Founded under the auspices of the United Nations system and with consultative status with many of its specialized agencies, WAITRO provides a wide range of services that foster R&D capacities and facilitate the transfer of technologies around the globe.
Members are more than 160 research and technology organizations (RTOs) that develop customized technological solutions for governmental entities, companies or other costumers that demand professional R&D services.
WAITRO’s Open Innovation Hub offers every single researcher working at a member RTO the opportunity to engage in international research activities. SAIRA, the Open Innovation Hub for Sustainable Development, allows registered users to search and find partners for project ideas based on funding opportunities or locally identified challenges.
The WAITRO Secretariat coordinates and manages the activities and services of the Association. In 2018, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft was appointed to host the WAITRO Secretariat, after it had successfully been hosted at SIRIM Berhad in Malaysia for 16 years. Under the leadership of the new Secretary-General, Dr Eckart Bierdümpel, two WAITRO Offices in Europe and Asia are in charge of the day-to-day business of the Association.
The WAITRO Office Germany is located in Sankt Augustin at the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.
The WAITRO Office China is located in Nanjing at the Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute (JITRI).
