The 'Thuringian Center of Innovation in Mobility' (ThIMo) was founded in 2011 at the TU Ilmenau. ThIMo is an interdisciplinary center with an international profile, focusing both on research as well industrial development. The vision of ThIMo is to find scientific solutions for challenges associated with mobility. Environmental responsibility, intelligence, digitized solutions and complex mobility networks are in the focus of our research.

The center has more than 320 active collaborations with national and international partners from research and industry. Our partners have access to state-of-the-art research equipment and benefit from the large network and competences gathered within the center.

You will get the actually factsheet hier (DE) resp. here (ENG).

Project Name: Continuation and expansion of the Thuringian Innovation Center for Mobility (ThIMo) –
Establishment of a core competence area in plastics technology and lightweight construction within ThIMo
Project Number: 2016 IZN 0010 
Project Period: May 2017 – April 2022 
The project was implemented in accordance with the four guiding objectives enshrined in ThIMo’s mission: Industry and Innovation (networking business and academia); Positioning and Profiling (sharpening the five core competencies and enhancing international scientific reputation); Specialists and Executives (transfer of knowledge and talent); and Strategy and Structure (creating functional, efficient, and sustainable framework conditions for the continuation of ThIMo). 

As a technology center of TU Ilmenau, ThIMo offers its cooperation partners and clients modern research infrastructure and technical expertise. The ThIMo core competence area of ​​plastics technology and lightweight construction was expanded—both strategically and in terms of infrastructure—in close cooperation with the affiliated institute TITK e.V., fostering a transfer chain for value-creation networks in this field. 

Successful implementation of the project included continuing and intensifying collaboration with industry clusters and trade associations from Thuringia and beyond.

Project Name: "Mobility with Added Value" (ThIMo+) – Business-related infrastructure; establishment and expansion of innovation centers within the scope of non-economic activities. 
Project Number: 2022 IZN 0012 
Project Period: June 2022 – September 2023 
The "Mobility with Added Value" project aimed to further develop ThIMo’s existing core scientific competencies and infrastructure to address mobility challenges—specifically in rural areas—arising from demographic shifts, the provision of essential public services, and structural changes driven by digitalization. The project was implemented across three coordinated workstreams: "Workstream 1": Preparation of the "SMILE – Smart Mobility in Rural Areas" approach—developed into a comprehensive framework concept—in collaboration with RIS Thüringen and partners from the Thuringian Engineering Sciences Alliance, with support from the TMWWDG; this work built upon earlier efforts by the BMDV to establish a German Center for Future Mobility. "Workstream 2": Support measures regarding transformation and knowledge transfer, including active participation in the Automotive Network Transformation Thuringia (ANeTT). "Workstream 3": Research within ThIMo’s five established core competency areas and the cross-cutting field of mobility.

Project Name: "Digital Mobility Research Initiative," Innovation Centers 
Project Number: 2023 IZN 0005 Project 
Period: 01/2024 – 12/2028 
Environmentally friendly, low-emission, safe, efficient, and digital—during the funding period, research at the Thuringian Innovation Center for Mobility (ThIMo) is increasingly focusing on digital methods within the mobility sector. The "Digital Mobility Research Initiative" is funded by the Free State of Thuringia with over 6.4 million euros, supplemented by a 10% contribution from ThIMo and the university. In addition to addressing engineering and social science issues, the teams from ThIMo’s specialist departments and administrative office are focusing on applications for mobility solutions in rural areas, extending beyond the Ilmenau location. Funding is provided within the framework of the integrated program "Thüringen MOTIVation – move to innovation." 

The project is being implemented across three action areas: the "Research" action area, comprising three main objectives in the domains of "digital transport modes for future mobility," "digital components, materials, products, and processes for future mobility," and "digital dissemination channels, internationalization, and stakeholder networking"; the "Transfer and Transformation" action area, supported by numerous measures and formats covering further education, marketing, and public relations; and the "Networking" action area, involving stakeholders from academia, industry, society, and local government.

Project Leader: Univ.-Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Matthias Hein 

The projects funded by the Free State of Thuringia were co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).