formicablu

What formicablu does

formicablu srl is a privately held Italian science communication agency founded in 2005 by Elisabetta Tola and headquartered in Bologna, Italy. The firm operates with a 7-person core team and a network of more than 50 specialist collaborators (graphic designers, web developers, data visualization specialists, videomakers, motion graphic designers, and public engagement experts) to deliver end-to-end science communication services across four lines: EU project services, communication strategies, training, and editorial products. Its underlying methodology is a multi-step science communication process — audience identification, context analysis, qualitative and quantitative listening, creative strategy design, audience testing, and Agile-driven iteration — augmented by Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) and participatory co-creation tools.

The company has participated in over 20 EU-funded research projects spanning Horizon Europe, H2020, LIFE+, FP7, and FP6, providing communication, dissemination, training, and editorial product development within research consortia. Since 2021 it has coordinated the H2020 ENJOI project across Belgium, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, building an Observatory for open science communication standards. Direct clients include Italian public bodies (Municipality of Bologna, ARSIAL), research institutions (INFN, INGV, National Transplant Centre, NBFC), foundations (G. Armenise-Harvard Foundation, Fondazione Reggio Children), and publishers (Zanichelli).

Revenue is generated through negotiated professional services engagements, primarily as a communication and dissemination partner within EU project consortia and through direct consultancy contracts with Italian research institutions, public bodies, and foundations. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is project-based. Business development is driven by participation in EU tenders, academic teaching activities at SISSA, Bologna, Pavia, Trento, Milano Bicocca, and IULM, and a long-running community presence within the European science communication ecosystem.

Name

formicablu

Legal name

formicablu srl

Website

https://formicablu.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

formicablu is an Italian science communication agency founded in 2005, providing strategy, training, and multimedia editorial services to EU-funded research consortia, Italian public bodies, foundations, and publishers from its Bologna headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Communication Consulting

NAICS

Publishing Industries (513), Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219), Teleproduction and Other Postproduction Services (512191), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Content Production (Video, Design, Copy, Studio) (BPAFAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Audio Learning Content (Podcasts, Audiobooks, Listening Programs) (EDAGALAM), Formative & Benchmark Assessment Content (K–12) (EDAGADAH)

Keywords

• Science communication consultancy
• EU project dissemination
• Research communication services
• Editorial multimedia production
• Public engagement training

Headquarters

HQ city

Bologna

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. EU Project Communication Packages: Formicablu participates in EU-funded research projects (Horizon Europe, H2020, LIFE+, FP7, FP6) as a communication, dissemination, and coordination partner. Revenue is earned as a consortium member providing communication plans, graphic identity, websites, multimedia products, and training within EU project frameworks. Since 2021, coordinates the H2020 ENJOI project.
2. Direct Client Services: Direct consultancy engagements with foundations (G. Armenise-Harvard Foundation), public bodies (Municipality of Bologna, ARSIAL Lazio), research institutions (INFN, INGV), universities, and publishers (Zanichelli). Services include communication strategy design, media training, press office functions, event organization, and editorial product commissions.
3. Training Courses and Consultancy: Courses and consultancy for researchers at different career stages, covering science communication, media, public speaking, journalistic techniques, and digital communication tools. Teaching activities in Masters and Degree Courses organized by Italian universities provide both revenue and reputational positioning.
4. Educational Video Production: Production of educational videos for middle and high school students on biology, biotechnology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and philosophy. Major client includes Zanichelli publishing house. Production spans green screen studio work, outdoor filming, and 3D animations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

formicablu is a science communication consultancy that designs communication strategies and delivers editorial multimedia products (educational videos, podcasts, data visualisations, interactive graphics, websites, web series) for EU-funded research projects and research institutions. The firm also provides tailored training courses for researchers on science communication, media engagement, public speaking and digital tools, and participates in or coordinates EU project consortia across Horizon Europe, H2020, LIFE+, FP7 and FP6 programs.

Product overview

formicablu is a science communication agency offering four core service areas: EU Projects Services (proposal writing, coordination, communication plans, graphic identity, websites, multimedia products), Communication Strategies (multi-step strategy development with audience research and Agile methodology), Training (courses for researchers on science communication, media, public speaking, and digital tools), and Editorial Products (multimedia production including videos, animations, data visualizations, podcasts, and web content). The company also produces specific projects including the ENJOI H2020 coordination project, Biodiversity DataJournalism platform, podcast series like 'altro che mappamondo', educational video series for Zanichelli, the Gran Sasso Videogame for physics education, and investigative journalism projects like SEEDversity and SEEDcontrol on agricultural biodiversity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EU Projects Services Comprehensive support for EU-funded research projects including proposal writing, project coordination, communication plan development, graphic identity design, website development, and multimedia product creation. Targeted at European research consortia participating in Horizon Europe, H2020, LIFE+, FP7 and FP6 programs.
• Communication Strategies Multi-step science communication strategy development including audience identification, context analysis, qualitative and quantitative research, iterative testing, and Agile methodology implementation. Designed for research institutions and public bodies needing strategic science communication consultancy.
• Training Tailored training programs covering science communication, media and public speaking, journalistic techniques, digital communication tools, and audio-video production. Targeted at researchers and academics, delivered through Masters and Degree Courses as well as bespoke institutional engagements.
• Editorial Products Multimedia production including educational videos, digital animations, data visualizations, interactive graphics, web series, podcasts, websites, and print editorial products for science communication. Targeted at research institutions, publishers and public bodies.
• Educational Videos for Schools Educational video production for high school and middle school students covering biology, biotechnology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and philosophy subjects. Major client Zanichelli publishing house. Production spans green screen studio work, outdoor filming, and 3D animations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20 EU-funded research projects completed across Horizon Europe, H2020, LIFE+, FP7, and FP6 funding programs since 2005.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ENJOI Consortium Partners (Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Spain)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021ENJOI (ENgagement and JOurnalism Innovation for Outstanding Open Science Communication) is an H2020 project coordinated by formicablu since 2021. Working in four countries (Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Spain), the project co-creates standards, principles, and indicators for outstanding open science communication and builds an Observatory for the field.
• National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partnerformicablu developed BIOEDU (innovative teaching for biodiversity) for NBFC and manages the 'biodiversity through data' data journalism site covering Italian biodiversity. NBFC is Italy's first research center dedicated to biodiversity, funded by the EU's NextGenerationEU/NRRP.
• Italbiotec ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Italbiotec Consortium to co-develop BIOEDU educational materials on biodiversity for secondary school students, integrating research content into classroom-ready learning units.
• European Commission (multiple EU projects)coreStrategic or Co-development Partnerformicablu has participated in over 20 EU-funded projects through Horizon Europe, H2020, LIFE+, FP7, and FP6 programs, providing communication and dissemination services. Currently coordinating ENJOI (H2020, since 2021) and contributing to COALESCE, COUSIN, MEET Me Tonight, FEDORA, LeTSGEPs, NEWSERA, DESIRA, AURES II, DYNAVERSITY, CERERE, CHROMIC, DIVERSIFOOD, and others.
• Oxpeckers Investigative Environmental JournalismminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Oxpeckers on SEEDcontrol — an investigative journalism project on agrobiodiversity and seed sovereignty. Joint field investigation was conducted in South Africa; findings published in La Stampa and Huffington Post South Africa. Supported by the European Journalism Centre.
• G. Armenise-Harvard FoundationcoreOngoing communication consultancy for the foundation funding basic research in biomedicine and agriculture at Harvard Medical School and Italian institutions. Services include press office, social media management, and event organization including the 20th anniversary conference-show.
• ARSIAL (Agenzia Regionale per lo Sviluppo e l'Innovazione dell'Agricoltura del Lazio)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned by ARSIAL to strengthen awareness and implementation of the EU Nitrates Directive in Lazio's Nitrate Vulnerable Zones. Organized five provincial meetings, developed visual identity, created a 40-panel exhibition, and managed event streaming.
• INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with INFN (coordinated by INFN) on the PILA project to develop the Gran Sasso Videogame — an educational video game for the Gran Sasso National Laboratories. Contributed to game conception, educational materials, gadgets, and school experimentation. Project funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research.
• Centro Nazionale Trapianti (National Transplant Centre)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced the 'Di nuovo in pista' webseries for the 'Transplant… and now sport' project promoted by the Centro Nazionale Trapianti, following a heart transplant recipient's participation in a cycling competition.
• Multiple Italian Universities (SISSA, University of Pavia, University of Bologna, University of Trento, University of Milano Bicocca, IULM University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing teaching and guest lecturing relationships at multiple Italian universities for Masters programs and Degree Courses in science communication, journalism, and research management. These academic partnerships serve as both educational collaboration and business development channel.
• Fondazione Innovazione UrbanaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinated Chiara.Eco — the climate crisis information portal for the Municipality of Bologna, created by formicablu as part of Bologna's 2019 climate emergency declaration commitments.
• effecinque agencyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-conceived, organized, and managed the 'Chips&Salsa: Digital, Interactive, Mediterranean Journalisms' event with effecinque, bringing together journalists from New York Times, El Pais, ICIJ, and investigative journalism innovators.
• Fondazione Reggio Children – Centro Loris MalaguzziminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdopted a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) system for the P.E.R. (Play Explore Research) project promoted by Fondazione Reggio Children, supporting the learning-through-play educational approach with research tools and questionnaires.
• INGV (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-produced the 'altro che mappamondo' five-part podcast with INGV Bologna section, featuring contributions from researchers explaining geophysics and volcanology research topics for a general audience.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wissenschaft im Dialog: German non-profit promoting dialogue between research and society, producing citizen engagement campaigns, science slams, and multimedia projects. Directly comparable as a science-communication-focused organization operating at the research-policy interface.
• Science Made Simple: UK science communication agency producing multimedia, live events, and editorial content for research institutions and universities. Closely comparable service mix (multimedia science communication for research and education clients).
• Vetenskap & Allmänhet (Public & Science): Swedish non-profit increasing public engagement with research through training, events, and EU-funded projects. Comparable mission, EU research-funding ties, and science communication training/consulting focus.
• AlphaGalileo: European press service distributing research news and managing multimedia outputs for universities and research funders. Overlaps directly with formicablu's EU research dissemination and multimedia production work.
• Ecsite: European network of science centres and museums coordinating collaborative EU research communication and public engagement projects. Comparable European footprint and science communication community-orchestration role.
• Research Consulting: UK consultancy helping research organizations with research impact, communications strategy, and Open Science implementation. Closely comparable professional-services remit for European research institutions.
• The Loop: Italian science journalism and communication collective producing editorial products, training, and events in Italy and across Europe. Comparable as an Italian science-communication collaborative serving research and education clients.

Broad incumbents

• FECYT (Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología): Spanish government-affiliated foundation supporting science communication, dissemination, and public engagement across Spain. Overlaps with formicablu's science communication and EU project dissemination services at greater scale and with a national mandate.
• The Conversation Europe: Large-scale science journalism platform commissioning academic-authored articles and multimedia across Europe. Operates in the science-to-public communication space at significantly greater scale than formicablu.
• Science Business: Brussels-based media and events platform covering research-industry policy and innovation across Europe. Adjacent in serving research-policy communities and producing editorial outputs on EU research topics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@formicablusrl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/formicablu-srl
• Xx.com/formicablu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about formicablu