i2basque, Red Académica y de Investigación

What i2basque, Red Académica y de Investigación does

i2basque, Red Académica y de Investigación, is the designated research and academic network of the Basque Country, Spain, operating as a non-profit service under the IKERBASQUE Foundation since 2011. Founded in 2005 under the Basque Government's Department of Education as part of the 'Euskadi Informazioaren Gizartean' plan, the organization provides advanced telecommunications and ICT infrastructure to over 100 affiliated institutions — including universities (UPV/EHU, Deusto, TECNUN, Mondragon, UNED), research centers (DIPC, BCAM, Tecnalia, Tekniker), hospitals in the Osakidetza network, biomedical research institutes, public administration bodies, and EU agencies. Its core technology stack comprises a fiber-optic backbone with four presence points across the Basque provinces (Donostia, Arrasate, Leioa, Vitoria-Gasteiz), 100 Gbps dual-link redundancy to Spain's RedIRIS network and onward to the European GEANT network, the Hyperion supercomputer (16,200 cores, 200+ TB RAM, ~100 GPUs, Spain's third most powerful), preferential access to Europe's first IBM Quantum System Two via the BasQ framework, and supporting services including Open Science (Dialnet-CRIS integration), Eduroam, Jitsi Meet, and Moodle.

The organization's portfolio is organized around three core offerings — Advanced Communications Network, High Performance Computing, and Open Science — supplemented by add-on services for collaboration, mobility, and learning. Product evolution has accelerated since 2024, with the Hyperion inauguration (March 2024), IBM Quantum System Two launch (October 2025), and dual 100 Gbps backbone upgrades (January–February 2026) marking successive infrastructure milestones. A planned Hyperion expansion targets 30,000 cores and 300 TB RAM.

i2basque operates a community-led go-to-market model with no commercial product offering. Services are provided free of charge to qualifying institutions, which must apply for dual affiliation with RedIRIS and the Basque Government's Department of Education. The organization is funded through Basque Government appropriations and managed under the IKERBASQUE Foundation umbrella. Distribution is exclusively direct: four named department heads (Networks, Systems, HPC, Digital Content/eLearning) serve as points of contact, and services are delivered over the i2basque fiber infrastructure. The four-member visible leadership team contrasts with the operational scope, suggesting a lean core staff supplemented by IKERBASQUE Foundation shared services and affiliate institution collaboration.

Name

i2basque, Red Académica y de Investigación

Legal name

IKERBASQUE

Website

https://i2basque.eus

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

i2basque is the designated research and academic network of the Basque Country, providing high-capacity fiber connectivity, HPC (Hyperion), quantum computing access, and ICT services to over 100 affiliated universities, research centers, hospitals, and public bodies, funded by the Basque Government and managed under the IKERBASQUE Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research and Academic Network Infrastructure

NAICS

Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711), All Other Telecommunications (517810)

SIC

Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

Carrier Interconnection & Peering Exchanges (IXPs, private interconnect, cross-connect) (HDAIAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fiber ISPs (FTTH/FTTP Retail Providers) (HDAIADAE)

Keywords

• Research and academic network
• Fiber optic backbone
• High performance computing
• Open science repository
• Eduroam roaming service

Headquarters

HQ city

Donostia-San Sebastián

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Free services to affiliated institutions: i2basque provides its telecommunications and ICT services free of charge to affiliated institutions. The organization is funded through the Basque Government (Departamento de Educación del Gobierno Vasco) and managed under the Ikerbasque Foundation. Affiliation requires dual application to RedIRIS (the Spanish research network) and the Basque Government.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

i2basque provides advanced telecommunications and ICT infrastructure services to research and academic institutions in the Basque Country. Its core offering comprises a high-capacity 100 Gbps fiber-optic network connecting over 100 affiliated institutions, High Performance Computing via the Hyperion supercomputer, and a suite of collaborative services (Open Science portal, Eduroam, Jitsi Meet, Moodle) — all delivered free of charge to qualifying members under the Ikerbasque Foundation and Basque Government umbrella.

Product overview

i2basque is a research and education network providing a unified platform of ICT infrastructure services to the Basque science and technology community. The core offering consists of an Advanced Communications Network (high-speed fiber optic connectivity with 100Gbps capacity) and High Performance Computing services (Hyperion supercomputer with GPU resources for AI training and IBM Quantum access). Supporting services include Open Science (publication repository via Dialnet-CRIS), Eduroam (wireless roaming), Jitsi Meet (video conferencing), and Moodle (learning platform). The portfolio is unified under the i2basque brand, providing affiliated institutions with integrated access to national (RedIRIS) and European (GEANT) research networks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Red de Comunicaciones Avanzadas (Advanced Communications Network) High-speed fiber-optic communications network spanning four presence points across the Basque Country (Donostia, Arrasate, Leioa, Vitoria-Gasteiz) with 100 Gbps lambda links, metropolitan dark fiber rings in Bizkaia and Donostia, and connections to all technology parks. Connects affiliated institutions to RedIRIS and the global research network via GEANT.
• Cómputo de Altas Prestaciones (High Performance Computing - HPC) High performance computing services via the Hyperion supercomputer (16,200 cores, 200+ TB RAM, ~100 GPUs) hosted at DIPC in Donostia, with nodes interconnected via 200 Gbps Infiniband for parallel workloads and 100 Gbps Ethernet for management. Optimized for AI model training and large-scale scientific computing for Basque researchers.
• Ciencia Abierta (Open Science)

Quantifiable outcome

• 100 Gbps dual-link redundancy with RedIRIS, ensuring full network failover capability
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 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

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• RedIRIScoreTechnology or Integration · 26 January 2026RedIRIS is the Spanish research and academic network providing advanced communications services to the scientific and university community. i2basque maintains two 100 Gbps connections with RedIRIS (primary at EHU/LEIOA node, secondary at EJIE/I2BEJI node) providing full redundancy. RedIRIS also operates presence points in the Basque Country at UPV/EHU Donostia (Korta data center), TEKNIKER Eibar, and EJIE data centers. This is the foundational connectivity partnership enabling i2basque's national and international reach.
• IBMflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2025IBM and the Basque Government inaugurated IBM Quantum System Two at the IBM-Euskadi Quantum Computational Center in Donostia — Europe's first and the world's third IBM Quantum System Two. This system is the result of a strategic collaboration initiated in 2023 within the BasQ (Basque Quantum) framework. i2basque collaborates with DIPC and the BasQ ecosystem to advance quantum-related applications and encourage experimentation and innovation. The DIPC and i2basque jointly manage preferential access to IBM's quantum systems for the Basque research community.
• BasQ – Basque Quantum InitiativeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BasQ is a Basque Government-led strategy to position the Basque Country as a leading quantum technology hub in southern Europe, through the development of research, talent, and innovation ecosystem. Led by the Basque Government's Department of Science, Universities and Innovation. i2basque is an active collaborator within the BasQ ecosystem, working with DIPC and Ikerbasque to provide quantum computing access to affiliated institutions.
• GEANT (GN4-3N)coreTechnology or Integration · 22 July 2022GEANT is the European research network connecting national research networks across Europe. The GN4-3N network has a presence point in the Bilbao area and connects through Trieste. This partnership provides i2basque's international connectivity beyond Spain, linking Basque researchers to the global research network ecosystem.
• DIPC – Donostia International Physics CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDIPC is the host institution for the Hyperion supercomputer and the IBM Quantum System Two. It is a joint initiative of Ikerbasque, the Basque Government, and the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council. i2basque co-manages HPC resources with DIPC, having contributed 111 compute nodes to Hyperion, and provides network infrastructure supporting DIPC's quantum computing activities.
• Ikerbasque – Basque Foundation for SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2011, i2basque has been part of the Ikerbasque Foundation. Ikerbasque manages i2basque's affiliation process and serves as the data protection controller (CIF: G01413459, Plaza Euskadi 5, Bilbao). i2basque's responsible entity under GDPR is IKERBASQUE.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• ESnet: US Department of Energy's high-performance scientific network serving research labs and collaborators. Comparable in operating extreme-bandwidth infrastructure for science users, though specialized to the DOE ecosystem.
• CANARIE: Canada's national research network providing high-speed connectivity and shared digital infrastructure to Canadian universities, colleges, and research institutions. Equivalent mission and operational model to i2basque.
• JISC: UK's national research and education network providing Janet connectivity, shared services, and digital resources to universities and research bodies. Directly comparable mission to i2basque at a larger national scale.
• RENATER: French national research and education network providing high-bandwidth connectivity and services to universities, research organizations, and cultural institutions. Directly comparable NREN mission and service portfolio.
• RedIRIS: Spanish national research and academic network operated by the Ministry of Science. i2basque is formally affiliated with RedIRIS and connects to it via dual 100 Gbps links; RedIRIS is the parent backbone above i2basque in the Spanish NREN hierarchy.
• Internet2: US non-profit computer networking consortium serving research and education institutions. Closely mirrors i2basque's role of operating high-capacity backbone infrastructure for an academic/research community.
• SURF: Dutch cooperative of education and research institutions operating the national research network and shared ICT services. Same combination of network + HPC + collaboration services that i2basque delivers.
• AARNet: Australia's national research and education network providing high-capacity internet and collaboration services to universities, research institutions, and government bodies. Equivalent NREN role and service portfolio outside Europe.
• CSUC (Consorci de Serveis Universitaris de Catalunya): Catalan consortium delivering scientific and academic IT services including HPC and connectivity to Catalan universities and research centers. The closest peer in terms of being a regional/sub-national NREN with integrated HPC and ICT services.

Broad incumbents

• GÉANT: Pan-European research and education networking organization connecting Europe's NRENs. i2basque participates in GÉANT via RedIRIS and GN4-3N for international reach; GÉANT is the broader incumbent above national NRENs in the European hierarchy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/i2basque
• Facebookfacebook.com/i2basque
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/i2basque-red-acad%C3%A9mica-y-de-investigaci%C3%B3n

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about i2basque, Red Académica y de Investigación