HUMBOLDT-UNIVERSITAET ZU BERLIN

Their core work

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin is one of Germany's leading research universities, with deep strengths in neuroscience, quantum physics, materials science, and the humanities. Their H2020 portfolio reveals a university that wins a remarkable number of prestigious individual excellence grants (ERC, Marie Curie) while also contributing to large-scale collaborative infrastructure like the Human Brain Project. They bridge fundamental science — from brain simulation and neuromorphic computing to quantum dot physics — with applied work in areas like robotics for agriculture, nature-based urban solutions, and machine translation. Their research spans an unusually wide disciplinary range, reflecting a true comprehensive university rather than a technical specialist.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2015–2018), Humboldt was heavily anchored in neuroscience and brain research — the Human Brain Project dominated their keyword profile with terms like mouse brain, neuroinformatics, neuromorphic computing, and high-performance simulation. Materials science (III-nitrides, organic electronics) was a strong parallel track. By the later period (2019–2022), a clear pivot emerges toward co-creation methodologies, digital humanities, ecosystem services, and quantum physics — signaling a shift from computation-heavy natural sciences toward more interdisciplinary and society-facing research, while simultaneously building up a quantum technology portfolio.

Humboldt is diversifying from its neuroscience stronghold into quantum technologies and society-oriented interdisciplinary research, making them an increasingly attractive partner for projects that need to bridge hard science with societal impact.

How they like to work

Humboldt operates as both a project leader and a sought-after partner in nearly equal measure — 43 projects as coordinator versus 47 as participant, an unusually balanced ratio that reflects both institutional ambition and external demand for their expertise. Their 593 unique consortium partners across 53 countries make them a genuine hub in the European research network. The heavy presence of individual excellence grants (16 ERC awards, 20 MSCA fellowships) shows that much of their strength comes from attracting top individual researchers rather than just institutional capacity.

With 593 unique consortium partners spanning 53 countries, Humboldt operates one of the densest collaboration networks among German universities in H2020. Their reach is truly global, extending well beyond the EU into associated countries and international partnerships.

What sets them apart

Humboldt's distinctive strength is the combination of world-class fundamental science (evidenced by 16 ERC grants) with genuine breadth across both STEM and humanities — few universities in H2020 span from quantum dots to cultural heritage to brain simulation in a single portfolio. Their location in Berlin, Europe's largest startup and research hub, gives consortium partners access to a dense ecosystem of spin-offs, tech companies, and interdisciplinary talent. For consortium builders, Humboldt brings both scientific prestige and the credibility needed to anchor large collaborative proposals.

Highlights from their portfolio

• TRIGGDRUG
  EUR 2.5M ERC-coordinated project translating mRNA into drug-like molecules — represents Humboldt's capacity to lead ambitious chemical biology research.
• HBP SGA1 / ICEI
  Participation in the Human Brain Project flagship, one of the EU's largest research initiatives, confirming Humboldt's status in computational neuroscience and brain simulation.
• BEGMAT
  EUR 1.2M ERC grant on layered materials beyond graphene — positions Humboldt at the frontier of 2D materials research with direct industrial relevance.