Impact Licensing Initiative

What Impact Licensing Initiative does

The Impact Licensing Initiative (ILI), legally Impact Licensing Initiative vzw, is a Belgian non-profit organization founded in 2019 and headquartered in Leuven, Belgium. It acts as a catalyst and shared service center that helps technology holders — companies, research institutes, and universities — structure time-bounded, pre-defined-market licensing agreements (impact licenses) to deploy underused technologies toward UN Sustainable Development Goals without sacrificing economic returns. ILI co-creates special purpose impact ventures (SPVs) with selected social entrepreneurs and impact funders to commercialize these technologies at scale.

ILI delivers a sequential, three-stage service framework: Stage 1 (Exploration) covers NDA-protected IP and exclusivity assessment and drafting of the impact licensing agreement; Stage 2 (Co-creation) comprises Impact Brokering (technology screening, partnership identification, first business case) and Impact Venturing (SPV setup, business plan, technology adaptation roadmap, pilot testing); Stage 3 (Scale-up) provides Shareholder and Coaching Services (monitoring, reporting, leadership coaching, impact/revenue model optimization). Revenue is generated through a mix of professional service fees paid by technology owners and newcos, and result-based loans from an ILI fund that are intended to be repaid via exit proceeds from subsequent capital rounds.

The six-person core team blends senior IP licensing expertise, life sciences domain depth, impact investing track record, and ecosystem strategy, supported by an advisory and mentoring board drawn from KULeuven, Stanford's Global Innovation for Impact Lab, LSP, EVPA, and European Policy Centre. ILI is co-incubated by the Global Innovation for Impact Lab at Stanford University and collaborates with Ashoka Austria/CEE on developing an Impact Transfer Agency for geographic expansion of proven social innovations. End customers fall into three primary segments: technology owners seeking impact deployment of underused IP, social enterprises and impact ventures needing access to proven technology, and impact investors/funders financing SDG-aligned technology transfer.

Name

Impact Licensing Initiative

Legal name

Impact Licensing Initiative vzw

Website

https://impactlicensing.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Impact Licensing Initiative (ILI) is a Belgian non-profit founded in 2019 that acts as an independent shared service center, helping companies, research institutes, and universities structure social impact licensing agreements and co-create impact ventures to deploy underused technologies toward UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Impact Technology Transfer Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (54133), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Patent Owners & Lessors (6794)

akta.pro primary industry

Impact / ESG Venture Capital (FSANAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Impact Investment & Social Finance Programs (BPADAOAJ), Impact Investing (Intentional, Measurable Social/Environmental Outcomes) (FSAAALAC)

Keywords

• Impact licensing
• Technology transfer
• Social innovation
• Sustainable development goals
• Intellectual property licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Leuven

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Impact Licensing Services: Guidance and expertise on IP strategies for societal impact; development of impact licensing agreements. Funded through result-based loans from ILI-fund or payment for service from technology owner.
2. Impact Brokering Services: Screening of technologies on potential for societal impact; scoping of impact licensing agreements; identification of partnerships; development of first business case.
3. Impact Venturing Services: Set-up of SPV for impact venture; co-creation of business plan; technology adaptation roadmap development; pilot testing of service. Funded through payment for service of newco for venture building activities and repayment of result-based loan through exit strategy in follow-up capital rounds.
4. Shareholder and Coaching Services: Support to shareholders (monitoring and reporting services); coaching of leadership in impact venture for scaling; optimization of impact and revenue model.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Impact Licensing Initiative is a non-profit organization that helps technology owners transfer underused technologies to social enterprises through structured impact licensing agreements tied to UN Sustainable Development Goals. It guides clients through a three-stage program (Exploration, Co-creation, Scale-up) covering IP strategy, technology screening, SPV creation, pilot testing, and ongoing coaching, funded through service fees and result-based loans.

Product overview

Impact Licensing Initiative (ILI) is a non-profit organization that provides a structured three-stage service program for technology owners to achieve societal impact at scale on UN Sustainable Development Goals. The offering consists of four integrated service modules: Impact Licensing Services (Stage 1 Exploration) for IP strategy and agreement development; Impact Brokering Services (Stage 2 Co-creation) for technology screening and business case development; Impact Venturing Services (Stage 2 Co-creation) for SPV setup and business plan co-creation; and Shareholder and Coaching Services (Stage 3 Scale-up) for monitoring, coaching, and impact optimization. These services work sequentially to guide technologies from assessment through to scaled social impact while preserving IP rights and economic interests of technology owners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Impact Licensing Services Stage 1 Exploration service providing guidance and expertise on IP strategies for societal impact in developed and developing countries; development of the impact licensing agreement; NDA signing to study technology exclusivity and assessment of existing and future IP protection. Designed for technology owners (companies, universities, research centers) seeking to bring technologies to pre-defined markets for societal value creation.
• Impact Brokering Services Stage 2 Co-creation service involving screening of technologies for societal impact potential, scoping of the impact licensing agreement, identification of potential partnerships, and development of the first business case. Designed for technology owners and social enterprises moving from exploration to venture formation.
• Impact Venturing Services Stage 2 Co-creation service setting up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for an impact venture, co-creating the business plan, developing the technology adaptation roadmap, and pilot-testing the service. Funded through payment-for-service by the newco for venture building activities and repayment of result-based loans through exit in follow-up capital rounds.
• Shareholder and Coaching Services Stage 3 Scale-up service delivering support to shareholders through monitoring and reporting services, coaching of leadership in the impact venture for scaling, and optimization of the impact and revenue model. Designed for impact ventures and their investors post-pilot.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Global Innovation for Impact Lab at Stanford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Impact Licensing Initiative is co-incubated by the Global Innovation for Impact Lab at Stanford University. This partnership provides institutional credibility and expertise in global innovation for impact. Christian Seelos serves as Director of the Global Innovation for Impact Lab at the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society.
• Ashoka Austria/CEEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerILI collaborates with Ashoka Austria/CEE, focusing on developing the Impact Transfer Agency that supports the transfer of proven social innovations into new geographies.
• Oksigen (accelerator for social enterprises)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-created by Loïc Van Cutsem (ILI team member), Oksigen is an accelerator for social enterprises embedded in a larger support ecosystem.
• European Commission GECES Expert GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLoïc Van Cutsem serves as a private expert in the GECES Expert Group of the European Commission since 2015.
• European Patent Office (EPO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBruno Vandermeulen is an accredited teacher in technology transfer with the European Patent Office, providing training and education to licensing professionals.
• Licensing Executive Society (LESI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBruno Vandermeulen is an accredited teacher in technology transfer with the Licensing Executive Society (LESI), regularly lecturing and training licensing professionals.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Toniic: Member-led global action community of impact investors (high-net-worth individuals and family offices) deploying capital across asset classes for social and environmental outcomes — comparable to ILI's network-orchestration role for impact capital deployment.
• European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA): Europe-wide membership association for venture philanthropy and social investment, including knowledge, training, and advocacy — comparable to ILI as an institutional intermediary supporting the social investment community.
• Acumen: Global impact-investing non-profit that deploys patient capital and builds supporting infrastructure (e.g., Acumen Academy) for social enterprises addressing poverty — comparable to ILI as a mission-driven intermediary channeling resources toward SDG-aligned ventures.
• i-propeller: Belgium-based impact consultancy founded and previously led for 10 years by ILI's general manager Johan Moyersoen — directly comparable as an impact advisory practice working with social enterprises and impact investors.
• Ashoka: Global non-profit network identifying and supporting leading social entrepreneurs (Fellows) — comparable to ILI as a non-profit intermediary scaling proven social innovations; ILI collaborates with Ashoka Austria/CEE on the Impact Transfer Agency.
• Spring Point Partners: US-based impact advisory firm providing strategy, measurement, and capacity-building support to impact investors, foundations, and social enterprises — directly comparable as a professional services intermediary serving the impact ecosystem.
• Bridges Fund Management: UK-based specialist impact investment fund manager running sustainable and impact strategies across private equity, debt, and property — comparable to ILI in its emphasis on measurable impact paired with structured investment vehicles.
• Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN): Non-profit membership organization dedicated to increasing the scale and effectiveness of impact investing — comparable to ILI as a shared infrastructure body that supports, certifies, and connects impact investment practitioners.

Broad incumbents

• BSD Consulting: International sustainability and corporate responsibility consultancy (part of the BSD Group) helping organizations integrate sustainability into strategy — broadly comparable to ILI's advisory stance but operating at far larger scale and broader corporate remit.

Emerging players

• Oksigen: Belgian accelerator for social enterprises co-created by ILI team member Loïc Van Cutsem — comparable as a Belgium-rooted impact intermediary; smaller and earlier-stage than ILI but operating in an overlapping network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/impact-licensing-initiative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Impact Licensing Initiative