What Cerege does

CEREGE (Centre de Recherche et d'Enseignement des Géosciences de l'Environnement) is a French public research laboratory founded in 1988, jointly operated under the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Aix-Marseille University, and IRD, with primary campuses at the Technopole Environnement Arbois-Méditerranée in Aix-en-Provence and the Saint-Charles campus in Marseille. The institution serves as a major French center for environmental geosciences research and graduate training, with 278 personnel (138 permanent) organized across four thematic teams: Earth and Planets, Climate, Sustainable Environment, and Hydrosystems and Carbonate Resources. Its principal customers and beneficiaries are doctoral and master's students, the academic research community, and industrial partners in energy, mining, environmental management, and water resources (TotalEnergies, EDF, BRGM, ANDRA, Imerys, Agence de l'Eau), as well as French and European public funders (CNRS, ANR, ERC, regional water agencies).

CEREGE's core offering is open research and graduate-level teaching delivered through academic programs including the Licence SVT, five Master's programs (STPE, RIE-GERINAT, GEE-MAEVA-STE, SCE-HyG'eau, COAST), the CMI engineering track, and doctoral schools. Underlying the research mission is a portfolio of analytical platforms centered on the LN2C-ASTER national instrument for cosmogenic nuclide measurement (unique in France), complemented by PANISS (stable isotopes), CIRENE (environment and eco-technologies), MATRIX (X-ray imaging), and the Equipex-funded E-DIAMANT Quantum Diamond Microscope. The business model is non-commercial: operating revenue is sourced from government research grants (ANR, ERC), institutional allocations from CNRS and Aix-Marseille University, and industry co-funded research contracts and Master's program sponsorships. CEREGE's recent strategic actions include the GRAIL measurement line for 26Al, the Equipex+ eDiamant quantum sensing program, hosting of COSMO 2026, and a partnership with the Ethiopian Heritage Authority for paleontological collection restitution.

Name

Cerege

Legal name

CEREGE, European Centre for Research and Teaching in Environmental Geosciences

Website

https://cerege.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CEREGE is a French public research laboratory jointly operated by CNRS and Aix-Marseille University, conducting multidisciplinary environmental geosciences research and graduate teaching through 278 personnel across four teams, serving academic, government, and industrial partners with world-class analytical platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Geosciences Research

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Stack/Source Emissions Testing & CEMS Support (EUAHACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation (BPADANAI), Earth Science & Geoscience Programs (EDAMABAI)

Keywords

• Environmental geosciences research
• Academic earth science programs
• Cosmogenic nuclide analysis
• Isotope geochemistry services
• Public research laboratory

Headquarters

HQ city

Aix-en-provence

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Research Funding: CEREGE operates as a public research institution funded primarily through government research grants, French National Research Agency (ANR) projects, and institutional partnerships with CNRS and Aix-Marseille University.
2. Educational Programs: Revenue from student enrollment fees and training programs including Masters degrees, CMI engineering track, and doctoral schools under Aix-Marseille University framework.
3. Industry Partnerships: Contract research and collaboration agreements with industrial partners (TotalEnergies, EDF, BRGM, ANDRA, Imerys) for applied research and development projects.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CEREGE conducts multidisciplinary research and graduate-level teaching in environmental geosciences, organized around four scientific teams (Climate, Sustainable Environment, Earth and Planets, and Surface Processes). The center operates advanced analytical and experimental platforms — most notably the national LN2C-ASTER accelerator mass spectrometry facility used for cosmogenic nuclide dating — that are made available to academic and industrial partners. It delivers university degree programs (Licence, Master's, CMI engineering track, and doctoral schools) in Earth and environmental sciences, primarily through the Aix-Marseille University framework.

Product overview

CEREGE (Centre de Recherche et d'Enseignement des Géosciences de l'Environnement) is a major French research laboratory affiliated with Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, and IRD. The institution offers a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs spanning Licence (Bachelor), Masters (STPE, RIE, GEE, SCE, COAST), and CMI engineering tracks, alongside world-class research platforms. The research infrastructure includes the national AMS ASTER facility for cosmogenic nuclide analysis, multiple technical centers (PANISS, CIRENE, MATRIX, GISéo, LGO2i, MANTA), and Equipex equipment programs (E-DIAMANT, NANO-ID). Research is organized across four thematic teams: Earth and Planets, Climate, Sustainable Environment, and Hydrosystems and Carbonate Resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Multidisciplinary Research Programs in Environmental Geosciences Four research teams (Climate, Sustainable Environment, Earth and Planets, and related surface-processes group) conducting fundamental and applied research on Earth's surface and environmental systems, serving academic researchers, doctoral students, and industry partners.
• Master STPE (Sciences de la Terre, de l'Environnement et des Planètes) Graduate Master's program covering Earth, environmental and planetary sciences, designed for students pursuing advanced study in geosciences.
• Master RIE (Risques et Impacts Environnementaux) Master's program focused on environmental risks and impacts, targeting students interested in environmental hazard assessment and management.
• Master GEE (Gestion de l'Environnement et Écologie) Master's program in environmental management and ecology, designed for students pursuing careers in environmental management.
• Master SCE (Sciences de l'Eau et de l'Environnement) Master's program in water and environmental sciences, for students specializing in hydrology and water resource science.
• Master COAST (Coastal Sciences and Engineering) Master's program on coastal sciences and engineering, targeting students focused on coastal and marine systems.
• CMI Geology Engineering Track (Cursus Master en Ingénierie) Integrated Master's-level engineering program in Geology with reinforced academic and professional content, for students seeking dual scientific-engineering training.
• Doctoral Schools (Écoles Doctorales) in Earth and Environmental Sciences Doctoral training programs hosted by CEREGE in partnership with Aix-Marseille University, for candidates pursuing PhD-level research in geosciences.
• Licence SVT (Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre) Undergraduate Bachelor's-level program in life and Earth sciences taught at CEREGE, for students beginning higher-education study in biology and geosciences.
• LN2C-ASTER National AMS Analytical Platform National-scale accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) facility dedicated to cosmogenic nuclide analysis (e.g., 36Cl, 10Be, 26Al, 14C, 41Ca) and Quaternary geochronology, used by national and international research and industry partners.
• Technical Centers and Analytical Platforms (PANISS, CIRENE, GRAAL, MATRIX, Quantum Diamond Microscope) Suite of experimental and analytical platforms providing stable isotope analysis, geochemistry, cosmogenic nuclide processing, 2D/3D X-ray imaging, and quantum magnetic imaging for academic and industrial users.
• Equipex Equipment Programs Equipment-of-Excellence programs funding specialized research instruments made available to the broader French scientific community.

Quantifiable outcome

• 115+ researchers and PhD students participated in the 19th International Congress on Magnetism in Geosciences
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aix-Marseille University (COSMO 2026 co-organizer)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Co-organizer of COSMO 2026 international conference on cosmogenic nuclides alongside CNRS.
• Ethiopian Heritage AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Partnership for restitution of paleontological collections discovered during Franco-Ethiopian scientific expeditions of the 1960s and 1970s.
• TotalEnergiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial partner collaborating on STPE Master's program and research projects related to natural resources, energy, and environmental management in the geological sector.
• EDFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy company partner in Master's program and research collaborations covering environmental and geological impact assessments.
• BRGM (Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational geological survey partner collaborating on STPE Master's program and research on geological resources and environmental management.
• ANDRA (Agence Nationale pour la gestion des Déchets Radioactifs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational radioactive waste management agency partner in STPE Master's program for training specialists in nuclear safety and environmental management.
• Agence de l'EaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater agency partner in STPE Master's program supporting research on water resources and environmental management.
• ImeryscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial minerals company partner in Master's program supporting training in geology of resources and sustainable development.
• OSU PythéascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerObservatory providing institutional infrastructure and hosting support for CEREGE's research and teaching activities.
• Aix-Marseille UniversitécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary institutional partner for educational programs from Licence through Doctorate, with CEREGE researchers serving as teacher-researchers.
• CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational research center providing institutional affiliation and funding support for CEREGE researchers and research activities.
• GFZ PotsdamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman research center participating as guest speaker at COSMO 2026 conference on cosmogenic nuclides research.
• Autonomous University of BarcelonaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish university participating as guest speaker at COSMO 2026 conference on cosmogenic nuclides research.
• Berkeley Geochronology CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS research institution participating as guest speaker at COSMO 2026 conference on cosmogenic nuclides research.
• Geosciences MontpellierminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench research laboratory collaborating on ANR Topo-Extreme project for landscape evolution studies.
• Geosciences RennesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench research laboratory collaborating on ANR Topo-Extreme project for landscape evolution studies.
• EPOC (Université de Bordeaux)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOceanography and coastal environment laboratory leading SHORMOSAT project on coastline evolution modeling.
• ENS-SaclayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Equipex+ eDiamant program developing Quantum Diamond Microscope technology for rock magnetism studies.
• University of PotsdamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman university where researcher Yannick Garcin conducted postdoctoral research before joining IRD and CEREGE.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Geosciences Rennes: French CNRS/University geoscience laboratory collaborating with CEREGE on the ANR Topo-Extreme project; comparable in scale and thematic scope across environmental and solid-earth geosciences.
• BRGM (Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières): France's national geological survey and a direct industrial partner of CEREGE; both perform applied geosciences research for government and industry across mineral resources, water, and environmental management.
• ETH Zurich - Department of Earth Sciences: Leading European earth-science university department with comparable analytical platforms, doctoral training, and industry-funded applied research in geochronology and environmental geosciences.
• Geosciences Montpellier: French CNRS/University geoscience laboratory collaborating with CEREGE on the ANR Topo-Extreme project; operates comparable research on landscape dynamics and tectonics.
• Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (Columbia University): U.S. earth-science research institute with multidisciplinary teams covering climate, solid earth, and oceans — comparable to CEREGE's four-team thematic structure and international fieldwork footprint.
• Australian National University - Research School of Earth Sciences: Australia's leading earth-science research school with comparable analytical platforms, doctoral training, and international research collaborations in geochronology and earth-surface processes.
• GFZ Helmholtz Centre Potsdam: Germany's national geosciences research center; collaborates with CEREGE on COSMO 2026 and shares a comparable scope in earth-surface processes, geochronology, and environmental geosciences.
• INGV (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia): Italy's national institute for geophysics, volcanology, and environmental geosciences; comparable scope in geochronology, geochemistry, and natural-hazard research.

Broad incumbents

• Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ): German Helmholtz center focused on environmental research with overlap to CEREGE's sustainable-environment and hydrosystems themes; larger organization with broader environmental mandate.
• British Geological Survey: UK's national geological survey and a much larger established public geoscience organization; broader portfolio but overlapping scope in environmental monitoring, geochemistry, and applied resource research.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cerege_officiel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Cerege