DiGOS Potsdam GmbH, a GFZ spin-off, has received the Berlin-Brandenburg Innovation Award 2025. It was honored for its development of fibre optic cables for monitoring infrastructure. The “Phosaris” system uses artificial intelligence and a technology co-developed by the GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences that employs “Distributed acoustic sensing” (DAS) within fibre-optic cables to detect seismic vibrations and ground deformations. This exploits the fact that glass fibres, and thus also the transmitted light signals, are highly sensitive to changes in their environment – such as mechanical stress, vibrations or temperature. This technology can be used to monitor dams and dykes, for example, but also road surfaces and bridges. Another area of application are geothermal boreholes. The GFZ is involved in several innovative geothermal projects in the region. 

This is the second time that DiGOS has been awarded the Berlin-Brandenburg Innovation Prize. In 2019, the award was given for the detection of space debris and the high-precision tracking of satellite orbits, made possible by “Satellite Laser Ranging” (SLR). The GFZ has been operating an SLR station on the Telegrafenberg for many years.

DiGOS CEO André Kloth spun off from the GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences in 2014, and his company currently employs around 35 people. DiGOS Potsdam is now a leading global system provider for the construction and operation of SLR stations. DiGOS is currently also building a fourth-generation SLR station for the GFZ, which is expected to go into operation on Telegrafenberg in 2027.

Further information on GFZ Spin-Offs.