What Instituto de Física de São Carlos does

Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC/USP) is a public research institute within the University of São Paulo, founded in 1953 as the physics department of the Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos and operating as an independent unit since 1994. The institute is headquartered in São Carlos, Brazil across two campus areas and employs approximately 105 staff, supporting a graduate program rated CAPES 7 (maximum, international excellence) and a postdoctoral-to-faculty ratio of 0.84, nearly three times the USP average. Its research portfolio spans optics and photonics, condensed matter physics, atomic and molecular physics, computational physics, nanomedicine, neurobiology, green hydrogen production (magnetron sputtering for photoelectrochemical water splitting), astrophysics (CTA Observatory, Max Planck APOEMA Tandem Group), photodynamic antimicrobial therapy against multidrug-resistant bacteria, electronic tongue biosensors (~99% accuracy for H5N1 avian influenza detection), and quantum materials. Supporting infrastructure includes a unique regional helium and nitrogen liquefaction facility serving research institutions across São Carlos, Araraquara, Ribeirão Preto, Rio Claro, São José do Rio Preto, and Bauru; a precision optical workshop; a mechanical workshop; a glass workshop; and the Central IFSC-USP Multiusuários multi-user equipment center.

IFSC/USP does not generate commercial revenue from product or service sales. It is funded primarily through Brazilian federal and São Paulo state research agencies — FAPESP, CNPq, CAPES, and EMBRAPII — together with institutional USP budgets. Knowledge transfer occurs through open scientific publications, the EMBRAPII unit (which connects university research with industry for prototype development and applied projects, notably during COVID-19), the graduation of trained physicists, public science outreach programs (Ciência às 19h, Colóquios, Espaço Interativo de Ciências, Vem Saber), and supply of liquid helium and nitrogen to external research groups. Its customer base effectively comprises postgraduate researchers, undergraduate and graduate students, government funding bodies, industry partners via EMBRAPII, and the broader regional research community that depends on its cryogenic and shared instrumentation services.

Its international engagement is broad, including strategic partnerships with the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics (Heidelberg), Texas A&M University (photodynamic therapy), University of California San Diego (neural network stability), Université de Toulon (marine black-carbon pollution), CNPEM/Sirius synchrotron (advanced materials), CTAO Observatory (dark matter), ICTP-SAIFR/IFT-UNESP (quantum materials schools), and EMBRAPA Instrumentação (biosensors). The institute operates under the leadership of Director Tito José Bonagamba and Vice-Director Luis Gustavo Marcassa, with governance through Congregação and standing committees for graduate studies, undergraduate studies, and culture/extension.

Name

Instituto de Física de São Carlos

Legal name

Instituto de Física de São Carlos

Website

https://ifsc.usp.br

Company type

Public

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC/USP) is a public University of São Paulo research institute in Brazil offering undergraduate and graduate physics programs and conducting research across optics, photonics, nanomedicine, green hydrogen, quantum materials, and astrophysics, supported by a unique regional cryogenic facility and EMBRAPII industry-partnership unit.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

São Carlos

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

IFSC/USP is a public research and teaching institute that delivers undergraduate and graduate academic programs in physics and exact sciences, conducts experimental and theoretical research across optics, photonics, condensed matter, computational physics, nanomedicine, neurobiology, and renewable energy, and operates specialized technical services including helium and nitrogen liquefaction, precision optical and mechanical fabrication, and shared multi-user research instrumentation. It also transfers technology to industry through an EMBRAPII unit and conducts public science outreach including lectures, museum programs, and teacher training.

Product overview

Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC/USP) is a research and educational institute of the University of São Paulo offering undergraduate and graduate programs in Physics and Exact Sciences. The institution provides a comprehensive ecosystem of research infrastructure including cryogenic services (helium/nitrogen liquefaction), precision workshops (optical, mechanical, glass), multi-user equipment center, and science communication venues. The portfolio includes teaching laboratories, the Interactive Science Space for outreach, public lecture series (Ciência às 19h), academic colloquia, and the EMBRAPII technology transfer unit. The graduate program maintains international excellence recognition with maximum CAPES rating.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Programs (Graduação) Undergraduate bachelor's and teaching degree programs in Physics, Computational Physics, and Exact Sciences, including courses such as 'Noções Básicas de Fabricação Mecânica' and 'Direcionamento Acadêmico' for freshmen, plus international exchange opportunities. Free of charge for admitted students.
• Graduate Programs (Pós-Graduação) Master's and doctoral programs in Physics, rated with the maximum CAPES score of 7 for international excellence, covering optics, condensed matter, photonics, nanomedicine, neurobiology, astrophysics, quantum physics, renewable energy, and advanced materials. Supported by fellowship programs from FAPESP, CNPq, and CAPES.
• Cryogenic Services (Helium and Nitrogen Liquefaction) Provision of liquid helium and liquid nitrogen to research groups within IFSC and to external institutions in the broader São Carlos region and neighboring cities. Supplies cryogenic liquids for vacuum pump traps, superconducting magnet cooling, and vacuum systems. Operates the only helium liquefier of its kind in the interior of São Paulo state.
• Optics Workshop (Oficina de Óptica) Precision optical component manufacturing and maintenance services, producing prisms, metallic and dielectric mirrors, antireflective films, lenses, optical substrates, glass-to-metal welds (kovar alloy), and thin film evaporation, utilizing interferometers for optical quality testing.
• Mechanical Workshop (Oficina Mecânica) Precision mechanical parts fabrication, adaptation, and maintenance services for research and teaching laboratories at IFSC/USP.
• Glass Workshop (Vidraria) Glassware repair, maintenance, and custom fabrication services for research and teaching activities, including glass-to-metal welding capabilities.
• Central IFSC-USP Multiusuários (Multi-User Equipment Center) Centralized access to shared research equipment and facilities for the academic community, supporting advanced research across multiple physics subfields.
• EMBRAPII Unit IFSC/USP Technology Transfer Technology transfer unit that facilitates industry partnerships for prototype development, applied research, and innovation projects, including technology brought to companies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Supports mechanical workshop operations and connects research outputs with industrial applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Post-doctoral fellow to faculty ratio of 0.84 (IFSC) vs. 0.3 (USP average), with some international institutions above 1.0
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability9 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CNPEM (Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais) / Sirius SynchrotroncoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026CNPEM operates the Sirius synchrotron (4th generation), and researchers from IFSC/USP participate in conferences and collaborative projects at the facility. The MRPM 2026 conference is co-organized with CNPEM, with participants given the opportunity to tour Sirius. IFSC researchers collaborate on advanced materials research leveraging synchrotron capabilities.
• EMBRAPII (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa e Inovação Industrial) - IFSC UnitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFSC hosts an EMBRAPII unit that facilitates industry partnerships for technology transfer, prototype development, and applied research. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the unit was instrumental in bringing university-developed products to companies. The unit supports mechanical workshop operations and connects research outputs with industrial applications.
• Texas A&M University (USA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration on photodynamic antimicrobial therapy combining antibiotics with light-based treatment against multidrug-resistant bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae). Researchers from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M collaborated with Prof. Vanderlei Salvador Bagnato's group at IFSC/USP, with support from Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, Governor's University Research Initiative, and Chancellor's Research Initiative.
• Max Planck Society / Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik (Germany)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMax Planck Tandem Group in Astroparticle Physics (APOEMA) led by Dr. Rodrigo Guedes Lang at IFSC/USP, funded by FAPESP, maintaining close collaboration with Prof. Dr. Jim Hinton at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg. These groups aim to strengthen research ties between the Max Planck Society and Latin American institutions.
• Université de Toulon (France) and French partner institutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration on studying black carbon (carbon noir) pollution in marine organisms using two-photon microscopy. Led by researchers from IFSC/USP and University of Toulon, with the study enabling a double PhD for Brazilian researcher Maria Luiza Vicente. Supported by USP-Cofecub/Campus France international exchange program.
• AUREMN (Associação de Usuários de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear)coreTechnology or IntegrationAssociation of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance users collaborating with IFSC/USP researchers in organizing the 17th International Conference on Magnetic Resonance in Porous Media (MRPM 2026), co-hosted in Ribeirão Preto and Campinas with support from the AMPERE Group.
• University of California San Diego (USA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS collaborator in the study of neural network stability using biological noise, applying Central Pattern Generator models in crustacean neurons. The research combined expertise from UFABC, UFPE, IFSC/USP, and UC San Diego.
• CTA Observatory (CTAO) - Cherenkov Telescope ArraycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational astrophysics collaboration studying dark matter detection through gamma-ray observations at the future CTAO observatory. IFSC/USP researchers contribute to theoretical modeling of WIMP dark matter signatures in the galactic center and dwarf spheroidal galaxies.
• EMBRAPA Instrumentação (Embrapa Instruments)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on developing electronic tongue biosensors for detecting avian influenza (H5N1) antibodies, with researchers from Embrapa Instrumentação contributing to the multi-institutional study published in ACS Applied Nano Materials.
• Federal University of Acre (UFAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration under FAPESP's Aristides Pacheco Leão Program, where IFSC/USP undergraduate student Bianca Ishikawa conducted wildfire propagation research at UFAC's Floresta campus under Prof. Dr. Sonaira Souza da Silva's supervision.
• ICTP-SAIFR/IFT-UNESPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosting the 'School on Recent Advances in Strongly Correlated Quantum Materials' (October 2026) at ICTP-SAIFR/IFT-UNESP, reflecting IFSC's role in organizing and promoting advanced physics education and international scientific exchange in Brazil.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Argonne National Laboratory: US Department of Energy national laboratory conducting large-scale research in physics, materials science, and energy. Comparable as a federally-funded multi-disciplinary research institute with synchrotron-access-like infrastructure (Argonne APS) and applied science programs.
• Fraunhofer Society: German applied research organization operating 76 institutes with industry-funded R&D and technology transfer. EMBRAPII's structure mirrors Fraunhofer's model of co-funded industry-research contracts, making it the structural international analog for IFSC's EMBRAPII unit.
• Brookhaven National Laboratory: US Department of Energy national laboratory focusing on physics, chemistry, and advanced energy research. Comparable scale and federal funding model, with strong international research collaboration networks that mirror IFSC's Max Planck and Texas A&M partnerships.
• MIT Department of Physics: Leading global university physics department with intensive research output and graduate training. Comparable in producing high-impact publications, attracting international talent, and operating in photonics, condensed matter, and astrophysics subfields intersecting with IFSC's research profile.
• Max Planck Institute for Physics: German basic research institute focused on theoretical and experimental particle physics, astroparticle physics, and quantum physics. Direct collaborator of IFSC via the Max Planck Tandem APOEMA group, with comparable scientific publication output and graduate training intensity.

Direct peers

• Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE): Brazilian government research institute conducting space science, astrophysics, and atmospheric physics research. Comparable as another federally-funded Brazilian research institute with strong scientific publication output, graduate training, and international collaborations.
• Departamento de Física da UFMG: Physics department at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, one of Brazil's leading public universities. Comparable scale and role in physics research and graduate education, with similar federal-state funding dependency.
• Instituto de Física da USP (IFUSP): Main physics institute at the University of São Paulo in São Paulo city. Sister institute to IFSC/USP under the same parent university, conducting theoretical and experimental physics research with graduate programs of comparable excellence.
• Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin (UNICAMP): Physics institute at the State University of Campinas, Brazil's leading research university. Conducts experimental and theoretical physics research, hosts graduate programs in physics, and operates industry-facing EMBRAPII programs analogous to IFSC's tech transfer structure.
• Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas (CBPF): Brazilian federal physics research institute in Rio de Janeiro, operating under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. Shares IFSC's mandate of producing high-quality fundamental and applied physics research with strong graduate training, making it the closest national peer in structure and mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@IFSCUSP1
• Facebookfacebook.com/ifscusp
• Instagraminstagram.com/ifscusp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/instituto-de-f-sica-de-s-o-carlos

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Instituto de Física de São Carlos