IANIGLA - CONICET

What IANIGLA - CONICET does

IANIGLA (Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales) is a public research institute established on May 13, 1972, operating as a triple-dependency Unidad Ejecutora under CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, and the Government of Mendoza Province. Headquartered in Mendoza, Argentina, the institute conducts scientific research and provides specialized services across six core areas: ecological and environmental sciences, cryospheric sciences, water and atmospheric sciences, socio-environmental sciences, paleontological sciences, and geological sciences. IANIGLA is statutorily mandated under Argentine Law 26.639 to maintain and update the National Glacier Inventory, and it houses the largest systematized dendrochronological collection in South America (built over 40+ years since 1979), giving it a distinctive role in paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic reconstruction across the Argentine Andes from the Puna to Austral Patagonia.

The institute's technology base comprises 13 specialized laboratories (dendrochronology, geocryology, environmental chemistry, scanning electron microscopy, paleopalynology, biogeochemistry, sedimentology, applied genetics, and computing/InfoLAB) and a portfolio of open data platforms including the interactive National Glacier Inventory visualizer, the Open Data Platform, the Regional Snow Observatory (covering the subtropical Andes 27°-37°S from 2000 onward), the Atmospheric Rivers forecasting platform, the South American Drought Atlas (SADA, 1400-2000), and participation in the GLORIA-Andes network spanning 20 sites and 78 summits. Recent infrastructure additions include the Wayra project's network of five satellite-transmitted automatic weather stations on Aconcagua Mountain, including Argentina's highest station at 6,940 m elevation.

IANIGLA's business model is non-commercial: it is primarily funded through government budget allocations under its triple-dependency structure and competitive research grants (e.g., EU ERASMUS+, JSPS fellowships, Premio Fundación Williams 2025 institutional recognition), with limited fee-based revenue from STAN-CONICET laboratory services and professional scientific consulting. Its customer base is concentrated in the Argentine public sector (national and provincial governments, CONICET, UNCuyo) and academic institutions, with secondary exposure to private-sector environmental impact assessment work and international research collaborations. The institute does not list pricing publicly, does not operate a commercial product line, and does not have investors; its primary outputs are scientific publications, open data, technical reports, and policy-relevant environmental monitoring.

Name

IANIGLA - CONICET

Legal name

Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales

Website

https://ianigla.conicet.gov.ar

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IANIGLA is a triple-dependency Argentine public research institute under CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, and the Government of Mendoza, conducting environmental, glaciological, dendrochronological, and paleontological research across the Andes and maintaining the statutorily mandated National Glacier Inventory and South America's largest tree-ring collection for government and academic clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Research Services

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

EIA/ESIA Documentation & Technical Studies (Air/Water/Noise/Traffic) (EUAHAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAM), Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling) (IMAKAKAA)

Keywords

• Environmental research services
• Glaciology and cryospheric sciences
• Dendrochronology laboratory analysis
• Paleontological research services
• Open scientific data platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Mendoza

HQ country

Argentina

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Research Services: Provision of specialized scientific services to public and private organizations including environmental studies, glaciological assessments, paleontological expertise, and laboratory analyses through STAN-CONICET service network.
2. Laboratory Services: Fee-based laboratory services including microscopy, chemical analysis, palynology, dendrochronology, and genetic analysis provided to external clients through the CONICET service network.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IANIGLA is a public research institute that provides specialized scientific research services in glaciology, dendrochronology, geocryology, paleontology, hydrology, meteorology, sedimentology, and environmental sciences. It operates 13 specialized laboratories offering laboratory analysis services and maintains open data platforms including the National Glacier Inventory, Open Data Platform, Regional Snow Observatory, and Atmospheric Rivers Forecasting. The institute is mandated by Argentine Law 26.639 to maintain the National Glacier Inventory.

Product overview

IANIGLA is a triple-dependency research institute (CONICET-National University of Cuyo-Government of Mendoza) that does not offer commercial software products but provides scientific research services and specialized laboratory facilities. The institute operates data platforms including the Inventario Nacional de Glaciares (interactive glacier inventory visualizer), Datos Abiertos (open scientific data platform), Observatorios Regional de la Nieve, Ríos Atmosféricos, Atlas Sudamericano de Sequías (SADA), and Red GLORIA-Andes. These are complemented by 13 specialized laboratories offering services in dendrochronology, geocryology, environmental chemistry, electron microscopy, paleopalynology, biogeochemistry, sedimentology, applied genetics, and computing (InfoLAB), alongside general scientific research services for public and private organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scientific Research Services Scientific research services across multiple disciplines including glaciology, dendrochronology, geocryology, paleontology, hydrology, meteorology, sedimentology, and environmental sciences offered to public and private organizations through the STAN-CONICET service network.
• Laboratory Services Technical laboratory services including wood anatomy, dendrochronology, geocryology, environmental chemistry, scanning electron microscopy, paleoecology, paleopalynology, biogeochemistry, sedimentology, applied genetics, and computing provided to external clients through the CONICET service network.
• Inventario Nacional de Glaciares (National Glacier Inventory) Interactive visualizer and database for querying Argentine glaciers by basin, including basic information (coordinates, area, altitude) and additional data such as glacier type, form, and debris cover. Mandated by Argentine Law 26.639.
• Datos Abiertos (Open Data Platform) Open scientific data platform providing access to data from meteorological stations, remote sensors, field sampling, numerical models, and scientific collections.
• Observatorio Regional de la Nieve (Regional Snow Observatory) Platform for visualizing snow cover in major water basins of the subtropical Andes (27°-37°S) in Argentina and Chile, with data available from 2000 onwards.
• Ríos Atmosféricos (Atmospheric Rivers) Platform containing graphics with Atmospheric River (AR) forecast products for southern South America.
• Atlas Sudamericano de Sequías - SADA Drought atlas using tree-ring data from 12 species to reconstruct soil water availability variations across most of South America from 1400 to 2000.
• Laboratorio de Geocriología (Geocryology Laboratory) Research and education laboratory for geocryology studies, including rock and soil sample preparation, sediment analysis, carbon analysis, water chemistry, and isotopic sample preparation.
• LQA - Laboratorio de Química Ambiental (Environmental Chemistry Laboratory) Laboratory for environmental chemistry analysis including spectrophotometry, chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, and water/soil testing services.
• MEByM - Microscopía Electrónica de Barrido y Microanálisis (Scanning Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis) Laboratory providing scanning electron microscopy imaging, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, gold coating, carbon coating, critical point drying, and sample mounting services.
• Laboratorio de Dendrocronología e Historia Ambiental (Dendrochronology and Environmental History Laboratory) Laboratory with the largest systematized collection of tree-ring samples in South America for paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic studies.
• Laboratorio de Paleopalinología (Paleopalinology Laboratory) Laboratory for palynological and high-resolution biostratigraphic studies of Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic geological formations, including physical-chemical sample extraction and taxonomic determination.
• InfoLAB - Laboratorio de Informática (Computing Laboratory) Computing laboratory providing software development services for databases, web pages, data repositories, GIS systems, server administration, virtualization, and network security using open-source solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• National Glacier Inventory providing comprehensive mapping of glaciers and cryoforms across Argentine Andes
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• University of Wollongong (Australia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026Collaboration between IANIGLA researchers and the School of Science at University of Wollongong resulted in the description of a new ostracod species (Limnocythere perseverans) for the Quaternary of Argentina, providing key information for reconstructing past aquatic environments and understanding wetland evolution in arid and semi-arid regions.
• Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Japanese research agency collaborating with Dr. Darío Trombotto on geocryology research, hosting the Argentine researcher for three months as part of JSPS Fellowship Award.
• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Japanese funding agency providing Fellowship Award to Dr. Darío Trombotto for geocryology research collaboration in Japan, including activities at Tsukuba University, Hokkaido University, and Tateyama.
• Museo Nacional de Historia Natural (MNHN) BoliviacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 December 2025Trinational paleontology alliance (Argentina-Bolivia-France) for researching evolution and changes in paleobiodiversity after dinosaur extinction. Fifteen years of collaborative fossil research with MNHN covering provinces of La Paz and Oruro.
• Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier (ISEM), FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 December 2025French research institute joining the trinational paleontology alliance, contributing evolutionary sciences expertise to the Bolivia-Argentina collaboration on paleobiodiversity research.
• Laboratoire de Géosciences (GM), Université de Montpellier, FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 December 2025Geosciences laboratory from University of Montpellier joining the trinational paleontology alliance, providing geological expertise to the Bolivia-Argentina-France research cooperation.
• University of Nevada, Reno (USA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2025International collaboration led by IANIGLA teams for the Wayra project, installing and maintaining a network of weather stations on Aconcagua Mountain. University provides scientific collaboration and expertise for atmospheric and climate research in extreme mountain environments.
• King's College London (UK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2025International partner in the Wayra project for climate monitoring on Aconcagua Mountain, contributing scientific expertise to the atmospheric research network in the highest peaks of the Americas.
• Government of MendozacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2025Government partner in the Wayra project providing institutional support, logistical coordination, and funding for the Aconcagua weather station network installation and maintenance.
• Aconcagua Provincial ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2025Protected area management authority supporting the Wayra project by providing park access, logistical coordination, and ranger support for weather station maintenance operations at extreme altitudes.
• General Irrigation DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2025Technical partner in the Wayra project contributing to water resource monitoring and hydrological research applications from the Aconcagua weather station data.
• GLORIA-Andes NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025International scientific network evaluating climate change effects on vegetation and floristic diversity in high mountain ecosystems. IANIGLA leads the Sierras de Uspallata monitoring site as part of the network now covering 20 active sites across the Andes.
• CONDESANcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Regional organization providing technical and logistical support for the GLORIA-Andes network expansion, contributing to Andean environmental monitoring cooperation.
• IADIZA (Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Partner institution supporting the Sierras de Uspallata site installation for GLORIA-Andes network, providing technical collaboration in high mountain environmental monitoring.
• Reserva Natural VillavicenciocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Protected area providing the geographical scope for the Sierras de Uspallata monitoring site, with technical and logistical support for GLORIA-Andes network installation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR): US federally funded research center for atmospheric and Earth system science, comparable in operating as a publicly funded atmospheric/climate research organization. Operates at much larger scale across broader atmospheric science, making it a broad incumbent rather than direct peer.
• Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD): French public research institution conducting interdisciplinary research on developing countries' environmental and societal challenges. Comparable in being a publicly funded research entity with international fieldwork, including extensive Andean environmental research with regional partner institutes.
• Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE): Brazil's national space research institute, a publicly funded entity conducting Earth observation, atmospheric science, and environmental monitoring. Comparable in operating a publicly funded environmental observation platform with regional coverage, but at much larger scale and with broader mandate.

Regional players

• Universidad de Chile - Departamento de Geología: Chilean university department conducting Andean glaciology, dendrochronology, and paleoclimate research. Comparable to IANIGLA in research scope but operates under university rather than national research council structure and is based in Santiago, Chile.
• Centro de Estudios Científicos (CECs): Chilean independent research center focused on glaciology, environmental sciences, and Andean ecosystems. Operates in the same geographic domain (southern Andes) as IANIGLA with overlapping cryospheric and paleoclimate research, but is based in Valdivia, Chile rather than Argentina.

Direct peers

• CONICET sibling institutes (e.g., IADIZA): Other CONICET Unidad Ejecutora institutes in Argentina that share institutional affiliation, governance model, and scientific service mission. IANIGLA explicitly partners with IADIZA for the GLORIA-Andes Sierras de Uspallata site, making it the closest institutional peer.
• Instituto Antártico Argentino (IAA): Argentine state research entity under the Foreign Ministry conducting cryospheric and environmental research in Antarctica. Operates a similar public research institute model with overlapping glaciology and climate science mandate, but with a polar rather than Andean geographic focus.

Others

• CONDESAN: Regional consortium for sustainable development of the Andean Ecoregion, coordinating environmental research and monitoring across Andean countries. Functions as a network coordinator and technical/logistical partner similar to IANIGLA's role within GLORIA-Andes, but at multi-country scale.
• World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS): International service that compiles and disseminates standardized glacier observations worldwide, including Argentina's National Glacier Inventory. Operates a related mandate to IANIGLA but at a global coordination level rather than national execution.

Emerging players

• Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier (ISEM): French CNRS-affiliated research institute collaborating with IANIGLA on the trinational paleontology alliance for South American paleobiodiversity research. Comparable in being a publicly funded research unit focused on evolutionary and environmental sciences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ianigla
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ianigla
• Facebookfacebook.com/ianigla
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ianigla-conicet
• Instagraminstagram.com/ianigla

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about IANIGLA - CONICET