IMS Laboratory
IMS Laboratory is a French public research lab (UMR5218) jointly operated by CNRS, University of Bordeaux, and Bordeaux INP. It conducts interdisciplinary research across bioelectronics, microelectronics, signal processing, and reliability, partnering with industrial firms such as Thales, STMicroelectronics, and Stellantis.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersTalence, France
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What IMS Laboratory does
IMS Laboratory (Laboratoire de l'Intégration du Matériau au Système) is a French public research laboratory operating as joint research unit UMR5218 under the governance of CNRS, the University of Bordeaux, and Bordeaux Aquitaine INP. Founded on January 1, 2007, through the merger of three predecessor units (IXL, PIOM, and LAPS), it is headquartered at 351 Cours de la Libération, Talence, France, and employs approximately 134 people. Its research is organized around nine interconnected themes spanning bioelectronics, cognitics, production engineering, signal and image processing, automatic control, circuit design, reliability, waves (including terahertz), and organic electronics, supported by shared cross-platform facilities for accelerated aging, mechanical testing, assembly, and analysis.
The laboratory's technology base combines materials science, microelectronics, bioelectronics, and systems engineering in an integrative material-to-system approach, producing 11,800+ scientific publications and 186 patents over its lifetime. Notable capabilities include terahertz imaging, organic solar cells and printed electronics, neuromorphic hardware based on spintronics, organ-on-chip and biosensor platforms, fractional-order CRONE control systems, and reliability testing for wide-bandgap semiconductors (GaN/SiC) and FinFET devices. Industrial partners include Thales (anchored by the GIS ALBATROS consortium), STMicroelectronics, Stellantis, NXP, CEA Leti, CEA Gramat, SEQENS, and Slb, with 15 international and 20 institutional collaborators.
As a non-profit, IMS does not sell commercial products. Its revenue model is built on three streams: base institutional funding from CNRS, University of Bordeaux, and Bordeaux INP; competitive public research grants from ANR and EU framework programs; and direct industrial partnership contracts, including CIFRE doctoral theses (industrial research training agreements) launched at a rate of approximately 7 per year. The 2026 four-year renewal of GIS ALBATROS with Thales and Aquitaine academic partners, alongside ongoing ANR projects such as MIGNON and PLAYER-ONE, indicates continued institutional momentum in its funding and partnership architecture.
IMS Laboratory firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IMS Laboratory
- Legal name
- Laboratoire de l'Intégration du Matériau au Système (IMS) / UMR 5218
- Website
- https://ims-bordeaux.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- IMS Laboratory is a French public research lab (UMR5218) jointly operated by CNRS, University of Bordeaux, and Bordeaux INP. It conducts interdisciplinary research across bioelectronics, microelectronics, signal processing, and reliability, partnering with industrial firms such as Thales, STMicroelectronics, and Stellantis.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IMS Laboratory industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Research & Development Services
- NAICS
- Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Laboratory Automation, Sample Prep & Liquid Handling (IVD Lab Diagnostics) (HLAHAAAN)
Keywords
Where IMS Laboratory is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Talence
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
IMS Laboratory business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Government Research Funding: Primary funding from CNRS, French National Research Agency (ANR), and European research programs. Includes ANR projects (MIGNON, PLAYER-ONE) and EU framework programs
- Industrial Partnership Contracts: Direct research collaborations with industrial partners including STMicroelectronics, Thales, Stellantis, NXP, CEA, and others. CIFRE doctoral thesis funding (French Industrial Agreements for Training through Research)
- University Institutional Funding: Base funding from University of Bordeaux and Bordeaux INP as joint research unit of CNRS
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
IMS Laboratory product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IMS Laboratory is a public research institution that conducts interdisciplinary research and provides research services across nine interconnected themes spanning bioelectronics, cognitics, production engineering, signal/image processing, automatic control, circuit design, reliability, waves, and organic electronics. Its offering combines collaborative applied research for industrial partners (Thales, STMicroelectronics, Stellantis, NXP, CEA), shared access to specialized technological platforms (accelerated aging, mechanical, assembly, analysis), CIFRE-funded doctoral training programs, and patent licensing.
Product overview
IMS Laboratory (Laboratory for the Integration from Material to System) is a joint research unit of CNRS, University of Bordeaux, and Bordeaux INP. It is not a product company but rather a research laboratory established in 2007 through the merger of three research units (IXL, PIOM, and LAPS). The laboratory provides research services and technological platforms across nine interconnected research themes spanning bioelectronics, cognitics, production engineering, signal and image processing, automatic control, circuit design, reliability, waves, and organic electronics. The laboratory's offerings include access to specialized technical resources, research collaboration services with industrial and institutional partners, and participation in collaborative research projects.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Research Platforms and Technological Resources Access to specialized technological platforms and equipment across multiple domains including accelerated aging, mechanical testing, assembly, and analysis & stand facilities, as well as interaction, complex systems, integration, and component platforms. Offered to academic and industrial research partners.
- Technical Research Services Expert research services delivered across nine interconnected themes: bioelectronics, cognitics, production engineering, signal and image processing, automatic control, circuit design, reliability, waves, and organic electronics. Targeted at industrial partners, academic collaborators, and public agencies.
- Industrial Collaboration Services Collaborative research partnerships with industrial partners including STMicroelectronics, Stellantis, Thales (via GIS ALBATROS), NXP, CEA Leti, CEA Gramat, SEQENS, and Slb for applied research and development, CIFRE doctoral training, and technology transfer.
Quantifiable outcome
- 186 patents filed by the laboratory
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use IMS Laboratory
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
IMS Laboratory technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature7 records
IMS Laboratory partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Thales (GIS ALBATROS)coreGIS ALBATROS ('Alliance Between universities in Aquitaine and Thales in Research on aviOnics Systems') Scientific Interest Group renewed for 4 years in June 2026. Coordinates research in avionics, human-system interaction, signal processing, electronic architectures, and aeronautical manufacturing. On average 7 CIFRE doctoral theses launched annually with 115 PhDs funded since 2010. Partners include University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, CNRS, University of Poitiers, University of Limoges, and Thales.
- STMicroelectronicscoreIndustrial collaboration on circuit design, semiconductor reliability testing, and microelectronics research
- StellantismajorIndustrial collaboration on automotive electronics, embedded systems, and manufacturing research
- NXPcoreIndustrial collaboration on semiconductor design and reliability research
- CEA LeticoreResearch collaboration on microelectronics, nanotechnology, and semiconductor technologies
- CEA GramatmajorResearch collaboration on electromagnetic compatibility and reliability of electronic systems
- SEQENSminorIndustrial collaboration on bioelectronics and healthcare technologies
- Slb (Schlumberger)minorIndustrial collaboration on energy systems and sensor technologies
- University of BordeauxcoreJoint research unit (UMR5218) with shared governance and research programs
- Bordeaux INPcoreJoint research unit (UMR5218) with shared governance and research programs
- CNRScorePrimary institutional partner as joint research unit UMR5218, affiliated with CNRS Ingénierie and CNRS Sciences Informatiques
- ITERGminorResearch collaboration in food science and technology
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
IMS Laboratory competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CEA-Leti: French government research institute (CEA) focused on microelectronics, MEMS, and nanotechnology. Listed as an active IMS partner and is the most directly comparable French public research lab in terms of scope, model, and industrial partnerships.
- INRIA: French national computer science and applied mathematics research institute with similar CNRS-affiliated joint research unit model. Overlaps on signal/image processing, control systems, and AI/neuromorphic research.
- LAAS-CNRS: Another CNRS joint research unit in Toulouse focused on automation, signal processing, and embedded systems. Same CNRS institutional model with strong overlap in automatic control, signal/image processing, and microelectronics.
- IMEC: Belgium-based leading semiconductor and nanoelectronics R&D center with similar public-private model, industrial co-funding, and broad partner ecosystem. Directly comparable in microelectronics and bioelectronics research themes.
- IEMN (Institut d'Electronique, de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie): French CNRS joint research unit covering microelectronics, nanoelectronics, and MEMS. Highly comparable in microelectronics, organic electronics, and semiconductor reliability research themes.
- Fraunhofer Institute (Society): Germany's applied research organization with similar applied-research-for-industry model, broad thematic institutes, and CIFRE-equivalent industrial PhD programs. Most analogous European applied research structure.
- Max Planck Institute (Society): Germany's fundamental research organization with comparable public funding model and broad thematic institutes. Comparable scale and research breadth across physics, materials, and bioelectronics-adjacent fields.
Broad incumbents
- Argonne National Laboratory: US Department of Energy national laboratory with similar large-scale public research model, broad thematic research areas, and industrial partnership programs. Comparable institutional scale and interdisciplinary scope.
- ETH Zurich Research Labs: Larger Swiss university research ecosystem covering similar domains (microelectronics, bioengineering, materials) with comparable industrial collaboration models. Broader scope but with overlapping research areas.
Regional players
- CNES (French Space Agency) R&D Partners: French public aerospace research organization with adjacent focus on electronic systems, reliability, and signal processing. Comparable in French aerospace-electronics ecosystem and partner network.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
IMS Laboratory social profiles
Digital presenceIMS Laboratory financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IMS Laboratory leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
IMS Laboratory funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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IMS Laboratory M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about IMS Laboratory
What does IMS Laboratory do?
IMS Laboratory is a public research institution that conducts interdisciplinary research and provides research services across nine interconnected themes spanning bioelectronics, cognitics, production engineering, signal/image processing, automatic control, circuit design, reliability, waves, and organic electronics. Its offering combines collaborative applied research for industrial partners (Thales, STMicroelectronics, Stellantis, NXP, CEA), shared access to specialized technological platforms (accelerated aging, mechanical, assembly, analysis), CIFRE-funded doctoral training programs, and patent licensing.
Is IMS Laboratory a public or private company?
IMS Laboratory is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was IMS Laboratory founded?
IMS Laboratory was founded in 2007. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is IMS Laboratory based?
IMS Laboratory is headquartered in Talence, France, in the Europe region.
How does IMS Laboratory make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Research Funding is the primary driver. The others are industrial Partnership Contracts and university Institutional Funding.
Who are IMS Laboratory's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CEA-Leti, INRIA, LAAS-CNRS, IMEC, IEMN (Institut d'Electronique, de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie), Fraunhofer Institute (Society) and Max Planck Institute (Society). Broad incumbents are Argonne National Laboratory and ETH Zurich Research Labs. CNES (French Space Agency) R&D Partners is listed as a regional player.
Does IMS Laboratory have an API?
No public API is recorded for IMS Laboratory.
What industry is IMS Laboratory in?
IMS Laboratory's product category is Research & Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAHAAAN, Laboratory Automation, Sample Prep & Liquid Handling (IVD Lab Diagnostics). Its NAICS code is 541690 and its SIC code is 8731.