A ceremonial handover in Frankfurt marked the institute’s integration into the Max Planck Society – the Ernst Strüngmann Foundation secures long-term funding
As of January 1, 2026, the Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) had been transformed into a Max Planck Institute. In the presence of Hesse’s Minister of Science Timon Gremmels and Andreas Strüngmann, one of the two founders, President Patrick Cramer unveiled the bust of Max Planck during a ceremony. The handover took place at the Institute’s premises on Deutschordenstrasse on the sidelines of this year’s annual meeting of the Max Planck Society in Frankfurt am Main.
The institute, which currently employs 85 staff members, was founded in 2008 by sole shareholders Andreas and Thomas Strüngmann and has since been funded by their Ernst Strüngmann Foundation. Until now, it had been affiliated with the Max Planck Society. The ESI is part of the neuroscience cluster in Frankfurt, which also includes the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Goethe University and its “Cooperative Brain Imaging Center” (CoBIC), as well as the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics.
The institute, which has been operating under the name “Ernst Strüngmann Institute of the Max Planck Society” since January, will continue to focus on neuroscience research. The search for new directors for the ESI has already begun. For the MPG, the focus is on expanding its existing neuroscience expertise to include the application of artificial intelligence. Two promising candidates have since been identified and are now undergoing the MPG’s internal scientific evaluation procedures.
The Ernst Strüngmann Foundation will continue to provide the majority of the funding for the institute’s operations for at least the next ten years. It has agreed to provide 138 million euros for this period. In addition, it is possible to apply to the foundation for further funding to cover specific needs. The MPG supports the institute from its existing budget by covering the remaining operating costs to the extent that they exceed the private funding. The state of Hesse supports the institute by providing the land through a hereditary building right and also contributes the so-called “host state share” of the funds allocated by the MPG, in accordance with MPG funding rules.
Hesse’s Minister of Science, Timon Gremmels, stated: “From a research strategy perspective, the institute is an excellent fit for Hesse. The Frankfurt location is thus further expanding its profile as an international center for neuroscience. The conditions here are ideal for cutting-edge research and groundbreaking innovations—including in the field of treating neuropsychological disorders. I would like to extend my special thanks to Andreas and Thomas Strüngmann. Through their outstanding commitment to the Ernst Strüngmann Institute, they have made excellent research possible and set a strong example of social responsibility. Their generous financial support and their trust in scientific freedom and international openness deserve the highest recognition and serve as a model for others. The Ernst Strüngmann Foundation will continue to provide substantial funding over the next ten years. This is an extraordinary commitment and a great asset for Hesse as a center of scientific excellence.”
