Ciência Viva

What Ciência Viva does

Ciência Viva – Agência Nacional para a Cultura Científica e Tecnológica is a Portuguese private non-profit association founded on July 1, 1996 and headquartered at the Pavilhão do Conhecimento in Lisbon. It operates as Portugal's designated national agency for scientific and technological culture, with a mission to bring science to schools, communities, and the wider public. Day-to-day operations are delivered through four interlocking national networks: the Rede de Centros Ciência Viva (more than 20 science centers), the Rede de Clubes Ciência Viva na Escola (897 school science clubs engaging over 717,000 students), the Rede de Quintas Ciência Viva (nine rural science farms), and the Rede de Escolas Ciência Viva. Complementary programs include Ciência Viva no Verão (a national summer science program), Ciência Viva no Laboratório (a youth research-internship scheme placing hundreds of students in national research labs), Semana C&T (annual Science and Technology Week), and ESERO Portugal (the Portuguese branch of the European Space Education Resource Office).

The underlying technology stack is centered on physical interactive exhibits, curriculum-aligned educational resources, and digital platforms such as the Academia Ciência Viva online academy, the myCiênciaViva member portal, and the Ciência Viva em Casa remote-engagement program. Curated content assets include the Espécies do Mar de Portugal marine species database and the Latitude-Longitude educational kit. Content is amplified through broadcast partnerships with RTP and Rádio Zig Zag ("Um Minuto de Ciência") and through active social channels on TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, Bluesky, and X/Twitter. International participation spans ASTC, EUSEA, ECSITE, ESA, and NASA networks. No proprietary AI/ML capabilities were disclosed in the source material.

The business model is fundamentally grant-funded: revenue streams consist primarily of recurring public funding from the Portuguese Ministry of Science and Higher Education, supplemented by European structural funds and Horizon Europe allocations (including for the CLEVERFOOD project co-coordinated with the European Commission). Most programs are free to participants, supported by the Bilheteira Solidária scheme that waives science-center admission fees for individuals and families. No commercial pricing models, patents, or venture funding rounds were identified, consistent with the non-profit association structure.

Name

Ciência Viva

Legal name

Ciência Viva – Agência Nacional para a Cultura Científica e Tecnológica

Website

https://cienciaviva.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ciência Viva is Portugal's national agency for scientific and technological culture, founded in 1996. Operating as a non-profit, it runs networks of 20+ science centers, 897 school science clubs reaching 717,000+ students, and 9 rural science farms, primarily funded by Portuguese government and EU grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Education and Communication

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Research & Science Fair Competitions (Science Fairs, Research Symposiums) (EDAMAGAL), Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)

Keywords

• Science education programs
• Public science engagement
• STEM education networks
• Citizen science initiatives
• Teacher training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon, Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Funding and Government Grants: As the National Agency for Scientific and Technological Culture (Agência Nacional para a Cultura Científica e Tecnológica), Ciência Viva operates primarily through government funding from Portuguese public institutions, including Ministry of Science and Higher Education allocations and European structural funds.
2. Program Participation Fees: Some programs such as the Ocupação Científica de Jovens nas Férias (Summer Science Youth Program) involve participant participation, with students undertaking internships at research centers during summer months.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ciência Viva operates as Portugal's national agency for scientific and technological culture, managing interconnected networks of science centers, school-based science clubs, rural science farms, and teacher training programs. The agency delivers free or low-cost science education programs, public science events, and educational resources that reach hundreds of thousands of students, teachers, and families annually. Its core mission is to promote scientific literacy and public engagement with science across Portugal.

Product overview

Ciência Viva is a non-profit National Agency for Scientific and Technological Culture that operates as a multi-program platform consisting of interconnected networks and educational initiatives. The core offering includes the Rede de Centros Ciência Viva (network of science centers), Rede de Clubes Ciência Viva na Escola (school science clubs with 897 clubs and 717,000+ students), Rede de Quintas Ciência Viva (science farms), and Academia Ciência Viva (teacher training). Additional programs include Ciência Viva no Verão (summer science activities), Ciência Viva no Laboratório (youth research internships), and various educational resources such as the Espécies do Mar de Portugal database and Latitude-Longitude educational kits. The platform also provides the myCiênciaViva reserved user area for members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rede de Centros Ciência Viva (Science Centers Network) National network of 20+ science centers across Portugal operating as physical venues for science exhibitions, workshops, and public programs open to individuals, families, and school groups.
• Rede de Clubes Ciência Viva na Escola (School Science Clubs Network) Extracurricular science clubs embedded in Portuguese schools, providing STEM activities, competitions, and hands-on science experiences to over 717,000 students across 897 clubs.
• Rede de Quintas Ciência Viva (Science Farms Network) Network of 9 rural science-oriented farms across Portugal combining agricultural tradition with scientific innovation to create unique educational and agritourism spaces.
• Academia Ciência Viva (Teacher Training Academy) Online and in-person professional development platform for Portuguese teachers, providing educational resources, training programs, and innovative pedagogical methodologies through the Centro de Formação Ciência Viva.
• Ciência Viva no Verão (Summer Science Program) Annual summer science program that takes science activities and experiences to towns across Portugal during summer months, engaging citizens of all ages.
• Ciência Viva no Laboratório (Youth Scientific Internships) School holiday internship program placing students at leading Portuguese research institutions for hands-on scientific experiences during summer months.
• Escola Ciência Viva (Educational Project) Educational project operating at Pavilhão do Conhecimento in Lisbon since 2011, in partnership with Lisbon City Council, promoting encounters with scientists and school activities.
• Semana C&T (Science and Technology Week) Annual nationwide science and technology week celebrating scientific culture and outreach through public events, workshops, and activities across Portugal.
• ESERO Portugal (European Space Education Resource Office) Portuguese branch of the European Space Education Resource Office providing space science education resources and STEM programs for schools using space as a context for learning.
• Ciência Viva em Casa (At-Home Science Program) Remote science program providing at-home scientific activities and educational resources for families and individuals.
• Espécies do Mar de Portugal (Marine Species Database) Comprehensive educational database cataloging marine species found in Portuguese waters, including fish, cephalopods, bivalves, and crustaceans with detailed information on each species.

Quantifiable outcome

• 717,000+ students engaged through 897 school science clubs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pavilhão do Conhecimento (Knowledge Pavilion)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCiência Viva operates from and in partnership with Pavilhão do Conhecimento, a major science center in Lisbon's Parque das Nações district. The Pavilhão houses Ciência Viva's headquarters and serves as the primary venue for many national science programs and events.
• Câmara Municipal do FundãocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partner in establishing the Quinta Ciência Viva das Cerejas e das Ideias, combining local agricultural heritage with science education and rural innovation programs.
• Centro de Biotecnologia de Plantas da Beira InteriorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner contributing scientific expertise to the Quinta Ciência Viva das Cerejas e das Ideias, supporting experimental agricultural programs and innovation.
• European Space Agency (ESA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCiência Viva operates ESERO Portugal (European Space Education Resource Office), bringing ESA resources and space science programs to Portuguese schools.
• NASAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network partner in science communication, part of Ciência Viva's participation in ASTC, EUSEA, ECSITE international networks.
• RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPortuguese public broadcaster partner for science media content, including the podcast 'Um Minuto de Ciência por dia' and other science communication programming.
• Rádio Zig ZagcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerChildren's radio partner for science podcasts and educational audio content reaching young audiences and families.
• Rede de Centros Ciência Viva MemberscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of over 20 science centers across Portugal operating as local delivery channels for Ciência Viva programs and brand activities.
• European CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-coordinator of CLEVERFOOD project and key funder through Horizon Europe and structural funds. Ciência Viva's programs are referenced in European Commission STEM education policy reports.
• Portuguese Universities and Research InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of academic partners hosting student internships through the Ocupação Científica de Jovens nas Férias program, providing research experiences for hundreds of students annually.
• Câmara Municipal de LisboacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Lisbon municipality for the Escola Ciência Viva, an educational project operating at Pavilhão do Conhecimento since 2011.
• Instituto Ciência Biomédicas Abel SalazarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner collaborating on educational resources, particularly marine biology content for the Oceanos project.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Science Museum Group: UK group operating multiple science museums and a national learning program; broader incumbent comparable in delivering museum-based science education and teacher resources, though at significantly larger scale.
• Exploratorium: San Francisco's landmark hands-on science learning laboratory; shares the interactive-exhibit and teacher professional development approach at broader scale and is widely regarded as the international reference for science-center pedagogy.
• Deutsches Museum: Munich-based world-leading science and technology museum with extensive exhibits and educational programming; a broader incumbent that overlaps on science communication and education but on a much larger institutional scale.

Direct peers

• Copernicus Science Centre: Warsaw-based interactive science center with a strong public engagement and schools mission; directly comparable as a national-scale science communication venue with hands-on exhibits and teacher training.
• Museu das Ciências da Universidade de Coimbra: Portugal's most established university science museum with permanent and interactive exhibits plus a national education remit; the closest Portuguese peer operating interactive science exhibits and K-12 programming.
• Pavilhão do Conhecimento – Centro Ciência Viva: The flagship Lisbon science center that also serves as Ciência Viva's headquarters; directly operates interactive exhibits and educational programming under the same network, making it both an operational unit and the closest comparable science center model.
• Heureka – Finnish Science Centre: Finland's national science center operating interactive exhibits, school programs, and traveling exhibitions; directly comparable national-scale public science engagement institution with a strong teacher-training component.
• NEMO Science Museum: Amsterdam's flagship interactive science center combining exhibits, schools programming, and public events; highly comparable operating model targeting families, students, and teachers across the Netherlands.
• Centro Ciência Viva de Lagos: Member of the Rede de Centros Ciência Viva network focused on marine science; operates interactive exhibits and school programs in southern Portugal and is a representative direct peer within the same national network.

Others

• Ecsite – European Collaborative for Science Industry and Technology Exhibitions: Brussels-based membership association of European science centers and museums; an ecosystem peer through which Ciência Viva participates in international networks (alongside ASTC, EUSEA) and accesses collaboration opportunities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/cienciaviva
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cienciaviva
• Instagraminstagram.com/cienciavivapt
• TikToktiktok.com/@cienciavivapt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Ciência Viva