Over the course of eighteen years, Fraunhofer IMW has shaped applied socio-economic and techno-economic research and experience in international projects at its Leipzig location. The institute and its leaders possessed proven expertise in the areas of internationalization, innovation and technology management, technology economics, structural change, regional transformation, data and platform economics, digital value creation, strategy development, and the knowledge economy. Originally founded in 2006 as the Fraunhofer Center for Central and Eastern Europe MOEZ, the content and strategic reorientation of the Fraunhofer Society's socio- and techno-economic institute has been reflected in its new name, Fraunhofer Center for International Management and Knowledge Economy IMW, since 2016. Since 2020, the Center for Economics and Management of Technologies CEM has complemented the portfolio of the Leipzig-based Fraunhofer IMW as its branch office in Halle (Saale) with expertise in materials science and techno-economics. This meant that Fraunhofer IMW was represented in Saxony-Anhalt in addition to its location in the Free State of Saxony. The Fraunhofer Center consisted of four departments, which were derived from the center's main areas of research: “Corporate Development in International Competition,” “Knowledge and Technology Transfer,” “Regional Transformation and Innovation Policy,” and “Technology Economics and Management.” The institute was headed by Prof. Dr. Thorsten Posselt from February 2008 until the partial closure of operations and loss of independence in 2025. Dr. Steffen Preissler took over as deputy director of the institute from July 2020 until December 2024. Furthermore, from April 2021 to December 2024, Priv.-Doz. Dr. Christian Growitsch was acting director of the Fraunhofer IMW. The institute employed just under 130 people (as of 2022), who were supported by around 100 research assistants. On March 31, 2025, it was closed as an independent institute of the Fraunhofer Society.

Since January 2025, the departments “Regional Transformation and Innovation Policy” and “Knowledge and Technology Transfer” have been continued as a branch of the Karlsruhe-based Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI at the Leipzig location (see press release). The “Technology Economics and Management” department, together with the “Center for Economics and Management of Technologies CEM” at the Halle (Saale) site, moved to the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS in Dresden on January 1, 2025 (see press release). The heads of the “Digital Health” research group in the “Corporate Development in International Competition” department also moved to the Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf.

Navigate to:

Divisions

Key Figures

Annual Report

Publications

Dr. Christian Growitsch has decided to leave the Fraunhofer Society on December 31, 2024. We would like to thank Dr. Growitsch for his commitment and achievements over the past years and regret his departure very much. We wish Dr. Growitsch all the best for his future career and personal life.

Research at Fraunhofer IMW was most recently organized into four research divisions:

[back to navigation]

More information on the key figures (number of projects, number of employees, turnover, etc.) can be found in the 2020-22 annual report and HERE.

[back to navigation]

Annual Report 2020–2022 of Fraunhofer IMW

From strategic foresight to successful transformation – socio-economic and techno-economic research and innovation for companies, networks, and regions

Download Annual Report here (PDF)

[back to navigation]

Fraunhofer IMW publications 2023 to 2025

You can find more Fraunhofer IMW publications in Fraunhofer-Publica.

[back to navigation]