What Cidetec Foundation does

Cidetec Foundation (CIDETEC) is an applied research organization founded in 1997 and headquartered in Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain, with 101–250 employees. The foundation is structured around three international reference institutes focused on energy storage, positioning it as a multidisciplinary research entity rather than a single-topic laboratory. Its core technology platform centers on composite materials science, with active research streams in carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP), biosourced composites derived from biological feedstocks, and recyclable polymer systems engineered to retain performance characteristics while improving lifecycle sustainability. These capabilities are oriented toward the aviation industry, serving aircraft manufacturers, airlines, and aerospace component suppliers seeking to reduce CO2 emissions through lightweight materials and to manage the end-of-life environmental impact of composite-intensive airframes. Functional benefits to customers include lightweighting for operational fuel efficiency and pathways to circular-economy compliance for composite waste streams.

The organization differentiates through the intersection of aviation sustainability and composite lifecycle management — addressing manufacturing carbon footprint, in-service weight efficiency, and end-of-life recyclability as an integrated problem set rather than as isolated technical challenges. Its proprietary research portfolio includes advanced CFRP recycling processes, novel biosourced composite formulations, and recyclable polymer architectures tailored for aviation performance requirements.

As a research foundation, CIDETEC operates through research partnerships and technology transfer rather than traditional product sales or licensing-led distribution. The revenue model and pricing structure are not disclosed and are characterized as not applicable for a research foundation entity. No named customers, contract values, or funding rounds are documented in the available data, and ownership structure cannot be determined from the source material despite the 'foundation' designation. The company's strategic posture — combining established energy storage expertise with a deliberate vertical push into aviation composites — suggests an intent to commercialize sustainable materials research via industrial collaboration and technology licensing in adjacent high-value aerospace markets.

Name

Cidetec Foundation

Website

https://cidetec.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Cidetec Foundation is a Spain-based applied research organization, founded in 1997, that integrates three international reference institutes in energy storage and conducts composite materials research — including CFRP recycling, biosourced composites, and recyclable polymers — primarily for the aviation industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Donostia-san Sebastián

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Core offering

CIDETEC is an applied research organization that integrates three international reference institutes focused on energy storage and advanced materials. It conducts R&D on carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) recycling, biosourced composites, and recyclable polymer technologies, primarily serving the aviation industry with sustainable material solutions and end-of-life recycling processes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CFRP Recycling Technologies
• Biosourced Composites
• Recyclable Polymers for Aviation

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduction in CO2 emissions through lightweight composite material adoption

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Hexcel: US-listed global leader in advanced composites for aerospace and industrial markets. Operates broadly across aerospace composite materials manufacturing, overlapping with Cidetec's target vertical and sustainable materials focus.
• Solvay: Belgian advanced materials company with a significant aerospace composites business. Comparable as a broad incumbent supplying specialty polymers and composite materials to aerospace OEMs.
• Teijin: Japanese chemical and materials company with Tenax carbon fiber product line serving aerospace composites markets. Directly relevant as a CFRP manufacturer and broader composite materials incumbent.
• Toray Industries: Japan-based global materials company with a leading position in PAN-based carbon fiber (Torayca) for aerospace applications. Major incumbent serving the same aviation composite materials market as Cidetec.
• Mitsubishi Chemical: Japanese chemical company with carbon fiber (Pyrofil) and advanced composites business serving aerospace and industrial markets. Comparable incumbent in composite materials adjacent to Cidetec's focus areas.

Emerging players

• Plastic Energy: UK/Spain-based advanced plastic recycling company using chemical recycling to convert plastic waste into feedstock. Emerging player in advanced polymer recycling with adjacent technological overlap to Cidetec's polymer recycling research.

Others

• Fraunhofer IFAM: German applied research institute specializing in composite materials, adhesive bonding, and surface technology. Comparable as a non-profit applied research organization serving similar materials and manufacturing research needs.

Direct peers

• Carbon Conversions: US-based carbon fiber recycling company converting manufacturing waste and end-of-life composites into reusable carbon fiber products. Direct peer in CFRP recycling technology and downstream industrial applications.
• ELG Carbon Fibre: UK-based specialist in reclaimed carbon fiber materials and carbon fiber recycling for industrial and aerospace applications. The most directly comparable peer to Cidetec's CFRP recycling capability targeting aviation end markets.

Regional players

• CIC Energigune: Basque Country (Spain) energy storage research center focused on battery materials and electrochemical storage. Highly comparable regional peer given Cidetec's own energy storage institutes and shared Basque innovation ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fundaci-n-cidetec

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Cidetec Foundation