Fundación Descubre

What Fundación Descubre does

Fundación Descubre is a public non-profit foundation established in 2010 under Andalusian Law 16/2007 and promoted by the Junta de Andalucía through the Consejería de Universidad, Investigación e Innovación. It functions as the regional coordination body for science dissemination across Andalusia's eight provinces, serving three primary user communities: the general Andalusian public, the educational community (schools, teachers, families), and the scientific, educational, and communication community. A patronato of 20 regional institutions—universities, CSIC, regional ministries, science parks, and research centers—governs the foundation.

The foundation operates an extensive digital ecosystem anchored by the main fundaciondescubre.es portal, the iDescubre citizen portal, the #CienciaDirecta science news agency, and approximately 20 thematic websites covering astronomy, mathematics, energy, biodiversity, scientific cinema, and citizen science. Mobile applications include Exploria Ciencia (launched February 2024), Paseos Matemáticos (self-guided mathematical tours of Granada, Córdoba, and Seville), and GO IMAI, which uses Deep Learning and computer vision to identify up to 400 wood species. The foundation organizes large-scale events such as the European Researchers' Night, Science Weeks, Café con Ciencia, and traveling exhibitions, and maintains the Guía Experta directory of 800+ researchers available for media and educational use.

The business model is non-commercial and funded primarily through public institutional grants from the Junta de Andalucía and its patron institutions. All services and resources are provided free of charge; the foundation does not operate pricing models, and annual accounts from 2016–2024 are published on its transparency page. In 2025, the foundation reported reaching 1.55 million people through projects, 1,280,610 web sessions, and 391 national and international alliances. The organization holds FECYT UCC+i accreditation (since 2012) and is a member of EUSEA (since 2018), Smart City Cluster (since 2014), and CLANER (since 2015).

Name

Fundación Descubre

Legal name

Fundación Descubre – Fundación Andaluza para la Divulgación de la Innovación y el Conocimiento

Website

https://fundaciondescubre.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Public non-profit foundation coordinating science communication across Andalusia, Spain. Operates digital portals, ~20 thematic websites, mobile apps, and large-scale outreach events serving citizens, educators, researchers, and government under Junta de Andalucía auspices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Communication Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

Keywords

• Science communication
• Science outreach
• Citizen science
• Science education
• Public engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

Granada

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Institutional / Public Funding: As a non-profit foundation promoted by the Junta de Andalucía and governed by a patronato of 20 regional institutions, the foundation operates primarily through public institutional funding. Financial transparency documents (annual accounts, activity reports) are published on its Transparency page, indicating reliance on government and institutional grants rather than commercial revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Fundación Descubre is a non-profit foundation that promotes science communication and dissemination across Andalusia, Spain. It operates a portfolio of digital portals, news agency, mobile apps, public events, training programs, citizen science initiatives, and thematic websites covering areas such as astronomy, energy, biodiversity, mathematics, and scientific films. Services are provided free of charge to citizens, educators, researchers, and science communicators.

Product overview

Fundación Descubre is a non-profit foundation promoting science communication in Andalusia, Spain. It operates a comprehensive portfolio of science outreach products and services organized around four main pillars: Communication (CienciaDirecta news agency, i+Descubre citizen portal), Outreach (events like La Noche Europea de los Investigadores, Semanas de la Ciencia, Ciencia al Fresquito, and thematic websites including Clickmica, Guía Experta, Descubre la Energía, El Séptimo Cielo), Education (Ciencia en la Escuela program, Paseos Matemáticos app, Calendario Científico Escolar), and Citizen Science (Andalucía Mejor con Ciencia, MonuMAI, biodiversity platforms). The foundation also develops AI-powered tools like GO IMAI for wood species identification and manages a network of science fairs across Andalusia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• i+Descubre: Portal directed to the general public to promote interest in science and innovation, offering scientific content in a divulgative and entertaining tone.
• #CienciaDirecta
• Guía Experta
• Exploria Ciencia

Products and services

• i+Descubre Web portal aimed at the general public to promote interest in science and innovation, offering scientific content in an accessible and entertaining tone for citizens of Andalusia.
• CienciaDirecta Science news agency covering Andalusian science, providing scientific information and updates on research developments in the region for media professionals and the public.
• Guía Experta Directory of over 800 researchers available for media and educational purposes, connecting journalists, event organizers, and educators with Andalusian scientific experts.
• La Noche Europea de los Investigadores Annual European Researchers' Night event bringing researchers and citizens together for direct interaction and science outreach activities across Andalusia.
• Semanas de la Ciencia Annual Science Weeks program with activities celebrating science throughout the year across multiple Andalusian locations.
• Ciencia en la Escuela Science education program for schools providing didactic resources, bank of materials, and traveling exhibitions for primary and secondary educational use.
• Escuela de Divulgación de Andalucía Training platform offering courses and workshops for science communicators to strengthen their science outreach and dissemination skills, offered virtually and in-person.
• GO IMAI Mobile application using artificial intelligence and Deep Learning algorithms to identify wood species through device camera, employing macroscopic wood anatomy analysis to recognize up to 400 different species.
• Exploria Ciencia Mobile application for science exploration and dissemination activities across Andalusia, presented on Día de Andalucía 2024.
• Paseos Matemáticos Mathematical walking tours of Granada, Córdoba, and Seville exploring mathematical concepts in historical and cultural heritage, with a companion mobile app for self-guided routes.
• Andalucía Mejor con Ciencia Citizen science initiative providing Andalusian localities with support to organize science citizen initiatives for community improvement.
• Oficina de Ciencia Ciudadana de Andalucía Regional office coordinating citizen science projects and initiatives across Andalusia, providing infrastructure and support for participatory research.
• Cine Científico Scientific cinema cycle featuring documentaries showcasing technological and scientific advances from a sustainable perspective, with screenings across Andalusia.
• IN-STEAM STEAM educational initiative promoting science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics education across Andalusia.
• MonuMAI Citizen science project with University of Granada bringing citizens closer to artistic styles of medieval and modern-age Andalusia through participatory research.
• Ciencia Radiante Weekly science podcast combining humor, news, scientific anecdotes, and educational content for general audiences, distributed on Spotify.
• Red de Ferias de la Ciencia y la Innovación de Andalucía Network coordinating science and innovation fairs across Andalusia, linking organizers, exhibitors, and venues for regional science events.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.55 million people reached in 2025 through projects
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (FECYT)coreOthersFundación Descubre has been a UCC+i (Unit of Scientific Culture and Innovation) accredited by FECYT since May 2012, providing national-level recognition for its science communication activities and access to FECYT resources and programs.
• EUSEA (European Science Events Association)coreOthersSince April 2018, Fundación Descubre has been a member of EUSEA, the European Science Events Association, which provides international benchmarking and network connectivity for science dissemination activities.
• Smart City ClústerminorOthersFundación Descubre has been a member of Smart City Clúster since 2014, connecting with smart city stakeholders in Andalusia.
• Clúster Andaluz de Energías Renovables (CLANER)minorOthersMember since 2015 of CLANER, the Andalusian Renewable Energies Cluster, supporting cross-sector collaboration on energy-related science communication.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Wellcome Trust: Wellcome is a major UK charitable foundation supporting science research and public engagement. While significantly larger and research-focused, its public engagement and science communication activities are comparable in mission to Fundación Descubre.
• Fundación BBVA: Fundación BBVA is a Spanish foundation supporting scientific research, environmental conservation, and cultural programs. It is comparable as a Spanish foundation running science dissemination and grantmaking activities, though at much larger scale.
• Museo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (MUNCYT): MUNCYT is Spain's national museum of science and technology, providing exhibits and educational programming. It is comparable as a national-scale public institution dedicated to making research accessible to general audiences.
• Science Museum Group: The Science Museum Group operates major UK science museums delivering exhibitions, educational programs, and public engagement. It is comparable as an established public-facing science education and engagement institution with multi-site programming.
• CosmoCaixa: CosmoCaixa is the science museum operated by Fundación La Caixa in Barcelona, offering exhibits, educational programming, and science dissemination events. It is comparable in science communication and educational outreach mission, though anchored on a physical venue.

Regional players

• Ciência Viva: Ciência Viva is the Portuguese agency for science communication and technology culture, operating national programs including science festivals and outreach. It is comparable in mission and structure as a publicly-supported science communication organization focused on citizen engagement.
• Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (CAC): CAC is the Valencia-based complex including a science museum, Hemisfèric, and Oceanogràfic. As a Spanish regional science and cultural complex, it shares science outreach and educational programming functions with Fundación Descubre, though built around a fixed venue model.

Direct peers

• NESTA: NESTA is the UK innovation foundation supporting science, technology, and social innovation through public engagement, programs, and grants. It is comparable as a publicly-oriented foundation working on science engagement, education, and innovation dissemination.
• Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (FECYT): FECYT is Spain's national foundation for science and technology, which directly accredits Fundación Descubre as a UCC+i unit and coordinates national-level science communication activities. It is the closest institutional peer given shared mission and structural overlap.

Others

• European Science Events Association (EUSEA): EUSEA is the European association of science events organizations of which Fundación Descubre is a member. It is comparable as a peer network supporting science engagement professionals and event organizers across Europe.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FDescubre
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FundacionDescubre/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/FundacionDescubre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fundaci%C3%B3n-descubre
• Instagraminstagram.com/fundaciondescubre

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fundación Descubre