INGENIA-CAT S.L.

Their core work

INGENIA-CAT is a Barcelona-based SME that designs and manufactures electronic motion control systems for precision motor positioning. Their products span from nanometer-level motor controllers to thruster controllers for underwater vehicles and robots. They operate at the intersection of embedded electronics and mechatronics, providing compact, high-precision control hardware for applications that demand extreme positional accuracy or reliable operation in harsh environments.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

INGENIA-CAT started with a tight focus on ultra-precise nanometer motor positioning (NANO-POS, 2015), then broadened into intelligent motion control platforms for general mechatronic systems (I-MECH, 2017). By 2018, they began applying their controller expertise to a new domain — underwater vehicle thruster control (MATTERHORN). The trajectory shows a company expanding from lab-grade precision instruments toward ruggedized controllers for robotics in demanding environments.

Moving from precision industrial motion control toward embedded controllers for autonomous vehicles and robots, particularly in marine environments.

How they like to work

INGENIA-CAT prefers to lead when developing their own controller products (coordinated 2 of 3 projects, both SME Instrument Phase 1 feasibility studies). For larger R&D efforts requiring broader expertise, they join as a specialist contributor — as seen in the 31-partner I-MECH consortium. This pattern suggests a company that self-funds product validation through SME instruments but integrates into larger consortia when the research scope demands it.

Through the I-MECH ECSEL consortium, INGENIA-CAT has collaborated with 31 unique partners across 10 countries, giving them a solid European network in the mechatronics and semiconductor ecosystem. Their SME Instrument projects were solo efforts, so their collaborative depth is concentrated in the ECSEL community.

What sets them apart

INGENIA-CAT occupies a niche that few SMEs cover: miniaturized, high-precision electronic motor controllers that work from nanometer-scale lab equipment to underwater robot thrusters. Their ability to bridge precision industrial motion control with harsh-environment robotics makes them a versatile hardware partner. For consortium builders, they bring a rare combination — a small company with hands-on product development capability and experience in both ECSEL semiconductor consortia and SME Instrument product validation.

Highlights from their portfolio

• I-MECH
  Largest project by funding (EUR 133,875), part of a major 31-partner ECSEL consortium on intelligent motion control platforms — their gateway into the European mechatronics network.
• MATTERHORN
  Signals a strategic pivot into underwater robotics, applying their motion control expertise to a completely new and growing application domain.
• NANO-POS
  Their first H2020 project, targeting nanometer-level positioning — establishes the precision engineering DNA that defines the company.