EcoInfo
EcoInfo is a CNRS research group (GDRS) that helps French higher education and research institutions measure and reduce the environmental and societal impacts of digital technology through free tools, training, and publications.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- Headquarters—
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What EcoInfo does
EcoInfo is a non-commercial research and service group (GDRS - Groupement de Recherche et de Service) operating under CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), France's largest public research organization. Founded in 2006 as a working group within the RESINFO network by Françoise Berthoud and Eric Drezet (with Joël Marchand), it received formal GDS recognition in July 2012 and was elevated to GDRS status in January 2025. The group's mission is to reduce the environmental and societal impacts of information and communication technologies (ICT), with primary focus on serving France's higher education and research (ESR) sector: teachers, researchers, IT managers, sustainability officers, and logistics personnel.
Its portfolio is a knowledge ecosystem rather than a unified software product. Core technical offerings include the EcoDiag online carbon calculator for IT equipment and digital services, the BGES_DC spreadsheet-based carbon balance service for server-room IT equipment (launched March 2026), and a knowledge referential for teaching responsible digital practices in higher education. Content assets include the 'Je code' eco-design best-practices guide for software developers (currently in its sixth version), an annually updated DEEE e-waste management guide, the first French-language book on ICT environmental impacts (EDP Sciences, 2012), and a MOOC co-produced with Association Class'Code and Inria on the FUN platform. Scientific output includes research on AI environmental footprints covering training and inference energy, hardware lifecycle impacts, and assessment frameworks.
EcoInfo operates as a publicly funded public good rather than a commercial enterprise. All services, tools, guides, and training are provided at no cost to ESR personnel, with CNRS covering operational costs. Distribution relies on institutional channels: the ecoinfo.cnrs.fr website, the HAL open archive, the FUN MOOC platform, CNRS national training programs (ANF), and academic conferences such as JRES. The group maintains a small core of 7 listed employees, mobilizing a broader distributed community of CNRS engineers, university researchers, and IT professionals across France as a GDRS. Recent milestones include the CNRS Collective Crystal Award to ten EcoInfo engineers in July 2023, the GDRS transformation in January 2025, and the launch of BGES_DC in March 2026.
EcoInfo firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EcoInfo
- Legal name
- EcoInfo - CNRS Research Group
- Website
- https://ecoinfo.cnrs.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- EcoInfo is a CNRS research group (GDRS) that helps French higher education and research institutions measure and reduce the environmental and societal impacts of digital technology through free tools, training, and publications.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EcoInfo industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable IT Research and Education Services
- NAICS
- Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Emissions Factors, LCA & Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Platforms (EUABAEAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- ESG/Sustainability Reporting & Disclosure Platforms (EUABAEAB)
Keywords
EcoInfo business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
EcoInfo product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EcoInfo is a CNRS research and service group that provides free tools, guides, training, and publications to help French higher education and research institutions measure and reduce the environmental footprint of their digital infrastructure, software, and services. Its offerings include carbon calculation tools (EcoDiag, BGES_DC), eco-design guides for developers, end-of-life IT equipment guides, residential training programs (ANF), and a public MOOC on digital environmental impacts.
Product overview
EcoInfo is an information and education service (GDRS - Groupement de Recherche et de Service) under CNRS focused on reducing the environmental and societal impacts of digital technologies. Rather than offering a unified software product, EcoInfo provides an ecosystem of educational resources including carbon calculation tools (EcoDiag, BGES_DC), publications (books, guides on eco-conception and DEEE management), training programs (ANF sessions), and online courses (MOOC). Their portfolio centers on awareness, education, and practical guidance for sustainable IT practices across datacenters, software development, and digital services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- EcoDiag Carbon Calculator Online carbon calculation tool that enables organizations to estimate the carbon footprint of their IT equipment and digital services.
- BGES_DC Carbon Balance Service Spreadsheet-based service supporting organizations in creating an annual carbon balance for IT equipment in a server room, using an inventory-based methodology.
- MOOC Impacts environnementaux du numérique Free online course (MOOC) co-produced with Association Class'Code and Inria, covering the environmental impacts of digital technology, available on the FUN platform.
- Knowledge Referential for Eco-Responsible Digital Structured knowledge referential for teaching responsible digital practices in higher education, covering impacts of digital technology and methods to reduce them, available on HAL.
- EcoDiag Brochure and Eco-Design Guides (Plaquette « Je code ») Sixth-version guide on eco-design best practices for software developers creating sustainable digital services, published on HAL.
- DEEE Practical Guide (End-of-Life IT Equipment) Annual guide providing organizations with best practices for the proper end-of-life management of IT equipment, helping handle electronic waste responsibly.
- Les Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication (Book) Book published by EDP Sciences presenting all environmental impacts caused by information and communication technologies, covering lifecycle stages from production to end-of-life.
- ANF Sobriété Numérique Training Program Intensive residential training program (Action Nationale de Formation) for CNRS personnel and partner institutions on digital environmental impacts, eco-design, and digital sobriety.
Companies that use EcoInfo
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
EcoInfo technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
EcoInfo partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
EcoInfo competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ADEME (Agence de la transition écologique): France's national agency for ecological transition, which publishes guidance and supports programs on digital environmental impacts, eco-design, and datacenter efficiency. Comparable as a larger, government-funded authority that overlaps with EcoInfo's subject matter, but operates at national policy scale across all environmental domains.
- INRIA: France's national computer science research institute, co-producer of EcoInfo's MOOC and partner in digital environmental research. Comparable as a French public-research body involved in digital-environmental-impact work, though with a much broader computer-science mandate.
- Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Alliance (SDIA): European alliance working to make digital infrastructure (datacentres, networks, devices) more sustainable. Comparable in scope — covering datacentres, devices, and software — but pan-European and industry-led rather than French public-research-led.
- Green Software Foundation: International consortium building standards, tooling, and specifications for green software engineering. Comparable in promoting eco-design of digital services and reducing software/hardware carbon footprint, but operates globally and as an industry consortium rather than a French public-research body.
Direct peers
- Institut du Numérique Responsable (INR): French organization promoting responsible digital practices across public and private organizations, including certification and training on digital eco-responsibility. Comparable to EcoInfo in addressing the same French ESR-and-beyond audience with guidance and training on sustainable digital practices.
- GreenIT.fr: French community and reference site promoting green IT practices, including digital sobriety, eco-design, and awareness of ICT environmental impacts. Directly comparable in mission to EcoInfo's awareness and best-practices work, though organized as an association rather than a CNRS research group.
- The Shift Project: French think tank producing influential reports on the environmental and societal impacts of digital technologies (notably the 'Lean ICT' report). Like EcoInfo, it operates as a French non-profit/public-interest research body focused on digital sobriety and carbon impacts of ICT.
Emerging players
- NegaOctet (now part of Resilio): French consultancy created to operationalize the 'NegaOctet' methodology for measuring the environmental impact of digital services. Comparable methodology base to EcoInfo's LCA tools but delivered through a commercial consulting model rather than free public resources.
- Boavizta: French open-source collective producing environmental impact assessment data and tools for digital services and hardware. Directly comparable methodology (LCA-based ICT impact assessment) and tool philosophy (open/public), though younger and more developer-focused than EcoInfo.
Regional players
- Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact: European industry self-regulation pact for datacenter climate neutrality by 2030. Comparable to EcoInfo's datacentre-focused work (BGES_DC, COC Code of Conduct) but operator-led rather than researcher-led, and EU-wide in scope.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
EcoInfo social profiles
Digital presenceEcoInfo financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EcoInfo leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
EcoInfo funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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EcoInfo 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 EcoInfo
What does EcoInfo do?
EcoInfo is a CNRS research and service group that provides free tools, guides, training, and publications to help French higher education and research institutions measure and reduce the environmental footprint of their digital infrastructure, software, and services. Its offerings include carbon calculation tools (EcoDiag, BGES_DC), eco-design guides for developers, end-of-life IT equipment guides, residential training programs (ANF), and a public MOOC on digital environmental impacts.
Is EcoInfo a public or private company?
EcoInfo is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was EcoInfo founded?
EcoInfo was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Who are EcoInfo's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ADEME (Agence de la transition écologique), INRIA, Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Alliance (SDIA) and Green Software Foundation. Direct peers are Institut du Numérique Responsable (INR), GreenIT.fr and The Shift Project. Emerging players are NegaOctet (now part of Resilio) and Boavizta. Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact is listed as a regional player.
Does EcoInfo have an API?
No public API is recorded for EcoInfo.
What industry is EcoInfo in?
EcoInfo's product category is Sustainable IT Research and Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUABAEAD, Emissions Factors, LCA & Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Platforms, with a secondary code of EUABAEAB, ESG/Sustainability Reporting & Disclosure Platforms. Its NAICS code is 54169 and its SIC code is 8731.