Liza Wohlfart

Liza Wohlfart is a senior scientist at Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and head of the Center for Frugal Products and Manufacturing Systems, with over 15 years researching frugal innovations i.e. simple, affordable, and sustainable solutions. Her work also includes strategic foresight, behavioral science in innovation, and agile innovation approaches.

Breaking the Wall to Citizen Frugal Innovation: Liza Wohlfart's 2025 Falling Walls Engage Finalist Project is FRANCIS.

The EU-funded FRANCIS project aims at inclusive, impactful solutions by linking Citizen Science and Frugal Innovation for real community needs. It empowers citizens worldwide to develop frugal solutions supported by a dedicated team of mentors from science and industry, an Open Innovation platform and a co-creation toolkit. While inviting everyone worldwide with a unique idea, specific consideration is given to teams from India, Germany, Turkey, and Colombia that address the needs of underrepresented groups of society.