Institute of Physical Chemistry

Name

Institute of Physical Chemistry

Legal name

Instytut Chemii Fizicznej Polskiej Akademii Nauk

Website

https://ichf.edu.pl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAM), Method Development & Validation (ICH/USP) (HLAGADAB), Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK), Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based) (EDAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Physical chemistry research
• Nanomaterials development
• Biophotonics imaging
• Spectroscopy research services
• Doctoral chemistry education

Headquarters

HQ city

Warszawa

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Research Grants: Funding from National Science Centre (NCN), National Centre for Research and Development, EU programs including FENG, FERS, and international funding bodies
2. Business Services (CHEMIPAN): Experimental plant providing services to industry, scientific equipment database access, expert database access, technology transfer
3. EU Project Funding: WelcomeIChF project value 549,882.36 PLN from Welcome to Poland program (NAWA) funded by EU FERS 2021-2027

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IChF PAN conducts fundamental and applied research in physical chemistry and delivers industrial research services and technology transfer through its CHEMIPAN experimental unit. It offers expert consultation via the ELAD+ scientist database, equipment access via the ELAD scientific equipment database, and licenses patents to industry partners. The institute runs doctoral education through the Warsaw4PhD Doctoral School, science popularization programs for schools and the public, and operates the ICTER International Centre for Eye Research.

Product overview

The Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IChF PAN) is a premier research institution offering a portfolio of research services, specialized research units, and intellectual property. Core offerings include CHEMIPAN (experimental laboratory services), ICTER (International Center for Eye Research with proprietary STOC-T imaging technology), the Baza naukowców (researcher database with 200+ experts), and Baza aparatury (equipment database). The institute also commercializes technology through spin-offs like InCellVu and organizes prestigious awards including Dream Chemistry Award and Złoty Medal Chemii. Services span catalysis, nanomaterials, photonic technologies, environmental chemistry, and biomedical diagnostics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CHEMIPAN Experimental Plant (Zakład Doświadczalny CHEMIPAN) Experimental laboratory unit within IChF that provides research services and support for the institute's commercial and collaborative research activities, including industrial research, technology transfer, and expert consultation for external companies.
• ICTER International Centre for Eye Research (Międzynarodowe Centrum Badań Oka) Specialized international research center conducting advanced eye research including OCT imaging technology development, retinal studies, and ophthalmic diagnostics. Home to the proprietary STOC-T technology for in vivo eye imaging.
• Expert Database - ELAD+ (Baza naukowców)
• Equipment Database - ELAD (Baza aparatury)
• Patent Portfolio and Licensing (Patenty)
• Warsaw4PhD Doctoral School

Quantifiable outcome

• 11 NCN grants awarded in single funding round (OPUS 30 and SONATA 21)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz-IPHT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 April 2024Strategic partnership with Germany's Leibniz Association institution in Jena for joint research in (bio)photonics, medical diagnostics, materials science, and spectroscopy. Includes joint PhD seminars, collaborative research projects, and joint EU grant applications. Interactions began in 2023 with visits and joint workshops.
• Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia (UCC) / In3coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 November 2023Memorandum of Understanding signed for collaboration in nanotechnology, sustainable energy, hydrogen production in Colombia, Poland, and EU research area. Enables joint EU project applications with Latin American partner. Activities include scientist visits, joint seminars, conferences, student internships, and technical/administrative exchange.
• BERSTIC (Science, Technology, Innovation and Culture Network)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Network founded in Colombia in 2012 with over 100 members from Europe, Central and South America, and Hong Kong. Supports applied scientific research, knowledge generation, training of research personnel, technology transfer, and dissemination of knowledge in interdisciplinary approach.
• University College London (UCL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership particularly with the Institute of Ophthalmology and Thomas Young Centre for joint photonics research. Complementary expertise in medical diagnostics, materials science, and spectroscopy.
• European Commission (DG REGIO)minorOthersEuropean Commission officials visited IChF PAN and ICTER to learn about effects and long-term perspectives of projects under International Research Agendas (MAB) and European Funds for Modern Economy (FENG) programs strengthening Poland's position in European Research Area.
• Narodowa Agencja Wymiany Akademickiej (NAWA)minorOthersPolish National Agency for Academic Exchange providing funding for WelcomeIChF project supporting integration of foreign workers at IChF. Project BPI/WTP/2024/1/00020 running October 2025 to September 2027.
• Centrum Nauki KopernikminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the Science Picnic (Piknik Naukowy), Poland's largest science popularization event, with over 160 scientific institutions participating and 40,000+ visitors.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL): Intergovernmental research organization with life-science focus including structural biology, bioinformatics, and bioimaging. Comparable in international talent recruitment and intergovernmental funding access, with stronger brand and broader remit.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Larger applied research institution with a broader portfolio including materials, energy, and biomedical technologies. Comparable in public-mission funding model and technology-transfer orientation, but operates at significantly greater scale.

Direct peers

• Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion: Max Planck institute focused on chemical energy conversion, catalysis, and molecular materials — directly overlapping IChF PAN's catalysis, nanomaterials, and quantum chemistry research areas.
• Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society: German Max Planck institute dedicated to fundamental research in physical chemistry, including spectroscopy, catalysis, and surface science. Closely comparable mission, funding structure (public research grants), and scientific output focus to IChF PAN.
• Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz-IPHT): German Leibniz Association institute focused on photonic technologies for biomedical, environmental, and security applications. Direct peer on photonics, spectroscopy, and biophotonics; also a strategic partner of IChF PAN.
• Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2): Specialized research institute with comparable focus on nanomaterials, nanophotonics, and biomedical applications. Similar scale (~200 researchers), public-mission structure, and EU grant reliance.
• University College London - Institute of Ophthalmology: World-leading ophthalmology research institute and active IChF PAN partner. Directly comparable to IChF PAN's ICTER unit on eye imaging, OCT technology development, and clinical translational research.
• Institut de Chimie Physique (ICP) - CNRS / Paris-Saclay: French CNRS-affiliated institute conducting fundamental physical chemistry research across spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and materials science. Directly comparable in research scope and public-grant funding model.

Regional players

• Institute of Organic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences: Sister institute within the Polish Academy of Sciences conducting chemistry research in Poland. Comparable governance, funding access, and doctoral-degree-granting authority, though focused on organic rather than physical chemistry.
• Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC, Lithuania): Lithuanian public research institute covering lasers, materials, and chemical physics. Comparable in scale, Central/Eastern European public-funding structure, and broad physical-chemistry mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ICHF_PAN
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/IChFPAN
• Facebookfacebook.com/ichfpan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/instytut-chemii-fizycznej-pan

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institute of Physical Chemistry