Cicap

What Cicap does

CICAP (Comitato Italiano per il Controllo delle Affermazioni sul Paranormale), operating as Fondazione CICAP ETS since February 2026, is an Italian non-profit educational organization founded in 1989 and headquartered in Padova. Its mission is to promote scientific skepticism and rigorous, evidence-based investigation of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims through publishing, education, public events, and field investigations. The organization serves the Italian general public, schools and students, and journalists seeking expert skeptical commentary, operating through a national network of 18+ regional local groups (Gruppi Locali) plus thematic groups covering schools (CICAP Scuola), investigations (Gruppo Indagini), press relations (Ufficio Stampa), radio (Radio CICAP), and public campaigns (Chiedi Le Prove).

CICAP's product portfolio spans three publication lines — the Query magazine (published since 1993), Magia magazine on illusionism, and the historical Scienza & Paranormale journal — alongside its Prometeo online bookshop, the Libri del CICAP and Quaderni book series, the Corso per indagatori delle pseudoscienze training course, Radio CICAP audio content, and the flagship annual CICAP Fest event held in Padova. The organization is the Italian affiliate of the European Council of Skeptical Organizations and has partnership relationships with Fondazione Veronesi (SciLit project) and UAI - Unione Astrofili Italiani (Stregati dalla Luna). CICAP does not develop or sell technology products; its underlying methodology is scientific investigation and critical analysis rather than a software or platform stack.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: recurring annual membership dues (subscribers receive CICAP Extra access and Query magazine), donations and charitable contributions including the Italian 5x1000 tax designation, testamentary bequests, and PayPal contributions, and one-time publication sales through the Prometeo bookshop and magazine subscriptions (Query at €6.50 per issue, books priced €5–€30). Go-to-market is community-led, combining grassroots local-group engagement, school outreach, media appearances on radio and television, and the annual CICAP Fest festival. Membership enrollment is self-serve through the website with options for direct debit, PayPal, and bank transfer. No revenue figure is publicly disclosed, and the organization has noted financial challenges publicly.

Name

Cicap

Legal name

Fondazione CICAP ETS

Website

https://cicap.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CICAP is an Italian non-profit educational organization founded in 1989 that promotes scientific skepticism and investigates paranormal claims through publications (Query, Magia), school programs, public events (CICAP Fest), and a nationwide network of local groups across Italy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Padova

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: CICAP operates as a membership-based nonprofit. Members pay annual dues to support the organization and receive access to CICAP Extra and the magazine Query as benefits.
2. Donations and charitable contributions: The organization raises funds through direct donations, 5x1000 tax designation (Italian taxpayer contribution program), testamentary bequests (lasciti), and PayPal contributions. CICAP is a Fondazione di Partecipazione registered as Ente del Terzo Settore (ETS) since February 2026.
3. Publications sales: CICAP generates revenue through its bookshop (Prometeo), selling books including its own publications (Libri del CICAP, Quaderni del CICAP, Quaderni di Magia) and the magazine Query, as well as subscriptions to Query and Magia magazines.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CICAP is Italy's leading non-profit educational organization dedicated to promoting scientific skepticism and critical investigation of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. Founded in 1989, it sells publications including the Query and Magia magazines and book series (Libri del CICAP, Quaderni di Magia), operates the Prometeo online bookshop, delivers educational programs for schools (CICAP Scuola), runs a professional training course for pseudoscience investigators, hosts public events including the annual CICAP Fest, produces Radio CICAP podcast content, and conducts field investigations through its Gruppo Indagini team — all sustained by individual memberships, donations, and Italy's 5x1000 taxpayer designation program.

Product overview

CICAP (Comitato Italiano per il Controllo delle Affermazioni sul Paranormale) is a non-profit educational organization founded in 1989, now a Fondazione di Partecipazione ETS registered in the RUNTS. CICAP operates as a multi-product educational enterprise focused on promoting scientific skepticism and critical investigation of pseudosciences and paranormal claims. Its portfolio includes multiple publication products: the flagship magazine 'Query' covering science and skepticism topics; 'Magia' magazine dedicated to magic culture; and the historical 'Scienza & Paranormale' publication. CICAP operates the Prometeo online bookshop for related publications. On the educational side, it runs CICAP Scuola (school programs), a professional 'Corso per indagatori delle pseudoscienze' (investigator training course), and Radio CICAP podcast content. The organization conducts investigations through its Gruppo Indagini team and runs public campaigns like 'Chiedi Le Prove.' Annual public engagement includes the CICAP Fest event in Padova. CICAP is affiliated with the European Council of Skeptical Organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• QUERY: The organization's main magazine publication covering science, skepticism, and critical analysis of paranormal claims.
• Scienza & Paranormale (S&P)
• CICAP Fest
• Radio CICAP
• CICAP Scuola
• Prometeo
• Chiedi Le Prove

Products and services

• Query
• Magia

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• European Council of Skeptical OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCICAP is the Italian affiliate of the European Council of Skeptical Organizations (ECSO), an umbrella organization of European skeptical movements. This affiliation provides international credibility, shared research methodologies, and cross-border collaboration in promoting scientific skepticism across Europe.
• Fondazione VeronesiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCICAP collaborates with Fondazione Veronesi on projects, including the SciLit (Scientific Literacy for Human Rights) initiative. Fondazione Veronesi is an Italian foundation promoting scientific research and education in biomedicine.
• UAI - Unione Astrofili ItalianiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCICAP and UAI (Unione Astrofili Italiani, the Italian amateur astronomers' union) partnered on the 'Stregati dalla Luna' project to debunk moon-related hoaxes and misinformation, combining astronomical expertise with CICAP's skeptical investigation methodology.
• Queryonline.itminorGTM or Marketing PartnerQueryonline.it is the online extension of the Query magazine, maintaining a separate editorial presence at queryonline.it. It publishes articles under categories like 'Il Terzo Occhio' and extends CICAP's reach into digital content marketing.
• Rivista MagiaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe magazine Magia (rivistamagia.it) is a CICAP publication dedicated to magic culture and illusionism, published alongside Query and distributed through the same subscription and distribution channels.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Humanists UK: UK-based nonprofit promoting rationalism, secularism, and critical thinking through education, campaigns, and member services — broader than CICAP but with a comparable member-funded nonprofit model targeting scientifically literate audiences.
• CICAP Fest / Festival of Science (broad science-communication festivals): CICAP Fest itself is a candidate reference, but analogous national science-and-skepticism festivals (e.g., European Skeptics Congress events) serve as comparable event formats for assessing CICAP's annual festival footprint and audience draw.

Direct peers

• GWUP (Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften): Germany's national skeptical organization, a fellow ECSO member, conducting investigations of paranormal claims and publishing skeptical content — directly comparable European peer with similar member-based structure.
• Skepsis (Stichting Skepsis): Dutch skeptical organization, also affiliated with ECSO, conducting investigations of paranormal claims and publishing critical analyses — closely mirrors CICAP's structure and methodology.
• Skeptic (UK magazine / ASKE): UK skeptical magazine and affiliated Association for Skeptical Enquiry, publishing skeptic magazine and running public events on scientific skepticism — directly comparable publication-and-events model.
• Australian Skeptics: Australia's national skeptical organization, publishing The Skeptic magazine and running investigative and educational activities — same organizational model and skeptical-investigation mission as CICAP.
• The Skeptics Society: US skeptical organization founded by Michael Shermer, publishing Skeptic magazine and hosting lectures and educational events on scientific skepticism — directly comparable mission, magazine publication, and public-engagement model.
• Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI) / Center for Inquiry: The leading US-based skeptical organization, publishing the Skeptical Inquirer magazine and operating a similar investigative, educational, and advocacy mission against pseudoscience and paranormal claims — the closest functional analogue to CICAP in another geography.

Others

• Quackwatch: US-based project investigating health fraud, pseudoscience, and questionable medical claims — narrower but methodologically aligned with CICAP's Gruppo Indagini and a useful peer for comparison of investigative outputs and web reach.

Regional players

• ARPICA: Portuguese skeptical organization performing scientific investigation of pseudoscience and paranormal claims — same ECSO-aligned mission in a neighboring European market, useful proxy for cross-border collaboration potential.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cicap
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/VideoCicap
• Facebookfacebook.com/cicap.org
• Instagraminstagram.com/cicap

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Cicap