IrisBG

What IrisBG does

IrisBG is a modular botanical collection management software platform developed and distributed by Compositae AS, a privately held Norwegian company founded in 1996 by Øyvind H. Rustan in collaboration with the Botanical Garden at the University of Oslo. The software serves botanical gardens, arboreta, herbaria, and private estates worldwide, with an installed base of more than 250 institutions across 27+ countries. The product is built as a Windows desktop application backed by MS SQL Server, with optional cloud hosting on Microsoft Azure SQL, web-facing modules (Web Explorer, Web Store) running on IIS/ASP.NET, and mobile field-data collection through an ESRI ArcGIS Field Maps integration. Its architecture combines a Standard Package covering accessions, taxonomy, mapping, labeling, reporting, and user authorization with optional add-on modules (Mapping, Observations, Store Management, Multilingual Data, PGSIP) and closed API integrations to taxonomic authorities (POWO, WFO) plus Darwin Core Archive export for GBIF and BGCI. Version 4, released in 2018, represents the current major platform iteration, with continuous feature releases issued approximately twice per year through March 2026.

The company operates a primarily subscription-based revenue model with annual software licenses priced by concurrent-user bands and number of collections, supplemented by one-time setup and data-migration fees (typically 5-10 working days per engagement), recurring managed cloud-hosting and web-hosting services, and on-site or train-the-trainer professional services. Distribution is direct via downloadable MSI installers, a self-service price calculator, a 60-day free trial, and a Google Calendar scheduling link for demos; a discounted channel exists for members of Botanic Gardens Australia & New Zealand (BGANZ), and a Sponsorship Program reduces fees for institutions with annual budgets under USD 150,000. Go-to-market combines enterprise field sales with strong community-led growth through monthly Coffee Chats, a Zendesk-backed user forum, and active sponsorship of industry conferences (APGA, EuroGard, BGCI, BGANZ, PlantNetwork), formalized in 2024 through partnerships with BGCI and BGANZ. The organization remains small and bootstrapped, with no external institutional investors and family-led management, focused on a niche institutional market where domain depth and 25+ years of specialized development constitute the primary competitive differentiators.

Name

IrisBG

Legal name

Compositae AS

Website

https://irisbg.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IrisBG, developed by Norway's Compositae AS since 1996, provides modular database and software for managing botanical collections at gardens, arboreta, and herbaria, serving 250+ institutions across 27+ countries on a subscription-based model with optional cloud hosting and field-data integration.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses: Annual subscription model for software licenses including Standard Package and optional modules (Mapping, Data Import, Store Management, Web Explorer, Web Store, Multilingual Data). Pricing based on concurrent users (1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, or Unlimited) and number of collections (2-10). Annual fee includes support, training material, updates, and improvements.
2. Cloud Database Hosting: Microsoft Azure SQL cloud database hosting service with 99.95% guaranteed availability. Includes database management, configurations, backups, security, and performance optimization.
3. Web Hosting Services: Web Explorer and Web Store hosting services including installation of new versions, server upgrades, troubleshooting, and server management.
4. Data Migration Services: Data migration service undertaken by experienced botanist with in-depth database knowledge. Includes data cleaning. Migration typically takes 5-10 working days depending on collection size and data complexity.
5. Training Services: Training courses including on-site training with instructor and training-the-trainer programs for larger organizations. Self-paced training with Q&A follow-up included with each purchase.
6. Web Map Hosting: Web map hosting service for custom maps. Free hosting for one custom map; additional maps at additional cost.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

IrisBG develops and distributes a modular database and software platform for managing botanical collections and operating gardens productively. The solution covers living plant accessions, preserved material (herbarium specimens, seeds, DNA), taxonomic hierarchy, mapping, observations, indexing/exchanges, label production, and public-facing web catalogues for botanical gardens, arboreta, herbaria, and private estates. Revenue is generated primarily through annual software subscriptions, optional add-on modules, managed cloud hosting, and ancillary services such as data migration and training.

Product overview

IrisBG is a modular botanical collection management software platform consisting of a core Standard Package plus optional add-on modules. The core platform provides comprehensive accessions management, taxonomic hierarchy, reporting, labeling, task management, and user authorization. Optional modules extend capabilities including Mapping for GIS/visualization, Web Explorer for public-facing websites, Store Management and Web Store for Index Seminum and catalog distribution, Data Import for bulk operations, and Multilingual Data for international audiences. IrisBG also offers managed hosting services for cloud databases, web maps, and web modules. The platform integrates with ArcGIS for mobile field data collection and provides closed API connections to World Flora Online (WFO) and Plants of the World Online (POWO) for taxonomic verification. Version 4, released in 2018, represents the current major platform iteration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Garden Explorer: Web Explorer module for sharing plant collection data with the public, including maps, features, tours and searchable plant lists
• Index Seminum

Products and services

• IrisBG Standard Package Core software platform providing comprehensive botanical collection management functionality for botanical gardens, arboreta, herbaria, and private estates. Includes accessions with plant and determination history, taxonomic hierarchy, images, map coordinates, reports (BGCI, GBIF/Darwin Core Archive), labels with Word templates, barcode/QR-code support, tasks, exchanges, inspections, tours, funding, features, contacts, personnel, library, permits management, user authorization with roles, code lists validation, custom fields, system tasks, and an integrated task scheduler.
• Preserved Material Module Module for recording non-living material types such as herbarium specimens, seeds, and DNA material. Users can define custom types and related code lists and create detailed propagation protocols; included in the Standard Package since spring 2022.
• Observations Module Module designed for plant phenology and various observation types in collections including pest and disease scouting; users can define custom observation types and record changes over time.
• Mapping Module Optional module for displaying and updating map coordinates for plants, garden locations, features, and accession localities. Supports multiple map providers including Google Maps, Bing Maps, OpenStreetMap, and ArcGIS/ArcGIS Online with WMS/WMTS. Enables plotting records directly on maps and exporting map data.
• Web Explorer (Garden Explorer) Public-facing website module for sharing plant collections with maps, features, tours, and searchable plant lists. Responsive design for desktops, tablets, and smartphones with custom styling, multilingual content, GPS and QR code integration, and on-demand or scheduled data uploads via Task Scheduler.
• Store Management Module Module for preparing catalogues to offer plant material such as Index Seminum or other material to other gardens or the public, with PDF publication and/or upload to Web Store, order handling, and shipping label printing.
• Web Store Module Public web module for publishing store catalogues (e.g., Index Seminum) online, enabling direct order reception, email confirmations, and automatic notifications when new catalogues are available. Requires the Store Management module.
• Data Import Module Module for importing data directly from XLSX (Excel) and CSV files with the same validation as manual data entry, enabling bulk data operations.
• Multilingual Data Module Module for entering data in different languages using dedicated fields, with full support for reports, labels, Data Import, and Web Explorer including right-to-left languages.
• Cloud Database Hosting Service Managed database hosting service using Microsoft Azure SQL with 99.95% guaranteed availability, including complete database configuration, connections, backups, security, and performance management by IrisBG.
• Web Explorer and Web Store Hosting Managed hosting service for Web Explorer and Web Store websites, including installation of new versions, server upgrades, troubleshooting, and server management.
• Web Map Hosting Service Web map hosting service for custom maps used in IrisBG or Web Explorer, with one custom map hosted free of charge and additional maps available at additional cost; IrisBG manages configuration of vector or raster data uploads.
• IrisBG-ArcGIS Mobile Integration Mobile data collection capability using ESRI ArcGIS Field Maps app, enabling users to add new records, edit existing collection data, update coordinates, add images, complete tasks, filter, and search on iOS or Android devices in online or offline contexts.
• PGSIP Add-on Optional add-on for Morton Arboretum's Public Gardens as Sentinels against Invasive Plants (PGSIP) initiative, enabling tracking and exporting data on invasive plant material with custom attributes and code lists for upload to the PGSIP database.
• Training Services Training courses including on-site training with an instructor and training-the-trainer programs for larger organizations, with self-paced training and Q&A follow-up included with each purchase.
• Data Migration Services Data migration service undertaken by an experienced botanist with in-depth database knowledge, including data cleaning. Migration typically takes 5-10 working days depending on collection size and data complexity; taxonomy updated to APG IV classification.
• IrisBG Sponsorship Program Reduced-fee program for gardens and arboreta committed to education, research, and conservation but facing financing challenges, targeting institutions with annual budgets up to USD 150,000; requires proof of budget, statement of intent, completion of free training, and commitment to contribute to a botanical society.

Quantifiable outcome

• Data migration typically takes 5-10 working days depending on collection size and data complexity
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature11 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BGANZ (Botanic Gardens Australia & New Zealand)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Long-term partnership to advance plant conservation and biodiversity. Connects BGANZ's network of 120 botanic gardens, arboreta, and allied institutions across Australia and New Zealand with IrisBG's community-focused plant collections system. IrisBG offers BGANZ members advantageous discounts on licenses and services. Collaborative annual projects planned including 'Beginners Guide to Plant Accessioning' in 2025.
• BGCI (Botanic Gardens Conservation International)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Formalized longstanding relationship with Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). BGCI is the largest global plant conservation network. Partnership aims to inspire enhanced record-keeping practices, improve data standards, and encourage data-driven analytics. Focus on making plant species and population information more accessible for conservation efforts.
• ESRI (ArcGIS)coreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration partnership enabling IrisBG users to access and modify plant records using ESRI Field Maps app on iOS and Android devices. Supports online and offline mobile data collection with custom basemaps, coordinate updates, and task completion.
• American Public Gardens Association (APGA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership and active sponsorship. Sponsors and participates in APGA Sustainability Index Webinar-series. Exhibits at Annual APGA Conferences since 2012.
• PlantNetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership organization for plant record keepers in Britain and Ireland. IrisBG sponsors annual Plant Records meetings and participates in presentations.
• Norwegian Botanical AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership in Norwegian Botanical Association (NBF).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Recollect: Recollect is a digital collections platform focused on public-facing access to cultural and natural history collections, including botanical content. It is an emerging player with partial overlap to IrisBG's Web Explorer module, particularly for institutions prioritizing visitor-facing digital experiences alongside collection management.

Direct peers

• Symbiota: Symbiota is an open-source biodiversity collections management platform widely used by herbaria and natural history collections to manage specimen records, images, and occurrence data. It is a direct competitor to IrisBG in the herbarium/plant collection management space, particularly for institutions prioritizing free, community-driven software over commercial subscriptions.
• Specify Software Project: Specify Software is an open-source collections management platform developed by the Specify Collections Consortium and used by natural history museums, herbaria, and botanical gardens to manage specimen and collection data. It competes directly with IrisBG for botanical collection management contracts, with overlap in accessioning, taxonomy, and reporting functionality.
• BRAHMS (Botanical Research and Herbarium Management System): BRAHMS, developed at the University of Oxford / Naturalis, is a botanical collection management system used widely by herbaria and research botanists for managing taxonomic, specimen, and biodiversity data. It is a direct peer to IrisBG in the herbarium/botanical research management segment, especially among research-oriented institutions.

Broad incumbents

• Gallery Systems (TMS): Gallery Systems offers The Museum System (TMS), an established collections management platform used by museums and cultural heritage institutions globally. It is a broad incumbent adjacent to IrisBG's market, occasionally competing for natural history collections and herbarium management mandates at larger institutions.
• Axiell Collections (KE EMu): Axiell's collections management suite (including the EMu platform acquired from KE Software) is a broad incumbent serving museums, galleries, libraries, and natural history collections worldwide. While it is not a botanical-specialist, its modules for natural history and specimens compete with IrisBG at larger institutions seeking a unified collections platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheIrisBG

Compliance1 record

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

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about IrisBG