LPCNO

What LPCNO does

LPCNO is a French public multidisciplinary research laboratory (Unité Mixte de Recherche, UMR 5215) jointly affiliated with INSA Toulouse and the CNRS, located in Toulouse. It employs more than 100 personnel — researchers, lecturers, technical staff, students, and post-docs — organised into five research groups: Physical and Chemical Modelization, Nanostructures and Organometallic Chemistry, Nanotech, Nanomagnetism, and Quantum Optoelectronics. The laboratory synthesises and characterises nano-objects including semiconductor quantum dots, magnetic nanoparticles, nanotubes, biomolecules, and DNA strands, applying optical spectroscopy, nanostructuring, transport measurements, and theoretical/computational methods (DFT, machine learning, XAI). Target application domains cited by the laboratory include telecommunications, transport, safety, health, and environment.

The laboratory's core outputs are scientific knowledge, peer-reviewed publications, patents, and trained researchers, rather than commercial products. Its business model is non-commercial: funding flows from French national research agencies (CNRS, ANR), European Union programmes (H2020, ERC Advanced Grants such as MONaCat), regional and local government, and industrial service contracts or collaborative research agreements with companies including Airbus, Siemens, STMicroelectronics, NanoX, Nanolike, and Nanomade Concept. Disclosed IP includes patents on integrated submillimeter magnets (with LAAS), nanoparticle-based sensor technology (with Nanolike and Nanomade Concept), and nanoxerography assembly. Leadership is provided by Director Guillaume Viau and Deputy Director Laurent Lombez; researcher Lise-Marie Lacroix received the 2023 Academy of Sciences Prize.

LPCNO is embedded in the Toulouse academic-industrial cluster through recurring collaborations with CEMES, LAAS-CNRS, LCC-CNRS, CIRIMAT, and IFP Energies Nouvelles, and channels technology transfer via Toulouse Tech Transfer and local startups. As a public research unit, it has no commercial revenue stream, and all financial inflows are grant-based or contract-based rather than product- or subscription-based.

Name

LPCNO

Legal name

Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie des Nano-Objets

Website

https://lpcno.insa-toulouse.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LPCNO is a French public multidisciplinary nanoscience research laboratory jointly affiliated with INSA Toulouse and CNRS, employing over 100 personnel across five groups to synthesise and characterise nano-objects for applications in telecommunications, transport, safety, health, and environment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Toulouse

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Research funding: Funding from French National Research Agency (ANR), European projects (H2020, ERC), CNRS, regional funding, and industrial partnerships for conducting fundamental and applied research in nanoscience

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

LPCNO is a public multidisciplinary research laboratory that conducts fundamental and applied research in nanosciences, synthesizing and characterizing nano-objects such as semiconductor quantum dots, magnetic nanoparticles, nano-tubes, biomolecules and DNA strands. It combines experimental and theoretical approaches across five research groups (Physical and Chemical Modelization, Nanomagnetism, Nanostructures and Organometallic Chemistry, Nanotech, Quantum Optoelectronics) and provides research platforms, characterization services, and collaborative research to academic and industrial partners.

Product overview

LPCNO (Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie des Nano-Objets) is a multidisciplinary research laboratory at INSA Toulouse affiliated with CNRS and Université Toulouse III. It does not offer commercial products or services. The laboratory conducts fundamental and applied research in nanosciences across five research groups: Physical and Chemical Modelization, Nanomagnetism, Nanostructures and Organometallic Chemistry, Nanotech, and Quantum Optoelectronics. Research focuses on creating nano-objects with new properties and functionalities for applications in communication, information technology, transport, sensors, security, health, and environment. The laboratory provides research platforms and facilities for external users and collaborates with industry partners on applied research projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research Platforms and Characterization Services Open-access research platforms providing nano-object synthesis, characterization, and analysis capabilities for external academic and industrial users, including services delivered to partners such as Airbus (structural and thermal characterization of telecom-type optical fibers).
• Industrial Characterization and Testing Contracts Contracted characterization and testing services for industrial partners, including structural and thermal characterization of optical fibers under laser irradiation for space applications, and magnetic materials and devices characterization for Siemens.
• Collaborative Research Programs Joint fundamental and applied research programs conducted with academic and industrial partners across areas such as cooperative catalysis (ANR COMET with LCC-CNRS), Fischer-Tropsch catalysis (with IFP Energies Nouvelles), advanced materials for microelectronics (INTERSTATES project with STMicroelectronics), and flexible touchscreen surfaces (with Nanolike and Nanomade Concept).
• Patented Nanoparticle Sensor and Anti-Counterfeiting Technology Licensed patented technologies covering ultra-sensitive resistive sensors (strain gauges, humidity and temperature sensors) based on nanoparticles, smart secured nanomarkers using photoluminescent nanoparticles, and nanoxerography directed-assembly techniques for anti-counterfeiting marking stickers, commercialized via SATT Toulouse Tech Transfer.

Quantifiable outcome

• Creation of objects with new properties not achievable in macroscopic counterparts
• +1 more outcomes

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

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and significant.

• INSA ToulousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Toulouse, providing laboratory space and administrative support. LPCNO is a laboratory within INSA Toulouse.
• CNRScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench National Centre for Scientific Research - primary research partner providing funding, researcher positions, and institutional support. Multiple LPCNO researchers hold CNRS positions.
• Université Toulouse III - Paul SabatiercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner within the Fédération de Recherche Matière et Interactions. Provides academic affiliation for researchers and students.
• CEMES ToulousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for characterization by holography and other advanced microscopy techniques. Multiple joint research projects on nanostructures and nano-optics.
• LAAS-CNRS ToulousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration for elaboration of devices by optic and electronic lithography. Joint development of integrated micro-magnets and MEMS devices.
• Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry (LCC-CNRS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple collaborative research projects including ANR COMET on cooperative catalysis, Fischer-Tropsch catalysis, and joint characterization services.
• CIRIMATmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on surface treatments, polymers, and coating materials for nanoparticle applications.
• IFP Energies NouvellessignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Fischer-Tropsch reaction using directly grown Co nanowires inside metal channels of microreactors for embedded systems.
• NanolikesignificantImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStart-up partner working on development of flexible touchscreen surfaces based on nanoparticle sensor technology developed at LPCNO.
• Nanomade ConceptsignificantImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndustrial partner collaborating on development of flexible touchscreen surface technologies.
• AirbussignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerService contract for structural and thermal characterization of telecom-type optical fibers. Testing of components under laser irradiation for space applications.
• SiemenssignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration contract on magnetic materials and devices.
• NanoXmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerÉcole Universitaire de Recherche NanoX - major collaborative research initiative supporting sustainable nanomaterials research including Zinc Phosphide quantum dots project.
• STMicroelectronicssignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration through INTERSTATES project on advanced materials for microelectronics.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Institut Néel (CNRS): Major French CNRS laboratory in Grenoble focused on condensed matter physics, nanomagnetism, and quantum phenomena. Directly comparable in scale and mission to LPCNO, with overlapping focus on fundamental nano-objects research.
• CEMES Toulouse (Centre d'Élaboration de Matériaux et d'Études Structurales): Adjacent CNRS laboratory in Toulouse focused on materials science and structural characterization by electron microscopy and holography. Already a close collaboration partner with LPCNO, sharing nanoscience expertise and joint research projects.
• ICN2 (Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology): Spanish research institute focused on nanoscience and nanotechnology with multidisciplinary groups covering physics, chemistry, and biology of nano-objects. Directly comparable in research scope and academic-industry collaboration model.
• Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids: German research institute focused on physics and chemistry of solids including quantum materials and nanostructures. Comparable in scale and fundamental research mission to LPCNO.
• LAAS-CNRS Toulouse: CNRS laboratory in Toulouse specializing in microelectronics, MEMS, and optical/electronic lithography. Long-standing collaboration partner with LPCNO on joint device fabrication and integrated micro-magnets.

Emerging players

• Nanomade Concept: French startup developing flexible touchscreen and sensor technologies. Industrial partner of LPCNO, representing an early-stage commercialization of nanoparticle-based sensor technology from the lab.
• Nanolike: French startup spun off from LPCNO-Toulouse ecosystem developing flexible touchscreen surfaces based on nanoparticle sensors. Represents the tech-transfer output path from LPCNO's research.

Broad incumbents

• MIT.nano: MIT's facility for nanoscale research covering fabrication, characterization, and theory. Larger and broader nanoscience platform but shares fundamental nano-objects research and industrial collaboration model.
• Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology): Swiss federal research institution with extensive nanoscience and materials research programs. Broader scope than LPCNO but overlapping in nanoparticle, nanoelectronics, and applied nanotechnology research.

Regional players

• Neel National Institute (Bangalore) - JNCASR: Indian research institution with strong nanoscience and nanomagnetism research groups. Comparable research focus on nano-objects and quantum materials, but operates in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LPCNO_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lpcno

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LPCNO