What Digital for Planet does

Digital for Planet (D4P) is a Swiss non-profit association headquartered in Dübendorf (Zurich area), founded in Winter 2020 by Martel Innovate with approximately 15-20+ staff across Executive Committee, Media, Consulting, Lab, and Secretariat functions. The organization positions itself as a European hub for sustainable digital innovation, connecting researchers, industry players, policymakers, and NGOs across the European ICT ecosystem. Its core offering is advisory and project coordination services focused on helping organizations navigate EU funding (Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, LIFE, EIC), build consortiums, and execute sustainability-oriented digital research projects across nine working-group domains: climate-neutral smart cities, digital sustainability, green cloud-edge-IoT computing, responsible and efficient AI, SociaL4ICT, sustainable energy transition, sustainable food systems, sustainable internet, and zero-pollution communication networks.

D4P's technology footprint centers on domain expertise rather than proprietary platforms; it participates as a consortium partner in 15+ Horizon Europe projects (SPIRIT, 6G-NTN, INPACE, ENFORCE, CASTOR, INTACT, COP-PILOT, BLOSSOM, SHIELD, URBAN-FLOW, COROB, among others) and maintains an in-house Lab team (CTO, Tech Lead, software engineers, technical project manager) that contributes engineering capacity to those projects. Thought-leadership outputs include the December 2020 "Re-think your Digital Habits" White Paper and the ongoing #DecodeGreen educational campaign; website hosting is delivered through eco-friendly AWS servers in Switzerland powered by 100% renewable energy.

The business model is multi-stream but grant-dominated: (1) EU project funding as consortium partner for research, coordination, and dissemination work; (2) consulting services covering EU funding navigation, proposal writing, and sustainability strategy; and (3) membership/community subscriptions for organizations joining working groups and the wider network. Pricing for membership and consulting is not publicly disclosed, reflecting the bespoke, B2G/B2B nature of engagements. Distribution runs through EU project consortia, working-group and community engagement, and direct consulting relationships, supported by a multi-channel presence on LinkedIn, YouTube, newsletter, events, and white papers.

Name

Digital for Planet

Legal name

Digital for Planet

Website

https://digital4planet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Digital for Planet (D4P) is a Swiss non-profit association serving as a European hub that helps organizations access EU funding, build consortia, and coordinate Horizon Europe research projects at the intersection of digital technology and environmental sustainability.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dübendorf

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. EU Project Funding: D4P participates as consortium partner in EU-funded research and innovation projects (Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, etc.) and receives funding for project execution, coordination, and dissemination activities.
2. Consulting Services: Provides consulting services including EU funding navigation, proposal writing, sustainability strategy development, and project management support to organizations seeking to develop sustainable digital innovations.
3. Membership and Community: D4P offers membership opportunities for organizations to join the Digital for Planet community, participate in working groups, and access the network of ICT innovators, researchers, and policymakers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Digital for Planet is a Swiss non-profit association that provides EU funding advisory, proposal development, and project coordination services for organizations working on sustainable digital innovation. The organization participates as a consortium partner in 15+ Horizon Europe research projects and operates eight thematic working groups spanning climate-neutral smart cities, green cloud-edge-IoT, responsible AI, sustainable energy, sustainable food systems, and zero-pollution networks. D4P also runs the #DecodeGreen educational campaign to raise awareness of digital sustainability concepts.

Product overview

Digital for Planet (D4P) is a European non-profit association that serves as a strategic partner and coordination hub for sustainable digital innovation. Rather than offering a single commercial product, D4P operates a portfolio of advisory services and manages a diverse ecosystem of EU-funded Horizon Europe research projects. Their core offerings include EU funding advisory services, proposal development support, and project coordination for digital sustainability initiatives. The organization also runs the #DecodeGreen educational awareness campaign to inform the public about digital sustainability topics. D4P's value lies in connecting stakeholders across academia, industry, and policy to advance environmental conservation through ethical digital technologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• #DecodeGreen: A campaign by Digital for Planet that presents topics linked to sustainability and digital technology, explaining terms like digital sustainability, digital divide, and providing visual aids for broader audience understanding.

Products and services

• Strategic Partnership Services for Sustainable Digital Innovation
• EU Funding Advisory and Proposal Development Services
• Horizon Europe Project Portfolio Coordination
• #DecodeGreen Awareness Campaign
• Working Groups and Community Membership Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• Published first White Paper on digital habits in December 2020, establishing thought leadership in sustainable digital practices
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• FIWARE FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022D4P partnered with FIWARE Foundation in September 2022 to accelerate adoption of green digital technologies in smart cities and communities. FIWARE drives open standards for smart solutions while D4P contributes expertise in sustainable digital innovation.
• BDVA (Big Data Value Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022D4P joined forces with BDVA in September 2022 to accelerate adoption of green digital technologies in data and artificial intelligence domains. BDVA advances Big Data and AI technologies with 230+ members across Europe.
• Living-in.eu MovementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022D4P joined the Living-in.eu movement in April 2022 pursuing a European Way of scaling digital solutions for turning EU cities and communities into smart and sustainable places.
• 6G-IA (6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner6G-IA is the voice of European Industry and Research for next generation networks. D4P collaborates on sustainable 6G development addressing climate neutrality and environmental impact of telecommunication networks.
• Networld EuropemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Technology Platform for communications networks and services bringing together industry leaders, innovative SMEs, and academic institutions to advance sustainable network technologies.
• European Green Digital Coalition (EGDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEGDC is an initiative of companies supported by the European Commission and Parliament to harness emission-reducing potential of digital solutions across all sectors.
• one6GmajorStrategic or Co-development Partnerone6G envisions 6G technologies enabling secure, resilient, and sustainable development of economy and society through smart connectivity.
• Martel InnovatecoreOthersDigital for Planet was founded by Martel Innovate, a company specializing in EU project coordination and digital innovation consulting. Martel provides organizational support and shared infrastructure including eco-friendly website hosting.
• Swiss Internet & Digital Governance (IGF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss IGF is an association founded in 2025 dedicated to fostering collaboration and dialogue in internet and digital governance within Switzerland.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Martel Innovate: Martel Innovate is the founding entity of Digital for Planet and provides EU project coordination, digital innovation consulting, and shared operational infrastructure. It is directly comparable to D4P because it operates in the same EU-funded R&D project coordination space with overlapping consulting services and client base across European ICT programs.
• Climate-KIC: Climate-KIC is a European knowledge and innovation community focused on climate innovation, funded through the EIT and operating pan-European programs. It is directly comparable to D4P because both serve as multi-stakeholder intermediaries driving sustainability-oriented innovation projects across Europe with public funding.
• EIT Digital: EIT Digital is a European digital innovation knowledge community driving deep tech innovation and entrepreneurial talent across Europe. It is comparable to D4P because both operate as pan-European intermediaries connecting research, industry, and policy in digital transformation initiatives, often with EU public funding.
• European Green Digital Coalition (EGDC): EGDC is an initiative of companies supported by the European Commission and Parliament to harness the emission-reducing potential of digital solutions. It is directly comparable to D4P because both operate at the intersection of digital technology and environmental sustainability, targeting the same EU policy and corporate stakeholder communities.
• Open & Agile Smart Cities (OASC): OASC is a network of cities and companies that collaborate on open and smart city standards and implementations across Europe. It is comparable to D4P because both focus on digital solutions for smart sustainable cities and engage the same municipal and EU stakeholder communities.

Emerging players

• FIWARE Foundation: FIWARE Foundation drives open standards for smart solutions and is a Core strategic partner of D4P in green digital technologies. It is comparable to D4P because both operate in the European digital ecosystem, collaborating on smart cities and sustainable ICT, though FIWARE is more technology-standards focused.
• Big Data Value Association (BDVA): BDVA advances Big Data and AI technologies with 230+ members across Europe and is a Core strategic partner of D4P. It is comparable to D4P because both serve as European industry-academic intermediaries in digital technology programs with a focus on sustainability and EU policy engagement.

Broad incumbents

• Networld Europe: Networld Europe is a European Technology Platform for communications networks and services bringing together industry, SMEs, and academia. It is comparable to D4P because both engage in sustainable ICT network research and policy advocacy at EU level, though Networld Europe is broader in telecommunications scope.
• 6G-IA (6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association): 6G-IA is the voice of European industry and research for next-generation networks and is a Core partner of D4P in sustainable 6G development. It is comparable to D4P because both are active in Horizon Europe SNS projects on sustainability and environmental impact of telecom networks, though 6G-IA is larger and telecom-specific.
• EIT InnoEnergy: EIT InnoEnergy is a leading European innovation engine in sustainable energy, backed by the EIT. It is comparable to D4P because both serve as European sustainability intermediaries connecting research, industry, and policy, though EIT InnoEnergy is much larger and focused specifically on energy rather than digital sustainability.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@digital4planet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/digitalforplanet

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Digital for Planet