Sirris
Sirris is Belgium's not-for-profit collective center for the technology industry, helping manufacturing companies develop, test, and implement innovations through 150 experts, eight industrial labs, and a 200+ partner network across approximately 1,300 projects per year.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1949
- HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sirris does
Sirris is Belgium's collective center of the technology industry, operating as a not-for-profit organization founded and governed by industry to help Belgian manufacturing companies develop, test, and implement technological innovations. Its core service portfolio spans three lines: Innovation (custom projects, industrial research), Optimisation (technological advice, quality tests, training, standards guidance), and Innovation Management (tailored roadmaps, IP advice). Underlying these services are eight industrial labs across Belgium covering advanced manufacturing, additive manufacturing, the OWI-Lab climatic testing facility, the Thor Laser Innovation Lab, and corrosion management, plus Europe's largest mobile climate chamber (deployed 2026) for on-site harsh environment testing.
The business model is a hybrid of professional services, recurring membership contributions from Belgian technology-industry members, and government co-funding through VLAIO, FPS Economy, Horizon 2020, and Belgium Builds Back Circular programs. Sirris executes approximately 1,300 innovation projects per year with a multidisciplinary team of 150 experts, supported by a network of 200+ partners spanning Belgian universities (KU Leuven, UGent, VUB), research centers (imec, VITO, Flanders Make, Buildwise), industry federation Agoria, and international partners (Fraunhofer, VTT, Tecnalia). Customer segments range from SMEs to large multinationals across wind energy, aerospace, automotive, medtech, packaging, defense, and industrial equipment.
Geographically, Sirris operates from seven Belgian sites (Brussels HQ, Diepenbeek, Antwerp, Kortrijk, Charleroi, Liège, Genk) and serves primarily the Belgian domestic market, with cross-border reach via the mobile climate chamber and EU research consortia. Recent product and capability expansion includes femtosecond laser texturing (anti-ice, anti-bacterial, friction-reduction applications), GenAI and cybersecurity consulting tied to NIS2 compliance, and the annual Smart Manufacturing Barometer publication that benchmarks technology adoption across 90+ Flemish manufacturers.
Sirris firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sirris
- Legal name
- Sirris
- Website
- https://sirris.be
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1949
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Sirris is Belgium's not-for-profit collective center for the technology industry, helping manufacturing companies develop, test, and implement innovations through 150 experts, eight industrial labs, and a 200+ partner network across approximately 1,300 projects per year.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sirris industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Innovation Consulting
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Engineering Services (541330)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Additive Manufacturing Research & Innovation Labs (IMAAAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI), Software Engineering & Application Development Training (Languages, Frameworks, Testing) (BPAEANAI)
Keywords
Where Sirris is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brussels
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
Sirris business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Innovation consulting and project services: Sirris provides custom innovation projects, industrial research projects, technological advice, technical quality tests, training courses, masterclasses, workshops, and tailored roadmaps to Belgian manufacturing companies. Revenue is generated through service fees for these professional innovation support services.
- Membership contributions: As a not-for-profit organization founded and governed by industry, Sirris receives membership contributions from companies in the Belgian technology sector.
- Government funding and consortium projects: Sirris participates in government-funded projects such as the mobile climate chamber consortium (€1.5 million investment with ZF Wind Power and Belgian government FPS Economy), COOCK Fighting Icing (funded by VLAIO), and NewSkin project (Horizon 2020).
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
Sirris product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sirris delivers custom innovation projects, industrial research, technological advice, quality tests, standards & regulations guidance, training, masterclasses, and tailored innovation roadmaps for Belgian manufacturing companies. The organisation runs eight industrial labs (including Europe's largest mobile climatic test chamber) and supports approximately 1,300 innovation projects per year through a multidisciplinary team of 150 experts and a network of more than 200 partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- 4.0 Made Real: A program and demonstrator network helping manufacturing companies with Industry 4.0 transition and digital process optimization.
- Make the Future
- OWI-Lab
- Factory of the Future Awards
Products and services
- Innovation Services
- Optimisation Services
- Innovation Management Services
- Industrial Labs
- Large Climatic Test Chamber (OWI-Lab)
- Femtosecond Laser Texturing
- Laser Innovation Lab
- Make the Future Programme
- Smart Manufacturing Barometer
Quantifiable outcome
- 1,300 innovation projects realized annually with Belgian companies
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Sirris
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Sirris technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability7 records
Feature4 records
Sirris partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.
- ZF Wind PowermajorZF Wind Power partnered with Sirris and Belgian government (FPS Economy) to launch the first mobile climate chamber capable of testing large machinery at extreme temperatures (-40°C to +60°C). The €1.5 million consortium invested in the 20m x 9m x 7m chamber that can be shipped and assembled on-site within a week. ZF Wind Power is the first company to use the chamber at its Lommel facility.
- AgoriacoreAgoria is a federation and key strategic partner of Sirris. Together they run the Factory of the Future Awards program and the Make the Future initiative to help Belgian companies accelerate innovation and prepare for the factories of the future.
- Flanders MakecoreFlanders Make is a strategic research center for manufacturing companies, working with Sirris as part of the Belgian innovation ecosystem for advanced manufacturing research.
- imeccoreBelgium's research and innovation center for nanoelectronics and digital technologies, partnering with Sirris on digital transformation and smart manufacturing initiatives.
- VITOcoreFlemish Institute for Technological Research, partnering with Sirris on green transition, renewable energy, and environmental technology projects.
- KU LeuvencoreMajor Belgian university with extensive research capabilities, collaborating with Sirris on various innovation and research projects.
- BuildwisemajorBelgian building research institute, working with Sirris on industrializing renovation and construction innovation projects.
- UGentcoreGhent University, collaborating with Sirris on research and innovation projects in manufacturing and technology.
- VUB (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)majorFree University of Brussels, partnering with Sirris on research projects including ice detection technology development.
- Thor Park / Thor Laser Innovation LabmajorStrategic partner for the Thor Laser Innovation Lab in Genk, focused on innovative surface technology development and industrial scaling.
- FraunhofermajorGerman research organization, part of Sirris' international research center partnerships for technology exchange and collaboration.
- VTT (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland)majorFinnish research center, partnering with Sirris as part of international research collaborations in manufacturing technology.
- TecnaliamajorSpanish research and technology organization, collaborating with Sirris on European research projects and technology innovation.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sirris competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CSEM: Switzerland's RTO for microtechnology, surface engineering and systems innovation; closely comparable to Sirris' femtosecond laser texturing and advanced manufacturing lab capabilities and a similar mid-size RTO model.
- VITO: Flemish Institute for Technological Research, partnering with Sirris on green transition and renewable energy while also independently serving Belgian manufacturers on sustainability, cleantech and energy topics that overlap Sirris' Green Transition expertise area.
- RISE Research Institutes of Sweden: Sweden's collective research and innovation partner for industry, offering industrial testing, applied research and innovation programs to manufacturers under a comparable not-for-profit RTO model.
- imec: Belgium's leading RTO for nanoelectronics and digital technologies, partnering with Sirris on smart manufacturing while also competing for digital transformation and Industry 4.0 budgets from the same Belgian manufacturers.
- Flanders Make: Belgium's strategic research center for manufacturing industry, jointly operating the Belgian innovation ecosystem with Sirris on advanced manufacturing, mechatronics and motion products — overlapping directly in Sirris' core manufacturing mandate.
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finland's national applied research center, an international Sirris partner with a near-identical RTO business model: multidisciplinary experts, industrial labs, public-private innovation programs and testing services for manufacturers.
Broad incumbents
- TNO: Netherlands' applied research organization, structurally similar to Sirris as a not-for-profit collective RTO serving domestic manufacturers with applied research, testing infrastructure and innovation programs at national scale.
- Carnot Institutes Network: French network of 38+ public research laboratories conducting contract research for industry; provides a multi-institute collective RTO model analogous to Sirris' member-driven, multi-lab approach.
- Fraunhofer Society: Germany's largest applied research organization and a Sirris international partner; comparable collective RTO model serving industrial clients with testing, piloting and applied research across a far broader portfolio of institutes.
- CEA: France's major public research organization, comparable in mission (applied research, advanced manufacturing, energy) and revenue model (government plus industrial contracts) to Sirris' innovation-center model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sirris social profiles
Digital presenceSirris compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Sirris financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sirris leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Sirris funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sirris M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sirris
What does Sirris do?
Sirris delivers custom innovation projects, industrial research, technological advice, quality tests, standards & regulations guidance, training, masterclasses, and tailored innovation roadmaps for Belgian manufacturing companies. The organisation runs eight industrial labs (including Europe's largest mobile climatic test chamber) and supports approximately 1,300 innovation projects per year through a multidisciplinary team of 150 experts and a network of more than 200 partners.
Is Sirris a public or private company?
Sirris is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Sirris founded?
Sirris was founded in 1949. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Sirris based?
Sirris is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Sirris make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Innovation consulting and project services are the primary driver. The others are membership contributions and government funding and consortium projects.
Who are Sirris's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CSEM, VITO, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, imec, Flanders Make and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Broad incumbents are TNO, Carnot Institutes Network, Fraunhofer Society and CEA.
Does Sirris have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sirris.
What industry is Sirris in?
Sirris's product category is Industrial Innovation Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAAAJAA, Additive Manufacturing Research & Innovation Labs, with a secondary code of EDAEAGAI, Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming). Its NAICS code is 541380 and its SIC code is 8734.