BRAUNGART EPEA - Internationale Umweltforschung GmbH

What BRAUNGART EPEA - Internationale Umweltforschung GmbH does

BRAUNGART EPEA – Internationale Umweltforschung GmbH is a Hamburg-based consulting and environmental research firm founded in 1987 by Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart, co-originator of the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) design concept with William McDonough. The firm operates as a boutique advisory targeting manufacturers, construction and real estate firms, and German public institutions that are pursuing C2C transformation of products, processes, buildings, and urban quarters. Services are organised around six core offerings — product development consulting, workshops, lectures/keynotes, expert assessments (Gutachten) covering toxicology, material composition and emissions, long-term advisory engagements, and transformation studies with road maps — all delivered under a bespoke, quote-based pricing model with multi-year contract cadence and no public price list.

Underlying the services is a proprietary design methodology: the C2C framework treats all materials as nutrients in either biological or technical cycles, structured through the ABC-X material classification system (X-List for substances to be eliminated, Gray List for unavoidable inputs, passive and active positive lists) and operationalised through a four-tier certification pathway (Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum) administered by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. Braungart also created the Triple Top Line concept, shifting the orientation from eco-efficiency (less harm) to eco-effectiveness (positive impact across nature, culture, and economics).

The business model is founder-centric and lean: the company is a private German GmbH (HRB 50661, Amtsgericht Hamburg) with 15 employees, no external investors, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed revenue. Go-to-market relies entirely on direct enterprise sales driven by Prof. Braungart's conference keynotes, LinkedIn essay series, and an embedded C2C business network (Novo-Tech, Lokay Umweltdruckerei, DGNB, Drees & Sommer, Speyer Grund, MODC) that generates referrals. Operating geographies are stated as EMEA, with primary activity in Germany and Austria, and the firm operates without a productized software or API surface, monetizing exclusively through professional-services engagements.

Name

BRAUNGART EPEA - Internationale Umweltforschung GmbH

Legal name

BRAUNGART EPEA – Internationale Umweltforschung GmbH

Website

https://braungart-epea.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BRAUNGART EPEA is a Hamburg-based boutique advisory firm founded in 1987 by Prof. Michael Braungart, co-originator of Cradle to Cradle design, serving manufacturers, construction firms, and public institutions in the DACH region with bespoke C2C consulting, expert assessments, workshops, and transformation studies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability and Circular Economy Consulting

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Product Sustainability & LCA/EPD (Eco-design, PCF) (EUAHAJAF)

Keywords

• Cradle to cradle consulting
• Circular economy advisory
• Material safety assessments
• Eco-effective design services
• Sustainability transformation consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cradle to Cradle Consulting & Advisory Services: Long-term consulting engagements accompanying organisations through the Cradle to Cradle transformation process, including product redesign, material substitution, and business model innovation. Services include product development support, expert opinions (Gutachten) on toxicology, material composition and emissions, workshops, talks, studies, and road map development.
2. Expert Opinions & Certification Advisory (Gutachten): Toxicology assessments, material quality evaluations, and emissions testing reports prepared using over 30 years of domain experience. These represent a distinct professional services revenue stream billed per engagement.
3. Workshops, Talks & Studies: Cradle to Cradle workshops and keynote presentations for corporate, government, and industry audiences; studies involving status quo analysis and road map development with actionable recommendations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

BRAUNGART EPEA provides professional consulting and advisory services built around the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) design concept, supporting manufacturers, architects, and public institutions in redesigning products, processes, and buildings so that all materials function as nutrients in biological or technical cycles. Deliverables include product development support, expert opinions (Gutachten) on toxicology, material composition, and emissions, as well as workshops, lectures, transformation studies, and certification roadmaps for the Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum C2C standard.

Product overview

BRAUNGART EPEA is a consulting and research firm specializing in the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) design concept, founded by Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart. The company offers a portfolio of professional services including Product Development, Workshops, Lectures/Talks, Expert Assessments (Gutachten), Consulting, and Studies. These services help companies transition toward eco-effective business models where all materials serve as nutrients in either the technosphere or biosphere, moving beyond traditional sustainability approaches toward positive environmental impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Produktentwicklung (Product Development) Consulting service supporting clients in finding eco-effective solutions using the Cradle to Cradle design concept for their products.
• Workshops Educational workshops focused on new business models to keep healthy materials circulating in the technosphere and biosphere.
• Vorträge (Lectures/Talks) Keynote presentations and talks on the Cradle to Cradle design concept.
• Gutachten (Expert Assessments) Expert opinions on toxicology, material properties, and emissions value testing, drawing on over 30 years of experience.
• Beratung (Consulting) Advisory services accompanying and supporting clients through the process of becoming a Cradle to Cradle company.
• Studien (Studies) Development of road maps and action recommendations based on analysis of the current status quo.

Quantifiable outcome

• Several hundred products worldwide have been certified under the Cradle to Cradle standard

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Novo-Tech GmbHcoreOthersNovo-Tech GmbH is listed among BRAUNGART EPEA's closest business partners in the C2C network. The nature of the partnership involves collaborative work toward a Cradle to Cradle future, though specific terms are not detailed on the website.
• Umweltdruckerei LokaycoreOthersUmweltdruckerei Lokay is a partner in the C2C network, collaborating with BRAUNGART EPEA on environmentally compatible printing solutions and sustainable printed materials under the Cradle to Cradle framework.
• DGNB (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDGNB (German Sustainable Building Council) partners with BRAUNGART EPEA to advance Cradle to Cradle principles in the building and construction sector, aligning C2C material concepts with sustainable building certification.
• Drees Sommer (Cradle to Cradle)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDrees Sommer, listed as Cradle-to-Cradle Drees Sommer, collaborates with BRAUNGART EPEA as a close partner on C2C-certified construction projects and advisory services for sustainable real estate development.
• Speyer Grund GmbH & Co. KGminorOthersSpeyer Grund GmbH & Co. KG, a specialist in acidulants (Säuerungsmittel), is listed as a partner in the C2C network and is connected to the European Business Network, collaborating with BRAUNGART EPEA on C2C product and process design.
• MODCminorOthersMODC appears as a partner in the C2C network managed by BRAUNGART EPEA. Specific details about the collaboration are not provided on the website.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• South Pole Group: Global climate solutions and sustainability consulting firm offering strategy, carbon, and supply-chain advisory to enterprises. Comparable to BRAUNGART EPEA as a professional services firm helping corporates operationalize circularity and ESG transformation mandates.
• DGNB (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen): Germany's leading sustainable building council and certification system. DGNB partners with BRAUNGART EPEA on C2C-aligned building projects, and both serve overlapping architecture, construction, and real estate clients seeking credible sustainability certification.
• Drees & Sommer: Drees & Sommer is a real estate and infrastructure consultancy with an active Cradle to Cradle practice and a core strategic partner of BRAUNGART EPEA. Both firms serve construction and real estate clients on C2C-certified building and circular material advisory.
• Quantis: Quantis is a sustainability strategy and environmental consulting firm specializing in product environmental footprinting, LCA, and eco-design strategy. Highly comparable to BRAUNGART EPEA's eco-design and material health advisory services.
• Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (C2CPII): C2CPII administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified product standard globally and is the certification counterpart to BRAUNGART EPEA's advisory services. The two organizations are deeply intertwined through shared IP lineage and the C2C framework.
• McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC): MBDC is the co-originator entity of the Cradle to Cradle methodology, founded by William McDonough and Michael Braungart. It applies C2C principles to product and material design across industries, making it the closest historical and methodological peer to BRAUNGART EPEA.
• Ecodes (formerly Ecodesign) / Systemiq: Systemiq is a systems-change consultancy active in circular economy, materials, and sustainable business model advisory. Comparable to BRAUNGART EPEA in providing high-end consulting on transitioning industries toward circular and eco-effective design.

Emerging players

• EcoIntelligent Growth (EIG) / EcoAct: EcoAct is a European climate consultancy now part of Accenture, providing carbon strategy, ESG, and circular economy advisory. Comparable as a mid-sized European sustainability consultancy competing for enterprise transformation mandates.

Broad incumbents

• Sphera (now part of Blackstone): Sphera provides environmental, health, safety, and sustainability software and consulting including product stewardship and LCA tools. Overlaps with BRAUNGART EPEA's material and emissions assessment work, but serves a much broader enterprise software and consulting market.
• Accenture Sustainability Services: Accenture's sustainability practice delivers enterprise-scale circular economy, ESG, and net-zero advisory. It competes for the same enterprise transformation mandates that BRAUNGART EPEA serves, though with a much broader service portfolio and global delivery footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/braungart-epea-internationale-umweltforschung-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 BRAUNGART EPEA - Internationale Umweltforschung GmbH