Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota

Sustainability Research and Education Servicesenvironment.umn.edu

The Institute on the Environment (IonE) is a non-profit research and education institute within the University of Minnesota that advances sustainability science across 10 domains via interdisciplinary research, educational programs, and partner-engaged initiatives serving faculty, students, government, Tribal Nations, and NGOs.

Company typePrivate
Founded2007
HeadquartersSt Paul, Minnesota, United States
Headcount51–100
GTM typeB2B
OfferingServices

What Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota does

The Institute on the Environment (IonE) is a non-profit research and education institute within the University of Minnesota, established in 2007 and headquartered in St. Paul with an extension at the University of Minnesota Duluth. The institute organizes its work around 10 sustainability domains — Adaptation, Biodiversity, Clean Energy, Decision Support, Environmental Justice, Food Systems, Mitigation, Natural Capital, Planetary Health, and Water and Land — and convenes a network of more than 250 affiliated UMN faculty alongside 75+ external partner organizations including government agencies, NGOs, Tribal Nations, and private sector actors. IonE is led by Executive Director Jessica Hellmann (Distinguished McKnight University Professor, in role since 2015) with additional directors covering Research & Knowledge Initiatives, the Duluth campus, and Learning & Development.

IonE's core outputs span four product categories: research platforms (notably the FoodS3 supply-chain sustainability modeling tool and the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas), research centers and initiatives (Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, Mni Sota Center for Weather and Health, Regional Resilience Innovation Incubator National Office), educational programs (Sustainability Studies Minor, SESG Graduate Certificate, IonE Undergraduate and Graduate Leaders cohorts, Postdoctoral and Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellowships, international study including UN COP delegations and Germany Study Abroad), and competitive funding mechanisms (Impact Goals grants up to $200,000 and $3,000 Mini Grants, with 400+ Mini Grants awarded and roughly $7 million cumulatively invested in Impact Goal projects since 2019).

The institute operates as a non-profit funded through University of Minnesota institutional allocations, competitive grant funding (including the state-administered MnDRIVE Environment program and federal partnerships with USDA Forest Service, NOAA, and the National Weather Service), and philanthropic contributions from individuals and foundations. Educational and convening offerings (Sustainability Symposium, Environmental Justice Summit, Speaking Science, Annual Meeting) are provided at no direct cost to participants, and postdoctoral fellows receive annual compensation of $63,500-$71,000 plus research funds. The institute's 2024-2029 Strategic Plan formalizes a five-year roadmap for research, education, and network priorities.

Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota
Legal name: Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota
Website: https://environment.umn.edu
Company type: Private
Founded year: 2007
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 51–100 employees
Short description: The Institute on the Environment (IonE) is a non-profit research and education institute within the University of Minnesota that advances sustainability science across 10 domains via interdisciplinary research, educational programs, and partner-engaged initiatives serving faculty, students, government, Tribal Nations, and NGOs.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota industry classification

Industry

Product category: Sustainability Research and Education Services
NAICS: Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)
SIC: Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)
akta.pro primary industry: Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)
akta.pro secondary industries: Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation & Resilience Programs (BPAIAMAD), Climate Resilience & Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) (BPAGABAK), Research & Lab-Based Short-Term Programs (Undergraduate/Graduate) (EDAIAIAF)

Keywords

Sustainability research
Environmental education
Interdisciplinary research
Climate adaptation
Food systems

Where Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: St Paul, Minnesota
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

University of Minnesota Core Funding: The University of Minnesota invests in IonE as part of its institutional funding, allowing IonE to regrant funds to catalyze interdisciplinary, partner-engaged research across the University system.
Competitive Grant Funding: IonE administers external funding from outcomes-oriented initiatives such as MnDRIVE Environment, and receives competitive grant funding for specific research projects and programs.
Philanthropic Support: IonE receives generous support from individuals and philanthropic partners to fund research, fellowships, and programs.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Freemium	Annual	Free educational programs for students
Subscription	Annual	Postdoctoral Fellowship Compensation
Other	Multi-year contract	Research Grants

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota product offering

Product offering

Core offering

The Institute on the Environment (IonE) at the University of Minnesota is a research and education institute that conducts partner-engaged sustainability research across 10 domains (Adaptation, Biodiversity, Clean Energy, Decision Support, Environmental Justice, Food Systems, Mitigation, Natural Capital, Planetary Health, and Water and Land). It operates research platforms such as FoodS3, offers education programs (Sustainability Studies Minor, SESG Graduate Certificate, cohort programs), postdoctoral fellowships, competitive research grants (Impact Goals, Mini Grants), and hosts research centers and major convenings that connect faculty, students, government agencies, NGOs and communities.

Product overview

The Institute on the Environment (IonE) at the University of Minnesota is a research and education institute organized around 10 sustainability domains. Rather than a single product, IonE offers a portfolio of interconnected programs and platforms. The flagship research platform is FoodS³, a supply-chain sustainability modeling platform. IonE also operates fellowship programs (Postdoctoral Fellowship, Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellows), education pathways (Sustainability Studies Minor, SESG Graduate Certificate, international study), and funding mechanisms (Impact Goals grants up to $200,000, Mini Grants). The institute houses research centers (Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, Mni Sota Center for Weather and Health) and facilitates network platforms and major convenings. These offerings work together to advance sustainability research, education, and practical solutions for Minnesota and beyond.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

FoodS³: A continually improving platform that pulls together various data sources and models to help organizations better understand their agricultural supply chains and improve sustainability.
Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (MWCASC)
Mni Sota Center for Weather and Health
Regional Resilience Innovation Incubator (R2I2)
Sustainable Land and Water Resources REU

Products and services

FoodS3 (Food System Supply-Chain Sustainability) A data platform that pulls together data sources and models to make food supply chains more visible, enabling organizations to understand agricultural supply chain impacts and improve sustainability.
IonE Postdoctoral Fellowship Program A cohort-based two-year fellowship program that prepares early-career scholars to drive sustainability solutions through interdisciplinary research, leadership development, and transformative partnerships. Fellows receive annual salary between $63,500-$71,000, research and professional development funds, basic moving expenses, and health care coverage.
Sustainability Studies Minor Undergraduate minor program offering courses, internships, and cohort experiences that build sustainability knowledge and leadership skills across disciplines at the University of Minnesota.
Sustainable Environmental, Social and Governance (SESG) Graduate Certificate Graduate-level certificate program focused on sustainability and ESG concepts for students seeking expertise in environmental and social governance at the University of Minnesota.
IonE Graduate Sustainability Leaders Graduate cohort program that develops leadership skills and interdisciplinary approaches to sustainability challenges at the University of Minnesota.
International Study Opportunities Study abroad programs including UN Conference of the Parties delegations and Germany study abroad focused on clean energy transition and sustainability. Scholarships are available for these programs.
Impact Goals Grant Program Competitive grant program funding interdisciplinary, partner-engaged research teams advancing measurable sustainability outcomes in Minnesota, with awards up to $200,000 for interdisciplinary teams.
Mini Grants Funding to support and spark collaborative sustainability projects, with $3,000 awards available to teams across the University of Minnesota and beyond. 400+ Mini Grants have been awarded to date.
Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center A regional research center helping fish, water, wildlife, land and people adapt to a changing climate. It pursues science that state, federal, local and Tribal decision-makers can use to effectively manage natural resources.
Mni Sota Center for Weather and Health An interdisciplinary center addressing the impacts of evolving weather patterns on human health, focusing on American Indian people and rural populations in the Mni Sota region of Minnesota.
Regional Resilience Innovation Incubator (R2I2) National Office A national office supporting 19 collaborative, community-engaged teams that bring together researchers and community members to develop solutions to regional climate change challenges and turn climate and Earth system science into practical applications.
Sustainable Land and Water Resources REU A summer research program for undergraduates exploring how land and water systems are shaped by environmental and social factors, integrating Indigenous and Western knowledges.
IonE Network Platforms and Initiatives Network programs including Climate Smart Municipalities, Berlin Seminar, and Midwest Carbon Leadership Project that create spaces for connection and collaboration across Minnesota, the Midwest, and beyond.
Major Convenings Annual events including the Annual Meeting, Environmental Justice Summit, Speaking Science conference, and Sustainability Symposium that bring together sustainability researchers, students, and community members to share research, ideas and art.

Quantifiable outcome

$7 million invested in Impact Goal projects since 2019, with 10 new projects totaling $1.5 million in 2026
+3 more outcomes

Companies that use Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota

Customer profile

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

Midwest Climate Adaptation Science CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA regional collaboration helping fish, water, wildlife, land and people adapt to a changing climate. The center pursues science that state, federal, local and Tribal decision-makers can use to effectively manage resources in the face of climate change.
Mni Sota Center for Weather and HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterdisciplinary center connecting weather patterns to human health, with work focusing on American Indian people and rural populations in the Mni Sota region of Minnesota.
Regional Resilience Innovation Incubator (R2I2) National OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIonE hosts the R2I2 National Office which supports 19 collaborative, community-engaged teams bringing together researchers and community members to develop solutions to regional climate change challenges.
Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science ReservemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA research reserve dedicated to understanding ecosystems and how they change under human pressure, bridging gaps between science, community and government through research, conservation, education and public engagement.
Minnesota Biodiversity AtlasmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA searchable database providing access to biodiversity records from all 87 Minnesota counties, with records dating back to the 19th century, holding more than two million records and 500,000 images.
75+ Partner OrganizationsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizations partnered on Impact Goals projects since 2020, including government agencies, NGOs, communities, and private sector partners working with IonE on sustainability research.
Water Resources CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the nation's 54 water resources research institutes, ensuring Minnesota's water decisions are grounded in rigorous, locally relevant research delivered through trusted relationships.
Center for Planetary Health and Environmental JusticemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBased at the School of Nursing, a cross-sector hub advancing just, regenerative and community-rooted approaches to health that foster remembrance of interdependent relationship with all life on earth.
USDA Forest ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on projects including Land Classification for Carbon Accounting and biodiversity assessments, working with Forest Inventory and Analysis teams.
NOAA and National Weather ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partnerships for climate and weather services, including evaluation of forecasting tools and development of improved decision support services.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

Duke Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability: Duke University-based institute conducting interdisciplinary energy, environment, and sustainability research with policy translation - closely mirrors IonE's research-and-partner-engaged model.
Yale School of the Environment: Yale's environmental school/institute combines interdisciplinary research, graduate education, and policy translation. Comparable in structure (university-embedded) and mission (sustainability research and education).
Columbia Climate School: Columbia University's school dedicated to climate and sustainability research, education, and external partnerships - directly comparable as a university-anchored climate/sustainability hub.
Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment: University-based sustainability research institute at Stanford operating similarly to IonE: interdisciplinary faculty network, partner-engaged research, grants administration, and education programs across environmental domains. Directly comparable mission and operating model.
MIT Climate Portal: MIT's climate research and education hub combines interdisciplinary research, fellowships, and public engagement - a directly comparable university sustainability platform.
University of Michigan Graham Sustainability Institute: University of Michigan institute coordinating sustainability research, education, and partnerships across multiple schools - the closest Big Ten/regional peer to IonE.

Emerging players

Union of Concerned Scientists: Nonprofit that translates scientific research into policy and public engagement, similar to IonE's partner-engaged model. Smaller in research output but analogous in mission to make science actionable.

Broad incumbents

World Resources Institute (WRI): Global sustainability research organization producing data-driven research and decision support (similar to FoodS3's role). Differs as an independent NGO rather than university-anchored, but operates in the same research-to-action space.
Nature Conservancy: Major environmental NGO combining science, conservation, and policy work. Comparable as a partner-engaged environmental research and action organization, though not university-based.
USDA Climate Hubs: Federal regional climate adaptation network serving decision-makers in agriculture and forestry. Comparable to IonE's Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center and adaptation domain, but federal rather than university-anchored.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota

What does Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota do?

Is Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota a public or private company?

Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.

When was Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota founded?

Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota was founded in 2007. It employs 51 to 100 people.

Where is Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota based?

Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota is headquartered in St Paul, Minnesota, United States, in the North America region.

How does Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota make money?

Three revenue lines are on record. University of Minnesota Core Funding is the primary driver. The others are competitive Grant Funding and philanthropic Support.

Who are Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are Duke Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Yale School of the Environment, Columbia Climate School, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, MIT Climate Portal and University of Michigan Graham Sustainability Institute. Union of Concerned Scientists is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are World Resources Institute (WRI), Nature Conservancy and USDA Climate Hubs.

Does Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota have an API?

No public API is recorded for Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota.

What industry is Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota in?

Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota's product category is Sustainability Research and Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADALAO, Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement, with a secondary code of BPAIAMAD, Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation & Resilience Programs. Its NAICS code is 541620 and its SIC code is 8731.