INRA

What INRA does

INRAE (Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement) is France's primary public research institute for agricultural, food, and environmental sciences. Formed on January 1, 2020 through the merger of INRA (founded 1946) and IRSTEA, INRAE operates as a public scientific and technological establishment (établissement public à caractère scientifique et technologique) under the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research. The institute is structured around 18 regional centres and 14 specialized departments, organized along six thematic pillars: Agroecology, Biodiversity, Climate Change and Risks, Bioeconomy, Food and Global Health, and Society and Territories.

INRAE does not sell commercial products. Its outputs consist of scientific publications disseminated through the open HAL INRAE archive, research tools (e.g., Explore2, an interactive water management adaptation tool for France under +4°C climate scenarios), peer-reviewed journals (Revue Ressources, Revue Sesame), and applied research programs such as the Patuchev livestock innovation program. Revenue derives from French government budget allocations, competitive research grants (national, EU Horizon Europe, ERC), and partnership contracts with industry and international institutions. Key customer/stakeholder segments include the French government and policy makers, the international scientific community, the agricultural sector (farmers, cooperatives, food producers), and the general public (through science communication and citizen science initiatives).

Notable technical work includes research on natural-based conductive yarns (hemp, flax combined with carbonized lignin for smart e-textiles under the €7M UPWEARS project), genetic analysis of abandoned cattle herds, and discovery of 13 new antiphage defense systems in Lactococcus lactis published in PNAS. Technology transfer to industry is facilitated through five Carnot institutes, the Challenge Innotech program, and startup support frameworks.

Name

INRA

Legal name

Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (INRAE)

Website

https://inra.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

INRAE is France's national public research institute for agriculture, food, and environmental sciences, formed in 2020 through the merger of INRA and IRSTEA, operating 18 regional centres and 14 departments to deliver government-funded research and innovation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural and Environmental Research Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture, Fisheries & Food Administration (BPAIAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems & Land Management (BPADALAG), Nature, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Conservation (BPADALAE), Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation (BPADANAI), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

Keywords

• Agricultural research services
• Food and environmental sciences
• Agroecology research
• Biodiversity and climate research
• Bioeconomy innovation

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

INRAE conducts public scientific research across agriculture, food, and environmental sciences, operating 18 regional centers and 14 thematic departments. It delivers open-access scientific publications via HAL INRAE, data and decision-support tools such as Explore2 for climate-driven water management, peer-reviewed journals (Revue Ressources, Revue Sesame), and partnership-based innovation programs including the Patuchev sustainable livestock initiative and Carnot institute collaborations.

Product overview

INRAE (Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement) is France's primary public research institute for agricultural, food, and environmental sciences. Rather than offering commercial software products, INRAE provides research tools, scientific publication repositories, and data platforms. Its main offerings include HAL INRAE (an open archive for scientific publications), Explore2 (a climate adaptation water management tool), and peer-reviewed journals (Revue Ressources and Revue Sesame). The institute operates through 18 regional centers and 14 thematic departments spanning agroecology, biodiversity, climate change, bioeconomy, global food health, and territories. Research outputs are shared through open science policies, participatory research initiatives, and various knowledge dissemination channels including podcasts, educational videos, and public science events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HAL INRAE Open archive repository providing free global access to INRAE's scientific publications, research papers, datasets, and academic outputs from institute researchers.
• Explore2 Interactive data tool for exploring water management adaptation scenarios under climate change conditions, specifically designed for France at +4°C warming projections.
• Revue Ressources INRAE's thematic review publication covering agriculture, food, and environment topics, providing accessible analysis of current research to general audiences.
• Revue Sesame Peer-reviewed journal focused on controversies and debates in agriculture, food, and environmental science, aimed at illuminating scientific controversies for public understanding.
• Patuchev Program Innovation-focused livestock farming program at the Lusignan center, developing and testing sustainable animal husbandry practices that balance animal welfare, environmental protection, and sustainable milk production.

Quantifiable outcome

• Leading European research initiative (UPWEARS) on sustainable textiles with 14 partners from 7 countries and €7 million funding
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and specialized.

• University of LiègecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Led genetic study on abandoned cattle of Amsterdam Island, discovering mixed ancestry enabling survival for 130 years despite severe inbreeding
• Portugal's INIAV (Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Memorandum of understanding signed for agricultural innovation collaboration, part of INRA's strategic positioning at the 18th edition of the International Agricultural Show in Morocco (SIAM)
• OCP NutricropscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Partnership focused on agricultural system sustainability, signed during the International Agricultural Show in Morocco
• Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025One of seven scientific agreements signed during INRAE delegation visit to China covering carbon neutrality, agroecology, biodiversity, plant genetics, nutrition, and sustainable livestock farming
• Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Scientific cooperation agreement covering multiple research areas including carbon neutrality and biodiversity
• China Agricultural University (CAU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Academic partnership for joint research in agriculture and environmental sciences
• Nanjing Agricultural University (NAU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Scientific agreement for cooperation in agricultural research areas
• Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIRCAS)specializedTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2025Technical cooperation in remote sensing and spatial data analysis for agricultural monitoring
• CIRAD (French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Joint office inaugurated at the French Embassy in Beijing on October 8, 2025, for coordinating international research activities in China
• APC Microbiome IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Collaborative research with dsm-firmenich discovering 13 new antiphage defense systems in Lactococcus lactis, published in PNAS. INRAE contributed to identifying phage defense mechanisms for dairy fermentation applications
• dsm-firmenichcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Industry collaboration for phage research in dairy fermentation, with dsm-firmenich planning to incorporate findings into culture development for phage-resistant dairy solutions
• Bioeconomy Science Institute, Rotorua (New Zealand)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Partner in the European UPWEARS project (€7 million, 4-year initiative with 14 partners from 7 countries) developing sustainable textile alternatives. New Zealand team contributes expertise in natural fibers and smart e-textiles
• University of LiègecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Academic partner in research on cattle genetics, collaborated on DNA analysis of abandoned Amsterdam Island cattle herd

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wageningen University & Research: Dutch public agricultural research university and institute; widely regarded as Europe's leading competitor to INRAE in agroecology, food sciences, and sustainability research, with a comparable scale of research output and government-backed mandate.
• CIRAD (French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development): French public research institute focused on tropical and Mediterranean agriculture, with which INRAE maintains a formal collaboration (joint office in Beijing). Directly comparable in mission, public-sector status, and focus on agricultural development research.
• Agroscope: Swiss federal research institute for agriculture, food, and environmental research; comparable in scope, public mandate, and focus on sustainable agricultural systems and climate-resilient farming practices.
• Rothamsted Research: One of the oldest agricultural research institutions in the world (UK), focused on crop science, soil health, and sustainable agriculture; directly comparable in mission and public-sector research model.
• Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB): German member of the Leibniz Association focused on agricultural engineering, bioeconomy, and sustainable food systems; directly comparable as a publicly funded research institute addressing bioeconomy and agricultural technology challenges.

Broad incumbents

• USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS): The principal in-house research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, covering crops, livestock, soil, and food safety at national scale; comparable to INRAE as a state-backed multidisciplinary agricultural research institution.
• Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS): China's national agricultural research organization, with which INRAE signed a core cooperation agreement in October 2025; comparable in scale and scope as a state-backed institute covering crops, livestock, and food/environmental sciences.
• CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation): Australia's national science agency with significant agriculture and food research programs; comparable as a public, government-funded multidisciplinary research organization with global partnerships and translational programs.
• EMBRAPA (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation): Brazil's national agricultural research corporation, comparable to INRAE in scale, public mandate, and role as the dominant domestic research provider for tropical and sustainable agriculture.

Others

• EMBL (European Molecular Biology Laboratory): Intergovernmental research organization for molecular life sciences; an adjacent peer sharing the publicly funded, multinational research institute model relevant to INRAE's molecular biology and microbiome research programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Inra_Intl
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQxx5pTHLCoxjrr6VhLznRw
• Facebookfacebook.com/255779403738
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/french-national-institute-for-agricultural-research
• Instagraminstagram.com/INRAE

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about INRA