International Association of Science Parks

What International Association of Science Parks does

The International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP) is a non-profit membership association founded in 1984 and headquartered in Málaga, Spain. It serves as the global network for science and technology parks (STPs), innovation districts, areas of innovation (AOIs), technology-based incubators, universities, and development agencies, operating across seven regional divisions: European, Asia Pacific, North American, Latin American, African, WANA (Western Asia and North Africa), and Eurasia. IASP's core offerings include the IASP Member Directory, the annual flagship World Conference (43rd edition held in Cannes/Sophia Antipolis in October 2026), regional division events and workshops, the Knowledge Room digital publications platform, the IASP mobile application, the Inspiring Solutions best-practices database, the IASP Global Survey, the Softlanding Program for cross-border company access, and a portfolio of collaborative projects with member organizations. The organization also produces industry statistics and research publications, runs an IASP Think Tank, and provides strategic development support services to innovation ecosystems worldwide.

IASP's business model rests on three primary revenue streams: (1) recurring annual membership fees across Full, Affiliate, and Associate tiers with differentiated rights and pricing (Full Members receive voting rights, governing-body eligibility, exclusive reports, and General Assembly participation); (2) transactional event fees from the World Conference, division events, workshops, and seminars, with member-only discounts; and (3) one-time purchases of publications, reports, books, e-books, webinars, and conference proceedings via the Knowledge Room e-commerce storefront (accepting Mastercard, Visa, and PayPal), with examples priced at €250 for the IASP Global Survey, €35 for books, €60 for webinars, and €80 for reports. A secondary stream includes consultancy and collaborative project work delivered to members and partners. Go-to-market is community-led: IASP acquires members through international visibility (website, LinkedIn, Twitter/X, YouTube, Instagram), the global directory, news and blog content, and the high-touch World Conference and division events. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors, division presidents, and a General Assembly of members, with a small staff of 11-50 employees based at its Málaga headquarters. As of 2026, IASP is led by CEO Ebba Lund and is celebrating its 40th anniversary, with member logos including Sophia Antipolis, DTU Science Park, Cambridge Science Park, Dubai Science Park, Melbourne Innovation Districts, and Wista Berlin Adlershof.

Name

International Association of Science Parks

Legal name

International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation

Website

https://iasp.ws

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IASP is a non-profit membership association headquartered in Málaga, Spain, that operates the global network for science and technology parks, innovation districts, and areas of innovation across seven regional divisions. It generates revenue through annual membership fees, the Knowledge Room publications platform, and the annual World Conference plus regional division events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services for Innovation Ecosystems

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM, Digital Skills & Innovation Partnerships (EDADALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Development Cooperation & Foreign Aid Administration (BPAIAIAG)

Keywords

• Science park network
• Innovation ecosystem association
• Membership services
• Innovation district consulting
• Knowledge sharing events

Headquarters

HQ city

Málaga

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Annual membership fees from Full, Affiliate, and Associate members including science parks, innovation districts, areas of innovation, innovation hubs, business incubators, universities, development agencies, and other organizations in the innovation ecosystem.
2. Publications and Knowledge Room: Sale of reports, books, conference proceedings, e-books, webinars and other knowledge products through the IASP Knowledge Room. Publications include the IASP Global Survey (250€), books (35€), and webinars (60€).
3. Event fees: Registration and participation fees for World Conferences, division events, workshops, and seminars held around the world. Member-only discounts available on conference fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

IASP is a membership-based international non-profit association that provides science parks, innovation districts, areas of innovation, technology-based incubators, universities, and development agencies with global networking, knowledge-sharing resources, training, conferences, and strategic development support. Its core deliverables include annual membership tiers, the global Member Directory, the IASP World Conference, regional Division Events, the Knowledge Room of publications and surveys, the Softlanding Program, and joint Collaborative Projects.

Product overview

IASP operates as a membership-based international association rather than a software product company. Its service portfolio consists primarily of member-centric offerings including a global Member Directory, annual World Conference, regional Division Events, Knowledge Room (publications and surveys), the IASP App (mobile application), Inspiring Solutions database, Statistics/research services, Softlanding Program for cross-border company access, and Collaborative Projects. The core value proposition centers on knowledge-sharing, international networking, and professional development for science parks, innovation districts, and areas of innovation worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IASP Membership (Full, Affiliate, Associate) Annual paid memberships for organizations and individuals in the innovation ecosystem. Full Members get voting rights, governing-body eligibility, exclusive reports, and full services; Affiliate Members receive member services with some limitations; Associate Membership is for innovation experts, professionals, social researchers, and academics.
• IASP World Conference The association's flagship annual global conference bringing together professionals from science parks, innovation districts, and areas of innovation worldwide for networking, knowledge sharing, and industry insights.
• IASP Member Directory A searchable global directory of IASP members (science parks, innovation districts, areas of innovation, incubators, and other organizations) organized by country, technology sector, and membership category.
• Knowledge Room A digital publications storefront selling books, reports, conference proceedings, e-books, webinars, and the IASP Global Survey on science parks and innovation ecosystems, with member discounts. Products include the IASP Global Survey (€250), books (from €35), reports (from €80), and webinars (from €60).
• IASP Mobile App Mobile application providing year-round access to the IASP member directory, Knowledge Room, news, and chat features, with an unlockable conference section for registered event attendees.
• Division Events Regional events organized by IASP's six divisions (European, Latin American, North American, African, Asia Pacific, WANA, Eurasian), including workshops, conferences, and networking sessions held throughout the year.
• Inspiring Solutions A database of innovative best practices in science park, innovation district, and area of innovation management, curated to inspire and share knowledge among IASP members.
• IASP Statistics and Global Survey Industry statistics and research data on science parks and areas of innovation worldwide, including comprehensive Global Surveys tracking the development, performance, and trends of science parks and innovation districts, available for purchase.
• Softlanding Program A program enabling companies based in IASP member parks to access and establish operations in partner innovation ecosystems abroad through facilitated introductions and partner park support.
• Collaborative Projects Joint projects with IASP members and partner organizations (e.g., STP Development Project, Network IQ Alliance, Valorisation Alliance) that add value to the science park and innovation district industry, providing expertise and global network resources.
• Open Opportunities A resource hub providing information on hackathons, call for papers, competitions, funding opportunities, and project deadlines relevant to innovation ecosystems.

Quantifiable outcome

• IASP members represent the global network of science parks, innovation hubs, areas of innovation, and innovation districts worldwide
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sophia Antipolis Technology ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of the 43rd IASP World Conference on Science Parks and Areas of Innovation in October 2026. Located in the French Riviera, Sophia Antipolis is one of Europe's leading technology parks and serves as a key strategic partner for IASP's flagship annual conference.
• PIIT Monterrey (Parque de Investigación e Innovación Tecnológica)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIASP member and host of the joint meeting of IASP Latin America and North America divisions in Mexico. Active participant in division events and knowledge sharing activities.
• IASP WANA DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestern Asia and North Africa Division hosting regional events including the November 2026 event in Doha, Qatar.
• IASP European DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Division organizing regional events including the April 2027 event in Norrköping, Sweden.
• IASP Latin American DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLatin American Division organizing regional events including the April 2027 event in Ciudad de Panama, Panama.
• IASP North American DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth American Division organizing regional events including the May 2027 event in Edmonton, Canada.
• Palais des Festivals et des Congrès of CannesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain venue partner for the 43rd IASP World Conference 2026 in Cannes, France.
• Vaal University of TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative project partner for the STP Development Project running from August 2025 to February 2026.
• Network IQ AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative network project with member organizations from July 2022 to December 2024.
• Valorisation AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject linking laboratories, enterprises, and society stakeholders running from May 2026 to April 2029.
• Innovation Ecosystem OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVarious collaborative projects including Broadening Opportunities for Outstanding Scientific Talent (June 2025-May 2028) and Bridging Academia and Enterprise for Innovative Mobility Solutions (September 2025-September 2027).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• European Investment Fund (EIF): EIF is the EU's specialty vehicle for SME and innovation financing. While not a membership association, it is a broad incumbent peer to IASP because it operates at the intersection of innovation ecosystem policy, capital deployment, and cross-border project orchestration that IASP members depend on.
• OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities: The OECD CFE is an intergovernmental policy unit producing flagship reports and frameworks on innovation ecosystems, regions, and science-based growth. It is a broad incumbent peer to IASP whose research outputs, policy frameworks, and convening power overlap with IASP's advocacy and benchmarking work.
• World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution: The WEF Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution convenes governments and innovation ecosystem leaders on emerging technology governance. It is a broad incumbent peer to IASP because it increasingly targets the same science park and innovation district audience through global convening and policy frameworks.

Others

• International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation – Member: Sophia Antipolis: Sophia Antipolis is a flagship European science park and a leading Full Member of IASP. It functions as a peer-class organization because it operates its own park management, tenant services, and ecosystem development activities that overlap with what IASP serves at the network level.

Emerging players

• Startup Genome: Startup Genome is a research and policy advisory organization focused on startup ecosystem benchmarking through its Global Startup Ecosystem Report. It is an emerging peer that increasingly overlaps with IASP's Global Survey and innovation ecosystem benchmarking offerings.
• Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN): GEN is an international network operating Global Entrepreneurship Week and a constellation of country-based ecosystem programs. It is an emerging peer to IASP because it increasingly serves innovation ecosystem builders, policy makers, and park operators through global events and benchmarking.

Direct peers

• Association of University Research Parks (AURP): AURP is a US-based international not-for-profit association representing university-related research and science parks. It is the closest direct peer to IASP, sharing a membership-based model, global networking focus, accreditation role, and conference-based member engagement.
• Innovation District Institute: The Innovation District Institute is a US-based membership organization focused on innovation districts. It is directly comparable to IASP as a peer association serving urban innovation geography stakeholders with networking, research, and best-practice content.
• European Business and Innovation Centre Network (EBN): EBN is a Brussels-based not-for-profit network of business and innovation centres, incubators, and accelerators across Europe and beyond. It overlaps directly with IASP in serving innovation ecosystem operators, providing benchmarking, accreditation, EU-funded project orchestration, and policy advocacy.

Regional players

• UK Science Park Association (UKSPA): UKSPA is the UK national membership body for science and innovation parks. It is a strong regional peer to IASP, offering similar member services, accreditation, and events, but constrained to the UK market where it competes with IASP for the same member parks.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IASPnetwork
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/IASPvisuals
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iasp---international-association-of-science-parks-and-areas-of-innovation
• Instagraminstagram.com/iaspnetwork

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Association of Science Parks