2025 in Review

The year 2025 marked a major milestone for Fraunhofer ISST: Ten years ago, the institute received the first funding approval for an Industrial Data Space – a research project that laid the foundation for the concept of data spaces. Its goal was, and still is, to enable organizations to exchange data securely and sovereignly across organizational boundaries. This marked the beginning of a research journey that has shaped the institute's work over the past decade.

Since the first Industrial Data Space, we have continuously advanced our research. Today, Smart Data Ecosystems are at the core of our work. They combine data spaces, digital twins and artificial intelligence into intelligent data ecosystems, where data is not only shared securely but also increasingly used intelligently to create value.

We are driving this development on multiple levels: Together with our partners from industry, academia and the public sector, we translated research into practical applications and developed solutions that enable the secure sharing and intelligent use of data.

Selected highlights from 2025:

• For Asklepios Hospitals, we developed the concept and proof of concept for a central Health Data Hub, laying the foundation for data-driven healthcare.
• For cities across Germany's Ruhr region, we built an AI-powered health platform with an intelligent chatbot, making health information more accessible.
• At DB Schenker, an AI agent developed by Fraunhofer ISST accelerates the search of technical knowledge repositories, making relevant expertise available more quickly.
• Together with T-Systems, we developed solutions for energy-efficient cloud and edge infrastructures, contributing to the sustainable operation of distributed IT systems.
• Together with Fraunhofer IAO and twelve industrial partners, we developed and published future scenarios for industrial value creation systems, providing guidance for the transformation of industry.

In addition, we shared our research findings through white papers, scientific publications, our podcast and video formats.

The Annual Report 2025 offers further insights into our research, projects and activities throughout the past year.