ICFO, a CERCA center and member of The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, is a research center of excellence with research lines that encompass diverse areas in which photonics plays a decisive role. Our institute was founded in 2002 by the Government of Catalonia and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC). These institutions are members of our Board of Trustees along with the Cellex and Mir-Puig Foundations, philanthropic entities that have played a critical role in our advancement since 2007.
Theoretical and experimental scientists come together in our facility located in the Mediterranean Technology Park in the metropolitan area of Barcelona. They work in 80 state-of-the-art research laboratories with an emphasis on basic and applied themes relevant to medicine and biology, advanced imaging techniques, information technologies and a range of environmental sensors, tunable and ultra-fast lasers, quantum science, photovoltaics and the properties and applications of nano-materials such as graphene, among others.
Three successive Severo Ochoa distinctions awarded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation help to illustrate our dedication to research excellence, as does our consistent success in applications for competitive funding from the European Research Council, and a generous endowment from Fundació Cellex Barcelona, both of which allow the center to pursue truly remarkable scientific discoveries.
From an industrial standpoint, we participate actively in the European Technological Platform Photonics21 and proactively foster entrepreneurial activities and spin-off creation. We participate in incubator activities and seek to attract venture capital investment. The active Corporate Liaison Program at the institute aims at creating collaborations and links between industry and ICFO researchers.