The idea for a virtual company founder—Joseph von Fraunhofer—emerged from an employee competition.

After all, most people today do not even know why the Fraunhofer Institute bears this name or what connects the founder’s spirit with the philosophy of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.

During an extensive conceptual phase, we explored the personality of Joseph von Fraunhofer—the father of optics and precision mechanics. What was his life like? What did he look like? How did he speak? Since Fraunhofer passed away as early as 1826, only a few paintings, documents, and his death mask remain today. From all this information, an avatar was to be created with whom one could have a stimulating conversation in the lobby of the Stuttgart Fraunhofer Institutes—for example, while waiting for an appointment.