Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin

What Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin does

Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH (HZB) is a German non-profit research institution and member of the Helmholtz Association, founded in 2009 through the merger of BESSY GmbH and Hahn-Meitner-Institut Berlin. The center operates the BESSY II third-generation synchrotron radiation source at its Berlin-Wannsee campus, providing intense X-ray beams for materials and energy research, and is developing BESSY III as a next-generation materials discovery facility. A secondary campus in Berlin-Adlershof focuses on solar fuels, catalysis, and electrochemical energy storage.

HZB's core technology stack centers on photon science infrastructure, complemented by specialized CoreLabs (Quantum Materials, EMIL, X-ray CoreLab, HySPRINT, PVcomB), the CatLab catalysis laboratory, the Berlin Battery Lab (with BAM and Humboldt-Universität), and a proton therapy accelerator. The 248-sensor TES X-ray spectrometer array commissioned in 2026 represents Europe's first superconducting TES installation, achieving 100–1,000x higher photon detection efficiency than conventional instruments. The center also announced a joint AI/HPC data center with Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB) in March 2026 to support AI-driven materials and climate research.

HZB's business model is government-anchored: 90% federal and 10% state base funding through the Helmholtz Association covers operations, infrastructure, and core salaries, supplemented by competitive third-party grants (e.g., €30M BMBF ASCEND award in April 2026, €2.4M ERDF for Berlin Battery Lab in 2026–2028). Access to BESSY II and laboratory facilities is allocated through a peer-reviewed GATE beamtime application system open to academic and industrial users worldwide. The center serves 2,700 visiting researchers annually from 28 countries and collaborates with industrial partners including BASF, Siemens Energy, and Dunia Innovations on energy-materials commercialization pathways. No commercial pricing model exists for core research services; industry collaborations are negotiated individually.

Name

Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin

Legal name

Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH

Website

https://helmholtz-berlin.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin is a German government-funded research center operating the BESSY II synchrotron and developing BESSY III for materials and energy research, serving 2,700 international scientists annually and partnering with industry on photovoltaics, batteries, catalysis, and quantum materials.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific Research Infrastructure

NAICS

Irradiation Apparatus Manufacturing (334517), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Quantum Standards, Testbeds & Open Research Infrastructure (HDAGAMAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Quantum Materials, Qubits & Device Physics Research (HDAGAMAA), QCaaS Platforms & Developer Portals (HDAGAIAB)

Keywords

• Synchrotron radiation research
• Energy materials research
• Photovoltaics research
• Battery materials development
• Catalysis research

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Government Research Funding (BMBF / Federal Ministry): HZB is a member of the Helmholtz Association, Germany's largest research organization, funded primarily by federal (90%) and state (10%) government grants. Core institutional funding covers operations, infrastructure maintenance, and basic research salaries. Additional project-based funding from federal ministries (BMBF, BMWK) supports specific research initiatives.
2. Third-Party Research Grants (Collaborative Projects): HZB participates in funded collaborative research projects such as ASCEND (€30M from BMFTR), the Berlin Battery Lab (€2.4M ERDF), and Horizon Europe projects like PEARL. These grants fund specific research programs involving industry and academic partners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) operates large-scale research infrastructure for energy materials science, centered on the BESSY II synchrotron radiation source. It provides beamtime access, specialized thematic laboratories (CoreLabs), and collaborative research programs in photovoltaics, batteries, catalysis, quantum materials, and photon science to academic and industrial users worldwide.

Product overview

Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) operates as a large-scale research infrastructure center rather than a commercial product company. The institution's offerings center on providing access to advanced scientific facilities, primarily the BESSY II synchrotron radiation source and the developing BESSY III project, which serve as foundational platforms for materials research. These core facilities are complemented by specialized thematically-focused Corelabs (Quantum Materials, EMIL, X-ray CoreLab, HySPRINT, PVcomB) and the CatLab strategic project, which provide targeted research capabilities. HZB also operates the Berlin Battery Lab for battery research, a proton therapy accelerator for medical applications, and manages radiation hardness testing services. Access to these facilities is provided through the GATE beamtime system. Educational offerings include Young Investigator Groups and Research Schools for doctoral training. The institution positions its infrastructure as enabling research in photovoltaics, batteries, catalysis, quantum materials, and photon science rather than selling commercial products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BESSY II: Synchrotron radiation light source operated by HZB for research in materials science, chemistry, and biology
• BESSY III
• CatLab
• Berlin Battery Lab
• HySPRINT
• PVcomB

Products and services

• BESSY II Synchrotron Radiation Source Third-generation synchrotron light source providing intense X-ray beams for materials research across multiple beamlines and stations, serving international researchers in protein crystallography, photovoltaics, quantum materials, and energy materials studies.
• EMIL - Energy Materials In-Situ Laboratory Berlin In-situ laboratory for studying energy materials under real operating conditions using synchrotron-based characterization techniques, supporting research into electrocatalysts, solar cells, and battery materials.
• HySPRINT Photovoltaics Lab Specialized laboratory for perovskite and silicon-based photovoltaic research and development, including tandem solar cell technologies.
• Quantum Materials CoreLab Dedicated facility for research on quantum phenomena in novel materials, including topological materials and functional oxides.
• X-Ray CoreLab Central laboratory providing X-ray characterization capabilities for materials analysis, supporting research across photovoltaics, batteries, catalysis, and quantum materials with synchrotron-based techniques.
• PVcomB - Competence Centre Photovoltaics Berlin Competence center providing expertise and infrastructure for silicon and perovskite photovoltaics research, supporting industry partnerships and technology transfer for solar energy technologies.
• CatLab - Catalysis Laboratory Strategic project laboratory focused on catalyst development and characterization, advancing research in electrocatalysis, heterogeneous catalysis, and sustainable chemical production methods.
• Berlin Battery Lab Collaborative research platform for next-generation battery technologies focused on sodium-ion and lithium-sulfur battery development with materials science, cell development, and safety testing capabilities.
• Proton Therapy Accelerator Proton accelerator facility providing particle beam therapy for cancer treatment, one of the few specialized medical radiation facilities offering precise proton therapy services for patients.
• Radiation Hardness Testing Services Irradiation services including proton and gamma irradiation for radiation hardness testing, supporting aerospace, satellite, and electronics industries in evaluating component resilience to radiation environments.
• GATE - Beamtime Access System Online portal for researchers to apply for beamtime at HZB facilities, managing proposal submission, peer-review processes, and experimental scheduling for synchrotron radiation access.
• Superconducting TES Array X-ray Spectrometer at BESSY II 248-sensor detector array enabling studies of atomically thin layers, nanostructures, and highly diluted molecular systems with detection efficiency 100-1,000 times higher than conventional XES and RIXS spectrometers, reducing experiment times from hours to minutes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18,685 publications since 2009
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology)coreTechnology or Integration · 18 June 2026NIST collaborated with HZB and MPICEC to develop Europe's first superconducting TES array X-ray spectrometer at BESSY II. The 248-sensor detector array represents a major advancement in photon detection technology for X-ray spectroscopy.
• MPICEC (Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026MPICEC partnered with HZB and NIST to develop the TES X-ray spectrometer at BESSY II. The collaboration enables studies of atomically thin layers, nanostructures, and highly diluted molecular systems in molecular chemistry, molecular biology, and quantum materials research.
• Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2026HZB and ZIB signed an agreement to build an AI and HPC data center in Berlin. The project aims to support research in materials, health, and climate by enhancing data processing capabilities. Initial infrastructure setups will be established at existing sites with plans for expanded capacity. The center will strengthen Berlin's research infrastructure and foster advancements in modeling, AI, and high-performance computing.
• Fritz-Haber-Institut (FHI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2026FHI is the co-lead of the ASCEND project alongside HZB. The consortium aims to accelerate catalyst discovery using AI and autonomous experimentation platforms over a five-year period starting April 2026, with €30M in funding from the German Federal Ministry.
• Dunia InnovationscoreTechnology or Integration · 30 March 2026Dunia Innovations brings its AI-driven autonomous materials discovery platform to the ASCEND consortium. The company states the platform can cut catalyst discovery timelines from decades to years. This partnership represents an industrial technology transfer into the consortium.
• Siemens EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2026Siemens Energy is an industry partner in the ASCEND consortium focused on hydrogen and CO₂ conversion catalyst development. The partnership aims to deploy breakthrough catalyst discoveries for climate-critical processes toward industrial application.
• BASFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2026BASF is an industry partner in the ASCEND consortium, contributing to the development and industrial scaling of advanced catalysts for hydrogen production, CO₂ reduction, and other decarbonization processes.
• BAM (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026BAM co-founded the Berlin Battery Lab with HZB and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. The facility accelerates sodium-ion and lithium-sulfur battery development, integrating materials science, cell development, and safety testing. BAM developed the core-shell anode design achieving 82% efficiency for sodium-ion batteries, to be further developed at the Berlin Battery Lab.
• Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026HU is a founding partner of the Berlin Battery Lab, collaborating with HZB and BAM on next-generation battery technologies. HU also has multiple joint appointments with HZB researchers and hosts several HZB young investigator groups.
• PEARL Consortium (10 European Partners)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 October 2025PEARL is a Horizon Europe project developing flexible perovskite solar cells with carbon electrodes. At its halfway point, partners achieved over 21% efficiency on flexible PET substrates and demonstrated scalable roll-to-roll manufacturing. Target application is building-integrated photovoltaics and IoT. HZB is among the ten European partners in this EU-funded initiative.
• PTB (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPTB operates the Metrology Light Source at the HZB campus as an infrastructure partner. PTB is Germany's national metrology institute, and the partnership provides precision measurement capabilities for photon science research.
• TU WienminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTU Wien collaborated with Humboldt-University Berlin and HZB on research using operando X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy at BESSY II to identify degradation mechanisms in all-solid-state batteries.
• Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with HZB on a comprehensive review of in-situ polymerization techniques for solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries, published in 2025.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• DESY (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron): Germany's other major Helmholtz-affiliated particle and photon science center, operating the PETRA III synchrotron and FLASH free-electron laser. Direct peer in synchrotron-based materials and energy research with overlapping user community and funding sources.
• Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI): Swiss national laboratory operating the Swiss Light Source synchrotron and large-scale facilities for energy, materials, and proton therapy research. Strong overlap with HZB in photovoltaics, batteries, catalysis, and accelerator-based research.
• Diamond Light Source: UK's national synchrotron facility providing photon-based characterization across materials, energy, and life sciences. Operates a similar peer-reviewed beamtime access model and competes with HZB for European industrial and academic users.
• ESRF (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility): Operates one of the world's most intense hard X-ray synchrotron sources in Grenoble. Directly comparable user-facility model serving thousands of international researchers annually in materials, chemistry, and life sciences.
• MAX IV Laboratory: Sweden's national synchrotron, the first fourth-generation synchrotron light source. Comparable scale and user-facility model, with overlapping focus on energy materials, catalysis, and quantum materials characterization.

Broad incumbents

• Argonne National Laboratory: US Department of Energy lab operating the Advanced Photon Source. Strong overlap in catalysis, battery, and quantum materials research using synchrotron techniques, with a much larger overall institutional footprint.
• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT): German public research university and Helmholtz-associated center with major energy, materials, and accelerator research programs. Overlaps with HZB in photovoltaics, battery storage, and large-scale research infrastructure.
• SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory: US national accelerator lab with synchrotron (SSRL) and free-electron laser (LCLS) capabilities. Broader portfolio than HZB but directly comparable in X-ray characterization for materials and energy research.
• Forschungszentrum Jülich: German Helmholtz research center with strong programs in energy materials, quantum materials, and neutron scattering. Comparable in scale and remit to HZB as a national multi-disciplinary research institution in Germany.
• Brookhaven National Laboratory: Operates the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), a leading US user facility. Comparable synchrotron-based materials research with broader energy and physics portfolio than HZB.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/hzbKanal
• Xx.com/hzbde
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/helmholtz-zentrum-berlin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin