Organization

SENNHEISER ELECTRONIC GMBH & CO KG

Global audio technology company contributing spatial audio, VR acoustics, and rare earth magnet expertise to European research consortia.

Large industrial companydigitalDENo active H2020 projects

H2020 projects

As coordinator

Total EC funding

€1.1M

Unique partners

What they do

Their core work

Sennheiser is a globally recognized German audio technology company specializing in professional microphones, headphones, and spatial audio systems. In H2020 projects, they contribute industry expertise in audio engineering, 3D sound reproduction, and 5G-enabled media production workflows. They also engage in rare earth magnet supply chain sustainability, likely driven by their dependence on these materials for speaker and transducer manufacturing.

Core expertise

What they specialise in

Spatial and immersive audio technologyprimary

2 projects

VRACE focused on virtual reality audio and spatial sound synthesis; 5G-RECORDS targeted professional media content production over 5G networks.

Rare earth magnet sustainability for audio componentssecondary

2 projects

REProMag and SUSMAGPRO both addressed rare earth magnet production and recycling — critical materials for Sennheiser's speaker and transducer manufacturing.

5G-enabled professional media productionemerging

1 project

5G-RECORDS explored campus networks and end-to-end 5G infrastructure for live and professional media content creation.

Virtual acoustics and sound simulationsecondary

1 project

VRACE trained early-stage researchers in structural acoustics, room acoustics, procedural audio, and virtual testing methods.

Evolution & trajectory

How they've shifted over time

Early focus

Rare earth magnet production

Recent focus

Immersive audio and 5G media

Sennheiser's early H2020 involvement (2015) focused on securing their hardware supply chain through rare earth magnet production efficiency (REProMag). From 2019 onward, their participation shifted decisively toward software-driven audio experiences — virtual reality acoustics, spatial audio research, and 5G-powered professional media workflows. This mirrors the broader industry pivot from audio hardware to immersive digital audio experiences, while maintaining a parallel thread in circular economy for critical raw materials.

Sennheiser is moving toward software-defined spatial audio and next-generation connectivity for professional media, making them a strong partner for immersive experience and 5G application projects.

Collaboration profile

How they like to work

Role: specialist_contributorReach: European16 countries collaborated

Sennheiser participates exclusively as a consortium partner, never as coordinator — typical for a large industrial company contributing domain expertise and real-world use cases rather than managing research programs. With 66 unique partners across 16 countries in just 4 projects, they join large, diverse consortia. This suggests they serve as an industry end-user and validation partner, bringing commercial audio expertise to research-driven teams.

Despite only 4 projects, Sennheiser has built a broad network of 66 partners across 16 countries, reflecting participation in large European consortia. Their reach spans well beyond Germany, with no apparent geographic clustering.

Why partner with them

What sets them apart

Sennheiser brings something rare to EU consortia: a globally respected audio brand with deep manufacturing knowledge AND frontier research interest in immersive sound. Few industrial partners can simultaneously contribute to circular economy projects (as a real end-user of rare earth magnets) and to VR/5G audio innovation. For consortium builders, they offer immediate industrial validation and a credible path to market for audio-related research outputs.

Notable projects

Highlights from their portfolio

REProMag
Largest single EC contribution (EUR 477K) — addressed resource-efficient rare earth magnet production, directly tied to Sennheiser's core hardware supply chain.
5G-RECORDS
EUR 390K investment in 5G campus networks for professional media production — signals Sennheiser's strategic bet on next-generation connectivity for audio.
VRACE
Marie Skłodowska-Curie training network in virtual reality audio — unusual for a private company to join an academic training program, showing commitment to fundamental acoustics research.

Cross-sector capabilities

Manufacturing — rare earth magnet supply chain and circular economyEnvironment — critical raw materials recycling and reuseDigital media — 5G infrastructure for professional content productionResearch training — industrial host for early-stage audio researchers

Analysis note: With only 4 projects, the profile is coherent but the sample is small. Sennheiser's global brand recognition and clear industrial identity make the analysis reliable despite limited H2020 data. The dual thread (materials sustainability + digital audio) is well-supported by the project evidence.