CITICAN Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Industrial de Cantabria

What CITICAN Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Industrial de Cantabria does

CITICAN (Fundación Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Industrial de Cantabria) is a private non-profit research foundation established in 2015 in Santander, Cantabria, Spain, promoted jointly by Universidad Europea del Atlántico (UNEATLANTICO) and Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana (FUNIBER). The organization operates as a multidisciplinary applied research center with activity spanning health and nutrition sciences, sports science, psychology, software engineering/AI, and food technology. It delivers services through three purpose-built clinical and laboratory units on the UNEATLANTICO campus — the Centro de Atención Nutricional (CAN), the Clínica Universitaria de Psicología, and the Centro de Análisis de Rendimiento Deportivo (CARED) — supplemented by contract R&D, technology transfer, and consulting services for regional SMEs.

Its technology stack combines traditional laboratory instrumentation (indirect calorimetry, chromatography, bioelectrical impedance, infrared thermography, surface electromyography) with applied AI/ML models. Documented AI capabilities include multimodal injury-risk classifiers built on thermography and physiological data, knowledge-graph generation from unstructured text, reinforcement-learning-driven virtual prototyping for industrial processes, and decision-support plus IoT systems for agricultural operations. The organization holds ISO 27001 certification and is GDPR-compliant.

CITICAN's revenue mechanics blend grant funding (SODERCAN, EU Erasmus Plus and Interreg, Spain's Ministerio de Industria), contracted R&D projects with regional enterprises, technology transfer fees, and appointment-based clinical fees from CAN, CARED, and the Psychology Clinic. Pricing for R&D is quote-based and project-scoped, while clinical services operate on pay-as-you-go appointments. Go-to-market is sales-led, leveraging the FUNIBER international network to extend reach into Latin America (Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina), although the operating footprint remains anchored in a single Santander facility.

Name

CITICAN Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Industrial de Cantabria

Legal name

FUNDACIÓN CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIÓN Y TECNOLOGÍA INDUSTRIAL DE CANTABRIA

Website

https://citican.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CITICAN is a non-profit applied research foundation in Santander, Spain, affiliated with Universidad Europea del Atlántico and FUNIBER, delivering contract R&D, technology transfer, and three clinical service lines (nutrition, psychology, sports performance) to Cantabrian SMEs and public-sector partners, with Latin American reach via FUNIBER.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Santander

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. R&D Project Contracts: Contracted research and development projects funded directly by companies, public institutions, and industry partners. Projects include food technology studies, sports science research, and software development.
2. Public Funding and Grants: Funding from government entities including SODERCAN, European Union (Erasmus Plus, Interreg), Ministry of Industry, and regional government for research projects.
3. Technology Transfer Services: Technology transfer, advisory services, and knowledge transfer to enterprises in Cantabria, supporting innovation and competitiveness.
4. Healthcare Services: Direct patient services through specialized centers including the Centro de Atención Nutricional (CAN), Psychology Clinic, and Centro de Análisis de Rendimiento Deportivo (CARED).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CITICAN is a multidisciplinary research and technology transfer foundation that delivers contracted R&D, innovation consulting, and knowledge transfer services to Cantabrian enterprises. It operates three specialized healthcare and sports service centers—CAN for nutritional assessment, the Clínica Universitaria de Psicología for clinical psychology, and CARED for sports performance analysis—supported by laboratories with indirect calorimetry, chromatography, infrared thermography, and AI-based data analysis capabilities.

Product overview

CITICAN is a multidisciplinary research and technology center affiliated with Universidad Europea del Atlántico and FUNIBER, offering a portfolio of specialized services organized around three core healthcare/sports centers (CAN for nutritional services, Psychology Clinic for mental health, and CARED for sports performance analysis) supported by technological R&D services, knowledge transfer programs, and technological consulting. The organization focuses on technology transfer to Cantabrian industry across health, nutrition, sports science, food technology, and information technology domains.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CAN - Centro de Atención Nutricional: Nutritional attention center offering personalized dietary plans, nutritional education, sports nutrition, pathology management, and body composition analysis services.
• CARED - Centro de Análisis de Rendimiento Deportivo
• Clínica Universitaria de Psicología

Products and services

• CAN - Centro de Atención Nutricional Individualized nutritional assessment and diet planning service offering body composition analysis via bioelectrical impedance, dietary counseling for weight management, sports nutrition, pathology-specific diets, and nutritional education. Targeted at individuals seeking personalized nutrition guidance and at sports organizations.
• Clínica Universitaria de Psicología Comprehensive psychological services combining clinical care, training, and research across child and adolescent psychology, adult mental disorders, eating disorders, trauma management, stress management, and neuropsychological rehabilitation. Backed by a laboratory with electrophysiology, neuropsychological evaluation, cognitive evaluation rooms, and a Gessel chamber.
• CARED - Centro de Análisis de Rendimiento Deportivo Sports performance analysis center providing physiological assessment, gait and running biomechanics analysis, injury risk evaluation using infrared thermography and AI, surface electromyography, strength assessment, and repeated sprint ability testing. Serves athletes and sports organizations seeking performance optimization and injury prevention.
• Technological R&D Services Research and technological development services including AI and predictive systems development, e-health solutions, e-learning platforms, multimedia visualization systems, and distributed networks for industrial applications. Delivered as contracted R&D projects to enterprises and academic partners.
• Knowledge Transfer and Training Services Specialized technical training, seminars, conferences, knowledge dissemination, technological surveillance, and scientific promotion activities for industrial and academic stakeholders.
• Technological Consulting Services Non-standardized technological advisory services including technological diagnostics, technical feasibility studies, internationalization support, entrepreneurship guidance, and financing acquisition for R&D projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Shelf-life extension of mozzarella cheese to 33 days without additives or preservatives
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași (UAIC)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Romanian university partner in the Erasmus Plus FINANCEn_LAB project. Collaboration on financial education tools and virtual simulator development for entrepreneurial finance.
• Jan Kochanowski University (UJK)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Polish university partner in the Erasmus Plus FINANCEn_LAB project. Hosted multiplier event in Poland and contributed to financial simulator development.
• TVW GmbHmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023German company partner in the Erasmus Plus FINANCEn_LAB project contributing to financial education and virtual simulator development.
• Universidad de Valladolid (UVa)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Spanish university partner in the Erasmus Plus FINANCEn_LAB project for financial education and entrepreneurial development.
• SialimajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Cantabrian company specializing in artificial vision and deep learning. Partner in MOSAIC AGRODATA 4.0 project developing AI solutions for agricultural operations and crop monitoring.
• SOINCON (Soluciones Industriales de Conectividad)majorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Cantabrian company specializing in industrial digitalization and connectivity solutions. Partner in MOSAIC AGRODATA 4.0 developing EMI Suite 4.0 technology for smart factory integration.
• Netboss ComunicacionesmajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Cantabrian tech company coordinating technical development in the MOSAIC AGRODATA 4.0 project. Specializes in software development for industrial digital transformation.
• Universidad Europea del Atlántico (UNEATLANTICO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner and parent university. CITICAN operates as a departmental research center of UNEATLANTICO, providing access to faculty, facilities, and students. The university provides infrastructure and human capital for research activities.
• Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana (FUNIBER)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner providing international platform and network across Latin America. FUNIBER enables CITICAN's internationalization strategy and provides access to technology platforms and expert networks across multiple fields for interdisciplinary project collaboration.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Eurecat: Catalan private technology center with broad R&D capabilities across digital, health, food, and industrial domains. Operates a similar private foundation model delivering contracted R&D and technology transfer to enterprises, with a more developed productization pipeline than CITICAN.
• Tecnalia: Largest applied research and technological development center in Spain, operating across multiple industries including health, food, and digital. Comparable to CITICAN as a private non-profit foundation model delivering R&D, technology transfer, and industry-facing services, but at substantially greater scale.

Regional players

• AIN Asociación de la Industria Navarra: Navarra-based industry association running an applied research and innovation unit for regional SMEs. Comparable as a regional, multi-disciplinary R&D provider supporting industrial competitiveness through technology transfer.

Emerging players

• FC Barcelona Innovation Hub (Barça Innovation Hub): Sports science and innovation hub that conducts applied research on athletic performance, injury prevention, and biomechanics. Directly comparable to CITICAN's CARED center on the sports performance and injury-risk-prediction dimensions.

Direct peers

• CARTIF: Private non-profit technology center in Valladolid (Castilla y León) that delivers applied R&D, technology transfer, and innovation services to regional SMEs. Mirrors CITICAN's foundation-backed R&D+i service model, multi-disciplinary scope, and EU grant participation.
• ITI Instituto Tecnológico de Informática: Valencia-based IT and digital technology center providing applied R&D, AI, and software engineering services to industry. Comparable as a private non-profit technology center delivering project-based contracted R&D with university affiliations.
• CTIC Centro Tecnológico: Asturias-based technology center focused on digital transformation, AI, and data-driven innovation for industrial and public-sector clients. Closely matches CITICAN's profile as a regional foundation-backed R&D center applying AI/ML to industry and healthcare.
• ITCL Instituto Tecnológico de Castilla y León: Spanish private technology center offering applied research, technology development, and innovation services to regional industry. Highly comparable as a multi-disciplinary applied R&D center operating under a similar foundation/consortium governance model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centro-de-investigaci%C3%B3n-y-tecnolog%C3%ADa-industrial-de-cantabria

Compliance2 records

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 CITICAN Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Industrial de Cantabria