Fraunhofer and IMT Strengthen Research Partnership

Germany's Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and France's Institut Mines Télécom (IMT) are deepening their research collaboration in hydrogen technologies, cybersecurity, and smart cities. The agreement was formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed at VivaTech 2026 in Paris on June 18, 2026.

The partnership aims to advance joint research and innovation projects, thereby strengthening Europe's technological and digital sovereignty. Fraunhofer's Axel Müller-Groeling highlighted the necessity of robust research partnerships for Europe's competitiveness and resilience in the current geopolitical landscape.

IMT's Cécile Dubarry stated that the collaboration unites two institutions with a shared focus on applied research directly serving business competitiveness. By expanding cooperation into concrete industrial projects in areas such as hydrogen, smart cities, mobility, and cybersecurity, the partners intend to develop solutions of European significance leveraging their cross-national scientific and regional networks.

The joint initiatives will concentrate on three key areas: hydrogen and the energy transition, focusing on decarbonizing energy-intensive sectors; cybersecurity and data infrastructures, aiming to protect critical systems and establish trusted data spaces; and smart cities and data spaces, developing digital solutions for sustainable urban development.