Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology UMSICHT

What Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology UMSICHT does

Fraunhofer UMSICHT is a German applied research institute founded in 1990 and headquartered in Oberhausen, operating as a constituent entity of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., Europe's largest application-oriented research organization. The institute is organized into 11 specialized departments and conducts research across four focus areas: Circular Economy (pyrolysis of plastics and composites, bio-based plastics, biological polymer degradation, water management), Carbon Management (Carbon2Chem® platform, CO2 electrolysis, mineralization of CO2 in building materials, sustainable methanol production), Green Hydrogen (bipolar plates for fuel cells, electrolyzer components and stacks, membrane electrode assemblies, ammonia as hydrogen carrier), and Local Energy Systems (flow batteries, metal-air batteries, climate-neutral industrial energy systems, heating network transformation).

The institute serves industrial clients across CO2-intensive sectors including steel (thyssenkrupp Steel Europe), chemicals (Evonik, Clariant, Nobian), automotive, aviation (Leonardo), and recycling (Remondis), as well as municipal utilities through the SW.aktiv program. Revenue is generated through direct research contracts with SMEs and DAX corporations, publicly funded joint projects (Verbundprojekte) with multiple industry and research partners (Carbon2Chem® has received approximately €75 million in BMBF funding since 2016), and ancillary income from publications, training via UMSICHT Akademie (including the infernum distance learning program), and the UMSICHT Research School doctoral program supporting approximately 50 candidates.

Key proprietary platforms include the registered Carbon2Chem® trademark for CO2 utilization from industrial flue gases, electrochemical CO2 conversion for sustainable chemicals and aviation fuels, pyrolysis technology for plastic waste, and a plasma-activated electron beam evaporation process for titanium coatings on polymer-graphite composite bipolar plates developed with Fraunhofer FEP and Schaeffler. The institute operates from its Oberhausen headquarters and a branch location in Sulzbach-Rosenberg, distributing research services through direct sales, Fraunhofer network channels, municipal energy consulting, and participation in major trade fairs including Hannover Messe and Hydrogen Technology World Expo.

Name

Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology UMSICHT

Legal name

Fraunhofer-Institut für Umwelt-, Sicherheits- und Energietechnik UMSICHT

Website

https://umsicht.fraunhofer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Fraunhofer UMSICHT is a German applied research institute within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft network, conducting R&D in circular economy, carbon management, green hydrogen, and local energy systems for industrial and municipal clients across steel, chemical, automotive, aviation, and energy sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Applied Research Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Engineering Services (541330), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Governance, Operating Model & Internal Carbon Pricing Design (EUABAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reliability, Safety & Risk Engineering (RAMS/PSM) Consulting (BPAHAIAK), Waste & Hazardous Materials Management (incl. HazMat) (BPAHAJAK), Biofuel Plant EPC, O&M & Process Technology Providers (EUAAAHAK), Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK)

Keywords

• Applied research services
• Circular economy solutions
• Carbon management technology
• Green hydrogen development
• Energy systems integration

Headquarters

HQ city

Oberhausen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Direct Research Contracts: Companies commission Fraunhofer UMSICHT directly for R&D projects, technology development, product innovation, and process evaluation. Projects range from supporting small enterprises to serving DAX corporations. Pricing and terms are negotiated individually based on project scope.
2. Publicly Funded Joint Research Projects: Collaborative research projects funded by government bodies (e.g., BMBF, federal ministries) involving multiple industry, research, and academic partners. The Carbon2Chem® project has received 75 million euros in BMBF funding since 2016.
3. Publications and Training: Revenue from scientific publications, annual reports, sustainability reports, UMSICHT publication series, and the infernum distance learning program through UMSICHT Akademie.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

Fraunhofer UMSICHT conducts applied research and development in environmental, safety, and energy technology through 11 specialized departments. The institute develops materials, processes, and technologies for industrial clients and public partners across four main thematic areas—Circular Economy, Carbon Management, Green Hydrogen, and Local Energy Systems—delivered through direct commissioned research contracts, collaborative joint projects, and subsidized consulting for municipalities and SMEs.

Product overview

Fraunhofer UMSICHT is a research institute (not a software product company) offering applied research services across four main thematic areas: Circular Economy, Carbon Management, Green Hydrogen, and Local Energy Systems. The institute operates 11 specialized departments covering topics from carbon utilization and bio-based plastics to electrochemical energy storage and digital process integration. Research is delivered through direct research contracts and collaborative (verbund) projects with industry partners. Additional offerings include the UMSICHT Research School doctoral program and the Carbon2Chem conference series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carbon2Chem: Verbundprojekt (joint project) for Carbon Capture and Utilization, converting CO2 from industrial process gases into chemical raw materials
• SW.aktiv
• UMSICHT Research School
• UMSICHT Akademie

Products and services

• Circular Economy Research and Development Applied research and development services covering circular resource utilization, including pyrolysis of plastics and composites, biodegradability assessment of polymers and bioplastics, electrocatalysis solutions, substrate-based mycelium materials, bio-based and recyclate plastics development, microplastics and macroplastics analysis, life cycle assessment, water management in production processes, and climate risk and resilience analysis. Targeted at industrial clients in plastics, chemicals, recycling, and manufacturing sectors.
• Carbon Management Solutions Applied research portfolio on sustainable carbon utilization and CO2 reduction, including the Carbon2Chem® technology platform for converting industrial CO2 from steel and cement into chemical feedstocks, CO2 electrolysis for chemicals and aviation fuels, directly electrically heatable chemical reactors, electrolyzer stacks and pilot plants, high-pressure CO2 utilization, impregnation technologies, industrial catalysts, CO2 mineralization in building materials, and sustainable methanol production and use. Delivered to industrial partners in steel, chemicals, cement, and aviation.
• Green Hydrogen Technologies Applied R&D on materials and processes for electrochemical production, use, and storage of green hydrogen, including ammonia as a hydrogen storage medium, bipolar plates for mobile fuel cell applications, electrically conductive polymers, components and stacks for electrolyzers and fuel cells, industrialization of electrolyzers and fuel cells, innovative membrane electrode assemblies (PEM/AEM), measurement technologies for the hydrogen economy, and hydrogen as a building block of regional energy systems. Targeted at hydrogen technology developers, electrolyzer manufacturers, mobility providers, and industrial users.
• Local Energy Systems Consulting Subsidized consulting and applied research for transformation of local energy supply, including climate-neutral industrial energy systems, flow batteries and metal-air batteries (cell design, electrodes, stack development), CAE and pilot installations, subsidized feasibility studies and transformation plans for climate-neutral heating networks, transformation plans for climate-neutral energy systems, sustainable energy concepts for industrial and commercial areas, sustainable building and district development, optimization of energy supply systems, participation and stakeholder engagement, and strategy development for municipal utilities and energy suppliers. Targeted at Stadtwerke, municipal utilities, regional energy suppliers, and industrial energy users.
• UMSICHT Research School Doctoral program offering structured supervision, qualification measures, and networking opportunities for approximately 50 doctoral candidates, supporting dissertation completion within 3-4 years while working on application-oriented research projects. Targeted at doctoral researchers and academic partners.
• UMSICHT Akademie (infernum Distance Learning Program) Continuing education academy offering the infernum distance learning program for working professionals, providing structured training in sustainability and environmental topics. Targeted at professionals and continuing education learners.
• Carbon2Chem® Conference Series Annual conference series held in Düsseldorf (hybrid format) focusing on sustainable chemical conversion and Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technologies, providing dialogue between research, industry, and politics. Targeted at industry, research, and policy stakeholders in the chemical and steel sectors.
• SW.aktiv Workshop Series Event series for municipal utilities on technologies, solutions, and strategies for the energy transition, co-organized with AGFW and DVGW-Forschungsstelle. Targeted at municipal utilities and energy suppliers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8% weight reduction and up to 22% fuel savings over 30-year aircraft lifespan achieved in Clean Aviation Passenger Cabin Demonstrator using biocomposite panels
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Schaeffler TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration in the PolyFoleR project for developing titanium coating for composite bipolar plates in hydrogen fuel cells and electrolyzers. The coating process uses plasma-activated electron beam evaporation adapted for temperature-sensitive composite substrates.
• Fraunhofer FEP (Fraunhofer Institute for Organic Electronics, Electron Beam and Plasma Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister Fraunhofer institute that developed the vacuum coating process for depositing compact titanium thin films on polymer-graphite composite bipolar plates for hydrogen applications.
• thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AGflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarbon2Chem® project coordinator. Steel producer whose CO2 emissions are utilized as raw material source for the chemical industry through the Carbon2Chem® technology platform.
• Evonik Operations GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChemical company partner in Rheticus project, using CO2 as raw material through power-to-X procedures including co-electrolysis and fermentation to produce special chemicals like butanol and hexanol.
• Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische EnergiekonversioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in Carbon2Chem® focusing on analytics to determine exact gas composition from industry and purity after treatment by project partners.
• Nobian GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChemical industry partner in Carbon2Chem® exploring potential of methanol for defossilization of transport sector and chemical industry.
• Clariant Produkte GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChemical company partner in Carbon2Chem® working on methanol applications for chemical industry sustainability.
• OGCI Climate Investments LLPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate investment initiative focused on reducing carbon emissions through investments in innovative CO2-low technologies and implementation of corresponding solutions.
• Remondis Assets & Services GmbH & Co. KGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecycling sector partner discussing circular economy material flows, waste separation logistics, and quality material requirements for sustainable economy.
• AGFW | Der Energieeffizienzverband für Wärme und KältecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy efficiency association for heating and cooling, co-organizing the SW.aktiv event series with Fraunhofer UMSICHT for municipal utilities on energy transition topics.
• DVGW-Forschungsstelle am Engler-Bunte-Institut des Karlsruher Instituts für TechnologiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, co-organizing SW.aktiv event series for municipal utilities and energy suppliers.
• EinrideminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwedish technology company for electric and autonomous freight solutions. Fraunhofer conducted a study finding Einride's Planning AI reduces fleet-level TCO by 8-13%.
• Leonardo (Aircraft Company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClean Sky 2 Passenger Cabin Demonstrator testing partner. Clean Aviation project achieved TRL 6 with 8% weight reduction and 22% fuel savings projected.
• Various Composite Industry PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJEC Composites Innovation Awards finalists showcase cross-industry collaboration for moving innovations from laboratory to industrial viability in aerospace, automotive, maritime, energy, and sports sectors.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Helmholtz Association: Germany's largest research organization umbrella with 18 research centers covering energy, materials, and earth systems. Broader and more basic-research-oriented than UMSICHT but the principal German public R&D peer at the national scale.

Direct peers

• TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research): TNO is the Dutch national applied research organization with a similar mission and structure to Fraunhofer, operating across energy transition, circular economy, and industrial decarbonization. It is a near-perfect structural peer given its comparable public funding model, applied research mandate, and industry partnership approach.
• CEA (Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives): CEA is France's major public research organization covering energy, materials, and decarbonization technologies. Directly comparable as a national-scale applied research institute with hydrogen, CO2 utilization, and circular economy programs.
• CSEM (Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique): CSEM is Switzerland's applied research center covering energy, sustainable manufacturing, and advanced materials. Comparable to UMSICHT in applied mandate, industry partnership model, and decarbonization research portfolio.
• Fraunhofer ISI (Institute for Systems and Innovation Research): Another sister Fraunhofer institute covering energy system analysis, innovation research, and technology assessment. Directly comparable given shared Fraunhofer governance, funding structure, and policy-oriented research mandate.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: VTT is Finland's national applied research institute, working across bioeconomy, energy, and industrial decarbonization with a similar Fraunhofer-style contract and public funding model. Directly comparable in scope and operating structure.
• SINTEF: SINTEF is Scandinavia's largest independent research organization, with strong portfolios in carbon capture, hydrogen, materials, and circular economy. Highly comparable to UMSICHT in mandate, scale, and industry engagement model.
• Fraunhofer ISE (Institute for Solar Energy Systems): A sister Fraunhofer institute focused on solar energy, hydrogen production, and energy systems. Closely comparable as a peer Fraunhofer institute with overlapping hydrogen and energy system integration work, sharing the same funding model and customer base.

Emerging players

• Sunfire: A leading European electrolyzer and power-to-X company working in CO2 electrolysis and green hydrogen — the same technology domains as UMSICHT's hydrogen and CO2 utilization programs. Relevant emerging player whose commercial deployment could overtake the institute's research outputs.

Others

• DECHEMA (Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology): DECHEMA is a German non-profit platform organization coordinating chemical engineering, biotechnology, and industrial decarbonization R&D across industry and academia. Adjacent rather than directly competing, but a key ecosystem peer given its overlapping research agenda in carbon management and chemical process decarbonization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/umsicht
• YouTubeyoutube.com/fraunhoferumsicht
• Facebookfacebook.com/fraunhoferde
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fraunhofer-umsicht
• Instagrambsky.app/profile/fraunhoferumsicht.bsky.social

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology UMSICHT