CCG

What CCG does

CCG/ZGDV is a private non-profit ICT Innovation Institute (Associação Privada sem fins lucrativos) headquartered in Guimarães, Portugal, founded in 1993 as a joint initiative between ZGDV (Germany) and the University of Coimbra, and re-founded in 2001 around the University of Minho. It functions as a Research and Technology Organization (RTO) operating at the interface between academia and industry in Portugal, specializing in computer graphics, ubiquitous computing, human-computer interaction, and information engineering. The institute is formally recognized as a Centro de Tecnologia e Inovação (CTI, 2022), Centro de Interface Tecnológico (CIT, 2017), entity of Public Utility (2021), and member of the Sistema Científico e Tecnológico Nacional (SCTN).

The institute delivers an end-to-end service portfolio spanning technological innovation consulting, contract R&D, advanced training (via the Tech Training Hub, 2024), Knowledge and Technology Transfer (KTT, 2025), testing/validation/conformity analysis of digital solutions, and IT/data center services (including IaaS). Service delivery is built on a network of specialized research laboratories: Software Engineering and Data Intelligence, Computer Vision and Processing, Building Information Modeling, Simulation and Digital Twins, Cyber-Physical Systems, Human-Machine Interaction, Extended Reality (VR/AR/MR), and Cognitive and Collaborative Robotics. Capital-intensive infrastructure includes a CAVE immersive virtual environment, a 180-degree driving simulator for CCAM testing, GPU/TPU compute for deep learning inference, and digital twin facilities. Certifications include ISO 9001 (via APCER) and DGERT training entity status.

The business model is project-based professional services revenue generated through direct engagement with enterprise customers, government entities, and academic institutions, supplemented by a 20+ associate member network and a distributed polytechnic partnership model across Guimarães, Setúbal, Bragança, Vila Real (UTAD), and Viana do Castelo (IPVC). Key named enterprise customers include CP – Comboios de Portugal (strategic innovation partner since 1997), CEGID (associate since 2018), VdA (associate since 2023), and F3M (associate since 2023). Services are segmented across ten verticals including Software/IT/Media, Manufacturing, Smart Cities/Mobility/Energy, Construction, Heritage/Culture/Tourism, eHealth, Sustainability/Circular Economy, Agroindustry, Blue Economy, and Aeronautics/Space/Defense. Governance is provided by a five-member Board of Directors led by President Ricardo J. Machado (since 2020), with a Consultative Council constituted in 2022 and a Collegiate Executive Board (Direção Executiva Colegial) created in 2019.

Name

CCG

Legal name

Instituto CCG/ZGDV

Website

https://ccg.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CCG/ZGDV is a Portuguese non-profit ICT Innovation Institute founded in 1993 that provides applied research, contract R&D, technology transfer, advanced training, and testing/validation services to enterprises, government, and academia across ten industry verticals, operating through specialized labs in AI, computer vision, XR, robotics, digital twins, and BIM.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research and Technology Organization Services

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Other Computer Related Services (541519)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Customer Experience (CX) & Digital Experience (BPAHAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Business Continuity Management (BCM) Platforms (HDABAIAD)

Keywords

• Applied research services
• Contract research development
• Technology transfer consulting
• Software testing validation
• Immersive technology labs

Headquarters

HQ city

Guimarães

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Contract Research and Development: Applied R&D services delivered under contract to companies and public entities, addressing specific technological challenges
2. Technology Consulting: Technological innovation consulting services for businesses seeking digital transformation
3. Advanced Training Services: Specialized technology and innovation training programs through the Tech Training Hub
4. Knowledge and Technology Transfer (KTT): Transfer of technology and knowledge to the business sector
5. Digital Solutions Testing and Validation: Testing, validation, and conformity analysis services for digital and computational solutions

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CCG/ZGDV is a private non-profit ICT Innovation Institute operating as a Research and Technology Organization (RTO), delivering contract research and development, technological innovation consulting, advanced training through the Tech Training Hub, knowledge and technology transfer (KTT), and software testing and validation. Its services are supported by specialized infrastructure including the CAVE immersive virtual environment, a driving simulator (DSM), and laboratories for computer vision, BIM, digital twins, cyber-physical systems, HMI, extended reality, and cognitive and collaborative robotics.

Product overview

CCG/ZGDV is a private non-profit ICT Innovation Institute founded in 1993, operating as a Research and Technology Organization (RTO) with a portfolio of technology services, living labs, and specialized research laboratories. Its service portfolio includes Technological Innovation Consulting, Contract R&D, Advanced Training in Emerging Technologies (via the Tech Training Hub), Knowledge and Technology Transfer (KTT), Testing/Validation/Conformity Analysis of Digital Solutions, and IT/Data Centre services (including IaaS and housing). These services are delivered through and supported by a network of specialized living labs and research facilities: the CAVE (immersive virtual environment) and DSM (driving simulator) for immersive prototyping; dedicated laboratories for Software Testing/Certification, Software Engineering and Data Intelligence, Computer Vision and Processing, BIM, Simulation and Digital Twins, Cyber-Physical Systems, Human-Machine Interaction, Extended Reality (VR/AR/MR), and Cognitive/Collaborative Robotics. Together, the services and lab infrastructure form an end-to-end offering from applied research through technology transfer and validation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tech Training Hub: Technology and Innovation Training Hub – service of specialized training and corporate capacity building promoted by CCG/ZGDV Institute.

Products and services

• Technological Innovation Consulting Advisory service that helps enterprises identify and adopt emerging digital and computational technologies to drive innovation and competitiveness, drawing on the institute's applied research expertise.
• Contract Research and Development Applied research and development services carried out under contract to help companies develop new ICT-enabled products, processes or services, leveraging the institute's 160+ researchers and specialized labs.
• Tech Training Hub - Advanced Training in Emerging Technologies Specialized professional training and upskilling sub-brand of CCG/ZGDV delivering advanced courses focused on emerging digital and computational technologies, delivered via its own tthub.ccg.pt platform.
• KTT - Knowledge and Technology Transfer Dedicated Knowledge and Technology Transfer service that operationalizes the movement of the institute's research outputs, intellectual property, and licensing royalties into commercial and societal applications.
• Testing, Validation and Conformity Analysis of Digital Solutions Testing, trials, inspections, verification and validation services that prepare software products for certification, backed by a dedicated lab with high-performance servers and a fleet of physical devices.
• IT and Data Centre Services IT infrastructure and data-centre services including software-defined infrastructure based on VMware, high-availability and scalability, housing, and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) offered to external organizations.
• CAVE - Cave Automatic Virtual Environment Immersive virtual environment offering 3D stereoscopic projection, motion tracking, spatialized audio and mixed-reality capabilities to support observation of large-scale architectural, urban, molecular or astronomical models, accessible to client research teams.
• DSM - Driving Simulator (2 and 4 wheels) Road driving simulator with 180-degree screens, customizable virtual scenarios and mockup vehicles used to prototype HMI concepts for connected, cooperative and autonomous mobility (CCAM) and to test road infrastructure.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ partners in the innovation ecosystem
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability13 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fehst Consulting & Innovation S.A.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Constituent associate since 2014, joined alongside Universidade do Minho and ZGDV; business consulting and innovation services partner
• Universidade do MinhocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Founding associate and primary academic partner; co-founded in 1993 with ZGDV; provides research collaboration and talent pipeline; renewed association in 2000
• CentimfecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology center for molds, special tools and plastics industry; founding associate since 1993
• CitevecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology center for textile and clothing industries; associate since 2017
• PIEP - Pólo de Inovação em Engenharia de PolímerosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolymer engineering innovation center; associate since 2024
• FibrenamicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFiber and composite materials innovation association; associate since 2024
• Instituto Politécnico de SetúbalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished as Polo in 2025; expanded national presence with dedicated research facility
• Instituto Politécnico de BragançaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner polytechnic institute with CCG/ZGDV branch
• Instituto Politécnico de Viana do CastelominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtension partnership formalized in 2025; expanded national coverage
• Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtension location at UTAD in Vila Real; regional presence
• DTx Digital Transformation CoLabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative laboratory member; digital transformation research collaboration
• ProChild CoLAB Against Poverty and Social ExclusionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative laboratory member since 2018; social impact research
• CTI Alliance - Network of Technology and Innovation CentrescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoined in 2025; European network of technology and innovation centers
• Instituto CESAR (Centro de Estudos e Sistemas Avançados do Recife)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation protocol signed in 2025; international collaboration with Brazilian research center
• Forum OceanominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue economy cluster; member since 2025
• AED Cluster - Aeronáutica, Espaço e DefesaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAeronautics, Space and Defense cluster member since 2022
• ZGDV (Zentrum für Graphische Datenverarbeitung)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member from Germany; German graphics research center; established CCG/ZGDV in 1993
• CP - Comboios de PortugalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRailway company; strategic innovation partner since 1997; developed first CP website
• CEGIDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCloud-based business management solutions; associate since 2018
• VdA - Vieira de AlmeidaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading law firm; associate since 2023
• F3MminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIT solutions company; associate since 2023

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• INESC TEC: INESC TEC is Portugal's largest private non-profit research association, similarly performing applied R&D and technology transfer in ICT, computer vision, AI, and industry-digitalization — directly comparable to CCG in mission, structure, and customer segments.
• CEiiA: CEiiA is a Portuguese private non-profit Centre of Engineering and Product Development operating in mobility, aerospace, and smart cities with extensive labs — a direct Portuguese peer competing for similar EU and corporate R&D contracts.
• IT - Instituto de Telecomunicações: IT is a Portuguese private non-profit R&D association in telecommunications and multimedia, with labs and associate members across multiple universities — a direct peer in structure, services, and customer profile.
• UNINOVA - Instituto de Desenvolvimento de Novas Tecnologias: UNINOVA is a Portuguese non-profit R&D institute focused on electronics, ICT, and intelligent systems with associated labs — directly comparable in operating model and target verticals (manufacturing, mobility, eHealth).
• CTS - Centro de Tecnologia e Sistemas: CTS is a Portuguese applied research unit operating within the UNINOVA ecosystem, focused on embedded systems, decision support, and industrial AI — closely comparable in lab structure and contract R&D delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft: Fraunhofer is Europe's largest applied research organization with 75+ institutes delivering contract R&D across ICT, AI, manufacturing, and mobility — a far larger incumbent that competes with CCG for EU-funded projects and large enterprise contracts in overlapping fields.
• TNO: TNO is the Netherlands' applied scientific research organization operating across digital, built environment, mobility, and defense — comparable as a broader European RTO competitor for cross-border R&D opportunities in similar verticals.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: VTT is Finland's national applied research centre with deep capabilities in digital twins, AI, XR, and industrial software — a broader European RTO peer with similar lab infrastructure (simulators, living labs) and comparable customer profile.
• CSEM: CSEM is a Swiss applied research and technology organization focused on micro/nano technologies, systems, and digitalization — a comparable European RTO with contract R&D services, lab infrastructure, and industry transfer activities.

Emerging players

• CITEVE: CITEVE is a Portuguese technology centre for the textile and clothing industry and a CCG associate member — comparable as a Portuguese sector-focused RTO, though narrower in vertical scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CentroCGrafica
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CCG-ZGDV-institute
• Facebookfacebook.com/ccg.pt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ccg-zgdv-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/ccg.pt

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CCG