What Fraunhofer EMFT does

Fraunhofer EMFT (Fraunhofer-Institut für Elektronische Mikrosysteme und Festkörper-Technologien EMFT) is an applied research institute specializing in microelectronics, microsystems technology, and sensor systems, legally organized as a non-autonomous constituent entity of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. Operating from two German locations in Munich (Hansastrasse 27d) and Oberpfaffenhofen, the institute develops solutions spanning sensors and actuators, piezoelectric micropumps, integrated circuits, AI-enhanced sensor systems, flexible and printed electronics, and silicon semiconductor technologies. Core technical infrastructure includes CMOS and MEMS cleanrooms, a roll-to-roll pilot line for flexible electronics, a chip design RF laboratory, a CC-EAL6 security standards laboratory, and mask-free electron beam lithography for nanometer-scale patterning. The institute is ISO 9001 certified for semiconductor manufacturing operations.

The institute's portfolio is organized around eight competence areas (Sensorik, Mikropumpen, Integrierte Schaltungen, Systemlösungen mit KI, Analyse und Test, Elektrische Verbindungstechnik, Flexible Systeme, Silizium Halbleitertechnologien) and active research projects including Smart Gear (predictive maintenance of gear oils), KIWA (RFID manufacturing predictive maintenance), DigiSeal (mechanical seal predictive maintenance), ROADAR (autonomous driving road condition detection), GaSeKa (gas sensors with self-calibration), ICOS and ICOS² (European semiconductor supply resilience), PREVAIL (Edge AI), AGRARSENSE (precision agriculture), and Semiconductor-X (supply chain resilience).

Commercially, Fraunhofer EMFT operates on a non-profit, contract-research business model. It earns revenue through applied research contracts with industry partners, federal and state government base funding (via its parent), and competitive grants from frameworks such as Horizon Europe. Industry collaborators include ASML, Bosch, Infineon, NXP, STMicroelectronics, EagleBurgmann, Klüber Lubrication, Mühlbauer Group, EC Sense, and Uedelhoven Studios. Technology transfer is delivered through feasibility studies, prototype implementation, and pilot manufacturing collaborations. The institute is led by Director Prof. Dr. Christoph Kutter (since July 2012), who also assumed the VDE presidency in January 2026. No commercial product line, equity capital, or public listing is associated with the entity.

Name

Fraunhofer EMFT

Legal name

Fraunhofer-Institut für Elektronische Mikrosysteme und Festkörper-Technologien EMFT

Website

https://emft.fraunhofer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Fraunhofer EMFT is a Munich-based applied research institute within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft that develops microelectronics, MEMS sensors, micropumps, and AI-enhanced sensor systems for industrial, medical, automotive, agricultural, and semiconductor industry partners via contract research and technology transfer.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Applied Microelectronics Research

NAICS

Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing (333242), Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)

SIC

Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) (IMAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Embedded & HMI Electronics Manufacturing (Industrial PCs, HMIs, Panel PCs) (IMAGAGAD), Test, Measurement & Calibration Equipment Manufacturing Services (ATE, DAQ, metrology electronics) (IMAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Microsystems technology
• Sensor development
• MEMS fabrication
• Semiconductor research
• Predictive maintenance AI

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Applied Research Contracts: Industry contracts for custom R&D from technology concept to pilot manufacturing and technology transfer. Fraunhofer institutes operate on non-profit basis with mixed funding from government and industry.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fraunhofer EMFT is an applied research institute providing contract R&D services in microsystems technology and sensor systems. It develops and fabricates sensors, MEMS, integrated circuits, micropumps, flexible electronics, and AI-enhanced sensor solutions, taking projects from feasibility studies through process development and pilot manufacturing to technology transfer for industrial partners.

Product overview

Fraunhofer EMFT is an applied research institute specializing in sensors and actuators for human and environment applications, operating within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Its offering is a portfolio of interconnected research competencies, technologies, and laboratory facilities — not a single commercial product. The core portfolio consists of six competence areas: Sensor Solutions (sensorik), Micropumps (Mikropumpen), Integrated Circuits (integrierte schaltungen), AI System Solutions (systemlösungen mit KI), Analysis and Testing (analyse und test), Electrical Interconnection Technologies (elektrische verbindungstechnik), Flexible Systems (flexible systeme), and Silicon Semiconductor Technologies (silizium halbleitertechnologien). These are underpinned by specialized laboratory facilities including CMOS and MEMS cleanrooms, a roll-to-roll pilot line, chip design test laboratory, security standards laboratory (CC-EAL6), and others. The AI System Solutions competency integrates machine learning across all areas, supporting condition monitoring, predictive maintenance, Edge AI, and time series analytics — which are also offered as distinct service offerings. Multiple active research projects (Smart Gear, KIWA, DigiSeal, ROADAR, GaSeKa, ICOS, ICOS², PREVAIL, AGRARSENSE, Semiconductor-X) apply these core competencies to industrial, medical, agricultural, and semiconductor ecosystem challenges. Technology transfer services guide innovations from feasibility studies through prototype to market. The institute holds ISO 9001 certification for semiconductor manufacturing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Contract R&D and Applied Research Services Custom applied research engagements from feasibility study through prototype realization to technology transfer, serving industrial clients across semiconductor, automotive, medical, agricultural, and environmental sectors.
• Sensor Systems Development Development of gas sensors, cell-based sensors, optical analysis systems, and biocompatibility testing solutions for human and environment applications, including self-calibrating gas sensor systems (GaSeKa).
• Micropump Development Piezoelectrically driven micropumps for microdosing tasks including implantable micropumps, self-sensing micropumps, and micropumps for gas sensors serving medical, pharmaceutical, and industrial applications.
• Integrated Circuit (ASIC) Development ASIC development for ultrasonic MEMS transducers including transceiver ASICs, miniaturized high-voltage piezoelectric actuator driver ASICs, oven-controlled references, and analog-digital converters.
• AI System Solutions and Edge AI Intelligent sensor systems enhanced with machine learning, including ML-enhanced sensor systems (MLS), AI algorithms for time series analysis, condition monitoring, predictive maintenance, and Edge AI reference design platforms for industrial and research deployment.
• Semiconductor Analysis and Testing ESD testing, semiconductor component testing, quantum characterization, test development for chips, chiplets and systems, and quantum diamond microscopy for chip analysis under ISO 9001 certified processes.
• Flexible Electronics (Roll-to-Roll Processing)

Quantifiable outcome

• Predictive maintenance can replace time-based preventive maintenance, reducing unnecessary downtime and spare part waste
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability9 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EC SensecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on GaSeKa project (Gassensorsystem mit Selbst-Kalibrierfunktion) developing miniaturized gas sensor systems with self-calibration for air quality monitoring. Fraunhofer EMFT contributes microstructured pump and microfluidics expertise while EC Sense provides electrochemical gas sensor expertise.
• Klüber LubricationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmart Gear project combining sensor technology and machine learning methods to detect declining gear oil performance and predict oil change timing. Collaboration with Josef Bernbacher & Sohn GmbH and Munich University of Applied Sciences.
• Josef Bernbacher & Sohn GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Smart Gear project consortium working on predictive maintenance of gear oils using machine learning.
• EagleBurgmann Germany GmbH & Co. KGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigiSeal project developing informed AI for predictive maintenance of mechanical seals. EagleBurgmann as global market leader in industrial seals provides domain expertise for model development.
• Molkerei Alois Müller GmbH & Co. KGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigiSeal project partner providing industrial use case for predictive maintenance of mechanical seals in food manufacturing environment.
• Mühlbauer GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKIWA project combining sensor data from RFID manufacturing plant with external sensors for predictive maintenance. Mühlbauer provides high-throughput production environment for sensor integration.
• conetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKIWA project partner contributing to AI-based predictive maintenance solution for manufacturing equipment.
• Tyndall National InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinator of ICOS² (International Cooperation on Semiconductor Innovation and Supply Resilience) Horizon Europe project. Fraunhofer EMFT participates as one of 21 partner organizations including ASML, Bosch, Infineon, NXP, and STMicroelectronics.
• ASML, Bosch, Infineon, NXP, STMicroelectronicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor semiconductor industry leaders participating in ICOS² consortium to strengthen Europe's position in global semiconductor ecosystem through international cooperation and strategic partnerships.
• Uedelhoven StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerROADAR project collaboration on early warning system for aquaplaning and black ice detection for autonomous driving. Partnership within LZSiS (secure intelligent systems) high-performance center.
• Munich University of Applied SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in multiple projects including Smart Gear, DigiSeal, and KIWA, contributing research expertise and enabling connection to broader academic networks.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Infineon Technologies: Global semiconductor major employing EMFT’s director historically and partnering on EU semiconductor initiatives; provides a commercial downstream peer for EMFT’s semiconductor process and ASIC outputs.

Broad incumbents

• imec: Belgium-based leading independent semiconductor and microsystems research center with comparable CMOS/MEMS process development, pilot-line fabrication, and AI-enhanced sensor platforms; broader in scale but directly comparable in mandate and customer base.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finnish state-owned applied research center with semiconductor, MEMS, and sensor-system activities; comparable in serving industrial clients with applied R&D, though broader in scope.

Direct peers

• CEA-Leti: France-based applied research institute operating semiconductor cleanrooms, MEMS/sensor fab, and embedded AI programs; offers very similar technology-transfer and R&D partnership services to industrial customers.
• Fraunhofer IZM: Sister Fraunhofer institute specializing in electronic packaging, heterogeneous integration, and microsystem reliability — overlapping with EMFT on system integration, interconnection technologies, and semiconductor process development.
• CSEM: Swiss research and technology organization offering MEMS, microsystems, and sensor development with industry technology-transfer services — closely comparable in mission, scale, and customer profile to Fraunhofer EMFT.
• Fraunhofer IIS: Sister Fraunhofer institute with strong sensor and embedded systems divisions; comparable applied-research positioning and industry-partnership model within the same Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft framework.
• Tyndall National Institute: Irish deep-tech research institute active in semiconductor, MEMS, and IC design with an industry-partnership model; also coordinates the ICOS² consortium alongside Fraunhofer EMFT.

Emerging players

• Bosch Sensortec: Commercial MEMS and sensor manufacturer and a known EMFT industry partner; offers a useful commercial counterpart for benchmarking applied-research output against shipped product economics.
• X-FAB Silicon Foundries: Analog/mixed-signal and MEMS foundry serving industrial customers; relevant peer for benchmarking pilot-line semiconductor manufacturing services against EMFT’s CMOS and MEMS cleanroom offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fraunhofer-emft

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fraunhofer EMFT