Environmental Consulting Organization at the University of Michigan (ECO-UM)

What Environmental Consulting Organization at the University of Michigan (ECO-UM) does

ECO-UM is a student-led, university-affiliated environmental consulting organization operating at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Founded in 2020 and governed by a 10-person elected executive board (Co-Presidents and eight Vice Presidents covering Education, Social Engagement, Projects, Strategy, Internal, Membership, External, and Marketing), it recruits undergraduate members through campus events such as Festifall, WinterFest, mass meetings, and speed-dating sessions, and runs two semester-long project cycles per year (Fall and Winter). The organization delivers four core consulting service lines to external clients: Marketing and Communications, Supply Chain Optimization, Data Analytics, and Policy Research. Project teams are structured with one project manager, three to five business analysts, and one senior project advisor per engagement, with each project lasting 8 to 12 weeks.

ECO-UM's technology stack is lightweight and built around mainstream tools rather than proprietary infrastructure: Tableau is used for data visualization (notably an internal energy-usage mapping effort covering water, heating, lighting, and foot traffic on the University of Michigan campus), and Google Forms is used for member recruitment and intake. The organization does not develop or sell a software product, has no public APIs or SDKs, and does not hold patents or certifications. Client work is delivered as project-based deliverables with midpoint and final presentations, exemplified by named engagements with Zingerman's Delicatessen (sustainability consulting), Sequestro.Co (market research for a PFAS water-remediation startup), Michigan Fibershed (financial modeling for a regenerative textile project), Argus Farm Stop (food-mileage and CO₂ analysis), and the Michigan Environmental Council (policy research on Supplemental Environmental Projects).

The business model is explicitly non-commercial. ECO-UM is structured as a nonprofit student organization that provides its consulting services pro bono, with no disclosed pricing, no fee structure, and no revenue generation. Client acquisition is driven by VP External outreach and inbound word-of-mouth rather than a sales function. The organization operates under the institutional umbrella of the University of Michigan without formal ownership or subsidiary status, and is funded through member dues and university-affiliated support mechanisms that are not disclosed. Geographic focus is Ann Arbor and Southeast Michigan, with occasional engagements extending to broader United States clients.

Name

Environmental Consulting Organization at the University of Michigan (ECO-UM)

Legal name

Environmental Consulting Organization at the University of Michigan

Website

https://ecoumich.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ECO-UM is a University of Michigan student-led nonprofit that provides pro bono environmental consulting services across marketing, supply chain, data analytics, and policy research to local businesses, nonprofits, government entities, and startups in Ann Arbor and Southeast Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Consulting Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Justice & Community Environmental Health (BPAGAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Climate Resilience & Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) (BPAGABAK)

Keywords

• Environmental consulting services
• Sustainability consulting
• Policy research analysis
• Supply chain optimization
• Data analytics consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Ann Arbor, MI

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pro Bono Consulting Services: ECO-UM is a student-led organization providing environmental consulting services to businesses and organizations. The services appear to be provided at no cost, as this is an academic student organization focused on professional development and community impact rather than revenue generation.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ECO-UM is a student-led environmental consulting organization at the University of Michigan that delivers pro bono sustainability consulting through collaborative project teams. The organization offers four service lines: Marketing and Communications, Supply Chain Optimization, Data Analytics, and Policy Research, partnering with local businesses, nonprofits, startups, and government entities in Ann Arbor and Southeastern Michigan.

Product overview

ECO-UM is a student-led environmental consulting organization at the University of Michigan that offers a portfolio of consulting services rather than a software product. The organization provides four core service offerings: Marketing and Communications (branding and messaging), Supply Chain Optimization (cost-saving and sustainability analysis), Data Analytics (energy mapping and market forecasting), and Policy Research (green economy research and legislative analysis). These services are delivered through collaborative project teams that partner with businesses and organizations in the Ann Arbor community and beyond.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Marketing and Communications Branding content creation for strengthening environmental messaging and product value communication through surveys and research. Example work includes creating flyers about client products and organizing demonstration events. Target audience: local businesses and organizations seeking to communicate sustainability initiatives.
• Supply Chain Optimization Supply chain processes analysis to provide cost-saving recommendations and optimization research to strengthen sustainability. Example work includes analyzing how retailers might incorporate more environmentally friendly packaging. Target audience: retail and restaurant businesses seeking to reduce environmental footprint.
• Data Analytics Energy usage mapping with sustainability trend data and market forecasting of potential business opportunities. Example work includes mapping energy usage throughout the University of Michigan campus including water usage, heating, foot traffic, and lighting. Target audience: organizations and businesses seeking sustainability data and energy insights.
• Policy Research Environmentally-driven research on a future green economy and business initiatives, and policy analysis of different bills and legislative solutions for climate change. Target audience: government entities and nonprofits focused on environmental policy.

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Ramboll: Ramboll is an international engineering and sustainability consultancy with a strong environment and health practice. It represents the established consulting services that ECO-UM's student projects attempt to deliver at smaller scale.
• Carbon Trust: Carbon Trust is an established sustainability consultancy advising organizations on carbon reduction, resource efficiency, and green economy strategy — closely aligned with ECO-UM's Policy Research and Supply Chain Optimization services.
• Environmental Resources Management (ERM): ERM is one of the world's largest pure-play environmental and sustainability consultancies, advising on compliance, impact assessment, and ESG strategy — the professional-scale counterpart to ECO-UM's environmental consulting work.
• Anthesis Group: Anthesis is a global sustainability consultancy specializing in ESG, supply chain decarbonization, and circular economy advisory — directly comparable in service lines to ECO-UM's data analytics, supply chain, and policy offerings.
• Business for Social Responsibility (BSR): BSR is a global nonprofit sustainability consultancy that works with businesses on strategy, supply chain, and policy. It represents the mature, paid version of the sustainability consulting services ECO-UM offers pro bono.
• Deloitte Sustainability & Climate practice: Deloitte's Sustainability & Climate practice offers enterprise-grade ESG and sustainability consulting globally — a reference point for the full-service consulting value chain that ECO-UM's data analytics and policy research offerings emulate.

Direct peers

• Net Impact: Net Impact is a global nonprofit that mobilizes students and professionals around sustainable business through chapters at universities. It is the most direct peer to ECO-UM in mission (sustainability consulting and education) and chapter-based operating model.

Emerging players

• Climate Neutral: Climate Neutral is a small nonprofit that certifies brands on carbon footprint and supports reduction strategies. Comparable to ECO-UM in nonprofit, mission-driven profile and SMB sustainability focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eco-um
• Instagraminstagram.com/eco_um

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Environmental Consulting Organization at the University of Michigan (ECO-UM)