CIC nanoGUNE

What CIC nanoGUNE does

CIC nanoGUNE (Asociación Centro de Investigación Cooperativa en Nanociencias) is a non-profit nanoscience research association founded in 2006 and registered in the Basque Country (Spain) under CIF G-20903449. Its mission is to carry out world-class nanoscience research — at the 0.1 to 100 nanometer scale — for the competitive growth of the Basque Country, organized across 11 research groups spanning three strategic areas: Quantum Nanoscience, Nanomaterials, and Nanomedicine. The center is co-located on a single campus at Tolosa Hiribidea 76 in Donostia/San Sebastián that includes a nearly 300 m² cleanroom for nano- and microfabrication, high-end electron microscopy (SEM, ESEM, TEM, FIB), Raman and FTIR spectroscopy laboratories, and a cell culture laboratory.

The center's underlying technology platform combines atomic-scale fabrication and characterization (on-surface synthesis of molecular nanographenes, low-temperature scanning-probe microscopy, electron microscopy) with application programs in silicon-based quantum computing hardware (with UK-based Quantum Motion), single-molecule plasmonic biosensing with ML optimization, AI-integrated vibrational spectroscopy for early Alzheimer's and lung cancer detection, photonic integrated circuit atmospheric pollution sensing, and the EIC Pathfinder-funded TextaDNA project developing DNA-based data storage in polymer fibers (coordinated with Eurofins Genomics). Hardware infrastructure is housed in purpose-built labs that include Quantum Detection and the in-construction Quantum Tower dedicated to the newly created Quantum Hardware group. Independent technical validation comes from publications in Nature Electronics (2025, 1,024 silicon quantum dot devices), Nature Materials, Physical Review Letters, and Advanced Materials.

CIC nanoGUNE does not sell commercial products. As a non-profit research association, its revenue is dominated by public research funding from the Basque Government (Eusko Jaurlaritza), the Provincial Government of Gipuzkoa (Diputación Foral de Gipuzkoa), FEDER (European Regional Development Fund), the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, and Ikerbasque, supplemented by competitive EU instruments (EIC Pathfinder, ERC), industry collaborative research positions (ICRP) with firms including Intel (MESO program) and Quantum Motion, a fee-based External Services department for facility access (externalservices.nanogune.eu), and technology transfer via spin-offs such as Optec4Life (perinatal monitoring) and an internal IP portfolio. Educational channels include PhD programs co-supervised with the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), the PCAM European Doctorate, master's scholarships (up to 4 at €750/month), and summer internships (€500/month stipends).

Name

CIC nanoGUNE

Legal name

ASOCIACIÓN CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIÓN COOPERATIVA EN NANOCIENCIAS – CIC nanoGUNE

Website

https://nanogune.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CIC nanoGUNE is a Basque, Spain-based non-profit nanoscience research association founded in 2006, operating eleven research groups across quantum nanoscience, nanomaterials, and nanomedicine, primarily publicly funded with industry collaboration, technology transfer, and external services revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nanoscience Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Quantum Materials, Qubits & Device Physics Research (HDAGAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Quantum Tech Commercialization, IP, Tech Transfer & Venture Research (HDAGAMAN), Quantum Education, Workforce Development & Academic Centers (HDAGAMAM)

Keywords

• Nanoscience research
• Nanotechnology research
• Quantum hardware research
• Nanomaterials synthesis
• Nanomedicine diagnostics

Headquarters

HQ city

Donostia-san Sebastián

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Research Funding: CIC nanoGUNE is primarily funded by public sources including the Basque Government (Eusko Jaurlaritza), the Provincial Government of Gipuzkoa (Diputación Foral de Gipuzkoa), FEDER (European Regional Development Fund), the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación), and Ikerbasque. Additional revenue comes from European funding programs such as EIC Pathfinder.
2. Industrial Collaborative Research: The center generates revenue through industry collaborative research positions (ICRP), technology transfer, and contractual research with companies. Spin-offs such as Optec4Life also contribute to commercializing research outcomes.
3. External Services: CIC nanoGUNE's External Services department offers characterization and fabrication services to external academic and industrial users for fee-based access to specialized equipment and facilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CIC nanoGUNE conducts fundamental and applied nanoscience research across 11 research groups organized around three strategic areas — Quantum Nanoscience, Nanomaterials, and Nanomedicine. The center delivers research outputs through scientific publications, EU-funded collaborative projects (EIC Pathfinder TextaDNA, ERC CONSPIRA), technology transfer via spin-offs (Optec4Life) and IP licensing, fee-based External Services for facility access, and graduate training (PhD, Master, Summer Internship) programs. Operations span the nanoscale from 0.1 to 100 nanometers with infrastructure including a ~300 m² cleanroom, electron microscopy labs, and cryogenic quantum hardware facilities.

Product overview

CIC nanoGUNE is a Basque nanoscience research center operating 11 research groups across three strategic areas: Quantum Nanoscience, Nanomaterials, and Nanomedicine. The institution offers a portfolio of research infrastructure services including a ~300m² cleanroom, electron microscopy laboratory (SEM, ESEM, TEM, FIB), optical laboratories (Raman, FTIR, spectroscopy), and cell culture facilities available to external academic and industrial users. Educational offerings include PhD programs (in collaboration with UPV/EHU), Master scholarships, and Summer internships. Research programs span quantum hardware development, quantum-probe microscopy, nanoengineering for medical diagnostics, and major projects including TextaDNA (DNA data storage) and RAVEN (atmospheric pollution sensing with AI). Technology transfer activities include spin-offs such as Optec4Life for childbirth monitoring, IP licensing, and industry collaborative research positions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• External Services Fee-based characterization and fabrication services offered to external academic and industrial users through nanoGUNE's specialized facilities (cleanroom, electron microscopy, optical labs). Provides access to nanoscale fabrication and analysis capabilities for researchers outside the center.
• PhD Program Doctoral research program offering basic and applied research projects within 11 research groups, with co-supervised PhDs (with UPV/EHU and other institutions), industrial PhDs, competitive fellowships, and support for conferences and international research stays. For graduate students in nanoscience, physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, and engineering.
• Master Scholarships Program Master thesis research opportunities at nanoGUNE offering up to 4 scholarships of 750 EUR/month for up to 5 months for students in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Materials Science, and Nanoscience.
• Summer Internship Program Undergraduate research internship program offering 500 €/month grants to 3rd and 4th year Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Engineering students for 1.5–2 month research projects in nanoscience at nanoGUNE.
• PCAM European Doctorate Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials European Doctorate program offering international doctoral research opportunities at the interface of Chemistry, Physics, and Materials Science.
• Industry Collaborative Research Positions (ICRP) Collaborative research positions enabling industry partnerships and joint research initiatives, providing companies with dedicated access to nanoGUNE's research capabilities and talent for R&D projects in nanoscience applications.
• IP Portfolio licensing Intellectual property portfolio (PI Zorroa) containing patents and proprietary inventions developed through nanoGUNE's research programs, available for licensing and commercialization through the Technology Transfer office.
• TextaDNA Project EIC Pathfinder-funded research project coordinated by CIC nanoGUNE developing next-generation DNA-based data storage integrated into polymer fibers, including encoding digital information into DNA sequences, integrating into polymer nanomaterials, and recovering/decoding with high fidelity.
• SIESTA Quantum-Classical Computing Project CIC nanoGUNE project adapting the SIESTA code (Spanish Initiative for Electronic Simulations with Thousands of Atoms), one of the most widespread codes for nanoscale materials simulation, to hybrid workflows incorporating classical and quantum computing.
• Quantum Hardware Research Group Research group developing physical hardware for quantum information processing using devices based on semiconducting, superconducting, and hybrid materials including silicon-based quantum computing, quantum charge/spin sensing, and quantum-dot-based microwave devices.

Quantifiable outcome

• TextaDNA project has established a complete encoding/decoding workflow using next-generation sequencing technologies for DNA-based data storage in polymer fibers.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Quantum MotioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC nanoGUNE's Quantum Hardware group works in close collaboration with Quantum Motion, a UK-based quantum computing scale-up pioneering silicon-based quantum computing hardware. nanoGUNE is also building a Quantum Hardware lab that will house Quantum Motion's Donostia/San Sebastián subsidiary as part of the Quantum Tower expansion.
• Eurofins GenomicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEurofins Genomics, a Germany-based multinational specializing in DNA synthesis and sequencing, collaborates in the TextaDNA project (EIC Pathfinder) coordinated by nanoGUNE. The partnership involves developing encoding/decoding workflows and synthesizing stable oligonucleotides for DNA-based data storage integrated into polymer fibers.
• Packaging Cluster (Catalonia, Spain)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the TextaDNA Industrial Advisory Board, focusing on product information tracking in the packaging sector using DNA-based data storage technology.
• Particular Materials (Italy)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the TextaDNA Industrial Advisory Board, contributing Elementag molecular tagging technology for product verification and traceability.
• Manufaktur Falck (Germany)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the TextaDNA Industrial Advisory Board, providing anti-counterfeiting technology use case for DNA-based data storage in the luxury goods sector.
• BiolanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the TextaDNA Industrial Advisory Board. Biolan is a Spanish biotechnology company and leader in biodetection solutions, exploring synergies for new DNA detection test development.
• Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProf. Thomas Carell of LMU provides scientific guidance on oligonucleotide modifications as part of the TextaDNA Industrial Advisory Board.
• Tasakis Venture Strategy (Belgium)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRafail Tasakis provides commercialization roadmap guidance as part of the TextaDNA Industrial Advisory Board.
• DIPCa / Basque Quantum AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC nanoGUNE is one of seven centers in the Quantum Mile (Milla Cuántica) initiative, alongside DIPC, CFM, Tecnun (University of Navarra), UPV/EHU faculties, and Ikerbasque/Basque Quantum. The IBM Quantum System Two is housed at the Ikerbasque building adjacent to nanoGUNE.
• Princeton UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManuel Suárez Rodríguez conducted a research stay at Princeton University (Prof. Leslie Schoop's group) during his PhD at nanoGUNE, supported by a 'la Caixa' INPhINIT fellowship.
• Intel CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC nanoGUNE's Nanodevices group collaborates with Intel on the MESO technology project to improve the performance and energy efficiency of future computers. Fèlix Casanova has received the Intel Outstanding Researcher Award twice for this work.
• Osakidetza / IIS BiogipuzkoacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical professionals from Osakidetza (Basque Health System) and IIS Biogipuzkoa identified the need for improved fetal vital sign monitoring during childbirth, leading to the collaborative development of the Optec4Life spin-off technology with nanoGUNE's Nanoengineering Group.
• University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC nanoGUNE collaborates with the PNAM (Physics of Nanostructures and Advanced Materials) PhD program at UPV/EHU's Doctoral School. Most nanoGUNE PhD students are enrolled through this program. Joint supervision of PhD theses and undergraduate/master student training.
• BIC GipuzkoacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC nanoGUNE and BIC Gipuzkoa strengthen ties to increase the social and economic impact of nanotechnology. BIC Gipuzkoa's mission is to seek out and set up science and technology-based enterprises in Gipuzkoa, driving forward technologies developed at nanoGUNE to give them final impetus for commercialization.
• PCAM (Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials) European Doctorate ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC nanoGUNE collaborates with the PCAM European Doctorate Program, offering international doctoral research opportunities at the interface of Chemistry, Physics, and Materials Science.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nanogune
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/nanoGUNE
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/CIC-nanoGUNE/282513005181503
• LinkedInes.linkedin.com/company/cic-nanogune
• Instagraminstagram.com/cicnanogune/?hl=en

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CIC nanoGUNE