The Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy (StMWi) and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft awarded the Hugo Geiger Prize for the best dissertations in applied research to three next-generation researchers, one each from Freising, Munich and Aachen. The winners were chosen for their innovative ideas and applied doctoral work completed in close collaboration with a Fraunhofer institute. The Fraunhofer Founder Award was also presented for a spin-off with an active, successful market presence.