Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

What Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior does

The Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (Max-Planck-Institut für Verhaltensbiologie) is a non-profit research institute founded in June 2019, reorganized from the Radolfzell branch of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology. Operated under the Max Planck Society (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V.), it is structured into three departments — Collective Behavior (Director: Iain Couzin, FRS), Ecology of Animal Societies (Director: Meg Crofoot, currently Managing Director), and Animal Migration (Director: Martin Wikelski) — plus three Max Planck Research Groups and eight research groups, with several hundred staff across Konstanz and Radolfzell, Germany. Its mission is to understand and predict animal decision-making across temporal, spatial, organizational, and taxonomic scales, with applications to conservation, climate-change response, and human-wildlife conflict.

The institute's core technology platform consists of Movebank (a free, globally accessible animal tracking database), the ICARUS space-based animal monitoring system (using microsatellites including the recently launched "RAVEN" to track thousands of animals from orbit), the "Internet of Animals" sensor-network concept, intelligent bird rings (deployed on white storks in 2026), and shared Advanced Research Technology (ART) Lab facilities. Supporting infrastructure includes the Center for Animal Marking (CAM, formerly Vogelwarte Radolfzell) for bird ringing and telemetry training, and the IMPRS QBEE International Max Planck Research School for doctoral training in quantitative behavioral ecology. It co-locates with the University of Konstanz through joint facilities and faculty appointments.

The institute's revenue model is non-commercial. Funding derives from the Max Planck Society base allocation (covered by German federal and state government funding), third-party grants (German Research Foundation/DFG, European Union, and other national and international funders), and Max Planck Fellowship awards. All research outputs — publications, datasets via Movebank, and tracking infrastructure — are made publicly available through open-access policies. Distribution and outreach operate through scientific publications and conferences; MaxCine science communication center; citizen science programs (bird ringing, Movebank workshops); and media relations with regional and international outlets (Nature, BBC, DW).

Name

Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Legal name

Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Website

https://ab.mpg.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior is a publicly funded German non-profit research institute (founded 2019 under the Max Planck Society) that studies collective behavior, animal societies, and migration using technologies including the Movebank tracking database, ICARUS space-based animal monitoring, and intelligent bird rings, serving the global scientific research community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Behavioral Ecology Research

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Advocacy, Policy & Public Awareness (Animal Welfare) (BPAGAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK)

Keywords

• Animal behavior research
• Wildlife tracking technology
• Behavioral ecology
• Animal migration studies
• Collective behavior research

Headquarters

HQ city

Konstanz

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Max Planck Society Core Funding: Base funding from the Max Planck Society, a German non-profit research organization. Provides operational funding for research activities, infrastructure, and personnel.
2. Third-Party Grants: External research funding from German Research Foundation (DFG), European Union (EU), and other national and international funding bodies. Supports specific research projects and programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior is a basic research institute conducting scientific research on animal behavior, collective behavior, animal societies, and migration. It develops and operates research infrastructure including the Movebank open-access tracking database and the ICARUS space-based animal monitoring system, while training the next generation of researchers through the IMPRS QBEE doctoral program.

Product overview

The Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior is a research institution (not a commercial product company) offering research platforms, data tools, and educational programs. Its core offerings include Movebank (animal tracking data platform), ICARUS (space-based global wildlife monitoring), and the Internet of Animals (animal-borne sensor network concept). Supporting services include the Center for Animal Marking (bird ringing and telemetry support), MaxCine (science communication), IMPRS QBEE (doctoral program), and the Field Trip art-science residency. The institute focuses on understanding and predicting animal decision-making through technology and research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MaxCine: Centre for communication and exchange at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior
• Center for Animal Marking
• Movebank
• ICARUS
• Field Trip

Products and services

• Movebank Movebank is a freely accessible database for managing and sharing animal tracking data, developed and maintained by the institute. It enables researchers to store, analyze, and share telemetry data from tagged animals and supports the Animal Tracker mobile app for field tracking. It serves the global scientific research community.
• ICARUS Initiative The ICARUS Initiative is a global monitoring system using animals as intelligent sensors to track wildlife and environmental changes from space. The institute pioneered satellite-based tracking of thousands of animals through this initiative. It serves conservation researchers and wildlife managers worldwide.
• Center for Animal Marking (CAM)

Quantifiable outcome

• ICARUS microsatellite 'RAVEN' launched into orbit for global wildlife monitoring
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Akademie Schloss SolitudecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Art-science residency program 'Field Trip' fostering interdisciplinary exchange between arts and sciences. Artists join scientists for six-week residencies at research sites, followed by scientists spending time at the Akademie. Program has produced diverse transdisciplinary projects since 2022.
• University of KonstanzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose collaboration including joint IMPRS QBEE doctoral program, shared research facilities, co-located campus at Universitätsstr. 10. Institute directors hold professorships at the university. Students and researchers have access to university resources.
• MovebankcoreTechnology or IntegrationMovebank is a free, online database for animal tracking data co-developed and operated by the institute. Provides central platform for managing and sharing telemetry and ringing data globally with open data policy.
• ICARUS InitiativecoreTechnology or IntegrationInternational Cooperation for Animal Research Using Space - global monitoring system using microsatellites to track animals worldwide. Martin Wikelski pioneered this system for continuous tracking of thousands of animals from space.
• EURING (European Union for Bird Ringing)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean organization for bird ringing coordination. Wolfgang Fiedler served as EURING Chairman (2011-2017) and General Secretary (2003-2011). CAM is actively involved in EURING activities.
• Virologists and Epidemiologists (Various)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with virology and epidemiology researchers to study avian influenza spread through wild bird populations using tracking and sampling data.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research: German research institute focused on wildlife biology, ecology, and conservation. Comparable to MPI-AB's wildlife tracking, conservation science, and movement ecology research.
• Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology: University of Cape Town institute focused on bird biology, tracking, and conservation in Africa. Comparable to MPI-AB's bird migration research, intelligent bird rings, and Movement Ecology work.
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: A leading ornithology research center at Cornell University focused on bird behavior, migration, and citizen science. Highly comparable to MPI-AB in combining academic research with global bird tracking (e.g., eBird) and public engagement.
• Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Conducts long-term research on animal behavior, ecology, and evolution in tropical environments. Directly comparable to MPI-AB's research on collective behavior, animal societies, and migration; Martin Wikelski was previously a Research Fellow there.
• Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology: Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford focused on ornithology and behavioral ecology. Comparable to MPI-AB's research scope in animal behavior, migration, and evolutionary biology.
• USGS Alaska Science Center: U.S. federal research center conducting wildlife tracking, migration studies, and ecological monitoring. Comparable to MPI-AB's GPS/biotelemetry work and ICARUS-style large-scale animal monitoring.
• Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence: Sister Max Planck Society institute researching neural and behavioral mechanisms underlying animal behavior. Highly comparable research scope and funding model to MPI-AB.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: Global conservation organization running zoological and field research programs on wildlife behavior and conservation. Comparable to MPI-AB's conservation science and policy application of movement ecology.
• British Trust for Ornithology: UK-based organization running bird ringing schemes, citizen science, and movement ecology research. Directly comparable to MPI-AB's Center for Animal Marking and EURING collaborations.

Others

• Princeton University Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology: Academic department where Couzin and Wikelski previously held professorships. Tangentially related as a former-affiliation institution with overlapping research in collective behavior and animal movement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/max-planck-institut-f%C3%BCr-verhaltensbiologie
• Instagraminstagram.com/mpi_animalbehav

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior