Max Planck Institute for Physics

What Max Planck Institute for Physics does

The Max Planck Institute for Physics (MPP), also known as the Werner-Heisenberg-Institut, is a non-profit fundamental physics research institute founded in 1917 in Berlin under Albert Einstein, reestablished in Göttingen under Werner Heisenberg in 1946, and headquartered at the Garching Research Center near Munich since 1958 (relocated to a new research building in November 2023). It operates as an institute of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V., a German nonprofit association, with funding drawn from federal and state government research grants and MPG institutional support rather than commercial revenue. MPP conducts both experimental and theoretical research across particle physics, astroparticle physics, and cosmology, organized into programs covering dark matter and neutrino physics (COSINUS, CRESST, LEGEND, MADMAX, RADES), collider physics (ATLAS at CERN's LHC, Belle II at KEK's SuperKEKB, NA62), gamma-ray astronomy (MAGIC and CTA), novel accelerator development (AWAKE), and theoretical physics (quantum field theory, string theory, particle phenomenology, computational techniques). The institute also operates the International Max Planck Research School for Elementary Particle Physics (IMPRS EPP) jointly with TUM and LMU for doctoral training, plus a Data Preservation service maintaining legacy datasets such as JADE.

MPP's core technical differentiators include proprietary DEPFET semiconductor detector technology developed at the joint Max Planck Semiconductor Laboratory, which underpins the world's thinnest operating silicon pixel detector (75-micrometer active layer) deployed as the Belle II Pixel Vertex Detector, and a neural-network trigger system providing superior background rejection for high-rate particle physics data. Its customer base is the international scientific community rather than commercial buyers; the institute serves this constituency through participation in flagship collaborations (ATLAS, Belle II, LEGEND, MAGIC/CTA, AWAKE, NA62), publication of peer-reviewed research, public outreach events such as Café & Kosmos and the Open House Day, and training of doctoral researchers. There are no disclosed pricing models, commercial products, or external shareholders.

Name

Max Planck Institute for Physics

Legal name

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V.

Website

https://mpp.mpg.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1917

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Max Planck Institute for Physics (MPP) is a non-profit fundamental physics research institute in Garching, Germany, operating under the Max Planck Society. It conducts experimental and theoretical research in particle physics, dark matter, neutrino physics, astroparticle physics, and cosmology through major international collaborations including ATLAS at CERN and Belle II at KEK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Particle Physics Research

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with National Laboratories/Big Science Facilities (EDAHAAAJ)

Keywords

• Particle physics research
• Fundamental physics research
• Dark matter research
• Neutrino physics
• Astroparticle physics

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Max Planck Institute for Physics (MPP) conducts fundamental research in particle and astroparticle physics through a portfolio of experimental and theoretical programs. It participates in major international collaborations including ATLAS at CERN's LHC, Belle II at SuperKEKB in Japan, MAGIC/CTA gamma-ray telescopes, and dark matter experiments (CRESST, COSINUS, MADMAX, LEGEND, RADES), while also training doctoral physicists through the IMPRS EPP program.

Product overview

Max Planck Institute for Physics is a fundamental physics research institute, not a commercial product company. The institute operates as a unified research platform conducting multi-disciplinary physics research through distinct experimental and theoretical programs. These include dark matter and neutrino experiments (COSINUS, CRESST, LEGEND, MADMAX, RADES), collider physics contributions (ATLAS at LHC, Belle II with its Pixel Vertex Detector), plasma wakefield acceleration (AWAKE), gamma-ray astronomy (MAGIC, CTA telescopes), and theoretical physics (quantum field theory, string theory, particle phenomenology). The institute also hosts the IMPRS EPP doctoral training program and maintains data preservation services for legacy experiments. Research is conducted primarily through international collaborations, with major contributions to experiments in Japan (Belle II/SuperKEKB), Switzerland (ATLAS/LHC at CERN), and the MAGIC telescopes on La Palma.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dark Matter and Neutrino Physics Research Program
• Belle II Pixel Vertex Detector (PXD)
• ATLAS Experiment Contributions
• AWAKE Plasma Wakefield Acceleration Program
• MAGIC and CTA Gamma-Ray Telescope Contributions
• NA62 Experiment Contributions
• Theoretical Physics Research Program
• International Max Planck Research School for Elementary Particle Physics (IMPRS EPP) Structured doctoral training program jointly offered with TUM and LMU, providing PhD training in experimental and theoretical particle physics with international lecturers and research rotations.
• Data Preservation and Legacy Data Research

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KEK (Japan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelle II experiment collaboration at SuperKEKB accelerator in Japan. MPP leads development of Pixel Vertex Detector with DESY and German universities. Belle II searches for physics beyond Standard Model through B-meson decays.
• DESYcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of Pixel Vertex Detector (PXD) for Belle II experiment. DESY conducted critical functional tests and optimization of detector parameters before installation at SuperKEKB.
• Max Planck Semiconductor LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped DEPFET technology for radiation detection used in Belle II Pixel Vertex Detector. The semiconductor laboratory is a central institution of the Max Planck Society.
• Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman university partner in Belle II collaboration, contributing to detector development and physics analysis. Thomas Kuhr serves as spokesperson of Belle II Germany.
• Technical University of Munich (TUM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner contributing to Belle II experiment including Pixel Vertex Detector construction and physics research.
• University of BonnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman university partner contributing to Pixel Vertex Detector construction for Belle II experiment.
• CERNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPP participates in ATLAS experiment at CERN's Large Hadron Collider, contributing to particle collision research and Higgs boson studies.
• Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial PhysicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint research identifying the Quipu superstructure, the largest reliably measured cosmic structure spanning 1.4 billion light-years with 68 galaxy clusters.
• International Max Planck Research School for Elementary Particle Physics (IMPRS EPP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint doctoral program with multiple German universities providing PhD training in particle physics. Giulia Zanderighi serves as spokesperson.
• MAGIC and CTA Telescopes CollaborationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on gamma-ray telescopes including MAGIC on La Palma and development of CTA (Cherenkov Telescope Array) for astroparticle physics research.
• LEGEND CollaborationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration investigating Majorana nature of neutrinos through germanium detector experiments.
• AWAKE CollaborationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvanced Wakefield Experiment studying plasma wakefield acceleration as novel particle acceleration technique.
• NA62 CollaborationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExperiment at CERN searching for rare kaon decays and exotic particles to test Standard Model predictions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• CERN: European particle physics laboratory hosting the LHC/ATLAS where MPP holds collaboration membership. Direct counterpart in fundamental physics research with overlapping experimental programs and shared international scientific community.
• Brookhaven National Laboratory: U.S. national laboratory with extensive particle and nuclear physics programs. Comparable scale and mission focus on fundamental physics, with overlapping research communities in relativistic heavy ion and neutrino physics.
• Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab): U.S. national particle physics laboratory comparable to MPP in mission and scope, with major programs in neutrinos, muons, and dark matter. Provides a benchmark for international particle physics funding scale and research direction.
• INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare): Italian national institute coordinating particle and nuclear physics research across multiple universities and laboratories. Directly comparable peer in mission, funding model, and international collaboration footprint.
• SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory: U.S. DOE national laboratory operating particle accelerators and photon science facilities. Closely comparable in combining experimental detector development with theoretical physics, and historically a Belle/BaBar peer.

Direct peers

• Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY): German national accelerator laboratory and MPP's primary domestic peer, jointly developing the Belle II Pixel Vertex Detector and co-operating the Semiconductor Laboratory. Same funding environment, similar research portfolio in particle and astroparticle physics.
• Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (KITP): U.S. theoretical physics institute running workshops and long-term visitor programs. Comparable in theoretical physics focus areas (string theory, cosmology, particle physics) overlapping with MPP's Theory departments.
• Institute for Advanced Study (IAS): U.S. independent research institute concentrating on theoretical physics and mathematics. Directly comparable as a non-university, publicly-funded institute where MPP Director Johannes Henn holds a part-time position; similar talent model.
• KEK (High Energy Accelerator Research Organization): Japanese inter-university research organization hosting SuperKEKB/Belle II where MPP co-developed and operates the Pixel Vertex Detector. Direct peer as host institution for one of MPP's flagship experiments.
• Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics: Canadian independent theoretical physics research institute. Directly comparable in scale and mission with MPP's Theory department (quantum field theory, string theory, particle phenomenology), including similar postdoctoral and visitor programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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• Instagraminstagram.com/mpi_physik

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Max Planck Institute for Physics