New Mitacs and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft partnership strengthens Canada–Germany innovation ecosystem

Munich, Germany — Mitacs is pleased to announce a new partnership with Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in Germany, formalizing strategic engagement and advancing collaboration between Canadian and German research communities. 

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is Germany’s leading organization for applied research and industrial innovation, comprising 74 institutes across the country. Mitacs serves as Canada’s national innovation connector: driving industry–academic collaboration, deploying skilled talent, and strengthening global innovation networks. Together, the organizations have signed a Letter of Intent at Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft headquarters in Munich, affirming their shared intent to establish formal pathways for collaboration through Mitacs Globalink programming and Fraunhofer’s International Mobility Program. 

The partnership comes as 2026 marks 75 years of diplomatic relations and 55 years of formal science and technological cooperation between Canada and Germany. This collaboration recognizes the pivotal role of science, technology, and innovation in driving economic growth, prosperity, and the advancement of shared national priorities in both countries. 

Mitacs CEO Dr. Stephen Lucas and Mitacs Vice President, External Relations and International Affairs, David Enriquez, are in Germany this week, meeting with current and prospective partners and government entities to further strengthen bilateral research and innovation ties. 

Mitacs has engaged with Germany since 2016, supporting bilateral research mobility and work-integrated learning opportunities. This includes facilitating Canadian participation in Horizon Europe through the Mitacs International Mobility Award – Horizon Europe, for which Germany has consistently been one of the top partner countries. 

Quotes 

“This partnership with Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft reflects our shared commitment to strengthening international research collaboration and creating new opportunities for researchers, innovators, and industry partners in both Canada and Germany. By connecting talent, advancing applied research, and expanding mobility pathways, we are helping build the global partnerships needed to address complex challenges and drive innovation-led economic growth.”

Stephen Lucas, CEO, Mitacs

“Strengthening technological sovereignty and competitiveness requires close collaboration with the world’s leading innovation partners. With Canada, Fraunhofer is advancing a strategic alliance built on shared values, top-tier research, and talent mobility. Together with Mitacs, we are deepening transatlantic innovation to address global challenges and create lasting economic impact.”

Professor Dr. Constantin Häfner, Executive Board Member for Research and Transfer, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft 

Mitacs: Talent and Research Powering Innovation  

For over 25 years, Mitacs has helped grow the economy and develop the workforce of tomorrow, connecting industry with academia and global partners to solve real-world challenges. We support business-academic research collaboration through internships, co-funded with businesses, for undergraduate to graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. 

As a national innovation connector, Mitacs takes a talent-first approach to strengthen innovation capacity and drive global competitiveness. We serve as an essential research-commercialization bridge, accelerating market entry and growth for new products and services. 

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft 

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, headquartered in Germany, is a leading organization for applied research. It plays a pivotal role in innovation by focusing on cutting-edge technologies and transferring research results to industry in order to strengthen Germany as a business location and benefit society. Since its founding as a nonprofit in 1949, Fraunhofer has held a unique position in the German research and innovation ecosystem. 

With more than 30,000 employees at 74 institutes and independent research units in Germany, Fraunhofer operates with an annual budget of 3.6 billion euros. Contract research, Fraunhofer’s mainstay, generates 3.2 billion of this budget. Unlike other public research organizations, institutional funding from federal and state governments accounts for no more than one-third of Fraunhofer’s contract research budget. Institutional funding is thus merely the base of Fraunhofer’s main business model and serves as the foundation for groundbreaking pre-competitive research that will become important for industry and society in the years ahead. 

What truly sets Fraunhofer apart is its high share of industrial revenue, which ensures close collaboration with the private sector while keeping Fraunhofer’s research focused on the market. Fraunhofer raises at least two-thirds of its contract research budget competitively from private-sector contracts and public project funding. In 2025, industrial revenue alone accounted for 966 million euros.