Promoting innovation

Wide-ranging promotion of innovation at ZEISS

As the pioneer of science in optics, ZEISS continues to challenge the limits of our imagination. With our passion for excellence, at ZEISS we create value for our customers and inspire the world to see things in new ways.

Interesting professional development paths, support for young researchers or a high level of commitment to education and science – ZEISS promotes innovation in many ways, preparing the ground for excellence.

Honors and awards as important elements of ZEISS innovation promotion

1990

ZEISS Research Award
Since 1990, outstanding achievements have been honored in optical research every two years.
Many award-winners have subsequently received other important distinctions e.g. four Carl Zeiss Research Award recipients have won the Nobel Prize.

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2003

Internal Innovation Award
Since 2003, the award which has been presented every year, is aimed at Research & Development employees. The company honors the most innovative projects by ZEISS employees in a total of five categories. Winners are selected by a jury of high-ranking external experts.
2016

Carl Zeiss Award for Young Researchers
Since 2016, the Ernst Abbe Fund in the Donors' Association for the Promotion of Sciences and Humanities in Germany has been presenting a research award with a new focus: the Carl Zeiss Award for Young Researchers – this is independent from the ZEISS Research Award.

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As a leading optics company, ZEISS believes it’s particularly important to promote the education of up-and-coming scientists, primarily in the field of photonics.

Dr. Karl Lamprecht

ZEISS President & CEO

Promoting innovation through ZEISS

Focal points and projects

ZEISS created the expert ladder for highly qualified specialists.

Expert ladder or junior executives

Supporting personal and professional development

Innovation, Research and Development require highly qualified specialists. ZEISS created the Expert Ladder for these employees. It offers specialist employees individual development and advancement possibilities. It focuses on the expansion and active application of their particular areas of expertise.

Learn more on the expert ladder or junior executives

Promoting young scientists

Promoting future scientists is anchored in the statue of the Carl Zeiss Foundation – a stipulation of its founder, Ernst Abbe. The focus of the Education and Science Fund launched in 2013 is on initiatives to promote education among young people, primarily high school students who have not yet selected a degree program, and their scientific skills, as well as projects and initiatives at universities and research institutes. The focus is on the fields of natural science and engineering, particularly optics and photonics.

During the 2016/17 fiscal year, over 300,000 euros were used to fund nearly 30 projects.

A Heart for Science

Enthusiasm for nature and technology has always been an integral part of the ZEISS' DNA. On the occasion of the company's 175th anniversary, ZEISS launched A Heart for Science – an international initiative run by ZEISS that aims to get young people aged 12 to 18 interested in STEM. What is special about it is that any of our employees can impart their knowledge to the explorers of tomorrow.

Learn more about "A Heart for Science"

Involvement in education and science

Photonics Academy

The Photonics Academy at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Mechanics in Jena is a hands-on week for natural science and engineering students from all over Germany.

Ernst Abbe University Jena

ZEISS maintains a longstanding partnership with the university. The aim of the collaboration is to ensure top-quality, hands-on training for junior executives.

Sponsorship from the Carl Zeiss Foundation

The Carl Zeiss Foundation, the owner of ZEISS and SCHOTT, uses the dividend payments from its companies to run sponsorship activities at universities in Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Thuringia.

Learn more about the Carl Zeiss Foundation

ZEISS Colloquium

Innovation Talk

From microbiomes to space debris: the ZEISS Colloquium Innovation Talks offer a platform for scientists to present their research in a one-hour talk followed by a discussion.