nova-Institut

What nova-Institut does

nova-Institut is an independent research institute and science-based consultancy headquartered in Hürth, Germany, founded in 1994. The firm supports the chemicals, plastics, and materials industries in transitioning from fossil-based to renewable carbon feedstocks — biomass, CO2-based sources, and recycling — through five interdisciplinary consulting departments: Technology & Markets, Economy & Policy, Sustainability, Communications, and the recently established Renewable Feedstock department. Its core methodologies include Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) aligned with ISO standards, carbon footprint analysis, techno-economic evaluation, and proprietary market research on renewable carbon markets. Clients include chemical companies, plastics and materials manufacturers, industrial firms, and government/EU institutions.

The business operates four diversified revenue streams: fee-for-service consulting engagements, participation in EU-funded research consortium projects (including UNICO2RN, CATCO2NVERS, THUNDER, HICCUPS, and PYSOLO), registration and sponsorship from four annual industry conferences (Renewable Materials Conference, Advanced Recycling Conference, CO2-based Fuels and Chemicals Conference, and the AI Circular Economy Conference), and publication/report sales. Nova-Institut also founded and coordinates the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI), an industry coalition of 60+ business partners, and operates the Renewable Carbon News daily newsletter reaching 60,000+ industry contacts. In 2025 it co-developed the 'OK renewable' carbon label, a meta-certification implemented by TÜV AUSTRIA Belgium.

The firm is privately held and bootstrapped with 11–50 employees and no external investors. Leadership transitioned on 1 March 2026, with founder Michael Carus stepping down after more than 30 years and Lars Börger assuming the CEO role alongside COO Linda Engel; Carus remains as senior advisor and shareholder. In parallel, nova-Institut established a new Renewable Feedstock Department to address sustainable sourcing challenges in renewable carbon for chemical and materials industries.

Name

nova-Institut

Legal name

nova-Institut für politische und ökologische Innovation GmbH

Website

https://nova-institute.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

nova-Institut is an independent research institute and science-based consultancy based in Hürth, Germany, supporting chemicals, plastics, and materials companies in transitioning from fossil to renewable carbon through consulting, EU-funded research, conferences, and the Renewable Carbon Initiative.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Renewable Carbon & Sustainability Consulting

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Supplier Engagement & Value-Chain Decarbonization Programs (EUABAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Audit-Ready Controls, Assurance & Compliance Workflow Tools (CSRD/SEC/ISSB) (EUABAEAG)

Keywords

• Renewable carbon consulting
• Sustainability research services
• Life cycle assessment
• Defossilisation strategy
• Biopolymer market research

Headquarters

HQ city

Hürth

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Fee-for-service consulting engagements providing defossilisation consulting, renewable carbon strategies, technology scouting, and policy analysis to industrial clients, governments, and research institutions.
2. EU Research Project Funding: Funding received from EU-funded research projects including UNICO2RN, CATCO2NVERS, THUNDER, HICCUPS, PYSOLO, and other consortium-based research initiatives.
3. Conference and Seminar Fees: Revenue from organizing and hosting industry conferences including the Renewable Materials Conference, Advanced Recycling Conference, and CO2-based Fuels and Chemicals Conference.
4. Publication Sales: Sales of research reports, market studies, and publications on renewable carbon topics.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

nova-Institut is an independent research institute and science-based consultancy that delivers consulting, market research, and technology studies on renewable carbon transition, defossilisation, and sustainability for the chemicals, plastics, and materials industries. It also operates the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI), organizes industry conferences, publishes specialised reports, and issues product labels and certifications.

Product overview

Nova-Institut is an independent research institute and science-based consultancy offering a portfolio of professional services rather than a unified software product. The core offering consists of five consulting departments (Technology & Markets, Policy & Strategy, Sustainability, Communications & Marketing, and Renewable Feedstock) that work interdisciplinarily to provide science-based advice on renewable carbon transition. Complementing these services, nova organizes four major annual conferences (Renewable Materials Conference, Advanced Recycling Conference, CO2-based Fuels and Chemicals Conference, and AI Circular Economy Conference). The institute also coordinates the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI), publishes market reports and infographics, and offers the 'OK renewable' carbon label certification. The products and services interconnect through shared expertise across departments and events, with RCI serving as the advocacy hub that connects the consultancy work with industry partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI): An initiative founded by nova-Institute in 2020 to promote renewable carbon and drive defossilisation of the chemical and materials industry. The initiative has grown to over 60 business partners.

Products and services

• Science-based Consulting Services Independent consulting engagements covering renewable carbon transition, defossilisation roadmaps, sustainability strategy, and technology assessment for industrial clients in chemicals, plastics, and materials.
• Market Research & Studies Commissioned market studies, techno-economic analyses, and technology reports on bio-based and renewable carbon value chains, including biopolymers, chemical recycling, and CO2 utilisation.
• Industry Conferences Organisation of large-scale industry events on renewable carbon, bioplastics, and defossilisation, bringing together producers, converters, brand owners, and policymakers.
• Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) Multi-stakeholder initiative operated by nova-Institut to promote the transition from fossil to renewable carbon in the chemical and plastics industries, with member companies and joint advocacy work.
• Labels & Certifications Product labels and certification schemes developed by nova-Institut to communicate renewable carbon, bio-based, or recycled content properties of materials and finished products.
• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) & Carbon Footprint Studies Quantitative LCA, carbon footprint, and sustainability impact assessments for bio-based and conventional materials, products, and processes.

Named customers4 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

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020nova-Institut founded and leads the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI), a collaborative platform bringing together companies committed to transitioning from fossil to renewable carbon. RCI has 60+ business partners and maintains a directory of 140 renewable carbon companies. The initiative serves as a key ecosystem hub for the institute's mission.
• EU Research Consortium PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partnernova-Institut participates in multiple EU-funded research projects including UNICO2RN, CATCO2NVERS, THUNDER, HICCUPS, and PYSOLO. These projects involve collaboration with academic institutions, other research organizations, and industrial partners across Europe to advance renewable carbon technologies and solutions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• ifu Hamburg (Hamburg Institute for International Economics): ifu Hamburg is a German environmental software and consulting firm best known for the GaBi LCA software and related sustainability consulting. Its German footprint, LCA focus, and chemicals-industry clients make it a comparable specialty peer to nova-Institut.
• SystemIQ: SystemIQ is a systems-change consultancy working on circular economy, materials, and climate transitions. It complements nova's policy and strategy work with broader transformation programmes targeting the same European institutional funders.
• Material Economics: Material Economics is a Nordic consultancy focused on circular economy and industrial decarbonisation, particularly in chemicals, plastics, and steel. Its thematic focus on renewable carbon and circular materials closely parallels nova-Institut's research agenda.

Direct peers

• Sphera (thinkstep): Sphera is a leading provider of LCA, carbon footprint, and sustainability software and consulting, serving chemicals, manufacturing, and consumer products clients globally. It directly competes with nova-Institut on the same LCA, EPD, and corporate sustainability advisory offerings.
• South Pole: South Pole provides climate strategy, carbon advisory, and sustainability services to corporates and governments worldwide. Its corporate decarbonisation advisory overlaps directly with nova's defossilisation and net-zero consulting, especially for industrial and chemicals clients.
• Carbon Trust: Carbon Trust is an independent climate advisory that delivers carbon footprinting, certification, and corporate net-zero strategy services. It operates as a parallel independent advisory body, comparable to nova's neutral, science-based positioning for chemicals and industrial clients.
• EcoAct: EcoAct (now part of ENGIE Impact) delivers carbon strategy, climate reporting, and net-zero advisory to corporates across Europe. Its carbon accounting and decarbonisation roadmap services directly mirror nova's Sustainability and Policy & Strategy consulting offerings.
• Quantis: Quantis is a sustainability consultancy specializing in LCA, carbon footprinting, and science-based target setting for consumer goods, food, and chemicals companies. Its service portfolio and target customers substantially overlap with nova-Institut's Sustainability and Technology & Markets departments.

Broad incumbents

• WSP Environment & Sustainability: WSP's Environment & Sustainability practice provides LCA, climate advisory, and circular-economy consulting globally. As a major generalist professional services firm, it competes for enterprise sustainability engagements that overlap with nova's offerings.
• Ramboll: Ramboll is a large global engineering and sustainability consultancy with deep practice in environmental consulting, bioeconomy, and renewable energy. It serves many of the same European chemicals and industrial clients nova targets, but as part of a much broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/mrsick
• Xx.com/novainstitut

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 nova-Institut