Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST
Editorial
Dear reader,
Over the past few weeks, there have been several reasons to celebrate at Fraunhofer IST. We are particularly proud of our colleagues who received the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize 2026. With the development of the EOSS® production system, they have created a unique coating technology for precision optical systems that is already being successfully deployed in industrial applications. Congratulations to the award winners and the entire team!
But that’s not all: A team of Fraunhofer IST employees, together with industry partners Rohloff AG and Tantec A/S, was among the finalists for the Technology Transfer Award 2026 from the Braunschweig Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK). The nomination recognizes the successful transfer of the COAD® plasma process into the industrial production of bicycle components and demonstrates once again how research results can be translated into practical applications.
There’s another reason to celebrate at our spin-off “Integrative Nanotech”. Two years after its launch, the company has continued to develop successfully and has reached important milestones in the market launch of its hydrogen sensor technology. In this interview, Dr. Hunter King reflects on the company’s development over the past few years, key achievements, and the challenges faced on the journey from research to business.
We hope you enjoy reading this issue and wish you a wonderful summer.
The Editorial Team