IMS CHIPS – Institute for Microelectronics Stuttgart.
Research & Technology Transfer.
IMS CHIPS – Institut für Mikroelektronik Stuttgart – is one of the leading research institutes for applied microelectronics in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
Founded in 1983 as a non-profit foundation of the State of Baden-Württemberg, we have combined excellence in research and development of microelectronic circuits and systems with practical industrial implementation and sustainable technology transfer for more than four decades.
We conduct industry-oriented research and development in the following fields:
Circuits & Systems
Photonics
MEMS
Nanopattering
From initial ideas and prototypes to practical applications: As a public research institute, we strengthen innovation capabilities, technological sovereignty, and sustainable technology transfer.
Our technologies contribute to information technology, environmental technologies, life sciences, energy, and mobility.
Examples include ultra-flexible chips, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), highly sensitive sensor technologies, gallium nitride (GaN) power electronics, and photonics.
Our Public Mission as a Foundation of the State of Baden-Württemberg
IMS CHIPS – Institut für Mikroelektronik Stuttgart – is a research institute of the State of Baden-Württemberg, legally established as a foundation under civil law and located at the Stuttgart-Vaihingen research campus.
Our statutory mandate includes:
- Research and development of microelectronic circuits and systems
- Technology transfer into industrial practice
- Operation of research, development, and process lines
- Implementation of research and development (R&D) projects for federal and state authorities and the research sector
- Education and professional training of skilled personnel
IMS CHIPS is a member of the Innovation Alliance Baden-Württemberg (innBW), a network of twelve leading contract research institutes.
About us
At IMS CHIPS, deep technological expertise, our own state-of-the-art semiconductor manufacturing infrastructure, and a true one-stop-shop approach come together.
We support projects throughout the entire process – from the initial idea, prototyping, and design to process development, cleanroom manufacturing of small production runs, and technology transfer into industrial applications.
This combination of research, manufacturing, and application under one roof and from a single source is rare. It enables direct communication, fast decision-making, and reliable results.
Companies, start-ups, and research partners work with us because we can implement technologically demanding projects in a practical, scalable, and cost-efficient manner.
As a research institute of the State of Baden-Württemberg, we are a well-connected partner, working confidentially and collaboratively with a clear focus on feasibility, quality, and long-term success.
IMS CHIPS is actively committed to professional development and to educating and training the next generation of scientists and technical specialists.
We offer an interdisciplinary working environment where research does not end in the laboratory but is visibly translated into real-world applications.
Working at IMS CHIPS means actively shaping future technologies, taking responsibility, and benefiting from close connections with industry and research, as well as access to modern infrastructure – within a stable, publicly supported institute offering long-term prospects.
We work in an intercultural and intergenerational environment, advancing technologies together.
Our Mission
We research, develop, and manufacture chips and systems that translate scientific excellence into pioneering applications and pave the way for industrial scaling.
Every day, we combine research, teaching, precise design, and modern manufacturing to turn knowledge into prototypes, small production runs, and scalable solutions to real-world challenges.
Together with partners from academia, industry, and politics, we develop technologies that meet the highest international standards and strengthen Baden-Württemberg’s position as a center of chip innovation.
Our Vision
IMS CHIPS is a driving force behind technological development. Our chips and systems open up new possibilities for a better world. We conduct world-class research and translate scientific excellence into real, scalable innovation.
We make a significant contribution to establishing Baden-Württemberg as one of the leading regions for chip development, thereby strengthening Germany and Europe as technology locations.
IMS CHIPS is a magnet for people who want to use their expertise and passion to make high technology beneficial to humanity.
From Strategy. To Quality and Social Responsibility.
Led by Prof. Dr. Niels Quack and Prof. Dr. Jens Anders, the institute benefits from the expertise of two recognized specialists who actively shape innovation, technology transfer, and sustainable partnerships.
As a foundation under civil law, IMS CHIPS has a Board of Trustees that serves as its strategic supervisory body. It safeguards the foundation’s purpose, ensures transparency, and participates in fundamental decisions.
The Board of Trustees oversees the institute’s strategic direction and supports its management in key matters relating to further development, research priorities, and engagement with the innovation policy environment.
Its core responsibilities include strategic advice, quality assurance, and strengthening the connection between research, industrial implementation, and social responsibility.
Bringing together representatives from politics, industry, and academia, the Board of Trustees combines different perspectives and promotes the transfer of research into practice.
In doing so, it makes an important contribution to the innovative strength and sustainable performance of IMS CHIPS.
- Prof. Dr. Niels Quack, Vorsitzender, IMS CHIPS, Stuttgart
- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jens Anders, 1. stellv. Vorsitzender, IMS CHIPS, Stuttgart
- Prof. Dr. Alexander Brem, ENI, Universität Stuttgart
- MD Michael Kleiner, Vorsitzender, Stuttgart
- Dr. Oliver Wolf , 1. stellv. Vorsitzender, Oberkochen
- Prof. Dr. Thomas Graf, 2. stellv. Vorsitzender, Stuttgart
- Dr. Andreas Abt, Stuttgart
- Dr. Jacqueline Atanelov, Wien
- Prof. Dr. Michael Auer, Stuttgart
- Prof. Dr. Stefanie Barz, Stuttgart
- Prof. Dr. Manfred Bischoff, Stuttgart
- Albert Dorneich, Neuhausen a.d.F.
- Hans-Georg Fritz, Bietigheim-Bissingen
- Prof. Dr. Norbert Frühauf, Stuttgart
- Prof. Dr. Thomas Graf Stuttgart
- Prof. Michael Heuken, Herzogenrath
- Dipl.-Ing. Steffen Küenle, Hemmingen
- MD Michael Kleiner, Stuttgart
- Prof. Dr. Matthias Kuhl, Freiburg im Breisgau
- Prof. Dr. Sabine Ludwigs, Stuttgart
- Dr.-Ing. Jiri Marek, Reutlingen
- Dr. Christine Neuy, Freiburg im Breisgau
- Thomas Pilz, Ostfildern
- Prof. Dr. Peter Post, Ostfildern
- Prof. Dr. Georg Rademacher, Stuttgart
- Dr. Thomas Schafbauer, Neubiberg
- Dr. Alina Schreivogel, Niedernhall
- Birgit Schwarz, Bietigheim-Bissingen
- Dr. Oliver Wolf, Oberkochen
As a research institute with pilot and small-series production capabilities, IMS CHIPS has stood for quality, process reliability, and dependable infrastructure for decades.
We are certified according to ISO 9001:2015 – and in 1993, we became the first German research institution to receive ISO 9001 certification.
We approach environmental protection with the same commitment. It is an integral part of our institutional policy.
We systematically reduce our environmental impact and continuously improve our standards – including beyond legal requirements.
Bank Information
BW Bank
Kleiner Schloßplatz 11, 70173 Stuttgart
Telefon: +49-711 124-0
IBAN DE89 6005 0101 0002 3304 31
BIC SOLADEST600
USD IBAN DE64 6005 0101 7482 0062 16
BIC SOLADEST600
VAT / USt-Id-Nr.: DE147794161
Steuernummer: 99033/04311
Finanzamt Stuttgart Körperschaften
Stiftungsnummer: 14-0563
Regierungspräsidum Stuttgart
The Gender Equality Plan of IMS CHIPS – Institut für Mikroelektronik Stuttgart – promotes equality and equal treatment for all employees in accordance with the German General Equal Treatment Act (AGG).
The plan aims to reduce existing disadvantages, strengthen equal opportunities, and improve the compatibility of work, family life, and caregiving responsibilities.
It applies to all employees, regardless of employment type, contract arrangement, gender, origin, or other personal characteristics.
To achieve its equality objectives, IMS CHIPS implements concrete measures, including non-discriminatory job advertisements, fair and transparent recruitment procedures, flexible working arrangements, and targeted professional development.
At the same time, we actively promote a respectful, appreciative, and discrimination-free working environment.
The Gender Equality Plan is a central part of IMS CHIPS and reflects our responsibility as an employer in the field of microelectronics.