Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón

What Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón does

Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón (INMA) is a joint public research institute (instituto mixto) of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of Zaragoza, formed in 2021 through the merger of two predecessor institutes. It conducts fundamental and applied nanoscience and advanced materials research organised across six areas: Materials for Energy and Environment (MEM), Materials for Biomedicine (BIO), Materials for Information Technology (MTI), New Phenomena at the Nanoscale (NFN), Synthesis/Processing/Scaling of Advanced Functional Materials (SPE), and Singular Experimental Technologies (TES). The institute operates the Advanced Microscopy Laboratory (LMA) clean room, the Microdevices Engineering Technical Unit (UTIM), and CEQMA scientific-technical services, and produces approximately 300 publications per year. Its portfolio includes 15 active patents (5 licensed), 4 active spin-off companies (including PROMETHEZN and BIDA Innovation S.L.), and notable technology platforms spanning liquid crystal microactuators, cryogenic circulator miniaturisation for quantum computing (Q-WAVE), mussel-inspired bioadhesive hydrogels (HydroBond), plant-derived extracellular vesicles for cancer therapy (EMERGE), MOF-based direct air CO₂ capture, and ultra-sharp nanotips for atomic/magnetic force microscopy.

INMA serves a tripartite customer base: industry partners (BSH Electrodomésticos España, ATRIA Innovation, Quantum Design, Lake Shore Cryotronics, plus spin-offs) that consume approximately €1M per year in contracts and royalties; research institutions and academic consortia participating in 40+ active European projects; and public science outreach audiences reached through Researchers' Night, NanoAsalto, and Cátedra SAMCA de Nanotecnología programmes. The institute earns roughly €7M per year on average through competitive public programmes (Horizon Europe, MSCA, ERC, Spanish State Research Agency, Government of Aragon) and secured an additional €4.5M plus 15 predoctoral contracts via the 2024 Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence accreditation — the first awarded in Aragon. Its go-to-market is event- and grant-driven: acquisition of funding through competitive applications, partnerships via European consortia (e.g., the €2.6M MolCal Doctoral Network coordinated by Marco Evangelisti), and commercialisation through patents, licensing, and spin-off creation rather than direct product sales.

Name

Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón

Legal name

Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón

Website

https://inma.unizar-csic.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

INMA is a joint CSIC-University of Zaragoza public research institute in Zaragoza, Spain, conducting fundamental and applied nanoscience and advanced materials research across six areas, serving industry, academia, and the public with patented platforms and spin-off commercialisation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Zaragoza

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Competitive Public Research Grants: INMA generates revenue primarily through competitive public funding programmes at European (Horizon Europe, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, ERC), national (Spanish State Research Agency), and regional (Government of Aragon) levels. The Severo Ochoa accreditation (2024) brings €4.5M in funding and 5 predoctoral contracts.
2. Industry Contracts and Royalties: INMA works in collaboration with industry, earning approximately €1 million per year from contracts and royalties. Includes technology transfer agreements, R&D service contracts with companies, and licensed patents.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

INMA is a public, non-profit joint research institute of CSIC and the University of Zaragoza that conducts fundamental and applied nanoscience and advanced materials research across six areas (energy, biomedicine, information technology, nanoscale phenomena, synthesis, and experimental technologies). It sells access to scientific-technical services (LMA microscopy, UTIM microdevice fabrication, CEQMA characterisation), operates contract research and collaborative R&D with industry, and licenses a portfolio of 15 patents supporting spin-off creation. Educational offerings such as the NANOMAT Master's programme and PhD training complement its research mandate.

Product overview

INMA (Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón) is a joint research institute of CSIC and the University of Zaragoza offering a portfolio of research services, scientific infrastructure, and educational programmes. The institute provides access to advanced characterization and fabrication facilities including the Advanced Microscopy Laboratory (LMA), clean room facilities, and CEQMA scientific-technical services. Educational offerings include the NANOMAT Master's programme and PI2 research internships. Technology transfer is supported through a portfolio of 15 patents and spin-off companies. The institute organizes research across six areas: MEM (Materials for Energy and Environment), BIO (Biomedicine), MTI (Information Technology), NFN (Nanoscale Phenomena), SPE (Synthesis and Processing), and TES (Singular Experimental Technologies), supported by technical units like UTIM for microdevice engineering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NANOMAT Master's Programme International master's programme in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology offered by INMA and the University of Zaragoza, providing advanced training in nanomaterials research for graduate students.
• Microdevices Engineering Technical Unit (UTIM) Technical unit providing microdevice engineering capabilities including design, fabrication, and characterization services for academic and industrial clients.
• CEQMA Scientific-Technical Services Comprehensive scientific and technical services including characterisation, analysis, and testing capabilities for materials and nanoscale systems, available to external academic and industrial users.
• INMA Large Scientific Facilities Access to large-scale scientific facilities and advanced microscopy equipment for nanoscale research and characterisation for external academic and industrial users.
• Advanced Microscopy Laboratory (LMA) Singular Scientific-Technical Infrastructure (ICTS) of the University of Zaragoza providing advanced electron and ion beam microscopy capabilities including FIB-SEM tomography and Atomic Force Microscopy to external academic and industry users.
• Clean Room Facilities Clean room facilities for micro and nanoscale device fabrication, including electron beam lithography and correlative microscopy equipment, available to external academic and industry users.
• Technology Transfer Services Patents portfolio and spin-off company creation services, including 15 active patents with 5 licensed and multiple technology-based spin-offs, providing industrial partners with licensing and technology transfer pathways.
• Research Areas (MEM, BIO, MTI, NFN, SPE, TES) Six specialised research areas available for collaborative contract research with industry, covering Materials for Energy and Environment (MEM), Biomedicine (BIO), Information Technology (MTI), Nanoscale Phenomena (NFN), Synthesis and Processing (SPE), and Singular Experimental Technologies (TES).

Quantifiable outcome

• Average 300 scientific publications per year
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINMA is a joint institute (Instituto Universitario de Investigación Mixto) co-founded and co-operated by CSIC and the University of Zaragoza. CSIC provides institutional framework, funding access, and research infrastructure support.
• University of ZaragozacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINMA is a joint institute co-founded and co-operated by the University of Zaragoza. The university provides academic programmes, student pipelines, and campus facilities including the Río Ebro and San Francisco campuses.
• École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINMA researcher Jorge Pérez leads the Q-WAVE project (€389,156.16, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions) from EPFL in Switzerland, with a planned two-month secondment at the University of Vienna.
• MolCal Doctoral Network Consortium (10 institutions + 3 companies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational consortium: University of Crete (Greece), University of Bielefeld (Germany), University of Seville (Spain), University of Paris-Saclay (France), CNR (Italy), University of Edinburgh (UK), University of Zaragoza (Spain), Eindhoven University of Technology (Netherlands), and companies Quantum Design (USA), Lake Shore Cryotronics (USA), BSH Electrodomésticos España S.A. (Spain). Coordinated by INMA researcher Marco Evangelisti. €2.6M, 4-year budget.
• ATRIA Innovation S.L.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAragonese company collaborating on the NANOPUNTAS project (€99,450 from Government of Aragon) to apply ultra-sharp nanotips to new materials for household appliances, jewellery, and consumer goods, via correlative microscopy equipment in the Advanced Microscopy Laboratory clean room.
• Quantum Design (USA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner in the MolCal Doctoral Network, contributing to molecule-based caloric materials research with application in refrigeration and energy efficiency.
• Lake Shore Cryotronics (USA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner in the MolCal Doctoral Network, providing cryogenic measurement technology expertise for caloric materials characterisation.
• BSH Electrodomésticos España S.A.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner in the MolCal Doctoral Network, providing industrial perspective and application context for caloric materials in household appliances.
• Universidad ORT (Uruguay)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in PROMETHEZN spin-off co-founded by Valeria Grazú (INMA) and Lorena Betancor (Universidad ORT), based on FETOPEN HOTZYMES project results.
• Cátedra SAMCA de NanotecnologíacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint technology chair between SAMCA Foundation and INMA/University of Zaragoza, promoting nanotechnology education, research awards, scholarships for the NanoMat Master's programme, and science dissemination activities.
• FECYT – Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la TecnologíaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborates with INMA on science dissemination projects including Agencia de Nanocrític@s critical thinking promotion, funded by FECYT – Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades.
• Advanced Microscopy Laboratory (LMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSingular Scientific-Technical Infrastructure (ICTS) of the University of Zaragoza, linked to INMA. Houses a clean room with correlative microscopy equipment for nanoscale research.
• Fundación Conjunto Paleontológico de Teruel-DinópolisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating in the PYRITEDINOSAUR project under IPERION HS/MOLAB programme, studying alteration mechanisms of pyrite in fossils using non-destructive in situ measurements.
• Escuela Superior de Conservación y Restauración de Bienes Culturales de AragónminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in PYRITEDINOSAUR project combining chemistry, palaeontology and restoration expertise for fossil conservation research.
• University of ViennaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo-month secondment destination for INMA researcher Jorge Pérez during the Q-WAVE project at EPFL.
• CIBER-BBN (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerINMA researchers including Jesús Santamaría belong to CIBER-BBN, a national biomedical research network providing interdisciplinary collaboration in nanomedicine.
• IIS Aragón (Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerINMA researchers participate in IIS Aragón, the Health Research Institute of Aragon, for biomedical research collaboration.
• Made in ZaragozaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganiser of 'Paseos con Ciencia #escaparates11F' initiative bringing research closer to the urban environment, in which INMA researchers participate.
• Edelvives, AMIT Aragón, Zaragoza City CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborators in STEAM vocations conference organised by CSIC Delegation in Aragon at Casa de la Mujer.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Institut Néel (CNRS): French CNRS institute specializing in condensed matter physics, nanoscience, and cryogenics. Overlapping research areas in quantum materials and cryogenic instrumentation make it a broad European incumbent peer to INMA's MTI and NFN areas.
• Forschungszentrum Jülich: Large German multidisciplinary research center with significant nanoscience, quantum, and energy materials research. Comparable in research breadth across energy, information technology, and biomedicine, though at substantially larger scale than INMA.
• Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research: Larger, well-established German research institute focused on polymer and functional materials research. Comparable in advanced materials research depth and publication output, but with significantly greater scale and broader scope than INMA.
• Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI): Swiss federal research institute operating large scientific facilities for materials, nanotechnology, and quantum research. Comparable as a public research institute with shared infrastructure access and industry contract revenues, though with a much broader facility footprint.

Others

• Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM): German applied research organization with deep industrial R&D contract work in materials and surface technology. Comparable in industry-facing R&D contract model and technology transfer orientation, though with much greater commercial scale.
• Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) / Eurecat: Catalan technology center providing applied R&D and technology transfer services with industry. Comparable as a Spanish technology transfer and applied research counterpart to INMA's industry collaboration activities.

Direct peers

• Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM-CSIC): CSIC sister institute in Madrid focused on materials science research. Already a collaboration partner of INMA on the NANOPUNTAS project, with overlapping capabilities in materials characterization and nanofabrication.
• Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia (ICN2): Catalan-based joint research institute focused on nanoscience and nanotechnology, operating under a similar Spanish public-research model with comparable Severo Ochoa accreditation. Highly comparable in scale, funding structure, and research scope, making it the closest direct peer to INMA.
• IMDEA Nanociencia: Madrid-based IMDEA institute dedicated to fundamental and applied nanoscience research. Comparable in mission, scale, and Spanish public funding model, with overlapping research areas in nanobiomedicine, quantum materials, and advanced microscopy.
• CIC nanoGUNE: Basque Country cooperative research center specializing in nanoscience and nanotechnology with industry-facing research lines. Directly comparable to INMA in scientific scope and translational orientation, supported by regional Spanish government funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/instituto-de-nanociencia-y-materiales-de-arag%C3%B3n

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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