Institute of Systems and Robotics

What Institute of Systems and Robotics does

The Institute of Systems and Robotics (ISR-UC) is a private, non-profit research institution founded in 1992 and hosted at the University of Coimbra's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in Portugal. Its purpose is to conduct leading-edge, multi-disciplinary research in systems and robotics across four core areas: Advanced Materials & Sensors (printed and thin-film electronics, soft-matter electronics, biomonitoring patches reaching clinical pilot stage); Robotics and Artificial Intelligent Systems (deep-learning with probabilistic explainability, human-centered robotics, medical minimally invasive robotics, self-learning industrial systems); Perceptual and Cognitive Systems (biometrics, facial recognition, printer-proof steganography, endoscopic and capsule endoscopy analysis, causal representation learning); and Sustainable Energy Systems (energy-efficient motors and drives, smart grids, microgrids, distributed energy resource optimization).

ISR operates modern laboratories with state-of-the-art electronic components and advanced materials — including three dedicated material synthesis, digital fabrication, and electron microscopy labs — and integrates approximately 160 MSc and PhD students into its research activities. The institute's revenue is generated through competitive research grants from national agencies (FCT, ANI) and international programs (European Commission Horizon, LIFE, ERC, H2020), supplemented by collaborative R&D projects with industry partners and technology-transfer agreements. Core industrial partners include INCM (Portugal's Mint and Official Printing Office), where an ISR Innovation Manager has been embedded since 2018, and Fraunhofer Portugal, which leads the Horizon Europe ACHILLES consortium in which ISR participates. ISR also sits within the ARISE Associated Laboratory, a five-unit network spanning the universities of Coimbra, Minho, Porto, and the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria. The institute has produced two spin-offs (Optisigma and Perceive 3D, both H2020 SME Award winners) and holds multiple European patents covering physically unclonable markings for precious metal artifacts, biometric document security, and deep-learning-based steganography. ISR was evaluated with a consecutive FCT "Excellent" rating (most recently 2025) and the host department was ranked 2nd in Portugal and 201-300 globally in Electrical Engineering in the 2025 Shanghai Ranking.

Name

Institute of Systems and Robotics

Legal name

Instituto de Sistemas e Robótica - Pólo de Coimbra

Website

https://isr.uc.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ISR-UC is a private non-profit research institution at the University of Coimbra founded in 1992, conducting multi-disciplinary systems and robotics research across advanced materials, AI and robotics, biometrics, and sustainable energy, funded primarily through competitive grants and industry technology-transfer partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Robotics and Systems Research

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAEAE

Applied Research & Innovation Universities

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Technical & Polytechnic Universities

SECONDARYEDAHAEAG

Technical Universities with Strong Industry Partnerships

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Technical & Polytechnic Universities

SECONDARYEDAHAEAL

Technical Universities with Energy, Materials & Sustainability Focus

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Technical & Polytechnic Universities

SECONDARYEDAHAEAI

Technical Universities with Specialized Engineering Domains

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Technical & Polytechnic Universities

Keywords

• Robotics research
• Advanced materials
• Computer vision
• Biometric authentication
• Sustainable energy

Headquarters

HQ city

Coimbra

HQ country

Portugal

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. Research Funding and Grants: ISR-UC generates revenue primarily through competitive research grants and funding from national agencies (FCT, ANI) and international programs (European Commission Horizon, LIFE, H2020). The institute was awarded a major ERC Consolidator Grant in 2023.
2. Technology Transfer and Industry Partnerships: Revenue generated through collaborative R&D projects with industry partners, technology transfer agreements, and spin-off creation. Two spin-offs (Optisigma and Perceive 3D) received SME AWARDS from H2020 EU Program.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ISR-UC conducts multi-disciplinary research in systems and robotics across four areas: Advanced Materials & Sensors, Robotics and Artificial Intelligent Systems, Perceptual and Cognitive Systems, and Sustainable Energy Systems. The institute develops patented technologies (UniqueMark, UniQode, TrustStamp, CodeFace, StampOne, Card3DFace) and delivers collaborative R&D projects, technology transfer, and graduate training to government agencies, industry partners, and academic institutions. Revenue is generated through competitive grants, industry-sponsored projects, and spin-off commercialization.

Product overview

ISR-Coimbra is a private, non-profit research institution founded in 1992 at the University of Coimbra, conducting multidisciplinary research primarily in systems and robotics. The organization operates through four main research areas: Advanced Materials & Sensors (printed/thin-film electronics and biomonitoring), Robotics and AI Systems (deep learning, medical robotics), Perceptual and Cognitive Systems (biometrics, steganography), and Sustainable Energy Systems (smart grids, renewables). Within this structure, the VIS Team specializes in visual information security with products including UniqueMark (physically unclonable marking for precious metals), UniQode (mobile authentication), TrustStamp (document verification), CodeFace (printer-proof steganography), and StampOne (GAN-based watermarking). The institution has produced two notable spinoffs: Optisigma and Perceive 3D. ISR participated in the ERC Consolidator Grant (2023-2027) and operates within the ARISE Associated Laboratory.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advanced Materials & Sensors Research Area Multi-disciplinary R&D service developing and characterizing novel materials and fabrication techniques for printed and thin-film electronics, soft-matter electronics, smart plastics and textiles, biomonitoring patches (clinical pilot stage), and implantable electronics.
• Robotics and Artificial Intelligent Systems (RAIS) Research Area R&D service covering deep-learning architectures with probabilistic explainability for safety-critical applications, resilient sensory perception, efficient algorithms for robotics and ML, human-centered robotics, medical minimally invasive robotics, path planning, and self-learning industrial systems.
• Perceptual and Cognitive Systems Research Area R&D service covering novel learning architectures for facial recognition, printer-proof steganography for ID document security, endoscopic and capsule endoscopy image analysis, deformable object imaging, and causal representation learning for interpretable deep learning.
• Sustainable Energy Systems Research Area

Quantifiable outcome

• Top-1 performer in NIST benchmark for Morphing Attack Detection (August 2022)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• ARISE Associated LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020ISR participates in ARISE (Advanced Production and Intelligent Systems), an Associated Laboratory comprising five R&D Units from University of Coimbra, University of Minho, University of Porto, and Polytechnic Institute of Leiria. ARISE supports UN Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 3, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13) through research in Computation, Material, Management, and Information Technologies Sciences.
• INCM - Imprensa Nacional Casa da MoedacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Portugal's Mint and Official Printing Office for security printing, biometrics, unique marking technologies (UniqueMark, UniQode), and document authentication. Multiple joint patents and technology transfer agreements. ISR's Innovation Manager is based at INCM since 2018.
• Fraunhofer PortugalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in ACHILLES Horizon Europe project bringing together 16 European organizations to address efficiency and trust challenges in AI systems. ISR-Coimbra contributes to privacy-by-design learning models and biometrics use cases.
• Pedro Nunes InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in early phase of UniqueMark project for precious metal artifact authentication.
• National Institute of Administration (INA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertifyMeAP project: combating forgery in professional training certificates through AI, digital signatures, and printer-proof steganography. Project funded under FCT call for AI in Public Administration.
• g.tecminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for BCI Spring School 2026, major international event on brain-computer interfaces and neurotechnology with thousands of remote participants over 10 days.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ETH Zurich (D-INFK, AI Center, Robotic Systems Lab): Top European technical university with strong concurrent programs in robotics, computer vision, materials, and energy systems, plus industry-funded labs and spin-offs. Highly comparable to ISR in research depth and industry partnership model.
• Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute: CMU's world-leading robotics R&D institute operating inside a top-ranked engineering school with deep industry partnerships, sustained grant funding, and a strong spin-out track record — a high-prestige analogue of ISR's robotics/AI focus areas.
• INRIA (National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology): France's national public research institute for digital science, operating multi-site R&D units that mirror ISR's university-embedded, multi-disciplinary model across robotics, AI, computer vision, and systems engineering. Most direct structural analogue in Europe.
• Italian Institute of Technology (IIT): Italian non-profit research foundation conducting translational research across robotics, AI, materials and life sciences with university-style PhD programs and technology transfer outcomes. Comparable to ISR in mission, structure, and funding mix (public grants plus industry projects).
• EPFL (School of Engineering, LASA, IDSIA): Swiss federal technical institute with leading robotics, AI, materials and energy research labs and a strong industry-partnership and spin-off track record. Comparable to ISR in multi-disciplinary structure and grant/industry funding mix.
• MIT CSAIL: MIT's flagship interdisciplinary AI and systems research lab, attracting elite talent and producing foundational research alongside commercial spin-outs. Comparable in its breadth across ISR's robotics, AI, perception, and systems research areas.
• Max Planck Institute for Informatics: Germany's Max Planck Society institute focused on computer science and AI research with rigorous peer-reviewed grant funding and an academic-spin-off pipeline. Functionally analogous in mission to ISR's Perceptual and Cognitive Systems area.

Regional players

• INESC TEC: Portuguese private non-profit R&D institute with university affiliations, operating across robotics, AI, energy and industrial systems with similar public-grant plus industry-funded business model. Most direct regional analogue to ISR within Portugal.
• IST-ID (Instituto Superior Técnico / Associate Laboratory): Lisbon-based peer institution within Portugal's top engineering university, hosting affiliated research units covering AI, robotics, and systems engineering. Competes with ISR for the same Portuguese and EU funding pools and talent pipeline.

Broad incumbents

• Fraunhofer Society: Germany's largest applied research organization with 75+ institutes spanning materials, AI, robotics, energy and security printing. Already an existing ISR partner in ACHILLES; represents the broad-incumbent model of contract R&D plus technology transfer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-of-systems-and-robotics

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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