Tiresia

What Tiresia does

Tiresia is the research center for impact, innovation, entrepreneurship, and finance at the School of Management of Politecnico di Milano, founded in 2013 and based at the Bovisa La Masa campus in Milan, Italy. The center pursues scientific excellence in social impact finance, impact measurement, social entrepreneurship, and sustainable finance, operating across three core activities: academic research (peer-reviewed publications and an observatory on social impact finance ecosystems), research in action (advisory engagements supporting hybrid organizations, financial institutions, and policy makers in defining strategic positioning in the impact economy), and education (programs from undergraduate to executive level in partnership with MIP Graduate School of Business).

Tiresia has developed proprietary intellectual property including the Impact Triad framework (Intentionality, Measurability, Additionality) and methodologies for measuring social value across hybrid organizations and impact finance instruments. The center operates a network of approximately 80 institutional and corporate partners, including Ashoka, EVPA, GSG, UniCredit, BNL BNP Paribas, the Italian Episcopal Conference, UN Women, Bocconi University, and Politecnico di Milano entities. Recent research outputs include the 2024 Gender Lens Investing market report (with UN Women and Bocconi), impact evaluation of the 8xmille program for the Italian Episcopal Conference, and the 2023 'Finance for Impact — Italian Outlook' publication.

The business model is professional services oriented: revenue derives from sponsored research projects, advisory contracts with corporations, financial institutions, and policy makers, and educational programs delivered through Politecnico di Milano's academic infrastructure. The center is led by Director Mario Calderini, a Full Professor who also serves as scientific advisor to the Italian Minister of Research and Innovation, and operates with a team of approximately 40 people including 5 full professors, post-doctoral researchers, PhD candidates, research fellows, and operations staff. Tiresia publishes thought leadership through the Tiresia Impact Insight Series, peer-reviewed journals, and Italian media including Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica, and Il Sole 24 Ore.

Name

Tiresia

Legal name

Tiresia

Website

https://tiresia.polimi.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tiresia is the research center for impact, innovation, entrepreneurship, and finance at Politecnico di Milano's School of Management, producing academic research, advisory services, and education programs on social impact finance and impact measurement for policy makers, financial institutions, corporations, and civil society organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research and Advisory Services: Tiresia generates revenue through research partnerships, advisory engagements with corporations, financial institutions, and policy makers, as well as educational programs and training courses from undergraduate to executive levels.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Tiresia is a research center that delivers academic research, advisory services, and education programs focused on impact finance, social innovation, sustainable finance, and social impact measurement. It operates an observatory on social impact finance and supports hybrid organizations, corporations, financial institutions, and public-sector bodies in defining strategic positioning in the impact economy and embedding social value generation into decision making. It is part of the School of Management of Politecnico di Milano.

Product overview

Tiresia is a research center at the School of Management of Politecnico di Milano, not a product or technology company. It produces scholarly and practice-oriented research on impact entrepreneurship, social impact measurement, impact finance, and inclusive innovation. Tiresia offers academic research, research in action (advisory services for organizations), and education and training programs. The center publishes research reports, position papers, and academic articles through its Tiresia Impact Insight Series. It does not offer commercial software products, platforms, or technology solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tiresia Impact Insight Series: A periodic publication series discussing impact investment, impact measurement, social and sustainable entrepreneurship, and social innovation policies through position papers, research reports, and articles.

Products and services

• Academic Research on Impact Finance and Social Innovation Scholarly research on impact finance, social innovation, sustainable finance, and impact measurement, including peer-reviewed publications and the Social Impact Finance Observatory. Targeted at academic researchers, policy makers, and the broader impact finance community.
• Research in Action (Advisory Services) Advisory and consulting services that support hybrid organizations in the financial industry, social economy, and public sector in defining their strategic positioning in the impact economy and embedding social value generation into decision making, management, and governance. Clients include corporations, banks, financial institutions, and policy makers.
• Education and Training Programs Educational offerings on social innovation and impact finance from undergraduate to executive and customized courses, delivered through Politecnico di Milano's School of Management (MIP). Designed for students, executives, and organizations seeking training in impact finance and social innovation.
• Tiresia Impact Insight Series Periodic publication series discussing impact investment, impact measurement, social and sustainable entrepreneurship, and social innovation policies through position papers, research reports, and articles. Targeted at practitioners, policy makers, and the impact finance community.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

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

• UN WomenmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Joint research collaboration on Gender Lens Investing market, developed with Politecnico di Milano (Tiresia), Bocconi University (Dondena), Phenix Capital.
• Bocconi UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration on Gender Lens Investing research through Dondena research center, joint publication exploring GLI market.
• Social Impact Agenda per l'ItaliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2022Italian network of impact finance and national Advisory Board of GSG. Co-organized the GSG Leadership Meeting 2022 in Turin with Torino Social Impact.
• Torino Social ImpactcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2022Innovative territorial public-private alliance that implements social impact projects. Co-organized GSG Leadership Meeting 2022 in Turin.
• OGR TorinominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2022Venue partner for GSG Leadership Meeting 2022 public event.
• Conferenza Episcopale Italiana (CEI)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Tiresia Polimi partnered with CEI for evaluating the social impact of the 8xmille project, measuring the social impact of ecclesiastical funding.
• AshokacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Ashoka is an international citizen-sector organization that identifies and supports the world's leading social entrepreneurs. Tiresia collaborates with Ashoka on research and knowledge sharing about social entrepreneurship and impact measurement.
• EVPA (European Venture Philanthropy Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021EVPA is a membership association of organizations interested in or practicing venture philanthropy and social investment across Europe. Tiresia maintains active collaboration and knowledge sharing with EVPA.
• GSG (Global Steering Group for Impact Investment)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021GSG is an independent multilateral steering group catalyzing impact investment and entrepreneurship. Tiresia participated in the GSG Leadership Meeting 2022 in Turin.
• UniCreditmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Tiresia is partner of Road to Social Change project promoted by UniCredit Banking Academy in collaboration with AICCON, Techsoup Italia, Fondazione Italiana Accenture and MIP. Tiresia serves as scientific partner measuring project impact and overseeing certification.
• MIP Politecnico di MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021MIP Graduate School of Business and Tiresia collaborate on education programs and joint research initiatives including Road to Social Change project.
• LEAP_RE ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021LEAP-RE is a Research and Innovation Action with 83 partners from 33 countries. Tiresia works on Task 13 SETADISMA focusing on sustainable energy transition and digitalization of smart mini-grids for Africa.
• Feltrinelli EducationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Physical and digital platform for training services, collaborating on knowledge sharing about social impact topics.
• Cottino Social Impact CampusminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021First campus in Europe exclusively dedicated to the culture of social impact. Tiresia collaborates on knowledge sharing and research.
• AICCONminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Member of the Road to Social Change consortium providing training for social economy organizations.
• TechSoup ItaliaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner in Road to Social Change project providing technology and digital tools training.
• SEFEA ImpactmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Tiresia impact finance team supports SEFEA in developing impact investment strategy and impact measurement and management process for Fondo Sì.
• Politecnico di Milano EcosystemcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Tiresia is integral part of Politecnico di Milano ecosystem including Fondazione Politecnico, Alta Scuola Politecnica, and PoliHub innovation hub.
• Fondazione Cesare PozzominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaboration on Tiresia Impact Insight Series publication 3.21 on Third Sector and Welfare facing Covid-19.
• Fondazione TriulzaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaboration on Tiresia Impact Insight Series publication on Third Sector and Welfare challenges.
• Fondazione CariplomajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Tiresia partnered with Fondazione Cariplo for ICC for InnovaMusei project, providing capacity building on impact measurement and measuring project impact.
• Fondazione Social Venture Giordano Dell'AmoreminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner in ICC for InnovaMusei project focused on innovation in cultural and museum sector.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SDA Bocconi School of Management: Italy's other top-tier business school with sustainability and impact research programs. Operates an analogous hybrid model of research, executive education, and corporate advisory in social impact and sustainable finance, directly competing with Tiresia in the Italian advisory market.
• Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL): University-embedded institute combining research, education, and advisory on sustainability and impact. Closely mirrors Tiresia's hybrid model at a larger international scale and competes for global corporate and policy advisory mandates.
• Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR): Knowledge platform for social innovation and impact investing research and publishing. Tiresia has contributed to SSIR ('Social-Tech Entrepreneurs' for the EU Action Plan on Social Economy), reflecting peer-level academic publishing rather than direct competition.
• Bocconi University (Dondena Centre for Research on Social Dynamics and Public Policy): Italian academic research center focused on social dynamics and policy. Already a Tiresia partner on Gender Lens Investing research with UN Women, but also a direct competitor for impact-finance research mandates and policy influence in Italy.

Others

• Phenix Capital Group: Impact-investing advisory and data platform. Partnered with Tiresia on the UN Women Gender Lens Investing report; comparable as an impact-finance knowledge producer and advisory peer in the European market.
• Ashoka: Global network supporting leading social entrepreneurs. A core Tiresia partner; operates as an ecosystem and grant-making organization rather than a research center, but overlaps with Tiresia in social-innovation thought leadership.
• European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA): Membership network for venture philanthropy and social investment. Core Tiresia partner, but EVPA is a practitioner association rather than a research center; comparable as an ecosystem participant producing knowledge and convening the impact community.
• Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG): Multilateral steering group catalyzing impact investment globally. Tiresia co-organized the GSG Leadership Meeting 2022; GSG operates as a policy and convening body adjacent to Tiresia's research and advisory mandate.

Regional players

• Politecnico di Torino — Torino Social Impact: Italian territorial public-private alliance for social impact projects (Tiresia co-organized the GSG Leadership Meeting 2022 there). Competes with Tiresia for regional Italian social-economy advisory and research mandates.

Broad incumbents

• Impact Hub: Global network of impact-focused innovation hubs and programs. Operates at a much larger scale across multiple regions and is more implementation-oriented, but overlaps with Tiresia in social-innovation and impact-entrepreneurship programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tiresia-research-center
• Xx.com/Tiresia_Polimi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Tiresia