Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES)

What Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES) does

IPHES (Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social) is a public research institute based in Tarragona, Spain, hosted on the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) campus and affiliated with the CERCA network of Catalan research centers. The institute conducts multi-disciplinary research in Quaternary archaeology and human evolution, organized around three core research groups: Human Palaeoecology in the Plio-Plistocene, Subsistence, Technology and Human Evolution, and Prehistoric Socioecology and Cultural Changes. Its research infrastructure combines archaeobotany, geoarchaeology (sediment analysis and micromorphology), multi-scale microscopy, biomarker analysis, lithic technology, palaeoanthropology 3D scanning, zooarchaeology, and taphonomy — capabilities that are delivered as both internal research tools and Know-How Transfer (KTT) services to external researchers and institutions. Field operations span multiple Spanish archaeological sites, including the iconic Atapuerca complex, Abric Romaní, Barranc de la Boella, Camp dels Ninots, and Orce, providing continuous excavation datasets and fossil/artifact collections.

The institute operates a non-commercial revenue model, relying on public funding from the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (AEI) through the María de Maeztu Excellence designation, Diputació de Tarragona, and Ajuntament de Tarragona, supplemented by university partnerships and select fee-for-service KTT laboratory work. Its go-to-market is institutional: IPHES co-delivers degree programs with URV and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), runs an Erasmus Mundus Master's in Quaternary Archaeology and Human Evolution, and disseminates research through publications, the comunicacio.iphes.cat press portal, the Evoluciona public engagement platform, and dedicated science education programs. The institute holds multiple certifications, including HR Excellence in Research, Severo Ochoa, and María de Maeztu Excellence. With approximately 32 employees, IPHES functions as a niche, government-supported scientific research entity rather than a commercial enterprise.

Name

Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES)

Legal name

Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social

Website

https://prehistoria.urv.cat

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IPHES is a publicly funded Catalan research institute in Tarragona, Spain, conducting multi-disciplinary paleoecology and human evolution research across archaeological sites including Atapuerca. It serves academic and government stakeholders through field projects, KTT laboratory services, and jointly delivered degree programs with URV and UOC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tarragona

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

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IPHES is a public research institute that conducts multi-disciplinary scientific research on human evolution and paleoecology during the Quaternary period, organized around three research groups and supported by specialized laboratory facilities (archaeobotany, geoarchaeology, microscopy, biomarkers, lithic technology, 3D scanning, zooarchaeology, conservation). It delivers Knowledge Transfer and Technology (KTT) laboratory analysis services to external researchers, runs degree and doctoral programs in partnership with universities, and conducts long-term archaeological excavation and fieldwork at major Iberian sites including Atapuerca, Abric Romaní, and Barranc de la Boella.

Product overview

IPHES is a research institute focused on Quaternary archaeology and human evolution, operating as a multi-faceted research organization with three core research groups (Human Palaeoecology in the Plio-Plistocene; Subsistence, Technology and Human Evolution; Prehistoric Socioecology and Cultural Changes), eight specialized KTT (Knowledge Transfer Technology) services including archaeobotany, geoarchaeology, multi-scale microscopy, 3D scanning, and educational resources, and multiple field projects at significant archaeological sites across Spain including Atapuerca, Abric Romaní, and Barranc de la Boella. The institute also offers educational programs including an Erasmus Mundus master's degree in Quaternary Archaeology and Human Evolution. IPHES holds Severo Ochoa and María de Maeztu Excellence certifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Archaeobotany KTT Service Laboratory service offering archaeobotanical analysis of plant remains (pollen, phytoliths, wood fragments) from archaeological sites to reconstruct past environments and human-plant relationships, provided to external researchers and institutions.
• Geoarchaeology KTT Service Geoscience-based archaeological services including sediment analysis, stratigraphic studies, and micromorphology for site formation processes and environmental reconstruction, delivered to external researchers and institutions.
• Multi-scale Microscopy for Archaeology KTT Service Advanced microscopy services providing high-resolution imaging and analysis of archaeological materials at multiple scales, from macro to micro-level characterization.
• Educational Resources KTT Service Educational materials and resources supporting science education and outreach in archaeology and human evolution, targeted at secondary schools and educational institutions.
• Palaeoanthropology 3D Scanning Facility 3D scanning facility for documenting and analyzing palaeoanthropological specimens, enabling digital preservation and detailed morphological studies of fossils and artifacts.
• Inter-University Master's Degree in Quaternary Archaeology and Human Evolution (Erasmus Mundus) International Erasmus Mundus Master's program in Quaternary Archaeology and Human Evolution, co-delivered by multiple European universities, providing advanced training for graduate students.
• Bachelor's Degree in History (URV) Undergraduate degree program in History delivered in partnership with Universitat Rovira i Virgili, with IPHES contributing paleoecology and human evolution content and research training.
• Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology and Human Evolution (URV/UOC) Undergraduate degree program co-delivered with Universitat Rovira i Virgili and Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, combining on-campus and online education in anthropology and human evolution.
• Doctoral Programme in the Quaternary and Prehistory Doctoral training program providing supervised PhD research opportunities in Quaternary studies and prehistory, with IPHES researchers acting as supervisors and co-supervisors.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

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Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CERCA (Catalan Research Centers Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPHES operates as a member of the CERCA network of Catalan research centers, which provides institutional recognition, collaborative frameworks, and shared resources among leading research institutions in Catalonia. The CERCA association supports excellence in research and knowledge transfer across member centers.
• Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary institutional partner hosting IPHES on its campus. Joint educational programs include Bachelor's degrees in History and in Anthropology and Human Evolution. URV provides physical infrastructure, academic administration, and student recruitment for collaborative degree programs.
• Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-delivers the Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology and Human Evolution alongside URV, contributing online education expertise and digital learning platforms to the joint program.
• Ajuntament de TarragonaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government of Tarragona supporting IPHES through local institutional partnerships, particularly for science outreach and public engagement activities.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology: Leipzig-based Max Planck institute dedicated to human evolution, palaeoanthropology, and comparative primatology; directly comparable research mission (hominin evolution, prehistoric behavior, geoarchaeology) at larger scale with similar multi-disciplinary laboratory infrastructure.
• SapienCE Centre for Early Sapiens Behaviour, University of Bergen: Norwegian Centre of Excellence focused on early Homo sapiens behaviour and cognition at southern African sites; shares the model of a competitively-funded Centre of Excellence combining fieldwork, paleoecology, and archaeological science analogous to IPHES's María de Maeztu design.
• Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH): Spanish national research center in Burgos co-located in the Atapuerca ecosystem; conducts complementary human evolution and Quaternary research, shares Atapuerca field context, and operates a similar public-institute model with KTT laboratory services.
• UCM-ISCIII Centro de Evolución y Comportamiento Humanos: Madrid-based joint research centre between Universidad Complutense de Madrid and ISCIII conducting human evolution and behavioural ecology research; directly comparable as a Spanish institute with overlapping Quaternary/prehistory research lines and laboratory facilities.
• Centro de Arqueologia da Universidade de Lisboa (UNIARQ): University of Lisbon research centre for archaeology with active fieldwork across the Iberian Peninsula and Africa; comparable in hosting interdisciplinary archaeological research groups and field projects, though without the same María de Maeztu-tier excellence designation.
• Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP): Chinese Academy of Sciences institute in Beijing dedicated to vertebrate paleontology and paleoanthropology; directly comparable in conducting field excavation, fossil curation, and multidisciplinary paleoanthropology research analogous to IPHES's Atapuerca-area work.
• Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology: Jena-based Max Planck institute (formerly MPI for the Science of Human History) focused on archaeogenetics, linguistics, and human history; directly comparable in integrating biological, environmental, and cultural approaches to human prehistory, with shared interests in biomarkers and ancient DNA.
• Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies (LCHES), University of Cambridge: Cambridge-based research centre studying human and primate evolution with field projects at Pleistocene sites; comparable in combining Quaternary archaeology, palaeoanthropology, and doctoral training alongside external laboratory services.

Broad incumbents

• Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN): Major French public natural history institution encompassing paleontology, anthropology, and prehistoric archaeology laboratories; broader in mandate than IPHES but materially comparable in hosting Quaternary research, fossil collections, and laboratory services for external researchers.
• Natural History Museum, London (NHM): UK national museum with active palaeoanthropology, palaeontology, and archaeobotany research programmes; broader in scope but materially comparable in combining collections-based research, Quaternary science, and external laboratory access for academic users.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institut-catal-de-paleoecologia-humana-i-evoluci-social-iphes-

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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