What Groupe ICARE does

Groupe ICARE is a French-headquartered contract testing laboratory founded in 1995 by Christian Poinsot, specializing in regulatory safety testing and consulting for health products. The company operates four sites across France (Saint-Beauzire headquarters and Martillac), Switzerland (La Chaux-de-Fonds), and Brazil (São Paulo), employing 220+ specialized scientific staff and serving 1,800 clients across 40 countries. Its core service portfolio spans microbiology, biocompatibility (ISO 10993), toxicology, biological evaluation, physico-chemistry, validation/qualification, packaging, cleaning/disinfection, sterilization, shelf-life testing, and consulting/training — anchored by 5,000 m² of laboratory infrastructure including 3,500 m² of clean rooms.

The company's technology platform rests on COFRAC ISO 17025 accreditations (Saint-Beauzire n°1-1021, Martillac n°1-6921), GLP recognition, FDA registration, and ANSM approval for surgical mask certification. The BioTox Business Unit (formerly LEMI, founded 1989, and Phycher Bio-Développement) provides an in vivo/in vitro biocompatibility and toxicology catalogue of 48 tests, with 1,500 tests performed annually. The company also develops alternative methods to animal testing, including H-CLAT and organ-on-chip models (the INCREASE joint lab with CNRS and the PIA3-funded HumSkin 3DCELL project).

Groupe ICARE generates revenue through project-based professional services billed per engagement, with pricing reference points of €3,200/day for audits and €165/hour for field intervention. Go-to-market relies on a direct enterprise field sales team (Business Developer Europe) targeting quality, production, R&D, and industrial directors at medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers, supported by the Webicare webinar series (46+ sessions) as a top-of-funnel educational channel. In November 2025, the company was acquired by CERTANIA Holding GmbH (Munich), backed by Greenpeak Partners, joining an international network of regulatory testing firms.

Name

Groupe ICARE

Legal name

GROUPE ICARE

Website

https://groupeicare.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Groupe ICARE is a French-headquartered contract laboratory specializing in COFRAC-accredited regulatory safety testing (microbiology, biocompatibility, toxicology, sterilization) for medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Operating 220+ staff across France, Switzerland, and Brazil, it serves 1,800 clients in 40 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-beauzire

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Laboratory Testing Services: Project-based laboratory testing and analysis services billed per test or study, with quotes provided per engagement. Services include microbiology, physico-chemistry, biocompatibility, toxicology, and biological evaluation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Groupe ICARE is a contract research organization providing laboratory testing and consulting services for health product safety. The company performs microbiological, physico-chemical, biocompatibility, toxicological, and biological evaluation testing on medical devices, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, chemicals, biocides, and packaging, along with validation/qualification of manufacturing processes and equipment, plus regulatory consulting and professional training. Services support regulatory submissions such as CE marking (medical devices), FDA clearance, and REACH compliance.

Product overview

Groupe ICARE is a laboratory testing and consulting services company specializing in health product safety with over 30 years of expertise. The company operates a multi-site structure (France, Switzerland, Brazil) under the Certania Group umbrella. Its core service offerings are organized around specialized laboratory testing domains: Microbiologie (microbiology testing including biocharge, endotoxins, sterility), Biocompatibilité (biological compatibility testing per ISO 10993), Toxicologie (toxicological assessment for market authorization), Evaluation biologique (biological evaluation), Physico-Chimie (physical chemistry analysis), Validation & Qualification (equipment and process validation), Stérilisation (sterilization services), Packaging, Nettoyage & désinfection (cleaning validation), Shelf Life (aging studies), Indicateurs Biologiques (biological indicators), and Consulting & Formation (regulatory consulting and training). The company portfolio includes acquired subsidiaries LEMI (toxicology CRO founded 1989) and Phycher Bio-Développement, both now unified under the BioTox by Icare sub-brand for biocompatibility and toxicology services. The Webicare digital platform provides online training webinars on regulatory topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Webicare: Webinar series providing expert training and information sessions on regulatory and technical topics for the health products industry
• BioTox by Icare
• ICARE BioTox

Products and services

• Microbiologie (Microbiology Testing) Microbiological testing services including bioburden testing, sterility testing, and bacterial endotoxin testing for health products and medical devices, conducted in ICARE's ISO 17025-accredited clean room facilities. Targeted at medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers requiring regulatory microbiological documentation.
• Biocompatibilité (Biocompatibility Testing) Biological compatibility testing for medical devices according to international ISO 10993 series, including in vitro studies, in vivo studies, sensitization (H-CLAT), and genotoxicity evaluations. Targeted at medical device manufacturers preparing CE marking or FDA submissions.
• Toxicologie (Toxicology Assessment) Toxicological assessment services evaluating the potential toxic effects of new products and substances for market authorization compliance, including REACH regulation toxicological risk assessments. Targeted at pharmaceutical, chemical, and cosmetics manufacturers.
• Evaluation biologique (Biological Evaluation) Biological evaluation services ensuring the safety and conformity of medical devices and health products, supporting ISO 10993-based regulatory submissions. Targeted at medical device manufacturers.
• Physico-Chimie (Physical Chemistry) Physical chemistry analysis services for testing the safety, stability, and performance of health products. Targeted at health product manufacturers requiring chemical characterization of materials.
• Validation & Qualification Comprehensive validation and qualification services to secure manufacturing processes, validate equipment (IQ/OQ/PQ), and ensure control of clean room environments. Targeted at equipment manufacturers and regulated production facilities.
• Packaging Testing Packaging testing and evaluation services including antimicrobial barrier properties assessment for health product packaging. Targeted at packaging manufacturers for health products.
• Nettoyage & désinfection (Cleaning and Disinfection Validation) Cleaning and disinfection validation services for medical devices and pharmaceutical equipment, including biocidal efficacy validation. Targeted at manufacturers of biocidal products and disinfectants, and medical device reprocessors.
• Stérilisation (Sterilization Validation) Sterilization validation services including steam sterilization, irradiation sterilization, and ethylene oxide sterilization testing. Targeted at medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
• Shelf Life (Aging Studies) Shelf life testing and aging studies to determine product stability and expiration dates for health products. Targeted at medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
• Indicateurs Biologiques (Biological Indicators) Biological indicators for sterilization validation and monitoring. Targeted at manufacturers needing sterilization process control.
• Consulting & Formation (Consulting and Training) Skills transfer, strategic consulting, regulatory guidance, and quality process optimization, delivered under Qualiopi certification. Targeted at quality, regulatory, and production teams in the medical device, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics sectors.
• BioTox by Icare (Biocompatibility and Toxicology Business Unit) A CRO unit combining in vivo, in vitro, and mutagenesis testing for chemical, pharmaceutical, medical device, and agrochemical industries. Operates 48 tests in its catalogue and performs approximately 1,500 tests annually.
• Webicare (Online Webinar Platform) Online webinar platform providing training sessions and expert presentations on regulatory topics, testing methods, and industry updates for health product professionals. Targeted at regulatory, quality, and R&D professionals in the medical device, pharma, cosmetics, and chemicals sectors.
• LEMI (Toxicology CRO, Acquired Brand) A toxicology and contract research organization (CRO) specialized in studying substances and products affecting health or the environment, particularly in medical devices, chemicals, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary within ICARE's BioTox Business Unit.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,800 clients served in 40 countries
• +3 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CERTANIAcoreOthers · 1 November 2025Groupe ICARE joined CERTANIA (CERTANIA Holding GmbH) in November/December 2025, becoming part of an international network of scientific and regulatory expertise. CERTANIA is headquartered in Munich, Germany (Löwerngrube 18). The acquisition strengthens ICARE's international growth strategy and provides access to a broader European platform for laboratory testing services. ICARE's legal entity name remains GROUPE ICARE, operating as a member of the Certania network.
• Applus+ RescollcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024BioTox by Icare and Applus+ Rescoll co-organized a biocompatibility event in November 2024, combining expertise in biocompatibility testing and materials characterization to serve the medical device industry with complementary scientific services.
• CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Launch of the joint research laboratory INCREASE (ImmuNocompétence et vasCulaRisation de pAu Sur puChipE) with CNRS, announced November 2023. The collaboration focuses on developing innovative skin-on-chip models for biocompatibility testing, combining ICARE's testing expertise with CNRS's research capabilities. Led by Prof. Edith Filaire, Scientific Director of ICARE Group.
• CEA-Leti (Grenoble)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Collaboration with CEA-Leti in Grenoble on a research program within ICARE's competence area, led by Prof. Edith Filaire. The partnership supports innovation in biomedical testing technologies and organ-on-chip models.
• COQPITminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCOQPIT (5 Rue Valentin Hauy, Parc Technologique de La Pardieu, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand) is the digital agency responsible for designing and maintaining the Groupe ICARE website. A standard web development/vendor relationship.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Eurofins Scientific: Global testing services giant with a large medical device and pharmaceutical testing division. Overlaps with Groupe ICARE in biocompatibility, microbiology, and pharmaceutical testing but operates across many other verticals at far larger scale.
• SGS: World-leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company with a Life Sciences division covering medical device and pharmaceutical testing. A broad incumbent whose health-product testing competes for the same enterprise clients as Groupe ICARE.
• Pace Analytical: US-based testing services network providing analytical and microbiological testing across life sciences and consumer products. Comparable in regulated laboratory testing scope but with a primarily North American footprint versus Groupe ICARE's European base.
• Intertek: Global TIC provider with medical and pharmaceutical device testing services. Comparable regulatory-driven testing offerings for medical device and pharma clients, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection and certification (TIC) group with healthcare and consumer products testing capabilities. Overlaps with Groupe ICARE in regulatory-driven health-product testing but serves a much broader portfolio of industries.
• TÜV SÜD: Global testing, certification and inspection organization with medical device and healthcare testing capabilities. Overlaps with Groupe ICARE's medical device testing and certification work and competes for European health-product manufacturer clients.

Direct peers

• Nelson Labs: US-headquartered specialty laboratory providing sterilization, biocompatibility, and microbiological testing for medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Closest direct global peer in scope of testing services and regulated end-markets.
• Smithers: Specialty testing and consulting firm serving medical device, pharmaceutical, and packaging clients with biocompatibility, materials, and regulatory testing. Comparable mid-sized specialty lab profile serving overlapping regulated industries.
• Charles River Laboratories: Major contract research organization providing preclinical and laboratory services to pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device clients. Comparable in toxicology, biocompatibility, and regulatory testing, though larger and more diversified across drug discovery and development.
• Applus+ Rescoll: France-based testing laboratory specializing in biocompatibility, materials characterization, and regulatory testing for medical devices. Directly comparable to Groupe ICARE's BioTox business, and an existing co-marketing partner (joint Biocompatibility Event, November 2024).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/icare-sas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Groupe ICARE