Laboratoire Kastler Brossel

What Laboratoire Kastler Brossel does

Laboratoire Kastler Brossel (LKB, UMR8552) is a French public mixed research unit jointly governed by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), École Normale Supérieure (ENS), Sorbonne Université, and Collège de France. Founded in 1951 and headquartered in Paris's 5th arrondissement, it conducts fundamental and applied research in quantum physics across eleven research teams organized into four axes (Quantum Gases; Quantum Optics and Quantum Information; Atoms and Light in Dense or Complex Media; Tests of Fundamental Interactions and Metrology) plus one transverse axis oriented toward applications.

Its research portfolio spans Bose-Einstein condensates and ultracold Fermi gases, Rydberg atoms, atom interferometry, optomechanics, polarised helium and quantum fluids, exotic and trapped ions, atomic clocks, and a multimodal quantum-optics program (led by Nicolas Treps and Valentina Parigi) covering femtosecond quantum information via quantum frequency combs, continuous-variable quantum complex networks, and quantum-inspired metrology/imaging using spatial-mode demultiplexing. The lab has produced three Nobel Prize affiliates and has generated four spin-off companies from its research, illustrating a documented pipeline from fundamental physics to commercialized technology.

Its business model is non-commercial: the laboratory is funded by its four parent institutions (CNRS, ENS, Sorbonne Université, Collège de France) and by competitive research grants including European Research Council awards. Pricing is not applicable. Its principal customers are the academic research community itself — researchers, doctoral and post-doctoral trainees, and partner institutions — and its go-to-market is community-led dissemination through peer-reviewed publications, seminars, workshops, conferences, and technology transfer via spin-offs. Operations run across three Paris sites (24 rue Lhomond at ENS, 4 place Jussieu at Sorbonne Université, and 11 place Marcelin Berthelot at Collège de France), employing roughly 60 researchers/teacher-researchers, 100+ doctoral and post-doctoral researchers, and 25 administrative/technical staff.

Name

Laboratoire Kastler Brossel

Legal name

Laboratoire Kastler Brossel (LKB)

Website

https://lkb.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Quantum Physics Research

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHDAGAMAA

Quantum Materials, Qubits & Device Physics Research

Hardware, Technology & Telecom/Quantum Computing/Quantum Research & Development (Academic and Industry Research)

SECONDARYHDAGAMAC

Quantum Control, Cryogenics & Measurement Research

Hardware, Technology & Telecom/Quantum Computing/Quantum Research & Development (Academic and Industry Research)

SECONDARYHDAGAMAG

Quantum Simulation (Physics/Chemistry/Materials) Research

Hardware, Technology & Telecom/Quantum Computing/Quantum Research & Development (Academic and Industry Research)

SECONDARYHDAGAMAB

Quantum Hardware Architecture & Systems Engineering Research

Hardware, Technology & Telecom/Quantum Computing/Quantum Research & Development (Academic and Industry Research)

Keywords

• Quantum physics research
• Quantum optics
• Atomic physics research
• Quantum information science
• Fundamental physics research

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Research Funding: As a joint research unit (UMR8552) of four major French research and educational institutions (ENS, Sorbonne Université, Collège de France, CNRS), the laboratory receives institutional funding from these parent organizations. Additional funding comes from French and European research grants.
2. Research Grants: Funding from competitive research grant programs including the European Research Council (ERC) and other national/international funding bodies.
3. Technology Transfer and Spin-offs: The laboratory has generated 4 spin-off companies from its research activities, creating potential revenue through technology transfer and commercialization.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Laboratoire Kastler Brossel is a public research laboratory (Unité Mixte de Recherche UMR 8552) conducting fundamental and applied research in quantum physics. Its work spans quantum gases, quantum optics and quantum information, atom interferometry, Rydberg atoms, polarised helium-3, quantum fluids and superfluidity, exotic ions, and optomechanics, organised across 11 research teams in 4 main axes plus 1 cross-disciplinary axis.

Product overview

Laboratoire Kastler Brossel (LKB) is a joint research unit (UMR8552) affiliated with ENS, Sorbonne Université, Collège de France, and CNRS, conducting fundamental and applied research in quantum physics. The laboratory does not offer commercial products or services; its primary outputs are scientific publications, research collaborations, and training (PhD, post-doctoral positions). The Multimode Quantum Optics team, led by Nicolas Treps and Valentina Parigi, represents one of 11 research teams organized into 4 thematic axes: Quantum Gases, Quantum Optics and Quantum Information, Atoms and Light in Dense or Complex Media, and Tests of Fundamental Interactions and Metrology. The Multimode Quantum Optics team encompasses sub-groups focused on Femtosecond Quantum Information, Quantum Complex Networks, Quantum-inspired Metrology, and Theoretical Quantum Optics research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 4 spin-off companies created from laboratory research
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe laboratory is a joint research unit (UMR8552) of CNRS, representing a core institutional partnership. CNRS is the primary French national research agency and provides fundamental institutional support and funding to the laboratory.
• École Normale Supérieure (ENS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe laboratory is a joint research unit of ENS, one of France's most prestigious higher education institutions. ENS provides the primary site for the laboratory at 24 rue Lhomond in Paris's 5th arrondissement and hosts multiple research teams.
• Sorbonne UniversitécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe laboratory is a joint research unit of Sorbonne Université, formed from the merger of Paris-Sorbonne and Pierre et Marie Curie universities in 2018. The laboratory has a site at the Pierre et Marie Curie campus.
• Collège de FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe laboratory is a joint research unit of Collège de France, founded in 1530. The laboratory maintains a site at the Collège de France campus, providing additional research facilities and collaborative opportunities.
• University of GlasgowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research partnership involving Professor Daniele Faccio on quantum physics research projects including quantum entanglement studies.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Vienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology (VCQ): Austrian research platform consolidating Vienna's quantum physics research across cold atoms, quantum optics, and quantum information — directly comparable in breadth of fundamental quantum research.
• Caltech IQIM (Institute for Quantum Information and Matter): US NSF Physics Frontiers Center covering quantum information, quantum optics, and many-body physics — directly comparable academic quantum research ecosystem.
• ICFO – The Institute of Photonic Sciences: Barcelona-based photonics research center with strong quantum optics, quantum information, and atom-light interaction programmes — directly comparable in quantum optics and photonics research.
• Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI) Innsbruck: Austrian Academy of Sciences institute covering quantum optics, cold atoms, trapped ions, and quantum information — overlapping with LKB's Rydberg, optomechanics, and trapped ion teams.
• NIST Quantum Physics Division: US national laboratory division focused on precision measurement, atomic clocks, and quantum information — overlapping with LKB's metrology, atom interferometry, and trapped-ion research.
• MIT Center for Ultracold Atoms (CUA): US NSF-funded physics research center studying Bose-Einstein condensates, quantum gases, and quantum simulation — overlapping strongly with LKB's quantum gases axis.
• University of Oxford Atomic and Laser Physics Sub-Department: Major UK atomic, molecular, and optical physics group with strengths in cold atoms, quantum information, and precision metrology — directly comparable in research scope to LKB.
• Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics (MPQ): German national research institute conducting fundamental quantum optics, cold atom, and quantum information research with a comparable mix of Rydberg atoms, BECs, and trapped ions — the closest European institutional peer to LKB.
• JILA (University of Colorado Boulder / NIST): US joint institute between CU Boulder and NIST performing ultra-cold atom, precision metrology, and quantum information research — directly comparable in mission, output, and Nobel-laureate pedigree to LKB.

Regional players

• Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT), National University of Singapore: Singapore's national quantum research center pursuing quantum communication, computing, and atom-based research; comparable in scope but operating in a different geography from LKB.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laboratoire-kastler-brossel
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Laboratoire Kastler Brossel