TechEthos

What TechEthos does

TechEthos is an EU-funded research coordination project launched in 2021 under the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (Grant Agreement no. 101006249), coordinated from Brussels, Belgium by Ecsite (Association Européenne des Expositions Scientifiques, Techniques et Industrielles AISBL). The project operates as a consortium of 10 partner organisations spanning leading European universities, research institutions, and science engagement organisations, with a stated mission to integrate ethical and societal values into the design and development of new and emerging technologies from inception. TechEthos focuses on three technology families selected from an initial horizon scan of 16 candidates: Climate Engineering, Digital Extended Reality, and Neurotechnologies. The consortium applies an "Ethics by Design" methodology that combines horizon scanning, ethical analysis, legal assessment, and structured public engagement.

The project delivers a portfolio of methodologies, frameworks, and tools rather than commercial products. Core outputs include the TechEthos Anticipatory Ethics Matrix (TEAeM) for systematic ethical assessment by researchers and policymakers, the Societal Readiness Web Tool (SRT) for product designers, the Y/our Ethics Decide interactive digital and physical installations deployed across 9 European locations, and the TechEthos Game: Ages of Technology Impacts (available in 7 languages) for stakeholder engagement. As of 2023, the physical installations had reached over 70,000 visitors across 6 science engagement organisations, and the project was named in the European Commission's CORDIS Results Pack on ethics and integrity in research in June 2024. All outputs are released under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

TechEthos is a non-commercial initiative and generates no commercial revenue. Its operations are funded entirely by a €3 million Horizon 2020 grant, and the project targets a public-good constituency rather than a paying customer base: the general public (including vulnerable groups), the research and academic community, EU and national policymakers, and science engagement organisations. As a fixed-duration three-year coordination project, TechEthos is positioned as a contributor to EU policy frameworks and the responsible innovation ecosystem, not as a commercial entity. Its coordinating entity (Ecsite AISBL) and data controllers (Trilateral Research UK and Ireland) operate in compliance with GDPR and Belgian data protection law.

Name

TechEthos

Legal name

Association Européenne des Expositions Scientifiques, Techniques et Industrielles AISBL

Website

https://techethos.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TechEthos is an EU-funded Horizon 2020 research coordination project developing operational ethical guidelines, frameworks, and tools for emerging technologies including Climate Engineering, Digital Extended Reality, and Neurotechnologies. It serves researchers, policymakers, and the public across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technology Ethics Research and Assessment

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Access & EdTech for Equity (Low-cost Learning, Skills Platforms) (BPAGALAH)

Keywords

• Technology ethics assessment
• Emerging technology governance
• Societal readiness evaluation
• Responsible research innovation
• Climate engineering ethics

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. EU Research Funding: TechEthos is funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement no. 101006249. As a coordination project, it does not generate commercial revenue but receives EU funding for its research activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

TechEthos is an EU-funded research coordination project that develops and disseminates operational ethical guidelines, assessment frameworks, and public engagement tools for new and emerging technologies. Its core deliverables include the Societal Readiness Web Tool (SRT) for product designers, the TechEthos Anticipatory ethics Matrix (TEAeM) for researchers and policymakers, and the Y/our Ethics Decide digital and physical installations for public engagement on Climate Engineering, Digital Extended Reality, and Neurotechnologies.

Product overview

TechEthos is an EU-funded research project that does not offer a single unified commercial product but rather a portfolio of tools, frameworks, and resources focused on integrating ethical and societal values into the design and development of new and emerging technologies. The core offerings include the Societal Readiness Tool (SRT) for product designers to assess ethical readiness, the TechEthos Anticipatory ethics Matrix (TEAeM) for systematic ethical assessment, the Y/our Ethics Decide digital and physical installations for public engagement, and the Ages of Technology Impacts game for stakeholder engagement. These tools are complemented by factsheets, policy briefs, and deliverables that provide guidance on three technology families: Climate Engineering, Digital Extended Reality, and Neurotechnologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TechEthos Societal Readiness Tool (SRT) A web-based tool primarily intended for use by actors in product design and innovation while developing their innovative products. It assists users in fulfilling their responsibilities regarding ethical and societal implications of their products and enables qualitative self-assessment of the societal readiness level, with guidance and assessment functions.
• Y/our Ethics Decide Digital Installation An interactive digital installation exploring the ethical dimensions of Climate Engineering and Natural Language Processing. Based on Ethics by Design principles, it invites individuals from diverse backgrounds to actively participate in shaping the ethical landscape of emerging technologies through an immersive online experience accessible via web browser.
• TechEthos Anticipatory Ethics Matrix (TEAeM) An enhanced ethical framework offering a systematic approach for researchers, academics, and policymakers to assess and address ethical concerns related to emerging technologies by combining empirical studies from the TechEthos methodology into a structured anticipatory ethics assessment matrix.
• TechEthos Game: Ages of Technology Impacts A serious game developed in co-creation with science engagement professionals and game experts using Triadic Game Design methodology. It captures societal attitudes, values, and concerns towards Digital Extended Reality, Neurotechnologies, and Climate Engineering, and is available in 7 languages for use in workshops and public engagement.
• Y/our Ethics Decide Physical Installations Interactive physical exhibitions deployed across six European science engagement organisations in nine locations (museums, universities, science centres, shopping malls), focusing on ethical considerations of Climate Engineering and Digital Extended Reality technologies. The installations reached over 70,000 visitors in 2023.

Quantifiable outcome

• Physical installations reached over 70,000 visitors in 2023 across 9 European locations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SCN – ScienceCenter-Network (Austria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScienceCenter-Netzwerk is a non-profit association based in Vienna, founded in 2005, coordinating an Austrian-wide network of more than 180 partners. Responsible for science engagement activities in TechEthos project, including installation deployment.
• iQLANDIA (Czech Republic)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScience popularization centre situated in Liberec, Czech Republic. First of its kind in the Czech Republic with over 400 interactive exhibits across 10,000 m2 of exhibition space. Hosts TechEthos installations and engagement activities.
• BSF – Bucharest Science Festival / ASUR (Romania)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRomanian non-governmental organisation focused on STEM programmes, organiser of Bucharest Science Festival (first science festival in Romania, established 2013). Deploys TechEthos installations addressing AI ethics.
• CPN – Center for the Promotion of Science (Serbia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic institution bridging science and society in Serbia, promoting scientific literacy. Hosts TechEthos installations focusing on NLP cultural diversity and AI education.
• Parque de las Ciencias (Spain)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAndalusia's science centre and museum in Granada, occupying 70,000m2 with planetarium, observatory, and BioDome. Attracts more than 750,000 visitors annually. Hosts climate engineering installations.
• VA – Vetenskap & Allmänhet (Sweden)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit association in Stockholm promoting dialogue between researchers and public. Has around 100 member organisations representing research community, public authorities, and companies. Hosts carbon capture installations.
• Airi – Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca Industriale (Italy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrivate non-profit association representing a national network of about 100 members including companies, SMEs, research organisations, and universities. Leads horizon scanning activities for technology identification.
• ALLEA – All European AcademiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities representing more than 50 academies from over 40 countries. Contributes to enhancing legal and ethical frameworks, aligned with European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity.
• CEA – Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench Governmental Research Organisation with Laboratory of Philosophy of Science devoted to ethics of new technologies. Contributes to research ethics, normative ethical reflection, and guideline development.
• DMU – De Montfort University (United Kingdom)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity with Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility (CCSR) - only UK research centre specialising in ethical and social issues of computing. Leads ethical analysis of selected technologies.
• Ecsite – European Network of Science Centres and Museums (Belgium)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnly Europe-wide network linking science centres, museums, and research organisations among 350 active members. Coordinates public engagement activities and project dissemination across Europe.
• EUREC Office – European Network of Research Ethics Committees Office (Germany)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean non-profit promoting cooperation between national networks of research ethics committees. Leads cooperation with other projects and stakeholder activities, including advisory and impact board.
• TRI – Trilateral Research (United Kingdom & Ireland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch organisation specialising in strategic, policy and regulatory advice on new technologies, privacy, risk, and security. Leads policy, legal, and regulatory analysis and communication activities.
• TUD – Technische Universiteit Delft (Netherlands)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOldest, largest, and most comprehensive university of technology in the Netherlands. Ethics and Philosophy of Technology Section is world-leading in ethics of technological risk and responsible innovation.
• University of Sheffield (United Kingdom)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch university with global reputation for excellence. Contributes to ethical analysis and research activities.
• UT – University of Twente (Netherlands)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeads 4TU.Centre for Ethics and Technology, one of six Centres of Excellence of 4TU.Federation. Department of Philosophy is internationally recognized for philosophical and ethical analysis of technology. Coordinates ethical guidelines development.
• SmartEcoMountains EU-funded ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation with SmartEcoMountains project for Parque de las Ciencias installation related to Sierra Nevada Natural Park.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ada Lovelace Institute: A UK-based independent research institute that convenes evidence and analysis on AI, data, and emerging technologies and their social implications, similar in orientation to TechEthos's ethics and societal readiness work, with strong policy influence and a transnational research remit.
• Future of Life Institute: An international non-profit producing policy research and convening campaigns around existential risks from emerging technologies (especially AI and biotech). Comparable to TechEthos's horizon scanning, public engagement, and policy recommendation work for high-impact emerging technology families.
• The Hastings Center: A long-established independent bioethics research institute that produces scholarly and policy research on emerging technologies. Comparable to TechEthos in producing operational ethics frameworks for new and emerging technology families and informing regulatory thinking.
• European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE): The EGE is the EU's independent advisory body on ethics in science and new technologies, providing recommendations to the European Commission on emerging-technology ethics. Comparable to TechEthos in mandate and domain, but operates as an institutional advisory body rather than a project-funded consortium.
• AI Now Institute: A US-based research institute producing interdisciplinary research on the social implications of AI and emerging technologies, including annual reports and policy briefs. Comparable to TechEthos's evidence-based policy output and focus on technology's societal impact.
• Institute for Ethics in AI, University of Oxford: A university-based research centre conducting foundational and applied research on ethical questions raised by AI and emerging technologies, with policy translation work. Comparable to TechEthos in performing academic ethics research with policy translation and public engagement components.
• Nuffield Council on Bioethics: An independent UK body that examines ethical questions raised by advances in biology, medicine, and emerging technologies, producing policy reports and influencing national and EU regulation. Comparable to TechEthos in producing ethics-by-design frameworks and policy briefs that inform governance of emerging tech.
• Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (LCFI): A Cambridge-based interdisciplinary research centre exploring the risks and opportunities of AI and emerging technologies, with strong public engagement and policy work. Comparable to TechEthos in combining horizon scanning, applied ethics research, and public engagement methodologies.
• Centre for the Governance of AI (GovAI): An independent research organisation producing technical and policy research on the governance of advanced AI and emerging technologies, with AI Act-relevant policy translation. Comparable to TechEthos in producing methodologies and policy frameworks for responsible innovation in high-impact emerging tech.

Broad incumbents

• World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution: A broad-based global institution convening multi-stakeholder governance frameworks (including AI governance) across industry, government, and academia. Comparable to TechEthos in seeking to operationalise ethics-by-design for emerging technologies, but with a wider portfolio of topics and a corporate/government convener remit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TechEthosEU
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdzGh4RnC5kqy7wvqLkh4Xw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/techethoseu

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about TechEthos