Ecological Research Network

What Ecological Research Network does

Ecological Research Network (Ecornet) is the coordinating body of eight independent, non-profit environmental and sustainability research institutes in Germany, founded between 1977 and 1995 and legally managed by IÖW in Berlin. The member institutes — Ecologic Institut, ifeu, IÖW, ISOE, IZT, Öko-Institut, UfU, and Wuppertal Institut — collectively employ roughly 800–1,000 researchers and conduct transdisciplinary, policy-oriented research across climate, energy, biodiversity, circular economy, mobility, water, futures studies, and technology assessment. Ecornet's core technology is a transdisciplinary research methodology that integrates non-scientific actors into the research process and bridges scientific discipline boundaries, with each institute contributing deep domain specialization and the network enabling cross-institutional collaboration.

The business model is non-commercial and project-based. Member institutes finance operations almost entirely through third-party research grants from the European Commission, the European Parliament, German federal and state ministries, the Umweltbundesamt, civil society organizations, and foundations, supplemented by policy consulting and advisory services to government, industry, and civil society. Research outputs — policy briefs, scientific publications (~350 papers annually from Wuppertal Institut alone), podcasts, the 'Wissen. Wandel. Berlin.' report series, and stakeholder dialogues — are distributed freely rather than sold. Customer concentration is high and skews toward a small set of large German and EU public-sector funders; the model creates stable institutional revenue but limited commercial optionality.

Name

Ecological Research Network

Legal name

Institut für ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung GmbH (gemeinnützig) für Ecornet

Website

https://ecornet.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ecornet is a Berlin-based network of eight independent, non-profit German research institutes (Ecologic, ifeu, IÖW, ISOE, IZT, Öko-Institut, UfU, Wuppertal Institut) that deliver transdisciplinary environmental and sustainability research and policy advisory services to the European Commission, German ministries, and civil society under a third-party funded, project-grant model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental & Sustainability Research Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical & Scientific Expert Networks (BPAHALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Justice & Community Environmental Health (BPAGAGAL), Nature & Biodiversity Reporting (TNFD, natural capital) (EUAHAJAM), Carbon Policy Interface for Renewables (ETS/Offsets/Carbon Taxes) (EUAMANAI), Ecological Restoration Planning & Monitoring (Habitat, Wetland, Stream) (EUAHAHAF), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

Keywords

• Environmental research services
• Sustainability consulting
• Climate policy research
• Transdisciplinary research
• Energy transition research

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Third-Party Research Project Funding: The member institutes finance their research primarily through third-party funding for research projects. Funding sources include the European Commission, the European Parliament, German federal and state ministries, the German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt), civil society organizations, and numerous foundations. This model creates a permanent incentive for high innovation, flexibility, and connectivity to research and policy consulting addressees.
2. Policy Consulting and Advisory Services: Member institutes provide consultancy and advisory services to decision-makers in politics, industry, and civil society, drawing upon broad scientific and research methods and transdisciplinary approaches.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Ecological Research Network (Ecornet) is a coordination network for eight independent, non-profit institutes in Germany that collectively conduct transdisciplinary environmental and sustainability research and deliver policy advisory services. The network provides research outputs (reports, policy briefs, peer-reviewed publications), policy consulting for government ministries, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt), and civil society organizations, funded through third-party project grants.

Product overview

Ecological Research Network (Ecornet) is a network of eight independent, non-profit institutes for environmental and sustainability research in Germany. Rather than offering a unified software product or platform, it serves as a coordinating body for its member institutes: Ecologic Institut, ifeu (Institute for Energy and Environmental Research), IÖW (Institute for Ecological Economy Research), ISOE (Institute for Social-Ecological Research), IZT (Institute for Futures Studies and Technology Assessment), Öko-Institut, UfU (Independent Institute for Environmental Issues), and Wuppertal Institut. The network's offering consists of collaborative research projects, policy advisory services, publications (reports, policy briefs), podcasts, and educational resources focused on sustainability transformation. Member institutes collectively employ approximately 800-1,000 staff and conduct research across areas including climate policy, energy transition, circular economy, biodiversity, sustainable consumption, and environmental law.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Third-Party Funded Environmental and Sustainability Research Transdisciplinary research projects on environmental policy, climate, energy, biodiversity, circular economy, water, mobility, and sustainability governance, delivered to government ministries, EU institutions, environmental agencies, civil society, and foundations.
• Policy Consulting and Advisory Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Wuppertal Institut advances ~150 projects in 50 countries and releases ~350 scientific publications annually, with research results communicated in over 4,000 media reports per year.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• European CommissioncoreOthersThe European Commission is a primary funding partner for Ecologic Institut and other Ecornet member institutes, supporting research projects on EU environmental policy, climate policy, biodiversity, and sustainability governance across Europe.
• German Federal MinistriescoreOthersFederal ministries (including the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, Federal Ministry for Environment, etc.) commission and fund research projects across all Ecornet member institutes on topics ranging from energy transition to circular economy.
• Umweltbundesamt (German Environment Agency)coreOthersThe German Environment Agency commissions research from Ecornet institutes, including the 'Umweltdelikte' (environmental offences) statistical report series, supporting evidence-based German environmental policy.
• European ParliamentcoreOthersThe European Parliament is a key institutional partner for Ecornet institutes, engaging them for policy analysis and advisory services on EU environmental legislation and sustainability governance.
• Civil Society Organizations and FoundationsminorOthersVarious civil society organizations and foundations fund and collaborate on sustainability research projects with Ecornet member institutes, providing non-governmental perspectives on environmental challenges.
• Leading Universities WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcornet institutes, particularly Ecologic Institut, cooperate closely with leading universities worldwide in teaching, further education, and research collaborations, including active participation in the Ecological Research Network (Ecornet).
• Berlin-Institut für Bevölkerung und EntwicklungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Berlin Institute for Population and Development collaborated with IÖW and IW Consult on a study commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection regarding regional value creation from renewable energies.
• IW Consult (Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln Consult)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIW Consult partnered with IÖW and Berlin-Institut on a study on strengthening regional value creation through renewable energies, commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection.
• Bergische Universität Wuppertal (BUW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Wuppertal Institut and BUW maintain a strategic partnership through the 'Jülicher Modell,' with Professor Clemens Rohde holding a dual appointment as Abteilungsleiter at the Wuppertal Institut and Professor at BUW's Schumpeter School of Business and Economics. This partnership strengthens the connection between applied research, university teaching, and policy consulting.
• German Bundestag Office of Technology AssessmentcoreOthersSince August 2013, IZT has been part of a consortium that runs the Office of Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag, contributing expertise in organizing and analyzing social dialogues and discourses.
• Reiner Lemoine Institut (RLI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRLI collaborated with IÖW and IKEM on a study commissioned by the Berlin Senate Administration for Climate Protection on heat storage potential for a climate-neutral Berlin.
• IKEM (Institut für Klimaschutz, Energie und Mobilität)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIKEM partnered with IÖW and RLI on the Berlin heat storage study commissioned by the Berlin Senate Administration for Climate Protection.
• Statistisches Bundesamt (German Federal Statistical Office)minorOthersThe German Federal Statistical Office provides data for the 'Umweltdelikte' (environmental offences) statistical evaluation reports prepared by Ecologic Institut for the German Environment Agency.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA): International scientific institute based in Austria conducting systems analysis on environmental, energy, and sustainability challenges. Comparable to Ecornet in interdisciplinary research mission and policy advisory role, with stronger emphasis on quantitative modeling and broader international membership base.
• PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency: Dutch government-affiliated institute conducting strategic environmental analysis and policy assessment. Highly comparable to Ecornet's Öko-Institut and Umweltbundesamt-facing work, with similar transdisciplinary research approach and policy consulting function in a neighboring European market.
• Resources for the Future (RFF): Leading US non-profit environmental economics research institution. Comparable to Ecornet's Öko-Institut and IÖW in conducting independent, policy-relevant environmental and energy research, with similar grant-funded model and government advisory relationships.
• Stockholm Environment Institute: International non-profit research organization focused on environment and development policy, with ~300 staff across 8 global offices. Directly comparable to Ecornet in mission (transdisciplinary sustainability research), funding model (grants from governments and foundations), and policy advisory role, with stronger presence outside Europe.
• World Resources Institute (WRI): Global sustainability research organization with ~1,500 staff producing policy-relevant research on climate, energy, food, forests, and water. Comparable to Ecornet in mission and policy-advisory function, with substantially larger scale and stronger international brand recognition.

Broad incumbents

• Helmholtz Association: Germany's largest scientific organization with 18 research centers and ~45,000 staff. Comparable as a federated German research network, with overlapping climate and energy research (e.g., Forschungszentrum Jülich, KIT, Helmholtz-Zentrum hereon), though much larger and focused on large-scale basic and applied science.
• Fraunhofer Society: Germany's largest applied research organization with ~30,000 staff across 76 institutes. Comparable to Ecornet as a multi-institute German research network, but far larger and broader in scope, with stronger industry-facing commercialization and applied engineering focus rather than critical sustainability research.
• Leibniz Association: German research organization of 97 non-university institutes covering social sciences, environmental sciences, and economics. Several Leibniz institutes (e.g., ifW, IÖR) compete directly with Ecornet for sustainability and policy advisory mandates, with comparable size and structure.

Regional players

• IDDRI (Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations): French sustainability think tank conducting policy research on climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development. Comparable to Ecornet in transdisciplinary methodology and policy advisory role, but focused on French and EU policy rather than German federal policy.

Others

• International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB): International network for built environment research with member institutes across countries. Adjacent to Ecornet as a multi-institute research network model, though focused specifically on construction and buildings rather than broad environmental and sustainability research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Ecornet_eu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNZgoxZTMUMFQJm1Pf0mwQA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecornet-ecological-research-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Ecological Research Network