Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo

What Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo does

Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo (CIAD) is a Mexican Centro Público de Investigación established in 1981/1982 and headquartered in Hermosillo, Sonora, operating under the federal science authority (formerly CONACYT, now SECIHTI) as a civil association with majority state participation. The institution conducts multidisciplinary applied research across food science and technology, human nutrition, aquaculture, plant and agricultural biotechnology, molecular biology and genomics, toxicology, microbiology, marine resources, and regional development. Research is delivered through a network of nine regional coordination units distributed across Sonora (Hermosillo and Guaymas), Sinaloa (Culiacán), Chihuahua (Cuauhtémoc), Nayarit (Tepic), Hidalgo (Pachuca), and Colima, staffed by 251–500 employees including researchers accredited within the Sistema Nacional de Investigadoras e Investigadores (SNII).

CIAD's core outputs consist of peer-reviewed scientific publications, two granted patents in meat science, accredited graduate academic programs (Master's and Doctorate in Sciences; Doctorate in Regional Development), and contracted analytical, consulting, and laboratory services. International engagement includes partnership with FAO/UN bodies and participation in the BATCH Initiative, a binational Mexico–US border health research network, alongside domestic outreach via agreements such as the COEcYT (Coahuila) science dissemination partnership.

Revenue is generated primarily through federal and state government appropriations routed through the science council framework, supplemented by competitive research grants (national and international), paid laboratory and consulting services to food/agricultural industry clients, and graduate program tuition. Customer segments therefore comprise federal and state government agencies, food and agricultural industry firms, graduate students, and the broader public reached through science outreach activities.

Name

Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo

Legal name

Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C.

Website

https://www.ciad.mx

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo improves the production, marketing, and consumption of food.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Science Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

akta.pro primary industry

Geographic Indication & Origin/Authenticity Certification (PDO/PGI, Country-of-Origin) (AFALAMAJ)

Keywords

• Food science research
• Agricultural biotechnology
• Nutrition research
• Aquaculture research
• Regional development studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Hermosillo

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Research Funding: Primary funding from federal government through Conacyt/SECIHTI, state governments (Sonora, Sinaloa, Chihuahua), and various federal ministries including Agriculture, Health, Education, and Social Development. This constitutes the core operational funding.
2. Research Services and Consulting: Paid research services, food analysis, consulting, and technical assistance to private sector and government agencies.
3. Graduate Education Programs: Maestría and Doctorado programs generate revenue through tuition and program fees for specialized training in food science, nutrition, and regional development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CIAD is a Mexican public research center that conducts multidisciplinary scientific research in food science, nutrition, aquaculture, agricultural biotechnology, molecular biology, environmental sciences, and regional development. It delivers graduate education programs (Master's and Doctorate in Sciences and Regional Development), paid research services and consulting, specialized laboratory analyses, and disseminates knowledge through scientific publications and science outreach. Its customers are government agencies, food and agricultural industry, and graduate students primarily across Mexico.

Product overview

CIAD (Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo) is a Mexican public research institution offering a portfolio of research services, graduate education programs, laboratory testing services, and scientific publications. The organization operates through multiple coordination units (Nutrition, Food Science, Food Technology of Plant Origin, Food Technology of Animal Origin, Regional Development, and others) located across eight facilities in five Mexican states. Professional services include nutrition and health consulting, food analysis, environmental services, and technology transfer. Graduate programs include Master's and Doctoral degrees in Sciences and Regional Development. The institution also publishes scientific journals and maintains research laboratories for various specialized analyses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional Services and Consulting

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• COEcYT CoahuilaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Science outreach partnership promoting scientific dissemination to children and youth through experiments, food innovation, and environmental conservation projects.
• Gobierno de México (Federal Government)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary funder and governing participant through Conacyt/SECIHTI, multiple federal ministries (Education, Agriculture, Health, Social Development, Treasury), and federal oversight bodies including the Internal Control Organ.
• Gobierno del Estado de SonoracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding and active associate government partner, contributes to institutional governance through the Board of Directors.
• Gobierno del Estado de SinaloacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive associate since 1993, participating in institutional governance and regional research activities.
• Gobierno del Estado de ChihuahuacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive associate since 1997, contributing to regional governance and research support.
• Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding associate and active governance participant, providing academic collaboration and research partnerships.
• Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding associate providing research collaboration and academic exchange.
• Universidad de Sonora (UNISON)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard of Directors member, collaborative research and academic exchange partner.
• Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard of Directors member, collaborative research institution in northwestern Mexico.
• FAO/ONU (Food and Agriculture Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational advisor on good agricultural practices implementation in Mexico and Latin America; Dr. Miguel Ángel Martínez Téllez served as FAO advisor.
• SENASICA (National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative relationship for food safety implementation, inspection systems, and agricultural health policies.
• Academia Mexicana de CienciascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational scientific academy with many CIAD researchers as members, providing scientific recognition and collaboration.
• BATCH Initiative (Mexico-US Border Health)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-border science initiative between Mexico and United States institutions promoting health research, training, and community programs to prevent chronic diseases.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• CIBNOR (Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste): CIBNOR is a CONACYT-affiliated public research center in northwestern Mexico focused on biological sciences and aquaculture, with a footprint overlapping CIAD's marine/aquaculture and food science research and serving as a Board of Directors peer.
• INIFAP (Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias): INIFAP is Mexico's national institute for agricultural and livestock research, the closest federal counterpart to CIAD's food and agricultural research mandate, covering crops, livestock, and food production technologies across Mexican states.
• Colegio de Postgraduados (COLPOS): COLPOS is a Mexican public institution specializing in postgraduate education and research in agricultural sciences, with a comparable mix of Master's/Doctorate programs and applied agrifood research in Mexican states, mirroring CIAD's graduate + research model.
• CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center): CIMMYT is a globally recognized international agricultural research center headquartered in Mexico that conducts crop and food-system research, making it directly comparable in mission and scientific reputation to CIAD's food and agricultural research.
• CIATEJ (Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco): CIATEJ is a CONACYT-affiliated Mexican public research center dedicated to food technology, biotechnology, and industrial assistance, sharing CIAD's food science/technology mandate and CONACYT-system governance.

Broad incumbents

• CINVESTAV (Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN): CINVESTAV is a large Mexican public research center within IPN covering science and technology broadly, including food, biotechnology, and applied biology, sharing CIAD's federal research mandate at a wider disciplinary scope.
• Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM): UNAM is a founding associate of CIAD and Mexico's largest public university, conducting extensive food science, nutrition, and biotechnology research across multiple institutes, providing a much larger and broader academic peer.
• Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN): IPN is a founding associate of CIAD and a major Mexican public university with graduate programs and applied research in biological, food, and environmental sciences comparable to CIAD's academic and applied research profile.

Others

• SENASICA (Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria): SENASICA is Mexico's federal agency for agrifood health, safety, and quality, an active partner of CIAD that defines the regulatory environment for the food safety and quality assurance research CIAD conducts.

Regional players

• EMBRAPA (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária): EMBRAPA is Brazil's national agricultural research corporation, comparable in scale and mission to CIAD as a publicly funded Latin American agrifood research institution, though operating in a different country and with a broader crop and livestock mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CIADCONACYT
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ciad_mx
• Facebookfacebook.com/ciad.conacyt
• Instagraminstagram.com/ciadmx

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo