EcoBIRD

What EcoBIRD does

EcoBIRD is a French process engineering bureau founded in 1998 and headquartered in Chaponost, near Lyon, specializing in nature-based and ecological engineering solutions for water treatment. The company designs, develops, and delivers constructed-wetland and hybrid green infrastructure for wastewater, stormwater, sludge, and micropollutant treatment. It serves municipalities, water utilities, industrial operators (cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, airports, distilleries), real-estate developers, and government institutions, with more than 1,500 references in France and active project delivery across 15+ countries.

The company's technology portfolio centers on six registered proprietary processes — Rhizosph'air®, Biho-filtre®, Phragmifiltre®, Phragmicompostage®, Hydr'Epur®, and LifeAdsorb — each addressing a defined water or waste treatment problem, from aerated constructed wetlands to micropollutant adsorption. Its internal ORAGE design tool supports engineering workflows, and EcoBIRD is co-author of industry guides on constructed wetlands. The firm holds French Research Ministry approval as an R&D provider and qualifies for the Crédit d'Impôt Recherche (CIR) tax credit, and is an active participant in EU LIFE, Horizon 2020, and FASEP-funded R&D consortia alongside partners such as FCC AQUALIA, INRAE, ARTELIA, and Eau de Paris.

EcoBIRD's business model combines engineering consulting, project management and supervision, R&D program execution, and licensing of its proprietary processes. Revenue is generated through feasibility studies, design and construction oversight for public and private clients, participation in co-funded research programs, and the licensing of named treatment technologies. With a team of roughly 11–13 specialized engineers and researchers, the company operates as a niche, partner-driven engineering boutique rather than a high-volume product or SaaS business.

Name

EcoBIRD

Legal name

BUREAU D'INGENIERIE DE RECHERCHE ET DE DEVELOPPEMENT EN ECOLOGIE - ECOBIRD

Website

https://ecobird.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EcoBIRD is a French process engineering bureau specializing in nature-based and constructed-wetland water treatment solutions. It licenses proprietary technologies including Rhizosph'air® and Biho-filtre® to municipalities, industrial operators, and developers across more than 15 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Engineering Services / Ecological Wastewater Treatment

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Equipment (Clarifiers, Aeration, Membrane Systems) (IMAHAEAJ)

Keywords

• Ecological wastewater treatment
• Constructed wetlands engineering
• Nature-based water solutions
• Wastewater process engineering
• Municipal sanitation infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Chaponost

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consulting Services: EcoBIRD provides engineering consulting including feasibility studies, process diagnostics, technical specifications, detailed design, and construction supervision for water treatment systems.
2. R&D Project Management: Management of R&D projects funded by European programs (Life, H2020) and government agencies, including demonstration site development and performance monitoring.
3. Technology Licensing: Licensing of proprietary treatment technologies (Rhizosph'air®, Biho-filtre®, Phragmifiltre®) to municipalities and industrial clients for wastewater treatment installations.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

EcoBIRD is a process engineering bureau providing engineering consulting, technical studies, feasibility analysis, detailed design, and construction supervision for nature-based wastewater treatment systems using constructed wetlands. The company also licenses proprietary treatment technologies (Rhizosph'air®, Biho-filtre®, Phragmifiltre®, Phragmicompostage®, Hydr'Epur®) and participates in EU-funded R&D projects for ecological engineering solutions targeting municipal, industrial, and international development clients.

Product overview

EcoBIRD is an engineering bureau specializing in ecological wastewater treatment solutions, offering a portfolio of nature-based technologies centered around constructed wetlands (planted reed filters). The core product family includes Rhizosph'air® (aerated reed beds), Biho-filtre® (compact filters), Phragmifiltre® (standard reed bed filters), and Hydr'Epur® (stormwater systems). Supporting technologies include Phragmicompostage® for sludge treatment and LSPR (planted drying beds) for fecal sludge management. The LifeAdsorb approach addresses micropollution treatment in urban stormwater. Design capabilities are supported by the ORAGE software tool. All solutions are built on ecological engineering principles using biological processes in vegetated filtration systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rhizosph'air®: Aerated constructed wetland system for raw wastewater treatment
• Biho-filtre®
• Phragmifiltre®
• Phragmicompostage®
• Hydr'Epur®

Products and services

• EcoBIRD Engineering Consulting Services Engineering consulting services for water treatment infrastructure including feasibility studies, process diagnostics, technical specifications, detailed design, and construction supervision. Serves municipalities, industrial clients, and government institutions using nature-based/ecological engineering approaches.
• Rhizosph'air® Aerated constructed wetland system for raw wastewater treatment combining forced aeration with planted filters. Designed as a compact, decentralized treatment solution for raw domestic wastewater.
• Biho-filtre® Compact vertical flow constructed wetland system for space-constrained applications. Designed for wastewater treatment where land area is limited. Evidence of efficacy validated by INRAE.
• Phragmifiltre® Constructed wetland technology based on planted reed bed filters for raw wastewater treatment, with published French experience data. Used in combined sewer overflow treatment and other wastewater applications.
• Phragmicompostage® Treatment system for activated sludge and fecal sludge using planted reed drying beds (LSPR). Enables sludge dewatering and percolate treatment. Includes fecal sludge and pit latrine waste treatment applications.
• Hydr'Epur® Vegetated system for stormwater management and combined sewer overflow treatment, including stormwater basins and planted filters for urban drainage contexts.
• ORAGE Software Design aid software for constructed wetland treatment systems. Includes a 'micropollutants' module for considering metallic and organic pollutants in design calculations alongside DCO (chemical oxygen demand) and ammonium parameters. Supports sizing of treatment plants for engineers and project designers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Life ADSORB project targets 95% pollutant reduction (MES, metallic and organic micropollutants) from stormwater runoff
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 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

Feature6 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• AqualiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Lead partner in Life INTEXT project. ECOBIRD's Rhizosph'Air® and Phragmifiltre® processes are tested on demonstration platforms combining intensive and extensive technologies.
• École des Ponts Paris TechmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Academic partner in Life ADSORB project contributing research expertise on constructed wetlands and micropolutant modeling.
• CEREMAmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Public research organization partner in Life ADSORB project providing expertise in urban environment and water management.
• Université Paris-Est CréteilminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Academic partner in Life ADSORB project contributing research capacity in water treatment and environmental science.
• Syntea TDcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Technology partner in Life INTEXT project. ECOBIRD/SYNTEA developed Rhizosph'Air® technology for combined intensive-extensive treatment systems.
• CENTAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Spanish technology center partner in Life INTEXT project.
• ProjarminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Spanish company partner in Life INTEXT project.
• Université d'AarhusminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Danish university partner in Life INTEXT project.
• AutarconminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Technology partner in Life INTEXT project.
• AimenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Spanish technology center partner in Life INTEXT project.
• FINTminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Finnish innovation partner in Life INTEXT project.
• FCC AQUALIAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Lead partner in NICE H2020 project for nature-based urban water cycle solutions. ECOBIRD handles stormwater/overflow treatment performance evaluation.
• ICLEI European SecretariatmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner in NICE H2020 project. ICLEI provides urban sustainability expertise and network for nature-based solutions deployment.
• Politechnika GdanskaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Polish technical university partner in NICE H2020 project.
• Aarhus UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Danish university partner in NICE H2020 project contributing research on nature-based solutions.
• Politecnico di TorinominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Italian technical university partner in NICE H2020 project.
• IRIDRAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Italian engineering firm partner in NICE H2020 project specializing in nature-based solutions.
• Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet (SLU)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences partner in NICE H2020 project.
• LISODEminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021French consulting firm partner in NICE H2020 project.
• Gate2Growth ApsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Danish growth advisory partner in NICE H2020 project supporting innovation commercialization.
• Desert Research CentreminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Egyptian research institution partner in NICE H2020 project.
• Aguas y Aguas de PereiraminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Colombian water utility partner in NICE H2020 project.
• ARTELIAcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2020Lead partner in FASEP 'Grandeur Nature' project in Madagascar. ECOBIRD/SYNTEA provides Rhizosph'air® technology for decentralized wastewater treatment.
• Ville de PariscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partner in Life ADSORB project for testing nature-based depollution of stormwater runoff from Paris ring road in Bois de Boulogne. ECOBIRD contributes to mechanistic modeling and ORAGE software evolution.
• INRAE (Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Research partner in Life ADSORB project and REFLET platform. Collaborates on technology validation and ORAGE software development for treatment plant design.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IRIDRA: Italian engineering firm specializing in nature-based solutions for stormwater and wastewater treatment. A direct comparable: same niche, similar scale, and explicitly a NICE H2020 consortium partner with EcoBIRD.
• Syntea TD: Hungarian technology/engineering firm partnering with EcoBIRD on Life INTEXT and the Rhizosph'Air® deployment. Directly comparable as a small specialist engineering bureau applying nature-based treatment technology.

Regional players

• Aimen: Spanish technology center participating in Life INTEXT alongside EcoBIRD. Adjacent/regional peer working on water and process technologies in the Iberian market; comparable in scope of nature-based treatment R&D.

Broad incumbents

• Ecolab: Global water and hygiene solutions provider serving industrial customers including food & beverage, pharma, and cosmetics — segments overlapping with EcoBIRD's industrial client base. Operates at vastly larger scale with chemistry-centric rather than ecology-centric solutions.
• Xylem: Global water technology company offering treatment equipment and services. Represents a scaled incumbent ecosystem participant against which EcoBIRD's niche nature-based offering must differentiate on cost and ecological footprint.
• FCC AQUALIA: Spanish water utility and treatment provider, lead partner on NICE H2020 alongside EcoBIRD. A broad incumbent that competes with EcoBIRD for municipal water contracts at much larger scale.
• SUEZ: Global water services group with strong presence in France. Overlaps with EcoBIRD on municipal wastewater and sludge management, though at much larger scale and with broader conventional technology offerings.
• Veolia: Global water and wastewater services incumbent with extensive municipal and industrial treatment footprint. Competes with EcoBIRD on large municipal tenders and increasingly incorporates nature-based solutions into its portfolio.
• ARTELIA: Major French engineering consultancy with water, environment, and infrastructure practices. Partners with EcoBIRD on FASEP Madagascar and incorporates EcoBIRD's technologies; competes more broadly for municipal engineering mandates.

Emerging players

• LISODE: French consulting firm specializing in decentralized sanitation and resource recovery, listed as a NICE H2020 partner. A small emerging peer with directly comparable mission and end-customers (utilities, municipalities, development agencies).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 EcoBIRD