Ciram

What Ciram does

Ciram is a French private scientific laboratory founded in 2005 and headquartered in Martillac, France, specializing in material dating and analysis across three verticals: archaeology, art authentication, and industrial biobased content certification. The company has completed over 38,000 analyses for more than 1,000 partners worldwide, including the Musée du Louvre, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, L'Oréal, Michelin, National Geographic, and Institut Pasteur. The firm was founded by Richard Cheret and operates with 11-50 employees.

The company's technical platform is built around radiocarbon (C14) dating via Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS), thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, scientific imaging (X-ray radiography, infrared reflectography, UV fluorescence, 3D CT tomography), microanalysis, metallography, and stable isotope analysis. CIRAM operates under ISO-IEC 17025 laboratory accreditation and holds ISCC PLUS and OK biobased TÜV AUSTRIA certifications, enabling it to deliver certified biobased carbon content analysis under ASTM D6866, NF EN 16640, ISO 16620-2, NF EN ISO 21644, and NF EN ISO 13833. These accreditations and standards coverage constitute a meaningful regulatory barrier.

The business operates on a sales-led, project-based model with quote-based pricing tailored to each analysis request. Clients submit samples via online forms and engage directly with scientific teams through a 'Request a Quote' workflow. Revenue is generated through one-time laboratory service fees across three verticals, with industrial biobased analysis covering at least nine industry sub-verticals (agroalimentaire, biocarburants, biogas, biopolymers, BTP, solid recovered fuels, cosmetics, detergents, paints), while art authentication and archaeological dating involve more bespoke expert consultation. No public revenue figures, funding rounds, M&A activity, or leadership changes are disclosed; the company appears to have grown organically since founding.

Name

Ciram

Legal name

Ciram

Website

https://ciram-lab.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ciram is a French private scientific laboratory founded in 2005 that provides C14 radiocarbon dating, luminescence dating, scientific imaging, and isotope analysis for archaeology, art authentication, and industrial biobased certification clients across 1,000+ global partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Materials Testing and Scientific Laboratory Analysis

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Soil & Biomass Carbon Measurement (Soil Sampling, Forest Inventory, Blue Carbon) (EUABACAH)

Keywords

• Radiocarbon dating laboratory
• Art authentication services
• Archaeological material analysis
• Biobased content testing
• Luminescence dating analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Martillac

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Laboratory Analysis Services: CIRAM generates revenue through providing laboratory analysis and dating services across three sectors: archaeology, art authentication, and industrial certification. Services are project-based, typically involving sample submission and laboratory analysis with results delivered to clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CIRAM is a French scientific laboratory that provides material dating, authentication, and characterization analysis services to three vertical sectors: industrial clients needing certified biobased and petrosourced carbon content measurement (per ISO, ASTM, and NF EN standards), the art market (museums, auction houses, galleries, antiquarians) needing authentication and dating of artworks, and archaeology institutions needing chronological and provenance analysis of artifacts. Services are delivered through project-based laboratory analyses using radiocarbon (C14) AMS dating, thermoluminescence and OSL dating, scientific imaging, isotope analysis, and microanalysis.

Product overview

CIRAM operates as a multi-service laboratory offering three core analytical service lines: Industry Biobased Analysis, Art Authentication and Dating, and Archaeological Material Analysis. These services are delivered through specialized technical techniques including Carbon 14/radiocarbon dating, thermoluminescence (TL), optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), material characterization (micro-analysis, metallography, spectrometry), scientific imaging (X-ray, infrared, UV), and isotopic analysis. The company serves industrial clients (biocarburants, agroalimentaire, cosmetics, packaging), art market participants (museums, auction houses, antiquarians), and archaeological researchers across 1,000+ partners worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Industry Biobased Analysis Services Laboratory analysis and certification services that measure biobased and petrosourced carbon content in solid, liquid, and gas materials for industrial manufacturers. Analyses are aligned with international standards (NF EN 16640, ASTM D6866, ISO 16620-2, NF EN ISO 21644, NF EN ISO 13833) and support regulatory compliance, eco-label certification (ISCC PLUS, OK biobased TÜV AUSTRIA), and traceability assurance for clients in biocarburants, agroalimentaire, cosmetics, packaging, BTP, solid recovered fuels, detergents, and paints/pigments.
• Art Authentication and Dating Services Scientific authentication, dating, and characterization analysis for artworks (paintings, sculptures, ceramics, precious metals, glass) using imaging, spectrometry, microanalysis, and material characterization techniques. Built for collectors, auction houses, museums, galleries, and antiquarians seeking verified authenticity, forgery detection, provenance confirmation, and conservation state evaluation.
• Archaeological Material Analysis Services Chronological dating and material characterization of archaeological artifacts using radiocarbon C14 dating, TL/OSL luminescence dating, isotope analysis (carbon, nitrogen, strontium, sulfur), organic residue identification, anthracology/xylology, and scientific imaging (X-ray, CT scan). Designed for excavation projects, research institutions, and museums that need precise dating, provenance, and composition analysis.

Quantifiable outcome

• 38,000+ analyses completed across archaeology, art, and industry sectors
• +2 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

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• DirectAMS: Commercial radiocarbon AMS dating service for archaeological, geological, and biological samples. Competes directly with CIRAM for C14 dating volume.
• Beta Analytic: World's largest commercial radiocarbon (C14-AMS) dating laboratory, serving archaeology, art authentication, and biobased content measurement. Closest direct competitor to CIRAM across all three of its verticals.
• C2RMF (Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France): French national museum research and restoration laboratory performing scientific analysis of artworks. Domestic French peer to CIRAM's art-market practice.
• Art Analysis & Research: Independent scientific laboratory specializing in authentication, dating, and material analysis of artworks. Direct peer in the art-market vertical.
• Centre for Applied Isotope Studies (CAIS, University of Georgia): Provides commercial radiocarbon and stable isotope analyses for archaeology, geology, and biobased/biogenic carbon measurement — directly overlapping CIRAM's analytical portfolio.
• Laboratoire de Recherche des Monuments Historiques (LRMH): French heritage science laboratory analyzing materials from historic monuments and artifacts. Overlaps with CIRAM's archaeological and heritage analysis work in France.
• Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit (ORAU): University of Oxford's AMS radiocarbon facility providing C14 dating for archaeological and heritage research. Comparable technique and customer overlap to CIRAM.
• 14CHRONO Centre (Queen's University Belfast): Academic C14-AMS laboratory offering commercial radiocarbon dating for archaeological and environmental clients, with overlapping capabilities to CIRAM's dating services.

Broad incumbents

• Bureau Veritas: International testing, inspection, and certification group offering sustainability and biobased product certification services. Broad incumbent competing for CIRAM's regulated industrial testing work.
• Eurofins Scientific: Global testing services giant with biobased carbon content testing and environmental analysis capabilities. Competes with CIRAM on industrial biobased contracts at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Ciram