# AWS-Institute for digitized products and processes

> facility in Saarbrücken, Germany

**Wikidata**: [Q64143653](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q64143653)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/aws-institute-for-digitized-products-and-processes

## Summary
The AWS-Institute for digitized products and processes, also known as the August-Wilhelm Scheer Institute or AWSi, is a nonprofit research institute headquartered in Saarbrücken, Germany. Founded in 2014, it operates as a gemeinnützige GmbH dedicated exclusively to research in the field of digitization.

## Key Facts
- Full official name: August-Wilhelm Scheer Institute for digitized products and processes
- Common aliases: AWSi
- Location: Saarbrücken, Germany (coordinates: 49.258374°N, 7.042688°E)
- Founded: 2014
- Named after: August-Wilhelm Scheer
- Legal structure: gemeinnützige GmbH (nonprofit limited liability company)
- Tax status: Tax-exempt under the German Fiscal Code (Abgabenordnung)
- Primary industry: Research
- Official website: https://www.aws-institut.de/
- Social media: Twitter (@aws_institut), Facebook (augustwilhelmscheerinstitut), LinkedIn (aws-institut-für-digitale-produkte-und-prozesse-ggmbh), Xing (awsinstitutfürdigitaleprodukteundprozesse)
- Global identifiers: ROR ID 00g8ww875, GRID ID grid.506116.5, OpenCorporates ID de/V1109_HRB101867
- Wikidata description: "facility in Saarbrücken, Germany"
- Classification: Research institute and nonprofit organization

## FAQs
**What is the full official name of the institute?**  
The full official name is the August-Wilhelm Scheer Institute for digitized products and processes. It is commonly abbreviated as AWSi in professional and academic contexts.

**Where is the institute physically located?**  
It is headquartered in Saarbrücken, Germany, with precise geographic coordinates at 49.258374°N latitude and 7.042688°E longitude. Saarbrücken is the capital of the Saarland state.

**When was it established and what is its legal form?**  
The institute was founded in 2014 and operates as a gemeinnützige GmbH, a specific German legal form for a nonprofit limited liability company. It holds tax-exempt status under the German Fiscal Code.

**Who is August-Wilhelm Scheer and why is the institute named after him?**  
The institute is named in honor of August-Wilhelm Scheer. The provided source material does not include further biographical details about him or the specific reasons for the naming tribute.

**How can I access official information or contact the institute?**  
Official information is available on its website at https://www.aws-institut.de/. The institute maintains active presences on Twitter (@aws_institut), Facebook (augustwilhelmscheerinstitut), LinkedIn, and Xing for professional networking and updates.

## Why It Matters
As a dedicated research institute, the AWS-Institute exists solely to generate new knowledge through systematic investigation into digitized products and processes, free from the teaching obligations that divide university researchers' attention. This pure research focus allows it to pursue long-term, specialized inquiry in digital transformation—a critical domain for industrial competitiveness and societal adaptation to technological change. Its nonprofit legal structure ensures its work is oriented toward public benefit rather than commercial profit, aligning with the broader role of research institutes as engines of discovery that address complex, field-specific challenges. By concentrating expertise and resources on digitization, it contributes to the foundational knowledge that underpins innovation in areas like smart manufacturing, process optimization, and digital product development.

## Notable For
- **Specific namesake:** It is explicitly named after August-Wilhelm Scheer, indicating a direct legacy or honorific connection not common to all research entities.
- **Distinct legal form:** Operates as a gemeinnützige GmbH, a German nonprofit corporate structure that provides legal personality while mandating charitable purposes.
- **Geographic specificity:** Its headquarters in Saarbrücken anchors it within a particular regional innovation ecosystem in southwestern Germany.
- **Digital-first identity:** Maintains a coordinated presence across multiple professional (LinkedIn, Xing) and public (Twitter, Facebook) social platforms, reflecting its focus on digitized fields.
- **Formal recognition:** Holds persistent identifiers in major global research databases (ROR, GRID), confirming its status as a recognized independent research organization.
- **Exclusive research mandate:** Its classification as a research institute, distinct from universities or think tanks, underscores a sole commitment to investigation without degree-granting or policy-advocacy functions.

## Body
### Official Designation and Naming
The institute's full legal and operational name is the August-Wilhelm Scheer Institute for digitized products and processes. The acronym AWSi is used as a common alias in communications and academic references. The naming convention indicates a direct tribute or dedication to August-Wilhelm Scheer, though the source material does not elaborate on his specific contributions or relationship to the institute's founding mission.

### Location and Geographic Anchoring
The institute is physically located in Saarbrücken, Germany. Its exact geographic coordinates are 49.258374 degrees north latitude and 7.042688 degrees east longitude. Saarbrücken serves as the state capital of Saarland, a region historically associated with heavy industry and now transitioning toward technology and research-driven economic models.

### Founding and Institutional History
The AWS-Institute was formally established in 2014. The source provides no additional details regarding its founding circumstances, initial funding sources, key founding personnel, or early developmental milestones beyond the inception year.

### Legal and Organizational Status
The institute is constituted as a gemeinnützige GmbH, which is a German legal form for a nonprofit limited liability company. This structure provides the liability protection of a corporation while legally binding the organization to pursue exclusively charitable or public-benefit purposes. It is officially recognized as tax-exempt under the German Fiscal Code (Abgabenordnung). In terms of organizational classification, it is explicitly identified as both a "research institute" and a "nonprofit organization," aligning with definitions that prioritize systematic investigation over teaching or commercial activity.

### Digital Infrastructure and Public Presence
The institute's primary digital gateway is its official website at https://www.aws-institut.de/. It maintains an active and multi-platform social media presence: Twitter under the handle @aws_institut, Facebook under the page name "augustwilhelmscheerinstitut," LinkedIn under the company ID "aws-institut-für-digitale-produkte-und-prozesse-ggmbh," and Xing under the company ID "awsinstitutfürdigitaleprodukteundprozesse." This coordinated digital footprint supports its research dissemination and professional networking goals.

### Global Identification and Registry Data
The institute is registered in several international research and corporate registries. Its ROR (Research Organization Registry) ID is 00g8ww875. Its GRID (Global Research Identifier Database) ID is grid.506116.5, with the country mapped to Germany. In corporate registries, it holds OpenCorporates ID de/V1109_HRB101867. Its Wikidata entry is described succinctly as a "facility in Saarbrücken, Germany."

### Conceptual Classification and Context
As an instance of a "research institute," the AWS-Institute fits the defined category of an organization whose primary purpose is conducting research. This distinguishes it from universities (which combine teaching and research), think tanks (which focus on policy-oriented research), and scientific societies (which are membership-based). Its specific field—digitized products and processes—places it within applied and computational research domains. The nonprofit legal form further differentiates it from corporate research labs, emphasizing its orientation toward knowledge generation as a public good rather than proprietary commercial advantage.

## References

1. GRID Release 2019-05-06