The Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI is a research establishment of the Fraunhofer-Society (FhG), a non-profit organisation carrying out applied research. The ISI was founded in 1972 in order to extend the range of scientific and technological disciplines covered by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft at the sensitive interface of technology, industry and society. The Institute investigates technical developments, their market potential and their effects in respect of energy requirements and consumption, the environment, production, communications and biotechnology. Its activities in research and consulting enable the ISI to draw early attention to the opportunities, risks and obstacles involved in new technical developments, to act in support of the necessary adjustment processes, and to contribute to innovations.
The Institute develops concepts for appropriate implementation of new technologies, and organises pilot projects. Decision-making processes in government and industry, both in Germany and abroad, are given a more solid foundation through in-depth assessments of promising new methods, appraisals of research priorities, and scientific support of political programmes of promoting new technologies.
Since 1994, the Institute has been operating the "Economy of Innovations" research department attached to the Technical University Bergakademie at Freiberg in Saxony, and, since 1996, the Agency for Biotechnology of the Land of Baden-Württemberg.
Research focuses especially on:
The ISI employs a full-time staff of 120, of whom 70 are scientists working in a variety of disciplines (natural sciences, engineering, economics and social sciences).