he Max Planck Society conducts basic research in the natural sciences, life sciences, and humanities. Since its foundation in 1948, eighteen Nobel laureates have emerged from its ranks. The Max Planck Society with its 86 Max Planck Institutes and facilities is the international flagship for German science: in addition to five foreign institutions, it operates another 20 Max Planck Centers with research institutions such as the Princeton University in the USA, the Paris University Science Po in France, the University College London in UK, and the University of Tokyo in Japan.

Through its subsidiary Max Planck Innovation GmbH, the Max Planck Society ensures that scientific breakthroughs are converted to economic success. Max Planck Innovation brings patents and technologies to the market and assists founders in setting up new companies based on the research results of the Max Planck Society. Since 1979, the technology transfer company has assisted with ca. 4,300 inventions and closed over 2,600 license deals. Since the beginning of the 1990s it has advised about 146 spin-offs. In total Max Planck Innovation has generated a revenue of over 470 million euros for inventors, institutes and the Max Planck Society.