Big names from Jena are world-famous: Entrepreneurial success stories such as those of ZEISS, Jenoptik and SCHOTT began here.As the cradle of the European optics and photonics industry, Jena has long since established itself as a leading high-tech centre in central Germany. International corporations, but also numerous small and medium-sized companies are based here.

Jena is not only a centre for research and development, but also for production for global markets – thanks to the high density of expertise in the economic sectors of optics, photonics, health technology, medical technology and precision engineering.