At the end of March, 68 non-university industrial research establishments, including PFI, joined forces to found the “Deutsche Industrieforschungsgemeinschaft – Konrad Zuse” (German Industrial Research Association – Konrad Zuse). This association is the first country-wide representative body of non-profit industrial research organisations acting as R&D service providers handling in-house transfer of innovation to business mainly for small and medium sized enterprises.
While respecting the scientific, legal, and economic independence of its member organisations, the Zuse Association promotes and supports science, preparatory market research, and transfer of research results to business, especially in SMEs. This is currently youngest German research association and fittingly bears the name of the German computer pionier Konrad Zuse.
At the founding ceremony and first general meeting, the Secretary of State at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Dr. Rainer Sontowski, underscored the special significance of industrial research for the German economy: “Research and development and the resulting transfer of technology from science to business are essential for German companies, especially for our SMEs. Such a bridge spanning science and business is necessary if companies are to implement ideas and innovations in new products. Industrial research and technology transfer are crucial for the competitivity of the German economy as a whole. We support business, particularly in the innovative SME sector, by providing custom-fit support options from idea to market. We now have gained an important new partner in the guise of the Zuse Association.”