Name

IPANEMA Lab

Legal name

Institut Photonique d'Analyse Non-destructive Européen des Matériaux Anciens

Website

https://ipanema.cnrs.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-Aubin

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Public Research Funding: IPANEMA is a public research unit (UAR3461) funded primarily through CNRS, French government research agencies, and regional funding bodies such as DIM PAMIR. Revenue comes from institutional grants, European research projects (e.g., IPERION-HS), and operating support from founding institutions including CNRS, UVSQ, and MNHN.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IPANEMA operates a public research laboratory providing access to advanced, non-destructive analytical instrumentation for the study of ancient, archaeological, paleontological, and cultural heritage materials. The laboratory operates the PUMA synchrotron beamline and a combined XRD/XRF laboratory instrument, offering X-ray microfluorescence, micro-diffraction, FTIR microscopy, photoluminescence imaging, and scanning electron microscopy capabilities to academic researchers and museum institutions.

Product overview

IPANEMA (Institut Photonique d'Analyse Non-destructive Européen des Matériaux Anciens) is a European research laboratory (UAR3461) located at the SOLEIL synchrotron facility. Rather than a commercial product company, IPANEMA provides research infrastructure and analytical services. The core offering consists of the PUMA beamline (a synchrotron X-ray microprobe optimized for heritage science), laboratory XRD/XRF instrumentation, and access to advanced spectro-imaging techniques including FTIR microscopy, photoluminescence, and fluorescence imaging. The laboratory serves the scientific community by providing non-destructive analysis capabilities for ancient materials, paleontological specimens, and cultural heritage objects through direct facility access and collaborative research projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PUMA Beamline: A synchrotron X-ray microbeam beamline at SOLEIL, optimized for research on heritage materials, operated by IPANEMA.

Products and services

• PUMA Beamline A synchrotron hard X-ray microprobe beamline optimized for heritage research at the SOLEIL synchrotron facility, providing micro-fluorescence (XRF), micro-diffraction (XRD), and absorption-based imaging capabilities for non-destructive analysis of ancient materials. Operated for academic researchers and museum institutions conducting heritage science research.
• XRD/XRF Instrument Laboratory-scale X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrumentation for physico-chemical characterization of ancient materials, providing combined mineralogical and elemental analysis capabilities for heritage science researchers.
• Analytical Services for Heritage Materials Access to advanced analytical techniques including FTIR microscopy, multispectral photoluminescence imaging, fluorescence imaging, X-ray diffraction, and synchrotron-based spectro-imaging for the study of ancient materials, cultural heritage objects, fossils, and archaeological artifacts. Provided to academic and museum institution clients through collaborative research projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Non-destructive analysis preserves valuable heritage objects while providing comprehensive chemical and structural information

Named customers5 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered key project, core and major.

• Royal Monastery of Broukey projectStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Collaborative measurement campaign (June 2025) analyzing Joan Mitchell's triptych (1969) and Judit Reigl's Ecriture en masse (1963) as part of MODERN doctoral research on oil painting degradation.
• OI PALABRe (Université Paris-Saclay)key projectOthers · 1 March 2025Interdisciplinary research object funding invited professorship of Barbara H. Berrie from National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. during March 2025.
• Château de Versailleskey projectStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Collaboration on REX project (écritures masquées/écriture révélées) for analyzing Marie-Antoinette's redacted correspondence using X-ray fluorescence. Joint work with CRC, Archives Nationales, and DYPAC laboratory.
• DIM PAMIR TraceRockArtkey projectStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Franco-Australian collaboration led by Lab-BC with IPANEMA and SOLEIL for scientific study of prehistoric pigment traces, hosting Prof. Dr. Rachel Popelka-Filcoff from University of Melbourne.
• PALOC Laboratory, Musée de l'Hommekey projectStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Mission in June 2024 to study cultural anthropology collections through photoluminescence spectral imaging. Collaborators include Manuel Valentin, Myriam Kourdourli, and Aurélie Fort.
• SOLEIL SynchrotroncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPANEMA is physically located at the SOLEIL synchrotron facility in Saint-Aubin. The laboratory operates the PUMA beamline and X-ray source laboratory at SOLEIL, enabling access to high-brilliance synchrotron radiation for heritage science research. This co-location is fundamental to IPANEMA's analytical capabilities.
• CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)coreOthersPrimary institutional partner and employer. CNRS provides the administrative framework and core funding for the UAR3461 research unit, with Mathieu Thoury serving as CNRS Research Director and Unit Director.
• Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)coreOthersCo-founding institution providing staff positions. Maëva L'Héronde is employed by UVSQ as a study engineer specializing in sample preparation and electron microscopy.
• Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner institution. MNHN collaborates on heritage science projects including African glass bead studies with Musée de l'Homme and paleontological research. Several staff members and PhD students are affiliated with MNHN.
• Ministère de la Culture (France)majorOthersGovernment partner providing institutional support and funding for heritage science activities. Logo displayed as founding partner alongside CNRS, UVSQ, and MNHN.
• IPERION-HS (GA871034)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean research infrastructure project providing transnational access to IPANEMA and other heritage science facilities across Europe. Hosted visiting researchers from University of Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, University of Pisa, and University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• DIM PAMIRmajorOthersRegional research cluster (Île-de-France) funding heritage science projects including MODERN doctoral program, MEPHISTO, TraceRockArt, and DOPAMINE workshop on heritage data management.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• C2RMF (Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France): French heritage science research laboratory under the Louvre and Ministry of Culture, conducting scientific analysis of museum collections. Directly comparable to IPANEMA in providing analytical services to French cultural institutions, though without a dedicated synchrotron beamline.
• Getty Conservation Institute: Leading global heritage science research organization conducting scientific research on cultural heritage materials. Comparable to IPANEMA in mission and methodology, with strong publications and international training programs in conservation science.
• Rijksmuseum Heritage Science Lab: Conservation science laboratory at the Dutch national museum conducting research on artworks using advanced analytical techniques. Comparable to IPANEMA in serving a major national museum with scientific research capabilities.
• MOLAB (IPERION-HS Mobile Laboratory): European mobile analytical laboratory consortium providing non-destructive in-situ analysis for heritage objects. Comparable to IPANEMA through IPERION-HS partnership and complementary heritage science service delivery model.
• National Gallery of Art Scientific Research Department: Scientific research department at the US National Gallery conducting materials analysis on the collection. Comparable to IPANEMA in applying advanced analytical methods to art conservation, including recent invited professorship collaboration.
• Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute (MCI): US heritage science research facility providing scientific analysis for Smithsonian collections. Comparable to IPANEMA in mission to apply advanced scientific techniques to cultural heritage preservation and research.

Broad incumbents

• Diamond Light Source: UK's national synchrotron facility offering heritage science capabilities (I18 beamline). Comparable to IPANEMA's synchrotron-based analytical work for cultural heritage, though as part of a much larger general-purpose facility.
• Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste: Italian synchrotron facility with heritage science capabilities (TwinMic beamline). Comparable to IPANEMA in synchrotron-based heritage materials analysis, though operates across multiple scientific disciplines.
• ESRF (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility): European synchrotron facility with heritage science capabilities including the ID21 beamline for ancient materials. Comparable to IPANEMA in synchrotron-based heritage research, but operates as a much broader multi-disciplinary facility serving many scientific fields.
• Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (BESSY II): German synchrotron facility with heritage science applications (BAMline). Comparable to IPANEMA in providing synchrotron access for heritage materials analysis as part of broader scientific portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ipanema-lab

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 IPANEMA Lab