Institut des nanosciences de Paris

What Institut des nanosciences de Paris does

The Institut des nanosciences de Paris (INSP) is a French public research unit (Unité Mixte de Recherche) jointly operated by the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) and Sorbonne Université, headquartered on the Pierre et Marie Curie campus in Paris. Founded in 2005 and currently employing approximately 32 staff, INSP conducts fundamental research in nanoscience organized around six transversal topics: quantum confinement and 2D systems, magnetism and physics of spin, nano photo-phononics, growth-organization-interfaces, quantum technology, and energy. The institute hosts 12 active research teams spanning acoustics, clusters, nanophotonics, quantum technology, surfaces, spectroscopy, and nanostructures, and produces output through peer-reviewed publications, theses, and open-access repositories (HAL).

INSP's core technological assets are its specialized research platforms and equipment rather than commercial products. These include the SAFIR Fast Ion Beam Analysis System and SIMPA Multicharged Ion Source for cluster and surface research; the SUMO Platform for ultrafast spectroscopy and time-resolved magneto-optics; clean room facilities equipped with Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) and Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) systems for growing quantum dots, microcavities, and 2D materials; multiple low-temperature Scanning Tunneling Microscopy systems (including 2K and 4K variants) for quantum state spectroscopy; the AFMAV advanced atomic force microscopy platform; and a Rigaku 5-circle X-ray diffractometer. Access is also coordinated with the SOLEIL Synchrotron for ARPES, XPS, and XMCD measurements.

INSP operates as a non-commercial public research entity. It has no commercial pricing model, no paying customers, and no revenue in the conventional sense. Funding flows from institutional allocations by CNRS and Sorbonne Université, supplemented by competitive grants from the French national research agency (ANR) — including projects such as DIMAS, FOENICS, and HYPNOSE — and from the European Research Council (ERC Starting, Consolidator, and Proof of Concept grants). Distribution of research outputs occurs through academic publications, conferences, seminars, and public outreach (Fête de la Science). The institute is led by Director Geoffroy Prévot, a CNRS Senior Scientist who assumed the role on January 5, 2026. INSP is not a candidate for traditional PE/VC investment; its strategic significance is as a node in France's public nanoscience research infrastructure.

Name

Institut des nanosciences de Paris

Legal name

Institut des nanosciences de Paris

Website

https://w3.insp.upmc.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

INSP is a French public research unit jointly operated by CNRS and Sorbonne Université in Paris, conducting fundamental nanoscience research across quantum confinement, nanophotonics, nanomagnetism, and quantum technology using specialized platforms including MBE, ion beam analysis, and ultrafast spectroscopy. It serves the academic research community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nanoscience Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Quantum Materials, Qubits & Device Physics Research (HDAGAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Epitaxy Materials & Services (Epi Wafers/MBE/MOCVD) (HDAHAGAC)

Keywords

• Nanoscience research
• Nanofabrication services
• Quantum materials research
• Surface science analysis
• Nanophotonics research

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Research Funding: Funded through institutional affiliations with CNRS and Sorbonne University, receiving government research grants and project-based funding from French national research agencies (ANR) and European funding bodies (ERC)

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

INSP is a public research institute conducting fundamental research in nanosciences. It provides access to specialized experimental platforms and equipment — including ion beam analysis (SAFIR), multicharged ion sources (SIMPA), ultrafast spectroscopy (SUMO), molecular beam epitaxy, clean room nanofabrication, advanced AFM (AFMAV), and X-ray diffraction — to support internal research teams and external academic collaborators. The institute organizes its science around six transversal topics covering quantum confinement, magnetism and spin, nanophotonics, growth/interfaces, quantum technology, and energy.

Product overview

INSP (Institut des nanosciences de Paris) is a fundamental research institute operated jointly by CNRS and Sorbonne University, focused on nanosciences research. Rather than commercial products, INSP provides research infrastructure, platforms, and scientific equipment to support its research teams. The institute operates multiple specialized platforms including ultrafast spectroscopy (SUMO), X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy (AFMAV), a clean room facility for nanofabrication, and ion beam analysis systems (SAFIR). Research teams also have access to molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) systems for semiconductor nanostructure growth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SAFIR — Fast Ion Beam Analysis System (Système d'Analyse par Faisceaux d'Ions Rapides) Fast Ion Beam Analysis System operated as an external-service platform for ion-surface interaction studies and material characterization, available to academic and external users.
• Clean Room Facility (Salle Blanche) — Nanofabrication with MBE and ALD Nanofabrication clean room facility equipped with sputtering machines, molecular beam epitaxy, and atomic layer deposition capabilities, offered to internal teams and external users for thin-film and nanostructure fabrication.
• X-ray Diffraction Platform — Rigaku Smartlab 5-circle Diffractometer Rigaku Smartlab 5-circle multi-configuration diffractometer with rotating anode, operated as a platform with external services for structural analysis of materials.
• AFMAV — Atomic Force Microscopy Advanced Platform Advanced atomic force microscopy platform operated as an external-service facility for nanoscale surface characterization, available to internal and external researchers.
• Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) Systems Molecular beam epitaxy systems used to grow semiconductor nanostructures including quantum dots, microcavities, heterostructures, and 2D materials, supporting internal INSP research and external collaborations.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary institutional partner. INSP is a research unit jointly operated by CNRS and Sorbonne University. CNRS provides senior scientist positions and national research infrastructure support.
• Sorbonne UniversitécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary institutional partner. INSP operates as a joint research unit (UMR) with Sorbonne University, providing academic affiliation, student access, and campus facilities.
• SOLEIL SynchrotronmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational synchrotron facility providing access to advanced X-ray characterization techniques for INSP researchers, including ARPES, XPS, and XMCD measurements.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics: German Max Planck Institute focused on quantum optics, ultrafast spectroscopy, and quantum physics research. Comparable as a public research institute with strong ultrafast spectroscopy and quantum state spectroscopy capabilities similar to INSP's SUMO platform.
• Laboratoire de Physique des Solides (LPS): CNRS/Université Paris-Saclay joint research unit focused on condensed matter physics, nanoscience, and quantum materials. Highly comparable as a French public research lab with similar mission, scale, and CNRS institutional model.
• Institut Néel (CNRS): Major CNRS condensed matter physics laboratory in Grenoble covering nanoscience, quantum materials, magnetism, and low-temperature physics. Closely comparable in research scope, institutional structure, and platform-based research model.
• Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research: German Max Planck Institute in Stuttgart conducting fundamental research on quantum materials, nanostructures, and condensed matter physics with comparable MBE growth and spectroscopy infrastructure.
• NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology: U.S. government nanotech research center conducting fundamental and applied nanoscale measurements, nanofabrication, and quantum research. Comparable as a publicly-funded national laboratory with nanofabrication and measurement platform infrastructure.
• CEMES (Centre d'Élaboration de Matériaux et d'Études Structurales): CNRS laboratory in Toulouse focused on materials science, nanostructure growth, and electron microscopy characterization. Directly comparable as a French public nanoscience research unit with similar MBE/MBE-like growth and characterization capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• ETH Zurich Department of Physics: Major European physics research and education institution with strong programs in quantum materials, condensed matter, and nanophotonics. Comparable research areas but at much larger institutional scale and with broader scope than INSP.
• IMEC: World-leading semiconductor and nanoelectronics R&D consortium in Belgium with extensive nanofabrication, MBE, and quantum research programs. Comparable in nanofabrication and quantum materials focus but operates at much larger scale and with industrial partnerships.

Emerging players

• IBM Research Zurich: Industrial research lab in Zurich with active programs in quantum computing, nanotechnology, and materials science. Comparable in quantum and nanoscale research focus but driven by commercial technology development rather than fundamental science.

Regional players

• ESPCI Paris: Leading French engineering school and research center in Paris focused on physics, chemistry, and nanoscience. Comparable as a Paris-based French research institution with strong nanoscience research programs and joint CNRS affiliations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institut-des-nanosciences-de-paris

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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