Innovation Growth Lab
Innovation Growth Lab is a non-profit global partnership hosted by Nesta and BSE that connects policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and funders to advance experimental policymaking through RCTs, data science, and innovation mapping, serving 35+ government agencies and 250+ researchers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Innovation Growth Lab does
Innovation Growth Lab (IGL) is a global non-profit policy research partnership dedicated to increasing the impact of innovation and productivity policies through experimentation, data, and evidence. Founded in 2014 and led by Founding Director Albert Bravo-Biosca, IGL is hosted by Nesta in London and the Barcelona School of Economics (BSE) in Barcelona, with operations spanning Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The organisation connects four stakeholder groups: policymakers (including 35+ government agencies), academic researchers (a network of 250+), practitioners, and funders.
IGL's core offering is not a unified software product but a portfolio of research programmes, educational resources, funding mechanisms, and community platforms. Its technology stack centres on experimental research methodologies — particularly Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs), quantitative analysis, data science, and innovation mapping. Proprietary assets include the IGL Trials Database (a repository of field experiments), the Experimental Kit, RCT Guide, Quantitative Analysis Guide, Seed Grants Programme (up to £5,000 GBP per award), Annual Research Prizes (£1,500 GBP each), a Masterclass Series, a bi-monthly Experimentation Webinar Series, Evidence Bites, and the Experimental Mentorship Programme. The annual CFXS Conference convenes the global research community.
IGL operates a non-profit revenue model dependent on donor and funder support from foundations, government agencies, and institutional partners including the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Argidius, Nesta, and BSE. All services are provided free of charge. The go-to-market motion is community-led, combining membership programmes, capacity building workshops, project consulting, advisory services, and experimentation funds targeting government agencies, researchers, practitioners, and funders globally.
Innovation Growth Lab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Innovation Growth Lab
- Legal name
- Innovation Growth Lab
- Website
- https://innovationgrowthlab.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Innovation Growth Lab is a non-profit global partnership hosted by Nesta and BSE that connects policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and funders to advance experimental policymaking through RCTs, data science, and innovation mapping, serving 35+ government agencies and 250+ researchers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Innovation Growth Lab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Policy Research and Experimentation Services
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Applied Research & Innovation Universities (EDAHAEAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI), Research & Lab-Based Short-Term Programs (Undergraduate/Graduate) (EDAIAIAF)
Keywords
Where Innovation Growth Lab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Innovation Growth Lab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donor and Funder Support: Support from donors and funders enables IGL to conduct innovative research, identify effective solutions, and create public resources. IGL operates as a non-profit partnership dependent on funding from foundations, government agencies, and institutional partners.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels11 records
Innovation Growth Lab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Innovation Growth Lab (IGL) is a global non-profit research partnership that supports policymakers, researchers, and practitioners in advancing science, innovation, entrepreneurship and growth policies through experimentation (especially randomized controlled trials), data science, and evidence-based policymaking. It curates the IGL Trials Database, publishes educational guides (RCT Guide, Quantitative Analysis Guide, Experimental Kit), runs the Research Network of 250+ researchers, and provides training, mentorship, seed grants, and convening events.
Product overview
Innovation Growth Lab (IGL) is a global research partnership and policy organisation that does not offer a unified software product, but rather provides a portfolio of research programs, educational resources, funding mechanisms, and community platforms. The core offerings include the IGL Research Network (a community of 250+ researchers), the Experimental Kit (resources for experiment design), the Trials Database (repository of field experiments), the RCT Guide and Quantitative Analysis Guide (educational guides), Seed Grants and Annual Research Prizes (funding and recognition programs), the Training Programme and Masterclass Series (capacity building), the Experimentation Webinar Series (knowledge sharing), Evidence Bites (short insights), the Experimental Mentorship Programme (mentorship), and the CFXS Conference (annual research convening). These offerings work together to build experimental research capacity, support high-quality research, and catalyze impactful experiments in innovation, science, and productivity policy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- IGL Research Network A global community of over 250 academic researchers interested in running randomised controlled trials in innovation, science, and economic growth, providing peer-to-peer learning and reducing knowledge barriers on experimental methods.
- Experimental Kit
- Guide to Randomised Controlled Trials (RCT Guide)
- Quantitative Analysis Guide
- IGL Trials Database
- Seed Grants
- Training Programme - Driving Policy Impact Through Experimentation
- Masterclass Series
- Evidence Bites
- Experimental Mentorship Programme
Quantifiable outcome
- Worked with over 35 government agencies worldwide
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Innovation Growth Lab
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Innovation Growth Lab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Innovation Growth Lab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Department of Business & Trade (UK)coreUK government department partner collaborating on innovation and business policy initiatives.
- Department for Science, Innovation, & Technology (UK)coreUK government department partner focusing on science and innovation policy.
- Ministerio de industria, energía y turismo - ENISA (Spain)coreSpanish Ministry partner supporting innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives.
- Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial - CDTI (Spain)coreSpanish government agency for technological development and innovation.
- Netherlands Enterprise AgencycoreDutch government agency partner supporting enterprise and innovation development.
- Innovate UKcoreUK innovation agency partner supporting business innovation and growth.
- Barcelona School of Economics (BSE)coreIGL is hosted by BSE in Barcelona. Academic partner providing research collaboration and institutional support.
- NestacoreIGL is hosted by Nesta in London. UK innovation foundation providing institutional support and strategic partnership.
- Research on Research Institute (RoRI)minorCollaborated with IGL to produce the Experimental Research Funders' Handbook.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Innovation Growth Lab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab): Global research centre using randomised controlled trials to evaluate anti-poverty programmes in education, health, and economic policy. Directly comparable to IGL in its RCT-led approach to evidence-based policy, although focused on development economics rather than innovation policy.
- Behavioural Insights Team (BIT): Social purpose company that applies behavioural science and RCTs to public policy. Highly comparable to IGL in mission (experimentation for government), partnership model with public agencies, and global rollout approach.
- Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA): Non-profit research and policy organisation that discovers and promotes effective solutions to global poverty problems using RCTs. Closely comparable in RCT methodology, researcher network structure, and policy translation focus, though oriented to developing economies.
Broad incumbents
- What Works Network: UK government-funded network of independent centres producing evidence syntheses and RCTs across policy domains. Comparable in RCT-driven policy evaluation mission and UK government focus, but with broader thematic scope than IGL.
- Nesta: UK innovation foundation and IGL's host organisation. Broader portfolio spanning innovation, health, education, and economic growth; comparable as both an institutional peer and an ecosystem participant that hosts IGL's operations.
- European Commission Joint Research Centre: European Commission's science and knowledge service producing policy-relevant evidence across multiple domains including innovation and growth. Comparable in evidence-for-policy mandate and European policy focus, though much larger and government-affiliated.
- RAND Corporation: Large US-based research organisation providing policy analysis and evidence to governments. Comparable in evidence-to-policy translation and government partnership model, though vastly larger in scale and scope.
- OECD: International organisation providing evidence-based policy analysis across member countries. Comparable as a global policy research body producing rigorous analysis on innovation and growth, though broader in scope and intergovernmental in governance.
Regional players
- Barcelona School of Economics (BSE): Academic institution and IGL's Barcelona host, conducting research in economics and data science. Comparable as a research and policy partner, though primarily academic and Spain-based rather than a globally distributed policy partnership.
Emerging players
- ID Insight: Non-profit that uses data and RCTs to help leaders combat poverty worldwide. Comparable in RCT-driven advisory model and government partnership focus, though emerging relative to IGL and oriented primarily to development sector.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Innovation Growth Lab social profiles
Digital presenceInnovation Growth Lab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Innovation Growth Lab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Innovation Growth Lab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Innovation Growth Lab 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 Innovation Growth Lab
What does Innovation Growth Lab do?
Innovation Growth Lab (IGL) is a global non-profit research partnership that supports policymakers, researchers, and practitioners in advancing science, innovation, entrepreneurship and growth policies through experimentation (especially randomized controlled trials), data science, and evidence-based policymaking. It curates the IGL Trials Database, publishes educational guides (RCT Guide, Quantitative Analysis Guide, Experimental Kit), runs the Research Network of 250+ researchers, and provides training, mentorship, seed grants, and convening events.
Is Innovation Growth Lab a public or private company?
Innovation Growth Lab is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Innovation Growth Lab founded?
Innovation Growth Lab was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Innovation Growth Lab based?
Innovation Growth Lab is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Innovation Growth Lab make money?
One revenue line is on record: donor and Funder Support.
Who are Innovation Growth Lab's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab), Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) and Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA). Broad incumbents are What Works Network, Nesta, European Commission Joint Research Centre, RAND Corporation and OECD. Barcelona School of Economics (BSE) is listed as a regional player. ID Insight is listed as an emerging player.
Does Innovation Growth Lab have an API?
No public API is recorded for Innovation Growth Lab.
What industry is Innovation Growth Lab in?
Innovation Growth Lab's product category is Policy Research and Experimentation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAEAE, Applied Research & Innovation Universities, with a secondary code of EDAEAGAI, Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming). Its NAICS code is 54172 and its SIC code is 8731.