UNINOVA
UNINOVA is a Portuguese non-profit research institute affiliated with NOVA FCT that conducts microelectronics, nanotechnology, embedded systems, and applied AI research, funded by national and EU grants and collaborating with industry partners on semiconductor design and training.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2026
- HeadquartersCaparica, Portugal
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What UNINOVA does
UNINOVA (Instituto de Desenvolvimento de Novas Tecnologias) is a multidisciplinary, independent, non-profit research institute headquartered in Caparica, Portugal, and institutionally affiliated with NOVA FCT (Universidade Nova de Lisboa). Founded in 1986 and employing around 150 staff, UNINOVA pursues scientific research, technical development, advanced training, and education across the CTS (Centro de Tecnologias e Sistemas) research unit's ten scientific domains, including micro-nano electronics design, microelectronics materials and processes, reconfigurable and embedded systems, signal processing and communications, energy efficiency, intelligent control and decision support, computational intelligence, collaborative networks, and robotics and automation.
The institute's core technological capabilities center on advanced analog and mixed-signal integrated circuit design — notably Serializer/Deserializer (SerDes) circuits for 5G/6G at above 100 Gbps, Time-Interleaved ADCs targeting 12-bit at 8Gs/s, physically unclonable functions (PUFs) combining printed electronics with CMOS, and Laser-Induced Processing for sustainable electronics on biopolymer substrates. It also runs applied AI projects in satellite-based water management and neuroimaging-based infant development research. Industry collaboration spans Synopsys (SerDes co-design), Renesas Portugal, ARM, PETsys, PowerTools, Aura Semiconductor, and STFC, alongside academic coordination through the POEMS Microelectronics Academy and seasonal schools awarding up to 6 ECTS micro-credentials.
UNINOVA is funded almost entirely through public grant programs — including FCT, Lisboa2030/Portugal2030, PRR (Portuguese Recovery and Resilience Plan), Horizon Europe, and H2020 — and does not sell commercial products. Its revenue model is project-based, with grants allocated by national and European funding agencies and supplemented by collaborative R&D agreements with industry partners. Customer segments therefore consist of public funders, European research consortia, semiconductor industry partners, and municipal-government entities (such as SMAS Almada) that serve as pilot sites for applied research.
UNINOVA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UNINOVA
- Legal name
- Instituto de Desenvolvimento de Novas Tecnologias
- Website
- https://uninova.pt
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2026
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- UNINOVA is a Portuguese non-profit research institute affiliated with NOVA FCT that conducts microelectronics, nanotechnology, embedded systems, and applied AI research, funded by national and EU grants and collaborating with industry partners on semiconductor design and training.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UNINOVA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Applied Research and Development Services
- NAICS
- Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)
Keywords
Where UNINOVA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Caparica
- HQ country
- Portugal
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
UNINOVA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
UNINOVA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UNINOVA is a non-profit, multidisciplinary research institute that conducts scientific research, technical development, advanced training, and education through its CTS (Centro de Tecnologias e Sistemas) research unit, covering micro-nano electronics design, microelectronics materials and processes, embedded systems, signal processing, energy efficiency, intelligent control, computational intelligence, collaborative networks, and robotics. The institute delivers collaborative R&D projects funded by national and European grants, technology transfer to industry partners, and specialized training programs in semiconductor and integrated circuit design.
Product overview
UNINOVA (Instituto de Desenvolvimento de Novas Tecnologias / Institute for the Development of New Technologies) is a university-affiliated research institute at NOVA FCT (NOVA Faculty of Science and Technology) in Caparica, Portugal. It is not a product company but rather conducts scientific research, technical development, advanced training, and education across multiple technology domains. The institute participates in national and European research projects, collaborates with industry partners (Renesas Portugal, Synopsys, ARM, PETsys, PowerTools, Aura Semiconductor, STFC), and hosts educational programs including the POEMS Semiconductor Spring School and Seasonal School on Advanced Analog and Mixed-Signal IC Design. The institute organizes its research through the CTS (Centro de Tecnologias e Sistemas / Center for Technology and Systems) R&D unit, covering areas such as micro-nano electronics design, microelectronics materials and processes, reconfigurable and embedded systems, signal processing, energy efficiency, intelligent control and decision support systems, computational intelligence, collaborative networks, robotics and automation. UNINOVA does not offer commercial products or services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Collaborative R&D and Technical Development Services Multidisciplinary research and technical development services covering micro-nano electronics design, microelectronics materials and processes, reconfigurable and embedded systems, signal processing and communications, energy efficiency, intelligent control and decision support systems, computational intelligence, collaborative networks, interoperability and complexity systems, and robotics and automation systems. Delivered to industry partners (Synopsys, Renesas Portugal, ARM, PETsys, PowerTools, Aura Semiconductor), European research consortia, and government entities via grant-funded collaborative projects.
- POEMS Semiconductor Spring School Specialized training program organized by POEMS (Academia de Microeletrónica) jointly operated by NOVA FCT and UNINOVA, targeting students and professionals seeking semiconductor skills development and industry-recognized micro-credentials.
- Seasonal School on Advanced Analog and Mixed-Signal (AMS) IC Design Specialized training program in advanced analog and mixed-signal integrated circuit design, delivered by UNINOVA with contributing instructors from Renesas Portugal, PETsys, PowerTools, Aura Semiconductor, ARM, and STFC, aimed at students and professionals seeking CMOS technology and IC design expertise.
- Scientific Publications and Open Research Output Scientific publications, conference presentations, and open access research outputs disseminated globally across microelectronics, embedded systems, signal processing, energy efficiency, intelligent control, computational intelligence, and related domains.
Quantifiable outcome
- SerDes market opportunity of US$1 billion with >10% annual growth
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use UNINOVA
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
UNINOVA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
UNINOVA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- SynopsyscoreCollaboration on SerDes circuit design projects; Synopsys provides semiconductor design tools and expertise; joint research with NOVA FCT on advanced integrated circuit development; collaboration on European Chips Act aligned initiatives
- Renesas PortugalcoreContributing instructors to UNINOVA's Seasonal School on Advanced Analog and Mixed-Signal IC Design; industry expertise for training programs; collaboration on CMOS technologies
- ARMcoreIndustry partner contributing expertise to training programs; collaboration on semiconductor technologies and chip design initiatives
- NOVA FCT - NOVA Faculty of Science and TechnologycoreHost institution for UNINOVA; joint hosting of Seasonal Schools and training programs; shared research facilities and personnel; coordinated doctoral programs
- ISEL - Instituto Superior de Engenharia de LisboasecondaryPartner in CTS Centro de Tecnologias e Sistemas research unit; joint project implementation on SMAIS and other initiatives
- SMAS Almada - Serviços Municipalizados de Água e Saneamento de AlmadasecondaryMunicipal water utility partnering on SMAIS AI project for water leak detection and consumption optimization
- PETsyssecondaryIndustry partner contributing to Seasonal School on Advanced AMS IC Design; semiconductor expertise for training programs
- PowerToolssecondaryIndustry partner contributing to Seasonal School on Advanced AMS IC Design; providing technical expertise for training programs
- Aura SemiconductorsecondaryIndustry partner contributing to Seasonal School on Advanced AMS IC Design; semiconductor technology expertise for training
- STFC - Science and Technology Facilities CouncilsecondaryInternational research partner contributing experts to Seasonal School programs; providing specialized technical knowledge
- POEMS - Academia de MicroeletrónicacoreMicroelectronics Academy jointly operated by NOVA FCT and UNINOVA; organizes Semiconductor Spring School and Seasonal School programs; consortium for semiconductor skills development in Europe
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
UNINOVA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- IMEC: Belgium-based leading microelectronics R&D center operating across semiconductor process, design, and systems — the closest functional peer to UNINOVA's CTS research unit in scope, funding model (public/private mix), and industry partnerships.
- Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems (IMS): German applied-research institute running contract R&D in microelectronics, sensors, and integrated circuit design for industry partners — directly comparable to UNINOVA's project-based R&D and industry collaboration model.
- CEA-Leti: French R&D institute specializing in micro/nanotechnologies and integrated circuit design with deep industry and EU funding ties — highly comparable to UNINOVA in research domains, partner profile, and grant-funded operating model.
- Tyndall National Institute: Ireland-based ICT research institute with microelectronics, photonics, and systems integration programs — comparable in scale, public funding dependency, and university affiliation (University College Cork).
- CSEM (Centre Suisse d'Électronique et de Microtechnique): Swiss applied research center covering microelectronics, systems engineering, and digitalization with industry co-funding — comparable scope and operating model to UNINOVA's CTS activities.
Broad incumbents
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Multi-domain Finnish applied-research organization with significant microelectronics and embedded systems programs — broader in scope than UNINOVA but comparable in grant-funded applied R&D and industry partnerships.
- ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute): Taiwanese applied research organization with deep semiconductor R&D capabilities — broader in scale and commercialization, but comparable in mission of bridging academic research and industry deployment in microelectronics.
Regional players
- Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT): Portuguese private non-profit research institute with wireless, signal processing, and embedded systems programs — the closest Portuguese peer to UNINOVA, sharing national funding channels and an academic affiliation model.
- INESC MN (Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores — Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias): Lisbon-based Portuguese R&D institute focused on MEMS, micro/nanotechnologies, and instrumentation — directly comparable to UNINOVA in micro/nano fabrication, national/EU funding model, and university hosting structure.
- NOVA FCT: Host university for UNINOVA and partner on POEMS and Seasonal Schools — comparable in STEM research and training scope, but operating as a public university rather than an independent research institute.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
UNINOVA social profiles
Digital presenceUNINOVA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UNINOVA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
UNINOVA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UNINOVA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about UNINOVA
What does UNINOVA do?
UNINOVA is a non-profit, multidisciplinary research institute that conducts scientific research, technical development, advanced training, and education through its CTS (Centro de Tecnologias e Sistemas) research unit, covering micro-nano electronics design, microelectronics materials and processes, embedded systems, signal processing, energy efficiency, intelligent control, computational intelligence, collaborative networks, and robotics. The institute delivers collaborative R&D projects funded by national and European grants, technology transfer to industry partners, and specialized training programs in semiconductor and integrated circuit design.
Is UNINOVA a public or private company?
UNINOVA is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was UNINOVA founded?
UNINOVA was founded in 2026. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is UNINOVA based?
UNINOVA is headquartered in Caparica, Portugal, in the Europe region.
Who are UNINOVA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are IMEC, Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems (IMS), CEA-Leti, Tyndall National Institute and CSEM (Centre Suisse d'Électronique et de Microtechnique). Broad incumbents are VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute). Regional players are Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT), INESC MN (Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores — Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias) and NOVA FCT.
Does UNINOVA have an API?
No public API is recorded for UNINOVA.
What industry is UNINOVA in?
UNINOVA's product category is Applied Research and Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAEAA, Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive). Its NAICS code is 5417 and its SIC code is 8731.