AQCLab

What AQCLab does

AQCLab is a Spanish private limited company (AQCLAB SOFTWARE QUALITY, S.L.) operating as an ENAC-accredited laboratory for software product and data quality evaluation, conformant to the ISO/IEC 25000 (SQuaRE) family of standards. Founded in 2008 as a spin-off of the Alarcos Research Group at Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha and headquartered in Ciudad Real, Spain, the company is the first and only laboratory worldwide accredited by ENAC under ISO/IEC 17025 for software product and data quality evaluation. Over 15 years it has evaluated and certified more than 50 companies across standards including ISO/IEC 25000 (maintainability, functional suitability, data quality), ISO/IEC 33000 (process maturity), CMMI, and Automotive SPICE, reporting a 100% success rate in helping companies reach proposed maturity levels.

The company's core offerings are five professional services: maintainability evaluation, functional suitability evaluation, data quality evaluation, software process assessment and improvement, and software asset valuation, with two additional service categories (Software Quality Department implementation and bespoke research projects). Underlying technology is a proprietary methodology stack aligned to ISO/IEC 25000, supported by research-driven tools such as CASIA (AI systems quality, ISO/IEC 25059), Q2SM (quantum software quality), SPSE (software product security), and SonarQiskit (a SonarQube plugin for quantum code metrics). Certifications are issued through partner bodies AENOR (Spain) and IMQ Ibérica (international). The September 2025 ENAC accreditation for AI data quality evaluation (ISO/IEC 5259-2) extends the scope into AI assurance.

The business model is professional services on a quote-based pricing model with enterprise B2B engagement, horizontal segmentation across software development companies, organizations with outsourced development, automotive suppliers, space/critical systems operators, and AI-deploying organizations. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales via website inquiry, deep participation in ISO/IEC standards bodies (JTC1/SC7 WG6) and academic conferences, and partnership-driven certification issuance through AENOR and IMQ Ibérica. Customer base includes Siemens Mobility España, Buró de Crédito, Universidad de Cádiz, and EUMETSAT, spanning automotive, financial services, education, and government/space verticals. The operating footprint is regional (Spain-primary) with international reach via IMQ Ibérica and the RIPAISC research network.

Name

AQCLab

Legal name

AQCLAB SOFTWARE QUALITY, S.L.

Website

https://aqclab.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AQCLab is a Spanish ENAC-accredited laboratory that performs independent software product and data quality evaluations and certifications under ISO/IEC 25000 and ISO/IEC 33000 standards, serving enterprise software developers, automotive suppliers, and AI-deploying organizations with certification issued via partners AENOR and IMQ Ibérica.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ciudad Real

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Software Quality Evaluation Services: Laboratory evaluation and certification services for software product quality conforming to ISO/IEC 25000. Evaluations lead to certification by AENOR or IMQ Ibérica.
2. Data Quality Evaluation Services: Evaluation and certification of data quality conforming to ISO/IEC 25012 and ISO/IEC 5259 standards, including data quality in AI systems.
3. Process Quality Assessment Services: Assessment, improvement, and certification of software development process maturity using ISO/IEC 33000, CMMI, Automotive SPICE, and other models.
4. Software Quality Department Services: Implementation of internal or outsourced Software Quality Department services for organizations, including quality control processes and procedures.
5. Software Asset Valuation Services: Independent valuation reports for software systems based on source code, documentation, technologies, and quality metrics.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AQCLab is an accredited laboratory providing independent software and data quality evaluation and certification services conforming to ISO/IEC 25000 standards. Core services include maintainability evaluation, functional suitability evaluation, data quality evaluation, software process maturity assessment, software quality department implementation, and software asset valuation. Evaluations lead to formal certification issued by partner bodies AENOR and IMQ Ibérica.

Product overview

AQCLab is a software and data quality evaluation and certification laboratory offering a portfolio of services centered on ISO/IEC 25000 family standards. The core offerings include Maintainability Evaluation, Functional Suitability Evaluation, and Data Quality Evaluation services, all providing independent assessment against international standards and leading to certification by partners such as AENOR and IMQ. Supporting services include Software Process Assessment (ISO/IEC 33000), Software Quality Department implementation, and Software Asset Valuation. AQCLab also conducts research projects including CASIA (AI systems quality), Q2SM (quantum software quality), and SPSE (software product security evaluation), with developed tools like SonarQiskit for quantum code quality analysis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Evaluation and Certification of Maintainability Software maintainability evaluation and certification service conforming to ISO/IEC 25000 standard, measuring sub-characteristics including analyzability, modularity, modifiability, reusability, and testability. Target customers are software development companies and organizations acquiring software.
• Evaluation and Certification of Functional Suitability Functional suitability evaluation service that verifies software products meet user needs and requirements, assessing completeness, correctness, and appropriateness. Conforms to ISO/IEC 25000 standard. Target customers are software development companies seeking certification.
• Data Quality Evaluation Data quality evaluation service conforming to ISO/IEC 25012 and ISO/IEC 5259 standards, assessing data characteristics such as accuracy, completeness, consistency, credibility, and timeliness. Target customers are organizations wanting to evaluate and certify the quality of their data assets.
• Software Process Assessment and Improvement Software process quality evaluation and improvement service using ISO/IEC 33000, ISO/IEC 15504, CMMI, and Automotive SPICE models, helping organizations assess and certify their software development process maturity. Target customers include automotive software suppliers and organizations seeking process maturity certification.
• Software Quality Department Implementation of in-house or outsourced software quality departments, providing organizations with dedicated quality control capabilities for software development and acquisition. Includes quality control processes and procedures. Target customers are organizations developing or acquiring software.
• Valuation of Software Assets Software asset valuation service determining the value of software systems based on source code, documentation, technologies, and quality, using techniques such as COCOMO, Function Points, Use Case Points, and Backfiring. Target customers are organizations seeking independent software valuation reports.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% success rate in helping companies achieve certification at proposed maturity level (40+ process improvement projects)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• I2SC (Intelligent and Information Systems Certification)minorOthers · 1 November 2024Company specialized in evaluation and certification of AI-related standards in various areas including management, governance, process quality, product quality, and data quality. AQCLab collaborates as first ENAC-accredited laboratory for AI data quality evaluation.
• IMQ IbéricacoreOthers · 1 June 2023Agreement to enhance software and data quality certification under ISO/IEC 25000. AQCLab performs evaluations; IMQ Ibérica conducts audits and issues certificates internationally.
• Sicaman (Sicaman Nuevas Tecnologías)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator in SPSE (Software Product Security Evaluation) project. Sicaman NT is an IT solutions company with recognized professional trajectory providing comprehensive IT solutions.
• Grupo Alarcos (UCLM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator in SPSE, CASIA, and Q2SM research projects. Research group from Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha that developed foundational research leading to AQCLab. Long-standing R&D partnership.
• AENORcoreOthersAENOR (Asociación Española de Normalización y Certificación) issues ISO/IEC 25000 certificates based on AQCLab evaluations. 15+ years of strategic collaboration.
• AbstractaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany dedicated to software testing (automated, manual, performance, security testing), risk control, and software deployment. Provides QA expertise.
• aQuantumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch, development, consulting and services in quantum software engineering and programming. AQCLab is a Research Partner. Areas include hybrid quantum-classical computing, quantum software quality, and quantum development tools.
• DQTeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpin-off of Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha providing data quality consulting services. Over 15 years of experience in data quality. Collaborates on data quality evaluation projects and MAMD model development.
• GPI2 (Gabinete Profesional de Ingenieros Informáticos)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional engineering consultancy offering business solutions, process consulting, digital transformation, technology consulting, software development, security and quality consulting.
• Lucentia LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpin-off of Universidad de Alicante providing advisory, development, maintenance and training services in Business Intelligence. 15+ years of BI experience.
• SER&PracticesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpin-off of Università degli Studi di Bari focused on software engineering research transfer to enhance companies' strategic and business objectives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Applus+: Spanish-headquartered global testing, inspection and certification company offering software testing and quality assessment among broader TIC services. Comparable as a Spanish-rooted testing/certification competitor, though much larger and not specialized in ISO/IEC 25000 software quality evaluation.

Broad incumbents

• SGS: World's largest testing, inspection and certification company. Overlaps with AQCLab as a broad TIC incumbent that performs software and quality-related testing, though software quality is a small fraction of its portfolio.
• Bureau Veritas: Global TIC major offering certification services across quality, environment, and digital trust, including software-related assessments. Comparable as a broad incumbent that could compete or partner with AQCLab for ISO-based software certifications.
• TÜV SÜD: German-headquartered global TIC firm offering software quality, functional safety, and cybersecurity certifications. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the certification ecosystem where AQCLab operates.

Direct peers

• Tiobe: Software quality measurement and standards company best known for the TIOBE index. Comparable to AQCLab in offering standardized software quality metrics and benchmark-based quality assessment services.
• SonarSource: Developer of SonarQube, the leading open-source code quality platform measuring maintainability, reliability, and security. Directly comparable to AQCLab's evaluation domains and explicitly integrates with AQCLab's SonarQiskit plugin.
• Software Improvement Group: Dutch consultancy that assesses software product quality using ISO/IEC 25010 and offers independent benchmarked quality evaluations. Closest functional peer to AQCLab in the software quality assessment/certification space, although not ENAC-accredited in the same way.
• Cigniti: Global independent software testing and quality engineering services firm. Comparable to AQCLab as a software quality services provider serving enterprise customers across regulated industries.
• CAST: Software intelligence platform that analyzes code structure, software health, and architectural quality. Comparable to AQCLab as a software quality analytics provider, though CAST is product/SaaS rather than a services laboratory.
• Abstracta: Software testing services company (automated, manual, performance, security testing). Listed as a partner of AQCLab and directly comparable in the software quality assurance services market, particularly in Latin America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AQCLab
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aqclab

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 AQCLab