Innovalia Association
Innovalia Association is a Basque non-profit R&D association coordinating European Industry 4.0 initiatives for SMEs, delivering metrology, IoT-CPS, cybersecurity, and industrial data space capabilities through EU-funded research projects and technology transfer.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersBilbao, Spain
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Innovalia Association does
Innovalia Association (Asociación Innovalia) is a private non-profit R&D association founded in 2002 in Bilbao, Spain, operating as a technological agent within the Basque Country Technology Network (Innobasque). The organization was created by six technology-based SMEs (CARSA, CBT, SQS, Trimek, Datapixel, Unimetrik) to articulate a critical mass of capabilities around ICT, innovation management, and meso/micro/nano-technologies for industrial applications. It coordinates major European Commission initiatives including I4MS (ICT for Manufacturing SMEs, €110M in EC funding since 2013), the European Network of Digital Innovation Hubs, DIH-World, and BOOST 4.0 (€20M budget leveraging €100M in private investment across 42 partners including IBM, Siemens, Volvo, and Gestamp).
The association's operational backbone consists of three units: a Metrology unit at the Automotive Intelligence Center in Amorebieta (coordinate measuring machines, 3D scanning, quality control), an ICT unit at the Zamudio Technology Park (IoT-CPS, cybersecurity, digital trust), and a Big Data/Data Spaces unit anchored by the BAIDATA association and IDSA Spanish Hub. Its technical platform stack combines FIWARE Generic Enablers, edge intelligence and federated learning (CASANDRA project), frugal and explainable AI for autonomous manufacturing decision support, digital twin methodologies for large-component lifecycle tracking, and the TOSHI host-security solution using eBPF/XDP plus AI/ML anomaly detection. The portfolio also includes three proprietary international conferences (Metromeet, QA&TEST, Technarte) used as dissemination and community-building vehicles.
Commercially, Innovalia is not a product company in the traditional sense; it is a grant-funded research association that monetizes through project-based R&D contracts, EU program coordination fees, and direct consulting/technical services to SMEs and large enterprises. Pricing is negotiated per-project and not publicly disclosed. The organization operates without VC/PE capital, funding itself through European Commission grants, regional subsidies (e.g., Cabildo de Tenerife for Ciberplus), member contributions from its founder SMEs, and service contracts. Customers are concentrated in the Spanish and Iberian manufacturing base, with stated international presence across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Central/South America via offices in Bilbao, Zamudio, Amorebieta, San Sebastián, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Innovalia Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Innovalia Association
- Legal name
- Asociación Innovalia
- Website
- https://innovalia.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Innovalia Association is a Basque non-profit R&D association coordinating European Industry 4.0 initiatives for SMEs, delivering metrology, IoT-CPS, cybersecurity, and industrial data space capabilities through EU-funded research projects and technology transfer.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Innovalia Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial R&D Services
- NAICS
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Data Engineering, Integration & ETL/ELT Services (BPAEAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Technical Enablement & Adoption Services (Change Management, Adoption, Champions) (BPAEANAC), Technical & Scientific Expert Networks (BPAHALAH)
Keywords
Where Innovalia Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bilbao
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Innovalia Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
Innovalia Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Innovalia Association is a private non-profit R&D association based in Bilbao, Spain, that provides technological research, industrial metrology, digital transformation, and cybersecurity services to technology-based SMEs. Founded in 2002, it coordinates European research initiatives, delivers metrology and quality control services through its specialized Metrology Unit, develops industrial cybersecurity solutions, and organizes international technical conferences on metrology, quality assurance, and emerging technologies.
Product overview
Innovalia Association is a private technological centre that provides R&D services, coordinates European initiatives, and organizes international conferences. The core offering consists of the Metrology Unit (providing industrial dimensional metrology and quality control services), ICT/IoT-CPS solutions (cybersecurity, trust, verification and validation), and coordination of Digital Innovation Hubs. Supporting services include three international conferences (Metromeet, QA&TEST, Technarte), the BAIDATA data economy association, and the CIBERPLUS cybersecurity training program. Research projects span Big Data for Industry 4.0 (BOOST 4.0), industrial data spaces (FITMAN, CASANDRA), cybersecurity (TOSHI), 3D printing (FABulous), cloud security (InCloudING, SEED4C, ODSI), mobile networking (SIGMONA), access control (ACIO), and collaborative manufacturing (ComVantage). The portfolio operates as a platform-plus-services model where research projects feed into capability development for SME support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Metromeet: International Conference on Industrial Dimensional Metrology organized by Innovalia Association.
- QA&TEST
- Technarte
Products and services
- Industrial Metrology Services (Metrology Unit)
- Metromeet Conference
- QA&TEST Conference
- Technarte Conference
- EU Research Project Coordination
- Industrial Cybersecurity Solutions (TOSHI)
- Digital Innovation Hub Services (BAIDATA, CIBERPLUS)
Quantifiable outcome
- Funding secured for SMEs through EU programs
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Innovalia Association
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Innovalia Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability9 records
Feature6 records
Innovalia Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and regional.
- BAIDATA AssociationcoreInnovalia launched the BAIDATA association to drive Spain and Portugal's leadership in the data economy. Innovalia's director Oscar Lázaro was named secretary. BAIDATA works with European data organizations (GAIA-X, IDSA, Catena-X) and industrial partners including Gestamp, CAF, Petronor, and Mondragón.
- International Data Spaces Association (IDSA)coreInnovalia became the official partner of IDSA to manage their Hub in Spain, working to promote IDS initiatives and data sovereignty across the Iberian Peninsula
- GAIA-X European Association for Data and CloudsupportingEuropean data infrastructure initiative collaborating with BAIDATA on industrial data space development
- Catena-X Automotive NetworksupportingEuropean automotive data network initiative working with BAIDATA on data sovereignty in the automotive sector
- European Commission - I4MS InitiativecoreInnovalia coordinates the I4MS (ICT for Manufacturing SMEs) initiative, which has €110M in European Commission funding since 2013 to support digital transformation of manufacturing SMEs
- BASQUE TECHNOLOGY NETWORK (Innobasque)coreAs a technological agent of the Basque Country Technology Network, Innovalia contributes to the regional innovation ecosystem
- Digital Innovation Hubs (DIH) NetworkcoreInnovalia coordinates the European network of Digital Innovation Hubs, providing access to competencies, innovation networks, and financial support for SMEs
- European Commission - DIH-World ProjectcoreLaunched July 2020 to accelerate development and consolidation of Digital Innovation Hubs across Europe
- Boost 4.0 Consortium (42 partners)coreInnovalia leads the largest European Big Data initiative for Industry 4.0 with €20M budget leveraging €100M private investment. Partners include IBM, Siemens, VTT, TTTech, Volvo, Gestamp, Volkswagen, and 35 other organizations
- CASANDRA Project ConsortiumcoreEU-funded project (MIG-20242031) for digital manufacturing in large component production. Consortium includes DGH, IDESA, OpenNebula, NODOSA, ARSOFT, TRIMEK, GOGOA, NVISION, and research centers AIMEN, IRI-CSIC, CDEI-UPC, CITIC-UDC
- FITMAN ConsortiumsupportingFuture Internet Technologies for Manufacturing - Innovalia part of core consortium, coordinating case studies and Digital Factory platform
- Cabildo de TeneriferegionalCiberplus project subsidized by Tenerife's provincial government for cybersecurity awareness, training, and diagnosis for SMEs on the island
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Innovalia Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Fraunhofer Society: Germany's leading applied research organization with 76 institutes covering manufacturing, ICT, metrology, and AI. Far larger and broader than Innovalia but represents the same non-profit applied-research model that channels industry-facing R&D and EU project leadership.
- TNO: Dutch applied research organization with industry-focused units in ICT, mobility, and industrial innovation. Comparable as a publicly funded applied-research body that competes for EU consortium leadership and serves industrial SMEs.
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finnish government-owned applied research center; a Boost 4.0 consortium partner alongside Innovalia. Comparable multi-domain applied R&D with strong industrial digitalization and manufacturing AI focus.
Direct peers
- Digital Catapult: UK Digital Innovation Hub focused on accelerating advanced digital technology adoption (AI, IoT, data) by industry. Highly comparable to Innovalia's DIH coordinator mandate and SME digital-enablement mission.
- Ikerlan: Basque technology center specializing in electronics, mechatronics, and embedded systems; part of the Mondragón Corporation ecosystem. Comparable as a private non-profit R&D association serving Basque industrial SMEs and participating in EU consortia.
- Tecnalia: Spanish/Basque applied research and technology center with a similar multi-domain R&D portfolio (manufacturing, energy, ICT) and comparable role coordinating EU projects and supporting SMEs. Closest direct analog given shared Basque Technology Network roots.
- Cartif: Spanish private technology center in Valladolid with similar multidisciplinary industry-focused R&D (Industry 4.0, energy, bioeconomy) and EU project coordination role serving Spanish manufacturers.
Others
- FIWARE Foundation: Open-source platform and foundation driving Future Internet technologies for smart factories. Highly comparable as the underlying technology ecosystem on which Innovalia's Digital Factory Platform (FITMAN, DIGIWARE) is built.
- EFFRA (European Factories of the Future Research Association): European public-private partnership coordinating manufacturing R&D priorities and engaging with EU Commission on framework programs. Comparable as a consortium-level orchestrator in the same European manufacturing R&D ecosystem where Innovalia operates.
- IDSA (International Data Spaces Association): European data sovereignty standards body that Innovalia partners with as Spanish Hub operator. Comparable as the parent organization of the BAIDATA initiative and a key platform for industrial data space development.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Innovalia Association social profiles
Digital presenceInnovalia Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Innovalia Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Innovalia Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Innovalia Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Innovalia Association
What does Innovalia Association do?
Innovalia Association is a private non-profit R&D association based in Bilbao, Spain, that provides technological research, industrial metrology, digital transformation, and cybersecurity services to technology-based SMEs. Founded in 2002, it coordinates European research initiatives, delivers metrology and quality control services through its specialized Metrology Unit, develops industrial cybersecurity solutions, and organizes international technical conferences on metrology, quality assurance, and emerging technologies.
Is Innovalia Association a public or private company?
Innovalia Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Innovalia Association founded?
Innovalia Association was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Innovalia Association based?
Innovalia Association is headquartered in Bilbao, Spain, in the Europe region.
Who are Innovalia Association's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Fraunhofer Society, TNO and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Direct peers are Digital Catapult, Ikerlan, Tecnalia and Cartif. Others are FIWARE Foundation, EFFRA (European Factories of the Future Research Association) and IDSA (International Data Spaces Association).
Does Innovalia Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for Innovalia Association.
What industry is Innovalia Association in?
Innovalia Association's product category is Industrial R&D Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEAHAB, Data Engineering, Integration & ETL/ELT Services, with a secondary code of BPAEANAC, Technical Enablement & Adoption Services (Change Management, Adoption, Champions). Its NAICS code is 5416 and its SIC code is 7370.