely matches fortiss's model of public funding combined with bilateral contract research and SME-focused programs such as Mittelstand-Digital.
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKS: Specialized Fraunhofer institute focused on safe AI and software-intensive systems, directly overlapping fortiss's competence fields in MBSE, automated testing, and AI safety.
- Information Technologies Institute (ITI) - CERTH: Greek public-sector IT research institute with EU-funded projects across AI, IoT, and cybersecurity — comparable in participating in Horizon Europe programs and serving as a contract research partner to industry.
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finland's state-owned applied research institute conducting contract research in AI, software, and IoT for industry and government, with comparable revenue mix and European policy alignment.
Broad incumbents
- Bosch Research: Corporate research arm of Bosch with broader automotive and industrial AI/IoT portfolio; overlaps fortiss's automotive and manufacturing domains but operates inside a much larger commercial entity.
- Siemens Technology: Industrial conglomerate research division covering digital industries, IoT, and AI, with comparable focus areas but commercial industrial-customer orientation distinct from fortiss's public-institute model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ForTISS social profiles
Digital presenceForTISS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ForTISS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
ForTISS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ForTISS M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ForTISS
What does ForTISS do?
ForTISS (fortiss GmbH) is the State Research Institute of the Free State of Bavaria for software-intensive systems. It conducts applied research in Software & Systems Engineering, AI Engineering, and IoT Engineering, and delivers contract research, potential analyses, prototyping, qualification programs, and research partnerships to industry and public administration clients. It also releases open-source software tools such as the Neurorobotics Platform and OpenSBT.
Is ForTISS a public or private company?
ForTISS is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was ForTISS founded?
ForTISS was founded in 2008. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is ForTISS based?
ForTISS is headquartered in Munich, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does ForTISS make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Contract Research Services are the primary driver. The others are research Project Funding.
Who are ForTISS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research), CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission), German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), Fraunhofer Society, Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKS, Information Technologies Institute (ITI) - CERTH and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Broad incumbents are Bosch Research and Siemens Technology.
Does ForTISS have an API?
No public API is recorded for ForTISS.