Since 2002, various research institutions in Darmstadt have been pooling their diverse IT security activities. The result is the National Research Centre for Applied Cyber Security ATHENE, today the largest research centre for applied cyber security in Europe. The more than 550 scientists contribute to the security of the digital sovereignty of the economy, society and state with their practice-oriented cutting-edge research.

ATHENE is an institution of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft with the participation of the Fraunhofer Institutes SIT and IGD and the universities TU Darmstadt, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main and Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences.

Thanks to a hitherto unique organisational and funding structure, ATHENE is able to react quickly and agilely to new challenges and ensure a direct transfer of technology right up to start-ups.