Born from the Theoretical and Computational Nanoscience Group at the BIST Community centre ICN2, Apeiron Intelligence has developed a pioneering platform integrating atomic-scale simulations and artificial intelligence tools to drive innovation in materials science and technology.
Apeiron Intelligence is a spin-off from ICN2 and ICREA. This company was created to provide innovative solutions for materials design and engineering by combining artificial intelligence (AI) tools with atomic-scale simulations and advanced linear scaling methodologies. Apeiron Intelligence builds on more than three decades of research carried out by the ICN2 Theoretical and Computational Nanoscience Group, led by ICREA Prof. Stephan Roche.
Professor Roche, a non-executive director of the new company, pioneered the development of linear scaling computational methodologies to study the quantum (transport) response of materials at the mesoscopic scale —that is, at the level of hundreds of thousands of atoms —enabling highly accurate simulations of bulk properties of any type of complex matter. Building on this work, ICN2 researcher Dr José Hugo García, Founder CEO of Apeiron Intelligence, has expanded the methodology to incorporate other quantum effects such as spin–orbit coupling and topological effects. ICN2 researcher Andrei Tomut, an expert in AI software development, will play a leading role at the company as its Founder CTO.
Apeiron Intelligence benefits from the guidance and endorsement of world-leading scientists and innovators who form its Advisory Board, a distinguished body uniting academic excellence and industrial vision. Among its members are Nobel Laureate Sir Konstantin Novoselov (National University of Singapore), whose pioneering discovery of graphene has transformed modern materials science; Professor Nicola Marzari (Cavendish Professor of Physics), a global authority in first-principles materials design and creator of the Materials Cloud platform; Kari Hjelt (Graphene Flagship Innovation Director and Director at Chalmers Industriteknik); Luigi Colombo (former Texas Instruments Fellow and graphene pioneer); and Andrea Ferrari (Professor at the University of Cambridge and Director of the Cambridge Graphene Centre). Together, they provide Apeiron with exceptional scientific depth, strategic foresight, and industrial relevance —ensuring that the company’s technological breakthroughs are globally recognised and effectively translated into innovation.
Opening the frontier of next-generation innovative advanced materials research to all
Apeiron Intelligence has launched an AI-driven platform capable of working seamlessly with leading materials simulation codes, from DFT to molecular dynamics, and running realistic models of up to one trillion atoms. This technology will provide industries such as semiconductors, clean energy and aerospace with a significant competitive advantage by drastically reducing the time required to bring innovative solutions to market. As Andrea Ferrari, Professor at the University of Cambridge and Director of the Graphene Cambridge Centre, puts it, “Apeiron Intelligence is creating the platform we have long needed —one that transforms the complexity of materials research into actionable knowledge and accelerates true innovation.”
Apeiron Intelligence exists to make advanced materials innovation accessible – converting intricate workflows into intuitive, AI-powered drag-and-drop pipelines that speed industrial R&D. Luigi Colombo, former Texas Instruments Fellow and graphene pioneer, puts it succinctly, “By bridging atomistic simulations with device-level design, Apeiron delivers AI-driven workflows that finally translate materials breakthroughs into industrial reality”.
Finally, Kari Hjelt, Graphene Flagship Innovation Director, Director at Chalmers Industriteknik, and chair of the Advisory Board remarks, “Apeiron is more than a technology —it is a catalyst that shortens the path from discovery to market, making digital twins for advanced materials a practical tool for innovation and competitiveness.”
