What European Network of Living Labs does

The European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL) is an international non-profit association (ivzw) under Belgian law, founded in 2006 and headquartered in Brussels. It operates the world's largest federation of Living Labs, comprising 200 member organisations across 45 countries (20% of which are based outside the EU), and holds the globally unique position of being the only Living Lab certification body. ENoLL's core offering is the systematic user co-creation methodology that integrates research and innovation processes in real-life communities, applied across sectors including health, mobility, energy, soil health, culture, urban systems, and social innovation.

ENoLL's product portfolio centres on five pillars: (1) the Living Labs Network and Members Catalogue connecting certified innovation ecosystems; (2) the ENoLL Labelling and Certification process, a seal of quality reserved exclusively for Living Labs demonstrating consistent methodology use; (3) the ENoLL Capacity Building Programme, delivered through the ENoLL Academy online platform (academy.enoll.org) offering courses such as the Virtual Learning Lab 10-week MOOC, Proposal Writing Training for Horizon Europe, and specialised Masterclasses; (4) OpenLivingLab Days, the annual flagship event recognised with the 2024 European Association Award for Event Innovation; and (5) the ENoLL Knowledge Hub, a digital resource-sharing platform. The organisation also coordinates participation in major EU-funded projects including SOILL (Soil Health Living Labs under Mission A Soil Deal for Europe), VITALISE (Health and Wellbeing Living Labs), SCORE (water and climate resilience), and GILL (Gendered Innovation Living Labs).

ENoLL's business model is a hybrid non-profit revenue structure comprising membership fees from its 200 member entities, paid training and capacity-building services (digital and in-person formats), event registration revenue from OpenLivingLab Days and policy dialogues, and EU project partnership income from Horizon Europe and related framework programmes. Distribution occurs through direct engagement, the self-serve Academy and Knowledge Hub platforms, and GTM partnerships with major innovation venues including Smart City Expo World Congress, IoT Solutions World Congress, and Urban Future. Customers comprise Living Labs, public authorities and policymakers, startups and scaleups, established industrial players, and research institutions, all seeking certified real-world testing environments for co-creation and innovation validation.

Name

European Network of Living Labs

Legal name

European Network of Living Labs ivzw

Website

https://enoll.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL) is the world's largest federation of certified Living Labs, operating as a Belgian non-profit with 200 members across 45 countries. It provides the globally exclusive Living Lab certification, training through ENoLL Academy, and coordinates EU project partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

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: ENoLL operates as a membership-based network with members across 45 countries. Membership provides access to certification, networking, capacity building programmes, and participation in network activities.
2. Training and Capacity Building Services: ENoLL Academy offers paid training programmes including Virtual Learning Lab, Proposal Writing Training, Masterclasses, and Deep Dive sessions. Training is available in digital or in-person formats.
3. Event Organisation: Annual OpenLivingLab Days flagship event generates revenue through registrations. ENoLL also organises policy dialogues, symposia, and participates in partner events.
4. EU Project Participation: ENoLL participates as a project partner in EU-funded projects including SOILL (Soil Health Living Labs), SCORE (water and climate resilience), VITALISE (Health Living Labs), and others, contributing to Living Lab development, capacity building and scaling-up.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

ENoLL operates as a global non-profit federation and the only Living Lab certification body worldwide, connecting 200 certified Living Labs across 45 countries. Its core offerings comprise the ENoLL Labelling and Certification process (quality seal for Living Labs), the ENoLL Capacity Building Programme (training for Living Lab practitioners from newcomer to expert level), ENoLL Projects (coordination of EU-funded open innovation initiatives), and OpenLivingLab Days (annual flagship conference). Supporting services include the ENoLL Academy (online learning platform) and ENoLL Knowledge Hub (resource repository).

Product overview

ENoLL operates as a global non-profit association and the world's largest network of Living Labs, headquartered in Brussels and founded in 2006. The organization's core portfolio centers on its Living Labs Network (200 members across 45 countries) supplemented by four key service pillars: the ENoLL Labelling and Certification process (the only Living Lab certification body globally), the ENoLL Capacity Building Programme (training services), ENoLL Projects (project partnership work), and OpenLivingLab Days (annual flagship event). Additional offerings include the ENoLL Academy (online learning platform with courses like Virtual Learning Lab and Proposal Writing Training) and the ENoLL Knowledge Hub (resource-sharing portal for members). Together, these products enable user-centred, open innovation ecosystems based on systematic user co-creation approaches integrating research and innovation processes in real-life communities and settings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Living Labs Network
• ENoLL Labelling and Certification

Quantifiable outcome

• Living Labs provide real-world environments for companies to test products, services, and business models with real users under real conditions, reducing capital commitment risk
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 June 2026ENoLL continues collaboration with Smart City Expo World Congress, taking place in Barcelona, Spain, from 3-5 November 2026. Recognised as the world's largest and most influential event for cities and urban innovation, SCEWC brings together industry leaders, policymakers, and researchers. ENoLL provides free tickets for members.
• Urban FuturecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 January 2026New partnership with Urban Future, one of Europe's leading sustainability events focusing on cities. ENoLL members can attend UF26 in Ljubljana (24-27 March 2026) for 399 EUR instead of regular 899 EUR. ENoLL will actively participate with a dedicated session.
• IoT Solutions World CongresscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 February 2025Renewal of strategic partnership as part of the IoT Solutions World Congress Ambassador Programme. Grants ENoLL members privileged networking with global IoT leaders. Event held 13-15 May 2025 at Gran Via Venue, Barcelona. Benefits include discounted Full Congress Pass (€495 for €225) and free Expo+ Pass (€200 value).
• WeMind ClusterminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 November 2024Media partnership with WeMind Cluster for WeMind International Forum, taking place November 26-27 at World Trade Center in Barcelona. Forum focuses on mental health, personal autonomy, and neurosciences. ENoLL promotes innovative, patient-centred approaches through collaboration.
• Living-in.EU MovementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerENoLL serves as the political advisory body of the Living-in.EU Movement, advocating for local and regional voices in European digital and green transitions. Movement focuses on AI, data platforms, and inclusive digitalisation.
• VITALISE Project ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVITALISE Horizon 2020 project established Health and Wellbeing Living Lab ecosystem. Recognised as best practice in integrating Social Sciences and Humanities. Created Harmonization Body for Living Lab procedures and established standards for Health and Wellbeing Living Lab procedures.
• SOILL Framework PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerENoLL coordinates SOILL Framework Partnership and SOILL-Startup project, funded by European Commission's Mission 'A Soil Deal for Europe'. Actions aim to support the network of 100 Soil Health Living Labs and Lighthouses across Europe.
• SCORE Project ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerENoLL participates in SCORE project addressing water and climate-related hazards to enhance coastal city climate resilience. Reference project demonstrating how Living Labs address water and climate challenges.
• Urban Transitions MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerENoLL is actively involved as partner in Urban Transitions Mission and supporting project Urban Transitions Mission Center, contributing to climate-neutral city objectives.
• i2Cat FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in UN Science Summit sessions and Living Lab advocacy. Partnership focuses on Global Digital Compact and citizen-centric digital societies.
• UNDP Accelerator LabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerENoLL partners with UNDP Accelerator Labs to bridge global Living Labs and Accelerator Labs, exploring synergies in science, technology, and innovation for achieving SDGs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Impact Hub: Impact Hub is a global network of impact-focused innovation hubs and entrepreneurs across 100+ locations. It is comparable to ENoLL as a membership-based, geographically distributed innovation community offering curated programming, capacity building, and access to a community of practice for changemakers.
• Climate-KIC: Climate-KIC is one of EIT's Knowledge and Innovation Communities, operating as a pan-European open innovation community tackling climate challenges through systemic innovation. It is comparable to ENoLL in operating as a large, EU-funded, multi-country innovation community with a network-of-members model and deep policy ties.
• European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT): EIT is a pan-European EU body that manages Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) across Europe, coordinating innovation ecosystems spanning multiple sectors. Like ENoLL, it is EU-institutionally connected, membership-network-driven, and focused on convening innovation actors around shared methodologies and frameworks.
• Living-in.EU Movement: Living-in.EU is a European movement advancing local digital and green transitions through data platforms, AI, and inclusive digitalisation, with ENoLL serving as its political advisory body. It is comparable as a EU-affiliated, multi-stakeholder convening network operating in adjacent innovation-policy territory.
• UNDP Accelerator Labs: UNDP Accelerator Labs is a global network of in-country innovation labs supporting development solutions; ENoLL is an active partner exploring synergies between Living Labs and Accelerator Labs for SDG delivery. Both operate as globally distributed networks certifying or supporting local labs and convening innovation communities across very different geographies.

Broad incumbents

• Nesta: Nesta is a UK innovation foundation running programmes, research, and investment missions on health, climate, and economic growth. It is comparable to ENoLL as a mission-driven innovation organisation developing methodologies and convening ecosystems, but at foundation scale and with broader (non-Living-Lab) remit.
• European Innovation Council (EIC): The EIC is the European Commission's flagship innovation funding instrument supporting breakthrough start-ups and scale-ups. It is comparable to ENoLL as a major EU-level innovation ecosystem actor with overlapping constituency (researchers, deep-tech founders, investors) but focuses on grant/equity deployment rather than Living Lab methodology certification.
• World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution: The WEF Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution is a global multi-stakeholder network designing governance frameworks for emerging technologies. It is comparable to ENoLL as a globally recognised convening network with policy influence, but operates at much larger scale and broader remit than a Living Lab federation.

Emerging players

• Ashoka: Ashoka is a global network identifying and supporting leading social entrepreneurs (Ashoka Fellows) across 90+ countries. It is comparable to ENoLL as a curated, membership-style network of changemakers backed by a recognised brand, although focused on social entrepreneurship rather than user-centred innovation infrastructure.
• CERN IdeaSquare: CERN IdeaSquare is an innovation space at CERN prototyping co-creation between physicists, engineers, and external innovators. It is comparable to ENoLL as a research-driven open innovation initiative, though at single-site scale and focused on deep-tech rather than the broader Living Lab community ENoLL orchestrates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/enoll-european-network-of-living-labs-
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ENoLLChannel
• Xx.com/openlivinglabs
• Facebookfacebook.com/183279365022785

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about European Network of Living Labs