Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a central role in research and development (R&D) in Germany. It is also important for SMEs to pool their R&D resources because as a rule these businesses have insufficient or no research capacities of their own, especially with regard to more basic research.
Research-based companies and independent private research institutes have joined with the aim to carry out industrial research especially for the SME sector.
Find out more about these industrial research associations:
German Federation of Industrial Research Associations (AiF)
The German Federation of Industrial Research Associations (AiF) is organised by industry and is particularly involved in increasing the competitive strength of SMEs by supporting the efficient application and advancement of R&D programmes.
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Deutsche Industrieforschungsgemeinschaft Konrad Zuse
The Zuse Association is a non-profit association of independent industrial research institutes. It sees itself as a “third pillar” in the German research landscape alongside the universities and the large publicly funded research organisations.
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