I2MB (Instituto de Ingeniería Mecánica y Biomecánica)

What I2MB (Instituto de Ingeniería Mecánica y Biomecánica) does

I2MB (Instituto de Ingeniería Mecánica y Biomecánica) is a university research institute operating within the public Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) in Valencia, Spain. It was restructured through a cooperation agreement between UPV and the Instituto de Biomecánica de Valencia (IBV) and operates as a non-profit research entity rather than a commercial venture. The institute functions as a specialized engineering consultancy and applied research laboratory, organized around five interconnected research lines: Railway Dynamics (Dynamometric axle measurement, pantograph-catenary interaction, rail corrugation), Structural Integrity (fatigue design, finite element analysis, impact resistance), Robotics (parallel robots, rehabilitation robotics, dynamic simulation), Noise and Vibrations (acoustic measurement, predictive maintenance, muffler design), and Computational Mechanics (FEM, biomechanical simulation, topology and shape optimization using hybrid ML-assisted algorithms). A sixth applied area covers soft tissue biomechanics for surgical planning.

The institute serves industrial clients primarily through project-based research contracts, supplemented by public research funding from regional (Generalitat Valenciana Prometeo), national (CDTI, FEDER-co-financed), and international programs. Named clients include TALGO, CAF, FGV, Vossloh, Aguas de Valencia, TALSA, FAINSA, SRG Global, AIMPLAS, INCLIVA, and Hospital Clínico, spanning railway manufacturing, railway operations, industrial machinery, plastics, automotive coatings, and biomedical devices. I2MB monetizes through direct research collaboration contracts, technology transfer and consulting, and association with the UPV Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering (MUIMEC). It has registered four patents (dynamometric axle method, calibration bench, third rail sleeper seat plate, intramedullary bone implant) and has developed proprietary technologies including the VirtualCAT virtual catenary testing bench and patient-specific biomechanical avatar generation from medical images. Pricing is project-based and negotiated individually; no public pricing model exists. Distribution is direct, with no traditional commercial channels.

Name

I2MB (Instituto de Ingeniería Mecánica y Biomecánica)

Legal name

Instituto de Ingeniería Mecánica y Biomecánica

Website

https://i2mb.upv.es

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

I2MB is a university research institute at the Universitat Politècnica de València offering applied research and engineering services in railway dynamics, structural integrity, robotics, noise and vibration, and biomechanics to industrial and biomedical clients across Spain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mechanical Engineering and Biomechanics Research Services

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Railroad Equipment (3743)

akta.pro primary industry

Condition Monitoring & Predictive Maintenance Instrumentation (Vibration/ultrasound, oil analysis sensors, IIoT monitoring) (IMAGAFAG)

Headquarters

HQ city

Valencia

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research project contracts with industry: Direct collaboration contracts with industrial companies (TALGO, CAF, FGV, etc.) for applied research, development, and innovation projects in mechanical engineering and biomechanics.
2. Public research funding: Funding from regional government (Generalitat Valenciana Prometeo program), national programs (CDTI co-financed with FEDER funds), and potentially European research programs.
3. Technology transfer and consulting: Transfer of technology, technical advisory services, and specialized testing and analysis services to industry clients.
4. Postgraduate education and training: The institute is associated with the Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering (MUIMEC) at UPV, contributing to graduate education.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

I2MB is a university-affiliated research institute that delivers applied mechanical engineering and biomechanics research through five interconnected research lines: Railway Dynamics, Structural Integrity, Robotics, Noise and Vibrations, and Computational Mechanics. Its offerings include project-based R&D, finite element simulation, experimental testing, biomechanical modeling, and technology transfer for industrial clients in the railway, automotive, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors.

Product overview

I2MB is a research institute that provides specialized research and technical services rather than a unified commercial product. The institute operates five interconnected research lines: Railway Dynamics (including pantograph-catenary systems), Structural Integrity (fatigue analysis, finite element simulation), Robotics (parallel robots, rehabilitation robotics), Noise and Vibrations (acoustic measurement, predictive maintenance), and Computational Mechanics (finite element analysis, biomechanical simulations). These services are offered to industry partners for product development, testing, and innovation projects, often combining expertise across multiple lines for complex engineering challenges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Railway Dynamics Research Services (Dinámica Ferroviaria) Study of dynamic behavior of railway vehicles and their interaction with track and catenary, including multibody dynamics, wheel-rail contact force measurement, wear and corrugation modeling, and pantograph-catenary interaction analysis for railway manufacturers and operators.
• Structural Integrity Research Services (Integridad Estructural) Application of design procedures to prevent failure of materials and mechanical components through finite element simulation, fatigue design, impact resistance analysis, and damage tolerance assessment for industrial manufacturers.
• Robotics Research Services (Robótica) Dynamic modeling, physical parameter identification, design of robots for special applications, simulation of robotic environments, and trajectory planning and navigation for industrial and rehabilitation robotics applications.
• Noise and Vibrations Research Services (Ruido y Vibraciones) Modeling, simulation, and experimental measurement of acoustic behavior and noise attenuation in machines and vehicles, including predictive maintenance based on vibration measurements, experimental modal analysis, and muffler design.
• Computational Mechanics Research Services (Mecánica Computacional) Numerical calculation tools using finite element methods for computational simulation of structural mechanics, acoustics, and electromagnetism problems, plus topology and shape optimization of structural components through proprietary hybrid algorithms.
• Soft Tissue Biomechanics Research Services (Tejido Blando) Biomechanical modeling of soft tissue for surgical planning and computer-assisted surgery, including tumor lesion tracking and multimodal image registration for breast, cornea, liver, and aorta applications.
• Proprietary Silencer Design and Optimization Software Proprietary software tool for the design and optimization of mufflers and other exhaust line devices, used in acoustic research and industrial noise control projects.
• VirtualCAT Virtual Pantograph-Catenary Testing Bench Virtual testing system for pantograph-catenary interaction in railway systems where the catenary is replaced by a virtual finite element model solved in real-time, simulating its dynamic behavior for homologation and development purposes.
• Novel Intramedullary Implant for Bone Prostheses Patented multi-part expandable intramedullary implant made of polymers for bone prostheses in hip, knee, elbow, and shoulder applications, designed to allow controlled tension in bone and facilitate osseointegration; developed with INCLIVA and Hospital Clínico.

Quantifiable outcome

• Significant reduction in vibration levels in cutter machines (K120 and K200 models) after design improvements
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, standard and minor.

• TALGOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration with railway vehicle manufacturer TALGO on development and innovation projects including dynamometric axle development, modal analysis, pantograph instrumentation, and vibration testing for high-speed trains. Collaborated on DSA380 pantograph instrumentation project with PATENTES TALGO S.L.U.
• CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with railway vehicle manufacturer CAF on development and innovation projects related to railway vehicle dynamic behavior.
• IBV (Instituto de Biomecánica de Valencia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIBV is the co-founding partner of I2MB through a cooperation agreement with UPV. The institute was restructured based on this partnership. Ongoing collaboration includes vehicle seat testing, biomechanical research, and shared research initiatives.
• FGV (Ferrocarril de la Generalitat Valenciana)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaboration with FGV on vibration control analysis for their railway vehicles operating on Valencia's metro and tram network.
• VosslohmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaboration with Vossloh on experimental modal analysis of complete railway vehicles or vehicle components for vibration reduction.
• Aguas de ValenciastandardImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTechnical collaboration for identifying the origin of vibrations in pumping equipment operated by the Valencia water utility.
• TALSAstandardImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaboration with TALSA on dynamic analysis and vibration reduction for industrial cutter machines, achieving significant reduction in vibration levels for K120 and K200 models.
• INCLIVA (Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with INCLIVA and Hospital Clínico's Orthopedic Surgery service on the design and patent of a novel intramedullary implant for bone prostheses. The partnership combines biomedical research with engineering expertise.
• AIMPLAS (Instituto Tecnológico del Plástico)standardImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOngoing collaboration since 2009 with AIMPLAS for finite element structural analysis of plastic fosas and deposits according to AENOR standards.
• FAINSAstandardImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaboration with FAINSA on vibration behavior analysis of railway seats using the vehicle seat testing bench in coordination with IBV.
• SRG GlobalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTechnical assistance for balancing the fan on a paint line, resolving vibration issues caused by material loss from oxidation.
• ITE (Instituto Tecnológico de la Energía)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaboration with ITE on analysis of vibrations generated by transformers installed at UPV facilities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ESI Group: Virtual prototyping and FEM simulation software provider serving industrial customers in rail, automotive, aerospace, and biomedical - comparable technical capability in computational mechanics with a more commercial software-product revenue model.
• IDOM: Spanish engineering services firm delivering railway, industrial, and energy projects with comparable mechanical engineering and structural analysis capabilities, operating as a private commercial firm rather than a non-profit research institute.
• Tecnalia: Spanish applied research center operating across mechanical engineering, predictive maintenance, biomechanics, and FEM - the closest peer in business model, service portfolio mix, and Spanish-market position. Provides analogous project-based research services to industrial clients.
• IKERLAN: Basque technology center doing applied research in mechanical engineering, industrial automation, and mechatronics with a similar project-based service model serving Spanish industrial clients including railway and manufacturing.
• Altair Engineering: Engineering simulation software provider covering mechanical design, FEM, and topology/shape optimization - the same hybrid optimization algorithmic capability I2MB develops in-house, though delivered as commercial software rather than research services.
• Vibration Research: Specialist in vibration analysis and predictive maintenance software - closely comparable NVH and condition-monitoring capability to I2MB's Noise and Vibrations research line, though operating as a commercial software vendor rather than research institute.
• CEIT: University of Navarra-affiliated technology center delivering applied research in mechanical engineering, materials, and industrial applications with a similar project-based revenue model and industry partnership structure to I2MB.
• IBV (Instituto de Biomecánica de Valencia): I2MB's co-founding partner institute focused on biomechanics, ergonomics, and biomedical research; provides directly comparable patient-specific analysis, vehicle seat testing, and biomechanical simulation services. Explicit co-founding and ongoing collaboration make it the most directly comparable peer.
• DLR Institute of Vehicle Systems Dynamics: German Aerospace Center institute specialized in rail and vehicle dynamics research including pantograph-catenary interaction and homologation testing - the closest international peer in railway dynamics technical scope, though operating at substantially larger scale and budget.

Broad incumbents

• Fraunhofer Institute: Europe's largest applied research organization with multiple institutes covering mechanical engineering, vibration analysis, structural integrity, and FEM at significantly greater scale and budget than I2MB; same university-affiliated applied research model but at much broader portfolio depth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Centro-de-Investigaci%C3%B3n-en-Ingenier%C3%ADa-Mec%C3%A1nica-1746941448955408
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/i2mb-upv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

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 I2MB (Instituto de Ingeniería Mecánica y Biomecánica)