IRDA

What IRDA does

IRDA (Institut de recherche et de développement en agroenvironnement) is a Quebec-based non-profit research institute founded in 1998 that conducts applied agri-environmental research and develops tools, technologies, and decision-support systems for Quebec's agricultural sector. Its portfolio spans plant protection, soil health, water management, air quality, biomass valorization, and livestock production practices, supported by a multidisciplinary team of more than 100 researchers, technicians, and administrative staff across a head office in Quebec City, a research center in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, and three experimental farms/orchards in Deschambault-Grondines, Saint-Lambert-de-Lauzon, and Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville. The institute's core technology stack combines environmental DNA sequencing, high-throughput genomics, and artificial intelligence for soil microbiome analysis (via the Microbial Ecology Laboratory) with proprietary applied technologies including exclusion netting for pesticide-free apple production, IRDA-designed automated pest monitoring traps, and a suite of decision-support tools (ProfilSol, EstimEau, Horus, Terranimo) calibrated to Quebec conditions.

IRDA's outputs include physico-chemical and biological laboratory analysis services, Quebec-wide soil data and mapping products, research publications and technical fact sheets, and collaborative applied research projects. Its business model is that of a publicly-supported research organization rather than a commercial software vendor: core funding flows from the Canadian Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (PCAD, 2023-2028) and from MAPAQ programs (Prime-Vert, Innov'Action agroalimentaire, Green Fund), supplemented by project-specific grants and collaborative funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, producer associations (e.g., Producteurs de pommes du Québec), and academic partners including École Polytechnique Montréal, École de technologie supérieure, McGill University, UQAM, and Dalhousie. Knowledge is disseminated to Quebec agricultural producers, agronomists, and extension services via publications, demonstration sites, podcasts, videos, and direct technology transfer through agricultural clubs. The institute also operates a 2025-2030 research chair in open robotic systems for crop protection, integrating AI and ground/aerial robotics with industry partners such as KopTR Solutions and Désherbex.

Name

IRDA

Legal name

Institut de recherche et de développement en agroenvironnement

Website

https://irda.qc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

IRDA is a Quebec-based non-profit agri-environmental research institute founded in 1998 that develops decision-support tools, laboratory services, and applied technologies (soil microbiome AI, automated pest monitoring, exclusion netting) for Quebec's agricultural producers, funded primarily through federal and provincial government partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Quebec

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Research Funding: IRDA is a non-profit research institute supported primarily by the Canadian Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (PCAD), a federal, provincial and territorial initiative. Additional funding from MAPAQ through programs like Prime-Vert, Innov'Action agroalimentaire, and the Green Fund.
2. Research Services: Laboratory analysis services including physico-chemical analyses, biological analyses, and microbial ecology services provided to agricultural sector clients

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IRDA is a non-profit agri-environmental research institute that conducts multidisciplinary research on plant protection, soil health, water management, air quality, biomass valorization, and livestock farming practices. It delivers research services, laboratory analyses, decision-support tools (ProfilSol, EstimEau, Horus, Terranimo), and Quebec soil data products to agricultural producers, advisors, and government agencies.

Product overview

IRDA is a non-profit research institute in agri-environment innovation. Rather than a unified commercial product, IRDA offers a portfolio of research services, decision-support tools, laboratory services, and data resources. Key offerings include: ProfilSol (mobile app for soil structure assessment), EstimEau and Horus (water management decision-support tools), Terranimo (soil compaction evaluation), and Quebec soil data services. Laboratory services cover physico-chemical analyses, biological analyses, and microbial ecology. The institute also conducts research programs including the Open Robotics Chair for Crop Protection integrating AI with robotic systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ProfilSol Mobile application for qualifying the structure of Quebec agricultural soils, enabling field assessment of soil health for farmers and agronomists.
• EstimEau Decision-support tool for farm-level water management, helping producers optimize water use and protect water quality.
• Horus Decision-support tool offered by IRDA for agricultural management.
• Terranimo Tool for evaluating soil compaction risks from agricultural machinery, helping assess and manage soil compaction on-farm.
• Quebec Soil Data (Données pédologiques du Québec) Comprehensive soil data including soil series fact sheets, soil maps of Quebec, and agricultural potential maps of Quebec soils.
• Physico-chemical Analyses Laboratory analysis services for physico-chemical properties of agricultural samples for the agricultural sector.
• Biological Analyses Biological analysis laboratory services for agricultural samples.
• Microbial Ecology Laboratory (Laboratoire d'écologie microbienne) Applied technological solutions to evaluate and optimize agricultural soil health using environmental DNA sequencing, high-throughput sequencing, genomics, and artificial intelligence to translate microbiome complexity into interactive digital decision-support tools.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.

• École Polytechnique MontréalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaboration on bio-based polymers for agricultural exclusion nets and robotics research for plant protection. Contributes engineering expertise to IRDA research projects.
• École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Chaire d'innovation en systèmes robotiques ouverts pour la phytoprotection (2025-2030). Contributes robotics and AI expertise for phytoprotection systems.
• Université McGillmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgronomy expertise partner in the robotics chair for phytoprotection research, providing agricultural science knowledge.
• Producteurs de pommes du QuébecmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor stakeholder in apple research including pest management, exclusion netting, and fire blight projects. Provides industry perspective and funding for applied research.
• Centre de recherche sur les grainsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on automated trap monitoring for orchard pest surveillance.
• Association des producteurs maraîchers du QuébecminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVegetable producer association participating in robotics chair for phytoprotection research.
• Association des producteurs de fraises et de framboises du QuébecminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBerry producer association participating in robotics research for phytoprotection in strawberry and small fruit production.
• Centre d'agriculture biologique du Canada (Université Dalhousie)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in organic agriculture research including exclusion netting for organic apple production.
• CETAB+ (Centre d'expertise et de transfert en agriculture biologique)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in biological agriculture research and technology transfer for Quebec farmers.
• Bio-ActionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural organization partner in flea beetle mass trapping research for organic crucifer production.
• OuranosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate consortium partner in research on climate change impacts on agricultural pest management.
• Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in striped cucumber beetle mass trapping research and rye cover crop studies.
• Carrefour industriel et expérimental de LanaudièreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional agricultural research partner in mass trapping projects for organic farming.
• Clubs d'encadrement techniqueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical agricultural clubs providing on-farm research collaboration and technology transfer to farmers.
• Ferme AgrifusionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFarm partner in robotics chair for phytoprotection, providing practical agricultural context for technology development.
• DésherbexminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeed management company partner in robotics research for automated weed detection and control.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International): International not-for-profit agricultural information and applied research organization operating across plant health, pest management, and sustainable agriculture. Comparable to IRDA in mission and information/extension orientation, though at global scale with strong digital publishing and advisory capability.
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC): Federal Canadian department conducting agricultural research at national scale across crops, livestock, and environment. AAFC is a major funder/partner of IRDA and represents a much larger incumbent peer with overlapping applied research priorities in sustainable agriculture, soil health, and climate adaptation.
• Rothamsted Research: The world's oldest agricultural research station (UK), focused on crop science, soil health, and agroecology. Comparable in its applied, field-oriented research portfolio and long-running public funding model.
• INRAE: France's national research institute for agriculture, food, and environment, formed from INRA and IRSTEA. Operates as a publicly funded multidisciplinary research body covering soil, water, biodiversity, and plant protection — directly paralleling IRDA's research scope at much greater scale.
• Wageningen University & Research: Global leading agricultural research institution spanning plant sciences, soil, water, climate, and food systems. Comparable research domains (soil health, water management, sustainable agriculture, plant protection) make it the canonical global incumbent against which applied institutes like IRDA are benchmarked.
• Cornell AgriTech: Cornell University's New York-based agricultural research campus covering horticulture, plant pathology, and applied agricultural technology. Comparable in applied horticulture/entomology focus, IP development, and industry partnerships, but at substantially greater scale and US orientation.

Direct peers

• Vineland Research and Innovation Centre: Canadian horticultural research institute focused on applied solutions for fruit, vegetable, and ornamental crops. Closely comparable to IRDA in horticultural crop protection (including fruit entomology), public funding model, and emphasis on applied tools and technology transfer to growers.
• Centre de recherche sur les grains (CÉROM): Quebec-based non-profit crop research centre focused on grain production. Highly comparable to IRDA as a publicly funded, Quebec-anchored applied agricultural research organization serving regional producers with similar multidisciplinary R&D, on-farm trials, and extension services.
• CETAB+ (Centre d'expertise et de transfert en agriculture biologique): Quebec non-profit specializing in organic agriculture research and technology transfer. Directly comparable to IRDA's organic farming collaboration track and operates as an applied research + extension organization with similar funding and partnership models.

Others

• Ouranos: Quebec-based climate change research consortium. Listed as an IRDA partner and thematically aligned through shared work on climate change impacts on agricultural pest management, but focused on climate science rather than direct agricultural applied research.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLGcQ4nX4PS2xy4I50Mi7gEVQu5lmCws98
• Xx.com/irda_qc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about IRDA