Max Born Institute
Max Born Institute (MBI) is a publicly funded Berlin-based research institute that conducts basic research in nonlinear optics and ultrafast laser dynamics, operating three divisions across attosecond physics, transient electronic structure, and precision physics for academic and industrial collaborators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Max Born Institute does
Max Born Institute (MBI) is a publicly funded German research institute located in Berlin-Adlershof, operating under the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. umbrella and as a member of the Leibniz Association. It conducts basic research in nonlinear optics and ultrafast dynamics at the intersection of matter and laser light, organized into three research divisions: Attosecond Physics (Division A), Transient Electronic Structure and Nanoscience (Division B), and Precision Physics with Light (Division C). Its core technical capabilities span ultrashort and ultrafast laser systems, optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) delivering sub-10 femtosecond pulses at peak powers up to 4.4 TW, thin-disk Yb:YAG driver lasers, table-top attosecond pump-probe spectroscopy, X-ray holography, and laser frequency combs, complemented by combined use of X-ray pulses from free electron lasers and synchrotrons including BESSY.
MBI does not commercialize products or services. Its operating model is public-sector research funding combined with a guest programme that makes its facilities and scientific know-how available to external academic and industrial researchers at no direct charge. The institute maintains formal collaborative arrangements with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin (including a joint university professorship held by Managing Director Prof. Stefan Eisebitt), Laser-Laboratorium Göttingen e.V., and contributes instrumentation to the European XFEL. It also runs structured education and training pipelines including PhD dissertations, habilitations, and vocational training for physics laboratory technicians.
Governance is led by Managing Director Prof. Dr. Stefan Eisebitt, supported by division directors Prof. Marc Vrakking (Division A), Prof. Stefan Eisebitt (Division B), and Prof. Nathalie Picqué (Division C), and embedded in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. management structure headed by Prof. Dr. Dorothea Fiedler and Dr. Martin Böhnke. MBI reports 101–250 employees and operates from headquarters at Max-Born-Straße 2A, Berlin, with research facilities at adjacent Newtonstraße locations.
Max Born Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Max Born Institute
- Legal name
- Max-Born-Institut (MBI) im Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V.
- Website
- https://mbi-berlin.de
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Max Born Institute (MBI) is a publicly funded Berlin-based research institute that conducts basic research in nonlinear optics and ultrafast laser dynamics, operating three divisions across attosecond physics, transient electronic structure, and precision physics for academic and industrial collaborators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Max Born Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Max Born Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Public Research Funding: MBI is a publicly funded research institute conducting basic research in nonlinear optics and ultrafast dynamics. It fulfills a nationwide mission and is funded through federal and state government funding as part of the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. and Leibniz Association.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Max Born Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Max Born Institute (MBI) is a publicly funded basic research institute conducting research in nonlinear optics and ultrafast dynamics in the interaction of matter with laser light. It develops and operates ultrashort and ultrafast lasers and laser-based short-pulse light sources across a wide spectral range, combined with nonlinear spectroscopy methods and complementary use of X-ray pulses from free electron lasers and synchrotrons. The institute also offers its research facilities and scientific expertise to external researchers through an active guest programme.
Product overview
Max Born Institute (MBI) is a German research institute conducting basic research in nonlinear optics and ultrafast dynamics at the intersection of matter and laser light. The institute operates three main research divisions: Division A (Attosecond Physics) focusing on attosecond light sources via high harmonic generation, Division B (Transient Electronic Structure and Nanoscience) studying ultrafast processes in condensed matter including magnetic materials, and Division C (Precision Physics) investigating interferometry, precision spectroscopy, and laser frequency combs. MBI develops and utilizes core laser technologies including ultrashort/ultrafast laser systems, thin-disk laser technology with Yb:YAG gain media, and Optical Parametric Chirped Pulse Amplification (OPCPA) systems capable of delivering sub-10 fs pulses with peak powers reaching 4.4 TW. The institute operates specialized facilities including the Nanomovie Application Laboratory, BLiX (Berlin Laboratory for X-ray Imaging), and provides access to external researchers via guest programmes. Education services include PhD programmes, master/diploma theses supervision, and vocational training for physics laboratory technicians.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Division A: Attosecond Physics Research division focused on the development and application of attosecond light sources in XUV and soft X-ray wavelength ranges based on high harmonic generation, utilizing Ti:Sa femtosecond lasers and optical parametric amplification techniques. Enables real-time visualization and control of ultrafast electron dynamics on attosecond timescales. Targeted at academic researchers and industrial partners in ultrafast physics.
- Division B: Transient Electronic Structure and Nanoscience Research division covering fundamental light-matter interaction to ultrafast processes and transient electronic structure in condensed matter, including optical manipulation of spin structures and nanoscale structures on short timescales. Links spectroscopic information with scattering and imaging across infrared to X-ray spectral ranges.
- Division C: Precision Physics Research division investigating light-matter interaction including interferometry, precision spectroscopy, 3D imaging, quantum physics, molecular spectroscopy, two-dimensional femtosecond spectroscopy, ultrafast optics, and laser frequency combs. Applications range from testing fundamental physical laws to label-free identification of biomolecules.
- Guest Programme Active programme offering MBI's research facilities and scientific know-how to external researchers from universities, research institutions, and industry.
- Application Laboratories Shared research facilities providing scientific know-how and infrastructure (including OPCPA systems, laser-plasma X-ray sources, and X-ray imaging setups) to external researchers.
- Nanomovie Application Laboratory Application laboratory featuring OPCPA systems (DIRA500 from Trumpf Scientific as driver) for resonant excitation in pump-probe experiments with tunable emission wavelength in UV-VIS-IR range.
- BLiX (Berlin Laboratory for X-ray Imaging) X-ray imaging laboratory utilizing thin-disk laser technology as driver laser for laser-plasma based soft X-ray source.
- Education and Training Teaching and training programmes including habilitations, PhD dissertations, diploma and master theses, physics laboratory technician training, and student internships.
Companies that use Max Born Institute
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Max Born Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Max Born Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V.coreMBI is an integral part of Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FVB), an association of seven scientifically independent institutes. The FVB is represented by Managing Director Dr. Martin Böhnke together with Executive Board Spokesman Prof. Dr. Dorothea Fiedler.
- Leibniz AssociationcoreMBI is a member of the Leibniz Association, a German research association of scientific institutions. The Leibniz Association connects 72 research institutions across Germany.
- Humboldt-Universität zu BerlincoreCollaborative PhD programmes and joint educational activities. MBI scientists hold teaching positions and supervise dissertations at Humboldt University.
- Technische Universität BerlincoreJoint university institute arrangement where Prof. Stefan Eisebitt is jointly appointed as university professor. Collaborative research and educational programmes.
- Laser-Laboratorium Göttingen e.V.majorClose cooperation in developing and energy scaling of hollow-core fiber compressors for few-cycle pulse generation. Collaboration on ultrafast laser technology development.
- European XFELmajorMBI scientists developing and contributing mirror systems and instrumentation for the European XFEL free-electron laser facility, requiring nanometer and nanoradian precision.
- Free Electron Lasers and SynchrotronscoreCombined use of MBI lasers with X-ray pulses from free electron lasers and synchrotrons complements the scientific programme. Collaborations with BESSY and other large-scale facilities.
- Industrial PartnersminorVarious cooperative research projects with industrial partners as mentioned in the research mission statement.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Max Born Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (BESSY II): German synchrotron radiation facility and Helmholtz Center that collaborates with MBI on X-ray imaging and spectroscopy. Operates large-scale photon science infrastructure comparable in mission to MBI's, also publicly funded, but broader in scope.
- DESY (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron): Germany's flagship particle accelerator and photon science laboratory, operating free-electron lasers (FLASH, European XFEL partner) used by MBI. Comparable in being a publicly funded large-scale photon science institute with ultrafast and X-ray research programmes.
- Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT): Germany's leading applied laser R&D institute within the Fraunhofer Society, focusing on industrial laser applications. Comparable in German public-research orientation and ultrafast laser expertise, but with a stronger industrial application mandate than MBI's basic-research charter.
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory: US Department of Energy national laboratory operating the Linac Coherent Light Source X-ray free-electron laser. Comparable in combining ultrafast science with X-ray FEL capabilities, and serving as a global hub for attosecond and femtosecond research; broader mandate than MBI.
Direct peers
- European XFEL: International free-electron laser facility in Hamburg where MBI scientists develop mirror systems and instrumentation. Directly comparable in attosecond/XUV science mission and operates in the same public-funded large-facility model, with strong user overlap with MBI's guest programme.
- Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI): Swiss multi-discipline research institute operating the SwissFEL free-electron laser and synchrotron light sources. Directly comparable to MBI in combining ultrafast laser research with large-scale X-ray facilities, also publicly funded, with overlapping user communities in attosecond science.
- Laser-Laboratorium Göttingen e.V. German nonprofit laser research institute collaborating with MBI on hollow-core fiber compressors and few-cycle pulse generation. Closest direct peer in scale and mission: publicly funded, applied ultrafast laser R&D with strong industrial linkage.
- ELI (Extreme Light Infrastructure): Pan-European research infrastructure hosting the world's most intense lasers, with facilities in Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania. Directly comparable to MBI in attosecond and high-peak-power laser science, also publicly funded, and overlapping guest-scientist base.
- Central Laser Facility (STFC CLF): UK's national laser science facility at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory offering ultrafast and high-power laser access to academic and industrial users. Directly comparable to MBI in mission (user facility for ultrafast lasers) and funding model (government-backed).
- LULI (Laboratoire pour l'Utilisation des Lasers Intenses): French high-power laser user facility affiliated with École Polytechnique. Directly comparable to MBI in providing academic and industrial users access to ultrafast, high-peak-power laser systems, with similar publicly funded user-facility model.
Market position
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Max Born Institute social profiles
Digital presenceMax Born Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Max Born Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Max Born Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Max Born Institute M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Max Born Institute
What does Max Born Institute do?
Max Born Institute (MBI) is a publicly funded basic research institute conducting research in nonlinear optics and ultrafast dynamics in the interaction of matter with laser light. It develops and operates ultrashort and ultrafast lasers and laser-based short-pulse light sources across a wide spectral range, combined with nonlinear spectroscopy methods and complementary use of X-ray pulses from free electron lasers and synchrotrons. The institute also offers its research facilities and scientific expertise to external researchers through an active guest programme.
Is Max Born Institute a public or private company?
Max Born Institute is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Max Born Institute founded?
Max Born Institute was founded in -1. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Max Born Institute based?
Max Born Institute is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Max Born Institute make money?
One revenue line is on record: public Research Funding.
Who are Max Born Institute's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (BESSY II), DESY (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron), Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT) and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Direct peers are European XFEL, Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Laser-Laboratorium Göttingen e.V., ELI (Extreme Light Infrastructure), Central Laser Facility (STFC CLF) and LULI (Laboratoire pour l'Utilisation des Lasers Intenses).
Does Max Born Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for Max Born Institute.