Institute of Geophysics Polish Academy of Sciences

What Institute of Geophysics Polish Academy of Sciences does

Institute of Geophysics Polish Academy of Sciences (IGF PAN) is a state research institute operating under the Polish Academy of Sciences, headquartered in Warsaw, Poland, and founded in its current institutional form in 1953 (with roots in a geophysics tradition dating to 1895). It conducts fundamental and applied geophysical research across five core scientific departments — Seismology, Magnetism, Polar and Marine Research, Atmospheric Physics, Hydrology and Hydrodynamics, and Seismic Research — supplemented by databases (CIBAL, CIBOGM, CIBIS, CIBSBL) and the EPISODES digital platform. Its infrastructure includes seismic and geomagnetic observatories in Belsk Duży, Świder, Racibórz, Książ, and Hel, plus two polar research stations: Polish Polar Station Hornsund in Spitsbergen, Norway (the northernmost permanent Polish scientific institution) and Polish Antarctic Station A.B. Dobrowolski in Bunger Hills, Antarctica. IGF PAN operates the Polish Seismological Network and serves as the sole Polish institution conducting global geophysical field monitoring in seismology, geomagnetism, and selected elements of atmospheric physics.

IGF PAN serves four primary customer segments: (1) Polish government agencies and state-owned critical infrastructure operators (including Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe for nuclear seismic monitoring, the State Atomic Agency for nuclear hazard assessment, the Polish Geological Institute for geodynamic monitoring, and the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection for atmospheric monitoring); (2) industrial enterprises in mining, energy, and geophysical services requiring seismic hazard analysis, vibration monitoring, and expert consulting; (3) scientific and academic institutions collaborating through EPOS, ACTRIS, GeoPlanet, and bilateral research agreements; and (4) schools and the general public via educational outreach programmes (EDU-ARCTIC, EDUSCIENCE, GEOGADKA podcast). Revenue is generated through (i) state budget allocations from the Ministry of Science and the Polish Academy of Sciences, (ii) competitive national research grants (NCN, NCBR), (iii) European Union research programme funding (Horizon Europe, EPOS, ACTRIS), (iv) contract research services sold via direct outreach through the Business Contact Department and public procurement tenders, and (v) fees for use of specialized laboratory equipment by external researchers. Pricing is not commercially published and is determined per-project via proposals, procurement procedures, or bilateral negotiation.

IGF PAN's competitive position is anchored in regulatory designation as Poland's sole geophysical monitoring institution, decades of continuous observational data, leadership of the EPOS TCS AH consortium (16 institutions, 9 countries), anchoring of the GeoPlanet Centre (5 PAN institutes), and Polish national leadership of ACTRIS. It publishes the bimonthly journal Acta Geophysica with Springer Nature and the GeoPlanet Book Series. Governance is provided by a Director and Scientific Council, with operations managed through dedicated departments including Business Contacts, Scientific Communication and Promotion, and Project Management. The institute has received the European Commission's HR Excellence in Research award and is recognized for science popularization through EDUSCIENCE and EDU-ARCTIC.

Name

Institute of Geophysics Polish Academy of Sciences

Legal name

Instytut Geofizyki Polskiej Akademii Nauk

Website

https://igf.edu.pl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Institute of Geophysics Polish Academy of Sciences is a Polish state research institute conducting seismological, geomagnetic, atmospheric, hydrological, and polar geophysical research, serving government agencies, industrial operators, academic institutions, and the public through monitoring, expert consulting, and educational programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Geophysical Research Services

NAICS

Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Space Research and Technology (92711)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering Services (8711), Oil & Gas Field Exploration Services (1382)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAKAKAA

Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Metals & Mining/Mining Services & Contracting (Exploration, Drilling, Blasting, Mine Operations)

SECONDARYBPAIAAAK

Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Central/Federal Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAMANAM

Satellite Imagery & Remote Sensing Geospatial Platforms

Business & Public Services/Web, Mobile & Digital Platforms/Maps, Location & Navigation Platforms

SECONDARYBPADAAAK

International Science, Technology & Space Cooperation Organizations

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Multilateral & Intergovernmental Organizations

SECONDARYIMAFAOAH

Geotechnical Instrumentation & Monitoring (Settlement, Inclinometers, Piezometers)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Construction & Civil Engineering/Geotechnical & Foundation Engineering (Piling, Ground Improvement)

SECONDARYEDAMABAI

Earth Science & Geoscience Programs

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/STEM Enrichment & Science Programs

Keywords

• Geophysical research services
• Seismic monitoring services
• Polar research infrastructure
• Atmospheric monitoring services
• Scientific publishing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Warsaw

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Research Funding: Core institutional funding from the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Polish Academy of Sciences, and national research grants (Narodowe Centrum Nauki, Narodowe Centrum Badań i Rozwoju). This constitutes the primary institutional budget for basic and applied research activities.
2. EU Research Programme Funding: Funding from European programmes including Horizon Europe and the European Research Area, supporting international collaborative research projects.
3. Contract Research Services: Paid expert assessments, measurements, and monitoring services provided to industrial clients (e.g., nuclear power plant site studies, mining seismic monitoring) and government agencies (e.g., Polish Geological Institute, Main Inspectorate of Environmental Protection). Revenue generated through project contracts and public procurement.
4. Scientific Equipment Use Fees: Fees charged for use of specialized laboratory equipment and research infrastructure (e.g., paleomagnetism laboratory, atmospheric physics instruments, geoelectromagnetics laboratory) by external researchers and organizations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Institute conducts basic and applied geophysical research across seismology, geomagnetism, atmospheric physics, hydrology and hydrodynamics, and polar and marine research. It operates the Polish Seismological Network and a suite of geomagnetic observatories, maintains polar research stations at Hornsund (Spitsbergen) and A.B. Dobrowolski (Antarctica), and delivers expert consulting and monitoring services to government, industry, and academic clients. It also publishes the Acta Geophysica journal, GeoPlanet book series, and operates the EPISODES data platform and a portfolio of curated geophysical databases.

Product overview

The Institute of Geophysics Polish Academy of Sciences (IGF PAN) operates as a national research institution offering scientific research, monitoring services, and expert consulting rather than a commercial product company. Its portfolio includes the EPISODES digital data platform providing open access to integrated seismic research infrastructure; monitoring services through the Polish Seismological Network and atmospheric monitoring stations; two polar research stations (Hornsmund in Spitsbergen and A.B. Dobrowolski in Antarctica); multiple scientific databases (CIBAL, CIBOGM, CIBIS, CIBSBL); expert consulting services for seismic hazard analysis, atmospheric monitoring, and hydrological modeling; and three publication series (Acta Geophysica, Publications of IGF PAN, and GeoPlanet Book Series). The institute also conducts science outreach through the GEOGADKA project.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GeoPlanet: First in Poland Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences addressing needs for broad-spectrum research in Earth and planetary sciences.
• EPISODES Platform
• Polish Polar Station Hornsund
• Polish Antarctic Station A.B. Dobrowolski

Products and services

• Seismic monitoring services
• Geomagnetic monitoring services
• Atmospheric monitoring services
• Hydrological modeling and consulting services
• Expert seismic hazard assessment services
• EPISODES data platform access
• Specialized geophysics databases (CIBAL, CIBOGM, CIBIS, CIBSBL)
• Acta Geophysica (peer-reviewed journal subscription)
• Polar research station access (Hornsund and A.B. Dobrowolski)

Quantifiable outcome

• Seismic monitoring systems deployed for 3+ nuclear power plant candidate sites in Poland (Lubiatowo-Kopalino, Żarnowiec, Choczewo)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026Dr Andrzej Górszczyk from IGF PAN's Seismic Research Department was invited by Peking University's School of Earth and Space Sciences for a one-week scientific visit in July 2026, as part of ongoing academic cooperation.
• Indian Institute of Technology (Dr Ashish Tiwari)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Dr Ashish Tiwari from the Indian Institute of Technology visited IGF PAN in June 2026 as part of the MAESTRO project 'At the Crossroads: Continental Connections with the Bunger Hills, East Antarctica', focused on reconstructing ancient continental connections in East Antarctica.
• EDU-ARCTIC Consortium (H2020)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016EDU-ARCTIC was a Horizon 2020 project coordinated by IGF PAN, engaging teachers from 60 countries in online lessons, polar monitoring, and competitions. It established the Polarpedia encyclopedia and was recognized as best practice by the European Commission.
• GeoPlanet Centre of the Polish Academy of SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeoPlanet is the first Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences, integrating five PAN institutes (IGF PAN, CBK PAN, CFT PAN, ING PAN, IO PAN, CAMK PAN) for research in Earth and planetary sciences. IGF PAN serves as the coordinating institution. The centre addresses needs for a broad spectrum of Earth and planetary science research.
• EPOS ERIC — European Plate Observing SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGF PAN leads the EPOS Thematic Core Service Anthropogenic Hazards (TCS AH) consortium, comprising 16 institutions from Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, France, Finland, Sweden, UK, and Brazil. The consortium integrates data and software applications for studying seismic and geophysical hazards caused by human activity within the EPOS European research infrastructure. IGF PAN has been the leading institution since 2019.
• EPISODES Platform ConsortiumcoreTechnology or IntegrationThe EPISODES platform (episodesplatform.eu) provides open access to the integrated research infrastructure of EPOS TCS AH, enabling analysis of anthropogenic seismicity and environmental impact of geo-resource exploitation, along with educational materials.
• ACTRIS — Aerosols, Clouds and Trace Gases Research InfrastructurecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACTRIS is a European research infrastructure for studying aerosols, clouds, and trace gases, included in the ESFRI Roadmap. IGF PAN serves as the Polish national leader for ACTRIS, operating atmospheric observation stations in Belsk and Racibórz.
• Springer NaturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGF PAN co-publishes three major scientific publications with Springer Nature: the bimonthly journal Acta Geophysica (since 1953), the GeoPlanet Book Series (since 2010), and Geoplanet: Earth and Planetary Sciences. Springer Nature handles distribution while IGF PAN manages editorial work, language editing, and peer review.
• European Schoolnet / ScientixminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIGF PAN serves as the National Contact Point for Scientix, the European online cooperation community for science teachers, researchers, policymakers and other STEM education specialists, facilitating collaboration with dozens of European institutions in science education and outreach.
• ARGO Polska / EURO-ARGO ERICminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGF PAN participates as a consortium member in ARGO Polska, the Polish component of the EURO-ARGO global in-situ ocean observation network based on autonomous floats, coordinated with the Institute of Oceanology PAN.
• SIOS — Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing SystemminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGF PAN contributes to SIOS through the PolarPOL project — a Polish Multidisciplinary Laboratory for Polar Research — as part of international cooperation on Arctic environmental and climate research in the Svalbard region.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): The US national earth science agency operating the Advanced National Seismic System and geomagnetic observatories with similar regulatory monitoring mandates. A broader-incumbent analogue to IGF PAN's seismology and geomagnetism functions, but at vastly larger scale and geographic scope.
• British Geological Survey (BGS): UK's national geological survey operating seismic monitoring and geomagnetic observatories. Comparable as a national geoscience institution delivering continuous monitoring data to international centres, with broader commercial and policy advisory scope.
• Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers (CNRS-INSU): France's national universe sciences institute coordinating geophysical observatories and research infrastructure. Comparable as a national-level research umbrella organization managing seismic and geodetic networks with EU consortium leadership.

Direct peers

• Swedish Polar Research Secretariat: Sweden's national operator of polar research infrastructure, coordinating Arctic and Antarctic research stations. Comparable as a publicly funded polar research operator integrated with national academy science programmes.
• Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geophysics: Czech national geophysics institute conducting seismology, geomagnetism, and geodynamics research. Closely comparable as a Central European national academy geophysics institute, and a fellow EPOS TCS AH consortium member.
• Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV): Italy's national institute for geophysics and volcanology, operating the Italian seismic network and geomagnetic observatories. Directly comparable as a publicly funded national geophysics institute delivering monitoring, research, and hazard assessment services.
• GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences: Germany's national geosciences research centre operating seismic networks, geomagnetic observatories, and Earth imaging infrastructure. Directly comparable to IGF PAN as a government-funded geophysics research institute delivering monitoring services, scientific publishing, and expert assessments for industry.
• Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI): Germany's polar and marine research centre operating Arctic and Antarctic stations with continuous geophysical monitoring. Comparable as a publicly funded operator of year-round polar research stations delivering long-term geophysical data series.

Emerging players

• Geofizyka Toruń S.A. Polish commercial geophysical services company and IGF PAN customer, delivering seismic surveys for mining and oil & gas. Comparable as a Polish geophysics services provider, but commercially focused rather than research-led.
• Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI): Norwegian institute delivering geophysical and geotechnical monitoring services to offshore, mining, and infrastructure clients. Comparable as a national specialist offering expert seismic monitoring and engineering assessments, but with a more commercially oriented service model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@igfpan
• Facebookfacebook.com/Instytut-Geofizyki-PAN-100063816145276
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/instytut-geofizyki-polskiej-akademii-nauk-igf-pan
• Instagraminstagram.com/igf_pan

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institute of Geophysics Polish Academy of Sciences