Fundacion Ibercivis

What Fundacion Ibercivis does

Fundación Ibercivis is a Spanish private non-profit foundation headquartered in Zaragoza that develops, coordinates, and supports citizen science projects, tools, and services for public participation in research. Founded in 2011 by a consortium of public research institutions (Universidad de Zaragoza, CSIC, CIEMAT, Gobierno de Aragón, FECYT-linked Ministry of Science, and others), it traces its origins to a 2006 distributed computing initiative, evolving from voluntary computing (BOINC-based) into a broader citizen science platform spanning environmental monitoring, radiation measurement, stratospheric experimentation, and STEAM education. The foundation operates active projects including Openred (gamma radiation citizen network with 280,000+ measurements), ECHO Soil, Life-Nitrazens, Plan-B (light and noise pollution), Lost at Night, the Servet stratospheric balloon program, and national projects such as AulaCheck, AmIAire, Flood2Now, and Vigilantes del Suelo. It manages the EU-Citizen.Science European platform and coordinates the CESAR Labs network of seven open laboratories in Zaragoza.

The foundation's proprietary technology stack centers on the Geonity mobile application (Android and iOS), which enables communities to launch their own citizen science projects; the CitSci Sort collaborative classification platform; and the Openred sensor/measurement network. Distribution combines self-serve digital platforms (eu-citizen.science, Geonity, Openred apps) with direct institutional engagement via European project consortia, school partnerships (500+ schools), and the CESAR Labs physical infrastructure. Marketing and outreach run through content (website, newsletter, podcast), social media across Facebook/X/Instagram/LinkedIn/TikTok, hackathons, and participation in ECSA and national conferences.

The revenue model is grant-driven and non-commercial: European Commission programs (Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe) and Spanish national agencies (FECYT, Ministry of Science, CSN) fund the majority of activity through competitive project proposals. Secondary revenue streams include professional services for research institutions (methodology design, data collection, impact evaluation) and capacity-building training programs. Ibercivis engages with four primary customer segments: citizens and the general public, educational institutions, public administrations, and research centers, with educational and public sector engagement being the most active. The foundation has no parent company, no venture capital backing, and is governed by a Patronato (Board of Trustees) composed of its founding public institutions.

Name

Fundacion Ibercivis

Legal name

Fundación Ibercivis

Website

https://www.ibercivis.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fundación Ibercivis is a Spanish non-profit foundation that designs, coordinates, and supports citizen science projects and platforms, serving citizens, schools, universities, and public administrations across Spain and Europe with grant-funded research participation programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Citizen Science Research Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Citizen science projects
• Participatory research services
• Environmental monitoring platforms
• Science communication training
• Voluntary computing infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Zaragoza

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. European and National Research Funding: Ibercivis operates primarily through competitive research funding from European Commission programs (Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe) and national agencies (FECYT, Ministry of Science). Projects are funded through grant applications for specific citizen science initiatives.
2. Services for Research Institutions: Provides comprehensive support services for research projects including methodology design, data collection and treatment, resource aggregation, results presentation, and impact evaluation for academic and institutional clients.
3. Training and Capacity Building: Offers flexible training programs in citizen science methodologies for entities and groups, with certification issued by Ibercivis and/or co-organizing institutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Fundación Ibercivis develops, coordinates and supports citizen science projects, tools, and services that enable public participation in scientific research. The foundation manages mobile applications (Geonity, Openred), the European eu-citizen.science platform, open innovation laboratories (CESAR Labs), and offers research support, capacity building, and methodology consulting for institutions, schools, and citizens across Spain and Europe.

Product overview

Fundación Ibercivis operates as a citizen science foundation offering a portfolio of interconnected platforms, projects, and services. The core offering includes multiple citizen science projects (Openred, ECHO Soil, Life-Nitrazens, Plan-B, Lost at Night, Servet) addressing areas like environmental monitoring, radiation measurement, air/water/soil quality, and light pollution. The proprietary Geonity mobile application enables communities to create their own citizen science projects. Ibercivis manages the European EU-Citizen.Science platform and provides research support services including capacity building, methodology consulting, and access to CESAR Laboratories (7 open innovation labs). Projects range from national initiatives (AmIAire, AulaCheck, Flood2Now, Vigilantes del Suelo) to European research infrastructure projects (EOSC-CSN, RIECS-Concept, JustSafe, ATRIUM). The foundation also offers training programs and infrastructure access for academic institutions, public administrations, and citizen communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Openred Citizen science project establishing the first citizen network to measure natural environmental gamma radiation. Includes mobile apps (iOS and Android) and a public radiation map of Spain. Developed in collaboration with the Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear (CSN).
• ECHO Soil European citizen science project for nature conservation focused on soil health research through community sampling and analysis in European communities.
• Life-Nitrazens Citizen science initiative for monitoring nitrate levels in water and the environmental health of the Duero, Ebro, and Mondego river basins through sample collection campaigns.
• Plan-B Citizen science project for tracking light and noise pollution through measurement campaigns in European ecosystems and biodiversity areas.
• Lost at Night Citizen science project for identifying nighttime images of Earth taken from space, contributing to a global map of light pollution.
• CitSci Sort Collaborative web platform for classifying scientific publications on citizen science to build structure in this knowledge field through volunteer categorization.
• Geonity Mobile application (Android and iOS) that allows users to create and launch their own citizen science research projects from scratch using Ibercivis-provided tools and community support.
• EU-Citizen.Science Platform European citizen science platform managed and developed by Ibercivis, serving as a centralized resource hub with project listings, collaboration tools, and resources for citizen science across Europe.
• Servet Near-space exploration project involving stratospheric balloon launches with citizen science experiments, engaging thousands of students and participants across Spain. Received honorable mention at the 2025 European Citizen Science Awards.
• Research Support Services Comprehensive research support services including idea formation, data collection and treatment, resource mobilization, methodology adaptation, results presentation, and impact evaluation for citizen science projects. Targeted at academic and institutional clients.
• Capacity Building Services Specialized training courses and practical workshops on citizen science, collaborative research, and advanced technologies, plus access to technological platforms and infrastructure solutions. Targeted at institutions and citizen groups.
• CESAR Laboratories Ecosystem of 7 open innovation laboratories (Fablab, WetLab, Sound, Video, Electronics, and Robotics) located in Zaragoza, where citizen participation is fundamental to scientific projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 70,000 participants engaged in citizen science projects
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Universidad de ZaragozacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2011Founding member and host institution. Rector Rosa Bolea Bailo serves as President of Ibercivis. Deep collaboration includes coordination of CESAR Labs and joint research initiatives.
• CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of the foundation. Collaborates on research projects and provides institutional support for citizen science initiatives.
• CIEMAT (Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member. Long-standing collaboration including Zivis project (2007), TJII/ITER fusion research, and ongoing joint citizen science projects.
• Gobierno de AragóncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member and regional government supporter. Provides institutional backing and regional development alignment for citizen science activities.
• Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de EspañacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member representing national government. Provides funding through FECYT and national research programs for citizen science promotion.
• Fundación Zaragoza Ciudad del ConocimientocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member. Collaborates on science city development initiatives and provides support for citizen science infrastructure.
• CSN (Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal agreement for Openred project - citizen network for measuring environmental gamma radiation. CSN provides regulatory oversight and technical guidance.
• FECYT (Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration since 2016. Multiple FECYT-funded projects including Vigilantes del Aire, AulaCheck, Servet, and support for national citizen science observatory.
• European Commission (Horizon Europe / Horizon 2020)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead funding source for European citizen science projects including ECS, ECHO, Plan-B, PRO-COAST, Greengage, COESO, DECIDO, and others totaling multiple funded initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Zooniverse: Zooniverse is the world's largest online citizen science platform, hosting hundreds of projects across disciplines. Like Ibercivis, it enables volunteer participation in scientific research through web and mobile interfaces, directly comparable as a citizen science platform operator.
• SciStarter: SciStarter is a US-based citizen science hub aggregating projects, participants, and tools. It serves as a discovery platform comparable to Ibercivis's Geonity and eu-citizen.science platforms, with a similar mission of connecting citizens to research opportunities.
• European Citizen Science Association (ECSA): ECSA is a pan-European network promoting citizen science across Europe and coordinating member organizations including Ibercivis. It serves as the policy and coordination layer that Ibercivis operates within, with overlapping mission and member base.
• CitSci.org: CitSci.org is a non-profit citizen science platform built on the NSF-funded CitSci.org infrastructure, offering customizable project hubs. It is functionally analogous to Ibercivis's Geonity platform, enabling community-created citizen science initiatives.
• Earthwatch Institute: Earthwatch is an international non-profit organization running citizen science field expeditions and environmental research programs. It shares Ibercivis's mission of engaging volunteers in environmental data collection, though with more focus on paid expedition models.
• Public Lab: Public Lab is an open-source community developing DIY tools for environmental monitoring (water quality, air quality, spectral analysis). It overlaps directly with Ibercivis projects like Openred (radiation), Vigilantes del Aire (air), and Life-Nitrazens (water nitrates) on grassroots environmental monitoring.

Broad incumbents

• Center for Open Science (COS): COS operates the Open Science Framework and related infrastructure for open research practices. Ibercivis participates in the EOSC-CSN project integrating citizen science into the European Open Science Cloud, placing COS as an adjacent open-science infrastructure peer.
• National Geographic Society: National Geographic funds and operates large-scale citizen science initiatives (e.g., Pristine Seas, Genographic). As a much larger non-profit with global citizen science programs, it represents a broader incumbent with overlapping citizen engagement mission.

Regional players

• Galway Atlantaquinna na Gaillimhe (CELL) - Citizen Science Ireland: Citizen Science Ireland is a national hub coordinating citizen science across Ireland, structurally analogous to Ibercivis's role as Spain's national citizen science coordinator. Comparable as a regional citizen science platform operator, though serving a different European geography.

Others

• Forschungszentrum Jülich (citizen science programs): Forschungszentrum Jülich is a major German research center participating in EU citizen science projects (e.g., COESO, NEWSERA alongside Ibercivis). It serves as an adjacent research institution that operates citizen science projects rather than a direct platform competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ibercivis
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ibercivisciencia
• Facebookfacebook.com/Ibercivis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fundacion-ibercivis
• Instagraminstagram.com/ibercivis
• TikToktiktok.com/@ibercivis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fundacion Ibercivis