LGCGM

What LGCGM does

LGCGM (Laboratoire de Génie Civil et Génie Mécanique) is a French public research laboratory (Equipe d'Accueil EA 3913) founded in 2008 and jointly hosted by INSA de Rennes and Université de Rennes (IUT de Rennes and Saint-Malo). It operates across six thematic axes: eco-construction materials, building energy performance and ambient quality, materials mechanics and processes, robotized system calibration and control, heterogeneous materials/fluids/transfer, and metallic/mixed/hybrid structural engineering. Headcount stood at 99 in December 2019 (44 teacher-researchers, 13 BIATSS staff, 40 doctoral students, 2 post-docs), organized around four technical platforms (PT1 materials, PT2 400m² structural testing, PT3 mechanics/robotics, PT4 eco-construction).

Its core technical assets are specialized research instruments and proprietary software rather than commercial products. Flagship items include the patented DIPo portable indentation device (FR 2953291 / WO 2011/064517) with companion CaMMatI characterization software, the 79-zone FETHEMA thermal mannequin, the 3.5×3.5×2.5m QUALIDIFF climate chamber, a flash calciner prototype, a 79-zone FETHEMA breathing mannequin, plus biaxial and dynamic servohydraulic test machines. These platforms support multi-scale experimental and numerical modeling of civil engineering materials and mechanical/robotic systems, from nano/micro to full structural scale.

LGCGM's funding is entirely non-commercial and derived from competitive public grants (ANR, EU Horizon 2020, FEDER, regional CPER, Rennes Métropole AIS), industry-funded CIFRE doctoral conventions, co-development partnerships with industrial sponsors (notably the LEGENDRE Group via LabCom B-HYBRID and REEXPERIENCE, plus CAVAC, EDF, CTICM, AIRBUS, ADEME, ROBOCATH), and technology licensing through the COHB startup. The lab does not disclose pricing or revenue; output is disseminated via peer-reviewed publications, conferences, doctoral training, and direct collaborative contracts, with no traditional sales-led go-to-market.

Name

LGCGM

Legal name

Laboratoire de Génie Civil et Génie Mécanique

Website

https://lgcgm.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rennes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Research Funding (ANR, EU, Regional): Major revenue source from French National Research Agency (ANR) projects, European Horizon 2020 framework programs, CPER regional programs co-financed by EU, French ministry, and Brittany region.
2. CIFRE Doctoral Conventions: Industry-funded doctoral positions where companies collaborate with the lab for 3-year PhD programs, typically hosting 1-2 CIFRE students annually.
3. Industrial Partnership - LabCom B-HYBRID: ANR-funded laboratory common project with LEGENDRE Group involving structural optimization research with commercial outcomes including patented thermal break and beam systems.
4. Industrial Chair REEXPERIENCE: Industrial chair with INSA Rennes and INGENOVA for rational construction research serving BTP sector companies.
5. PFT GCM Technology Platform Services: Technology platform offering characterization services to scientific community and industrial partners, generating operational revenue.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

LGCGM is a French academic research laboratory (Equipe d'Accueil EA 3913) that conducts multi-scale research in civil and mechanical engineering across six thematic axes, including eco-construction materials, building energy performance, materials mechanics, robotic systems calibration, heterogeneous materials/fluids/transfer, and metallic/mixed/hybrid structures. The lab develops proprietary testing equipment (DIPo portable indentation device, FETHEMA thermal mannequin, QUALIDIFF climate chamber, flash calciner) and software (CaMMatI), while providing research collaborations, doctoral training, characterization services, and technology transfer to industrial partners.

Product overview

LGCGM (Laboratoire de Génie Civil et Génie Mécanique) is a research laboratory (Equipe d'Accueil EA 3913) affiliated with INSA de Rennes and Université de Rennes, organized around six thematic research axes. Rather than a commercial product company, LGCGM offers research capabilities, testing/characterization services, and specialized equipment developed in-house. Core offerings include the CaMMatI indentation characterization software and DIPo portable indentation device, the FETHEMA thermal mannequin for comfort/air quality analysis, and the QUALIDIFF climatic chamber for building airflow studies. Additional specialized equipment encompasses biaxial testing systems, dynamic testing machines, flash calcination furnaces, and various characterization platforms. The lab also maintains research partnerships such as the ANR-funded LabCom B-HYBRID and the industrial chair REEXPERIENCE, focused on concrete-steel hybrid structures and sustainable construction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CaMMatI (Caractérisation Mécanique des Matériaux par Indentation) Proprietary software application for mechanical characterization of materials by indentation, enabling acquisition of indentation data and exploitation of indentation curves to determine elastic modulus, hardness, yield strength, work hardening exponent, and tensile strength. For use in materials testing, industrial quality control, and academic research.
• DIPo (Dispositif d'Indentation Portatif) A 700g portable indentation device with USB-connected electronics for battery-powered in-situ material testing, designed for laboratory, industrial, and on-site construction applications. Allows mechanical characterization of materials without sample extraction.
• Bancs d'Indentation (Indentation Testing Equipment) Macro and micro indentation testing systems including an internally designed macro indentation bench (Fmax<1250N, hmax<500µm) and Anton Paar micro indentation platform on STeP4 with MHT3 head and microscope. For materials characterization research.
• FETHEMA (FEmale THErmal MAnikin) A 79-zone thermally controlled and breathing human thermal mannequin for local thermal comfort analysis and indoor air quality assessment per BS EN ISO 14505-2:2006 standard. Simulates human thermal plume and serves as a localized comfort sensor for building and vehicle research.
• QUALIDIFF Climate Chamber A thermally controlled climatic chamber measuring 3.5 x 3.5 x 2.5m that simulates ventilated or air-conditioned spaces for experimental analysis of airflow patterns in buildings and transport interiors. Equipped with an integrated mobile robot for automated physical measurements.
• Flash Calciner Prototype (Calcinateur Flash) Prototype vertical flash calcination system for thermal activation of mineral materials at 150-900°C, processing approximately 10kg per hour with 1.5-0.6 second residence times. Features two processing lines: high temperature for clays and low temperature for gypsum.
• Banc d'essai biaxial (Biaxial Testing Machine) Servohydraulic biaxial testing machine with independent control of two perpendicular axes (0.01mm/s to 1m/s, 50kN per cylinder), including temperature control chamber (-60°C to 160°C) and induction heating system (up to 800°C).
• Machine d'essai dynamique (Dynamic Testing Machine) Servohydraulic dynamic testing machine coupled with thermal chamber, capable of speeds up to 2m/s, dynamic capacity of 150kN, fatigue testing at 10Hz for 1mm amplitude, and maximum temperature of 500°C.
• Kinematic and Thermal Field Measurement Devices High-speed camera (Photron APX RS 3000, up to 3000 fps full resolution) for strain field determination via image correlation, and thermal camera (OPTRIS Xi 400, -20°C to 900°C, 80 Hz) for temperature monitoring.

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.

• COST Action CA15119 (Nanouptake)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022European cooperation science network; LGCGM previously involved in Nanouptake (2016-2020) and continued through Cost Innovator Grant CIG15119 (2019-2021) focusing on nanofluids for heat exchange devices
• INGENOVAflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Innovation subsidiary of Groupe LEGENDRE; co-creator of Chaire REEXPERIENCE with INSA Rennes to provide rational construction methodologies to BTP sector companies
• Chaire IH2A (Innovations, Handicap, Autonomie et Accessibilité)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Industrial chair at INSA Rennes under Marie Babel; continuation of ADAPT research; partnership with Pôle Saint-Hélier for sensorimotor disability compensation technologies
• ROBOCATHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Medical robotics company in Rouen collaborating on force control strategies development for catheter manipulation robots for stroke treatment (AVC)
• SATT Ouest ValorisationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Technology transfer organization funding CaMMatI software maturation project and patent development for indentation characterization technology
• VEGEPOLYS VALLEYminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Interregional project coordinator for SERRES+ research on innovative agricultural greenhouses; funded by Brittany and Pays de la Loire regions; LGCGM contributing hygrothermal envelope optimization
• IRISA/INRIA Rainbow TeamcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2017French research institute for digital science; collaborative partner in ADAPT project for wheelchair simulation platform with robotic technologies and virtual reality
• Pôle Saint-HélierminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Physical medicine and rehabilitation center in Rennes; clinical partner for ADAPT project providing real-world wheelchair user expertise and validation environment
• CTICM (Centre Technique Industriel de la Construction Métallique)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016CIFRE doctoral convention partner for steel construction research through industrial doctoral thesis
• EDFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016CIFRE doctoral convention partner for energy sector research; field validation of DIPo indentation device on hydroelectric dam penstocks
• AIRBUSminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Study convention partner for digital and environmental transition support in aerospace manufacturing
• ADEME (Agence de la Transition Écologique)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Study convention partner and INNOFIB project funder for environmental transition and sustainable development research
• CAVAC BiomatériauxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2015Agricultural cooperative subsidiary processing hemp from Vendéen farmers; ISOBIO project partner providing agro-resources (hemp, flax, rapeseed, wheat, corn); CIFRE doctoral partner for industrial-scale hemp insulation panel development; INNOFIB project partner for innovative dry fiber functionalization process
• TWI (The Welding Institute)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2015ISOBIO project coordinator; UK-based welding and materials technology organization leading the European consortium of 11 partners from 6 countries
• Groupe LEGENDREflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20151800-person construction group headquartered in Rennes; primary partner in LabCom ANR B-HYBRID (2015-2018) developing hybrid concrete-steel structures; evolved into Chaire REEXPERIENCE industrial chair (2019); commercialization through COHB startup including SLABE thermal break systems and hybrid beam systems tested on prototype construction sites
• COHB (Construction Hybride)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Startup company created from LabCom B-HYBRID results to commercialize patented thermal break and hybrid beam systems developed with LGCGM research

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• CSTB (Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment): France's national scientific and technical center for building, conducting applied research on construction materials, energy performance, and indoor environment — directly comparable to LGCGM's civil-engineering and building-energy axes.
• Cerema: French public agency for sustainable territorial development with strong construction, materials durability, and infrastructure research portfolios. Operates under French institutional tutelles similar to LGCGM, with comparable multi-disciplinary engineering research.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (IBP): German applied research institute focused on building physics, energy efficiency, indoor climate, and construction materials — overlapping directly with LGCGM's QUALIDIFF/FETHEMA-based Axis 2 and eco-construction materials work.
• EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology): Swiss federal lab conducting multi-scale materials and structural research spanning nano to full-scale components. Comparable in equipment scale, multi-physics characterization capability, and academic/industry partnership model to LGCGM.
• TNO (Built Environment research): Dutch applied research organization with a substantial Built Environment unit covering structural engineering, sustainable construction, and circular materials — analogous to LGCGM in mission and structure.

Regional players

• BRE Group (Building Research Establishment): UK-based building science research and certification body with similar applied research focus on construction materials and building performance. Comparable in testing services and IP commercialization, but UK-geography focus makes it a regional rather than direct competitor.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Nordic applied research centre with construction and built-environment research portfolios. Comparable mission and structure as a publicly-funded applied R&D organisation, though primarily Finland/Nordics focused.

Broad incumbents

• Holcim Innovation Center: Global cement and construction materials major with significant R&D into low-carbon concrete and bio-sourced materials. Overlaps with LGCGM's eco-construction materials axis but operates at much larger scale with global commercial reach.
• Saint-Gobain Research: R&D arm of Saint-Gobain covering building materials, insulation, and energy performance — overlaps with LGCGM's eco-materials and thermal-comfort work but as part of a much broader industrial portfolio.

Others

• INRIA: French national digital science research institute, partner to LGCGM via the IRISA/INRIA Rainbow team on the ADAPT wheelchair project. Relevant as an adjacent robotics/digital research peer rather than a direct competitor in civil engineering materials.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lgcgm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about LGCGM