META Group

What META Group does

META Group is a privately held European Research Accelerator founded in 1993 in Terni (Umbria, Italy) by two researchers and now operating from offices in Italy, Belgium (Brussels), Poland (Warsaw) and Slovenia (Ljubljana). The firm specialises in bridging the "Valley of Death" between publicly funded research and market application, using a proprietary Research Angels™ methodology in which startup-oriented business experts are embedded inside research teams from TRL 1 to TRL 6. Its core product is a two-phase Acceleration Programme: a Framing Phase (competition analysis, market definition, segmentation, unique-value-proposition building) followed by an Exploitation Phase (business modelling, IP strategy, solution marketing, access to finance), complemented by Knowledge Valorisation tools (Lean Canvas Guide, Exploitation Roadmap, Pitch Structure Template) and supporting services such as capacity building and technical assistance.

The business model blends EU-funded programme services with sweat-equity commitments. META is the leading consortium partner for the European Commission's Horizon Results Booster and runs the IP Booster and Common Exploitation Booster initiatives; these services are delivered free-of-charge to EU-funded projects and are funded through EC framework contracts. Concurrently, the Acceleration Programme operates on a partnership/sweat-equity basis, with META providing hands-on guidance in exchange for equity or success-based compensation that converts from Research Angel into Business Angel as ventures mature. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and contracts are multi-year, tailored per research team. Customer cohorts span research teams and PIs, universities and tech-transfer offices, EU institutions/public bodies, and early-stage investors; named portfolio spans medical devices (Angiodroid), orthopaedics (GreenBone Ortho), cancer theranostics (PHIRE at IRCCS San Raffaele), green hydrogen (HYScale), CO2-to-fuels (ECO2Fuel), nanobiotech pathogen detection (ECLIPSE at University of Bologna) and NEMS neuroimaging (OXiNEMS at CNR). Leadership is founder-controlled: Andrea Di Anselmo serves as President & Co-Founder, Alessia Melasecche Germini as Director & CEO, Luigi Amati as Director & Co-Founder (and co-founder of Italian Angels for Growth), with Anna Amati as Vice-President & Co-Founder.

Name

META Group

Legal name

META Group

Website

https://meta-group.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

META Group is a European Research Accelerator founded in 1993 that embeds Research Angels™ inside research teams to bridge the gap between publicly funded research and market application across TRL 1–6.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. EU-funded Project Services: META Group generates revenue through European Commission funded initiatives including Horizon Results Booster, IP Booster, and other dissemination and exploitation support services for EU research projects. Services are often provided free-of-charge to EU-funded projects.
2. Acceleration Programme Services: Long-term partnership model based on sweat equity - providing hands-on guidance in exchange for equity or success-based compensation as research teams progress through innovation journey.
3. Knowledge Valorisation Consulting: Direct engagement with research institutions, universities, and entrepreneurs to provide expertise in IP management, market identification, access to finance, and go-to-market activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

META Group is a European Research Accelerator that helps research teams, universities, and EU-funded projects commercialise their results. Through its proprietary Research Angel™ model, the firm embeds startup-oriented business experts within research teams from TRL 1 to TRL 6, delivering a two-phase Acceleration Programme covering market analysis, IP strategy, business modelling, and access to finance. The company also manages European Commission initiatives such as the Booster, Horizon Results Booster, and IP Booster programmes.

Product overview

META Group is a European Research Accelerator offering a unified service portfolio centered on its Acceleration Programme and Research Angels™ methodology. The core offering includes two structured phases (Framing and Exploitation) guiding researchers from TRL 1 to TRL 6. Related services include Booster, Horizon Results Booster, and Intellectual Property Booster (all European Commission initiatives managed by META Group). Supporting tools include Pitch Structure Template, Exploitation Roadmap, and Lean Canvas Guide. The company also provides solutions in Knowledge Valorisation, Access to Risk Capital, and Innovation Policy, complemented by Capacity Building, Competence Building, and Technical Assistance support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Acceleration Programme

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and supporting.

• European CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMETA Group is a key partner in multiple European Commission initiatives including Horizon Results Booster, IP Booster, and the Booster initiative. They lead dissemination and exploitation support services for EU-funded research projects, aligning with EC objectives to bridge the gap between research and market application.
• European Innovation Council (EIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive participation in EIC Summit 2026 and other EIC initiatives supporting the European innovation ecosystem. META Group experts contribute to discussions on exploitation, Business Angels, and scale-up challenges.
• INSME (International Network for SMEs)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerMETA Group is an INSME key partner, bringing distinctive expertise to support INSME's goals for international SME innovation support.
• IASP (Worldwide Organization of Science Parks)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork partner connecting META Group with science parks and research institutions globally for knowledge sharing and ecosystem development.
• Business Angels EuropekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded initiative contributing to the launch of angel investing in Italy and across Europe. Luigi Amati serves as co-founder of Italian Angels for Growth.
• EBN (European Business Centres Network)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork partner supporting META Group's reach to business centres and innovation support organizations across Europe.
• CrowdhelixsupportingTechnology or IntegrationInternational association of innovation players providing network connections for research and innovation collaboration.
• EURICEsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPart of the Horizon Results Booster consortium providing dissemination and exploitation support services.
• ECLIPSE Consortium (University of Bologna, Mario Negri Institute, KIT, University of Messina, University of Milan, Personal Genomics, CSEM)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerMETA Group serves as exploitation partner in the ECLIPSE project developing nanobiotechnological platform for pathogen detection. Consortium led by University of Bologna for 42 months.
• OXiNEMS Consortium (Italian National Research Council, Chalmers University, University of Hamburg, D'Annunzio University, Quantified Air BV)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerMETA Group supports exploitation of research results for Nanoelectromechanical systems project coordinated by Italian National Research Council.
• PHIRE Consortium (IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, University of Bologna, Ascend Technologies, Fujifilm Visualsonics)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerMETA Group provides Research Angel support to the bladder cancer theranostic project, helping shape the project toward market and investor readiness.
• widerAdvance Facility Consortium (IPPT PAN, FORTH, Xjenza Malta, FRCT, MESRS, APRE, Research Council of Lithuania, UNICO, ICONS, Europa Media, CVTI SR, TRUST-IT, SIPAC, CSIC, GOBCAN, RUIZIA)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerMETA Group partners in EU-funded initiative supporting research valorisation in Widening Countries and Outermost Regions, coordinated by IPPT PAN.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Emerging players

• ASTP (Association of European Science & Technology Transfer Professionals): ASTP is an emerging player — a European knowledge-transfer association that overlaps with META Group's exploitation and IP management focus, serving as a network partner for technology transfer offices.

Direct peers

• iCons Srl: iCons is a direct peer — a Horizon Results Booster consortium partner alongside META Group, providing dissemination and exploitation support services to EU-funded research initiatives.
• Ecorys: Ecorys is a direct peer — a Horizon Results Booster consortium partner alongside META Group, delivering research and innovation consulting, evaluation, and EU-funded project support services across Europe.
• Trust-IT Srl: Trust-IT is a direct peer — a Horizon Results Booster consortium partner with META Group, providing research communication, dissemination, and exploitation support to EU-funded research projects.
• PNO Consultants: PNO is a direct peer — co-consortium partner in the Horizon Results Booster alongside META Group, offering comparable EU-funded project dissemination, exploitation, and innovation management services.
• BDO Advisory CVBA: BDO Advisory is a direct peer — a Horizon Results Booster consortium partner with META Group, offering IP-related advisory and exploitation services to EU-funded research projects.
• EURICE European Research and Innovation Centre: EURICE is a direct peer — it is a member of the same Horizon Results Booster consortium alongside META Group, providing similar research management, dissemination, and exploitation support services to EU-funded projects.

Regional players

• APRE (Agenzia per la Promozione della Ricerca Europea): APRE is a regional player — Italy's national agency for promoting European research, providing comparable EU-funded project support and research dissemination services in the Italian market.

Others

• EBN (European Business Centres Network): EBN is a network partner — a European network of business innovation centres with overlapping objectives to META Group around supporting innovation ecosystems and connecting research to market.

Broad incumbents

• Steinbeis Foundation: Steinbeis is a broad incumbent — a large German-based technology transfer and enterprise services organization that operates similarly to META Group's Research Angel model at greater scale across multiple geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/METAGroupK2M
• Facebookfacebook.com/META.eu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/meta-group_2
• Xx.com/META_Group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments2 records

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

Frequently asked questions about META Group