Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas - CBPF

What Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas - CBPF does

The Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas (CBPF) is a Brazilian federal public research institution (autarquia federal) under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), headquartered in Rio de Janeiro at Rua Dr. Xavier Sigaud, 150 in the Urca neighborhood. Established on January 15, 1949 in the wake of César Lattes's 1947 discovery of the pion, CBPF is one of the foundational pillars of Brazil's public scientific infrastructure alongside CNPq and CAPES. The institution employs 228 staff and serves Brazil's academic and research community by conducting and facilitating physics research across nanoscience, nanotechnology, materials science, high-energy physics, and complex systems, with substantial international engagement including participation in CERN experiments.

CBPF's product portfolio blends three categories. Core research infrastructure includes LABNANO, a multi-user nanoscience and nanofabrication laboratory operating under the Brazilian Nanotechnology Initiative (EBNano) and SISNANO, and the X-Ray Laboratory (RX), which provides diffraction and characterization services for ores, polymers, metallic alloys, catalysts, semiconductors, and biomaterials. National scientific networks coordinated by CBPF include RENAFAE (high-energy physics across 20+ Brazilian institutions) and INCT-SC (complex systems across 16 affiliated institutions). Science-communication initiatives comprise the Grafite da Ciência mural (a 240 m² interactive painting created in 2018 on CBPF's exterior wall by artist Gabriela L. Tores), the "Elas na Física" podcast celebrating women in physics, the Desafios da Física educational folder series, and recurring seminar, colloquium, and workshop programming (Seminários CBPF, Colóquios "Conversando Ciência", NanoWork CBPF, XX Brazilian School of Cosmology and Gravitation).

The business model is government-funded. As a federal autarquia under MCTI, CBPF is sustained by federal budget allocations and does not generate commercial revenue; pricing models are not disclosed. Access to its multi-user facilities and research infrastructure is provided to academic and research institutions through institutional collaborations and peer-reviewed project submissions rather than commercial distribution channels. The 2025 re-institution of RENAFAE via Portaria MCTI nº 9.127 (April 29, 2025) reaffirmed CBPF's statutory coordinating role for Brazilian high-energy physics. The institution is currently conducting an open process to select a new Director, signaling an upcoming leadership transition.

Name

Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas - CBPF

Legal name

Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas

Website

https://cbpf.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CBPF is a Brazilian federal public research institution under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), conducting physics research and operating multi-user laboratories (LABNANO, X-Ray) and coordinating the national high-energy physics network (RENAFAE) for academic and research institutions across Brazil.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Physics Research Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Management Research Institutes & Doctoral (PhD/DBA) Programs (EDAHAHAO)

Keywords

• Physics research institute
• Nanoscience laboratories
• High-energy physics research
• Materials characterization services
• Scientific research infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Rio de Janeiro

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CBPF is a federal public research institution operating multi-user laboratories (LABNANO for nanoscience/nanotechnology, X-Ray Laboratory for materials characterization) and coordinating national research networks (RENAFAE for high-energy physics, INCT-SC for complex systems). It provides research infrastructure access and coordination for Brazilian and international researchers, while running science communication programs such as the Grafite da Ciência mural, the Elas na Física podcast, and the Desafios da Física educational publications.

Product overview

CBPF (Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas) is a Brazilian research institute focused on physics research. Its product portfolio includes core research infrastructure (LABNANO for nanoscience/nanotechnology, X-Ray Laboratory), scientific networks (RENAFAE for high energy physics, INCT-SC for complex systems), and science communication initiatives (Grafite da Ciência mural project, Podcast 'Elas na Física', Desafios da Física educational folders). The institute also organizes seminars, colloquiums, workshops including NanoWork, and InterPore Brazil Chapter conferences. CBPF positions itself as part of Brazil's national research infrastructure under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LABNANO: Laboratório Multiusuário de Nanociência e Nanotecnologia - Multi-user Laboratory of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology operating as part of the Brazilian Nanotechnology Initiative (EBNano) and National Nanotechnology Laboratories System (SISNANO)
• RENAFAE
• INCT-SC
• Grafite da Ciência
• CBPF News

Products and services

• LABNANO - Multi-user Laboratory of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Multi-user laboratory supporting the Brazilian scientific and technological community in nanoscale research with emphasis on nanofabrication, providing researchers access to advanced nanotechnology infrastructure.
• RENAFAE - National Network of High Energy Physics National network coordinated by CBPF that consolidates high-energy physics research across 20+ Brazilian institutions and coordinates Brazilian participation in international experiments including CERN, promoting scientific and technological advancement in particle physics.
• INCT-SC - National Institute of Science and Technology for Complex Systems National Institute of Science and Technology involving 16 affiliated institutions, conducting scientific and technological research in complexity science.
• Laboratório de Raios X (X-Ray Laboratory) X-ray characterization laboratory supporting CBPF research groups and other institutions requiring X-ray diffraction and characterization techniques for diverse materials including ores, polymers, metallic alloys, catalysts, semiconductors, and biomaterials.
• Projeto Desafios da Física (Physics Challenges Project) Educational project producing PDF folders covering physics topics including 12 Challenges of Physics, Einstein's Miraculous Year, Biophysics, Black Holes, Cosmology, Quantum Information, LHC, Meteorites, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Neutrinos, Atomic Nucleus, Solar System, Elementary Particles, Cosmic Rays, Complex Systems, and Superstrings.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• RENAFAE - Rede Nacional de Física de Altas EnergiascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008National high-energy physics network coordinated by CBPF, established in 2008 under MCTI. Includes 20+ Brazilian research institutions (PUC-Rio, UERJ, UFABC, UFBA, UFF, UFG, UFJF, UFRJ, UFTM, UNESP, UNICAMP, USP, UEFS, UNIFAL-MG, UFSJ, UFRGS, UFSCar, UFPR, UNICSUL). Coordinates Brazilian participation in CERN experiments and international collaborations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CERN: European Organization for Nuclear Research and the world's leading high-energy physics laboratory. CBPF coordinates Brazilian institutional participation in CERN experiments, making it a direct peer in particle physics research.
• DESY (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron): German national laboratory for particle physics and photon science. Closely comparable as a publicly funded physics research center coordinating high-energy physics collaborations and operating multi-user experimental facilities.
• SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory: U.S. national accelerator laboratory for particle physics and photon science. Comparable as a publicly funded multi-user facility combining high-energy physics research with materials characterization capabilities similar to CBPF's X-Ray Lab.
• LNLS / CNPEM (Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory): Brazilian national laboratory operating synchrotron light and other large-scale research facilities under MCTI. The most direct domestic peer as a federally funded multi-user physics and materials research institution in Brazil.
• Fermilab (Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory): U.S. national laboratory for particle physics and accelerator-based discovery science. Directly comparable as a publicly funded, multi-user physics research facility with international collaboration programs similar to RENAFAE's scope.

Broad incumbents

• Argonne National Laboratory: U.S. Department of Energy multi-program national laboratory with strong nanoscience, materials, and physics programs. Comparable as a multi-disciplinary federally funded research center with multi-user laboratory infrastructure.
• INPE (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais): Brazilian federal research institute under MCTI focused on space science and technology. Comparable as a peer autarquia federal under the same ministry with similar governance and funding structure.
• Brookhaven National Laboratory: U.S. Department of Energy multi-program national laboratory covering physics, materials science, and nanoscience. Comparable as a large public research institution with multi-user facilities, X-ray/characterization capabilities, and international collaborations.
• CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico): Brazilian federal agency responsible for science and technology funding. Comparable as a peer federal entity under MCTI that, alongside CBPF, forms part of the founding national science infrastructure created after the pion discovery.
• CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior): Brazilian federal agency for graduate education. Peer in the founding Brazilian science ecosystem alongside CBPF, with overlapping doctoral training programs and similar ministerial oversight.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cbpf_mcti
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/cbpfvideos
• Facebookfacebook.com/cbpf.mctic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cbpf-mcti
• Instagraminstagram.com/cbpfoficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas - CBPF