IRIS - Incubadora Regional de Inovação Social

Name

IRIS - Incubadora Regional de Inovação Social

Legal name

ASSOCIAÇÃO IRISOCIAL – INCUBADORA DE INOVAÇÃO SOCIAL

Website

https://iris-social.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Innovation Incubation Services

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADAEAA

Program & Project Implementation (TA Delivery)

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Development & Technical Assistance

SECONDARYBPADAKAK

Education Systems Strengthening (Policy, Planning, EMIS, Governance)

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Education & Skills Development Programs

Keywords

• Social innovation incubation
• Impact entrepreneurship programs
• Nonprofit capacity building
• Social enterprise training
• Community coworking spaces

Headquarters

HQ city

Paranhos, Porto

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Training and Capacity Building Services: IRIS charges fees for professional training courses in areas such as Power BI (345€), Impact Management (360€), and Design Thinking (510€). Courses are DGERT certified and offer discounts to incubated projects (30-35%) and IRIS partners (20%). Some programs are fully funded through public financing.
2. Network Membership Fees: Annual membership subscription of 75€ + IVA for individuals and organizations to join the IRIS Network, providing access to the IRIS Program with defined annual actions based on ecosystem needs.
3. Public Funding and Co-financing: IRIS operates with co-financing from Portugal Inovação Social and investment from Instituto do Banco Europeu de Investimento, Fundação AGEAS, and BPI | Fundação 'la Caixa'. The Porto de Impacto project is co-funded by Portugal Inovação Social.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IRIS operates a social innovation incubator that supports social entrepreneurs and impact organizations through project incubation and acceleration programs, a coworking space (Espaço IRIS), a network membership program (Rede IRIS), DGERT-certified professional training courses, and community networking events. The organization connects local governments, educational institutions, academia, and partners to help develop sustainable initiatives addressing social and environmental challenges in Portugal.

Product overview

IRIS is a social innovation incubator offering a comprehensive ecosystem for developing impact initiatives. The core offerings include the Porto de Impacto incubation program, Rede IRIS network membership, and coworking space. Training programs span workshops (time management, Power BI, application management) and certified courses (Social Impact Measurement, Design Thinking, Gender-Inclusive Language). Special programs include the TUI Futureshapers Portugal tourism innovation program and Transição para a Inovação Social. The ecosystem is complemented by educational programs for schools (Begin Innovation), annual meet-ups, and an extensive network of specialists and partners supporting social entrepreneurs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Porto de Impacto: Program focused on supporting impact initiatives and entrepreneurs, providing free training sessions and networking opportunities.
• TUI Futureshapers Portugal
• Transição para a Inovação Social

Products and services

• Porto de Impacto
• Rede IRIS Network Membership
• Espaço IRIS Coworking Space
• Power BI Training Course
• Medição e Gestão de Impacto Social Course
• Transição para a Inovação Social Program
• TUI Futureshapers Portugal - Social Innovation in Tourism
• Begin Innovation Educational Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ impact projects supported
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PortusParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortusPark co-promoted IRIS with EIB Institute in 2017, aligning with their 25 years of work in promoting and supporting entrepreneurship. Described as a differentiating and pioneering project in Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Northern Region.
• TUI Care FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTUI Care Foundation promotes the TUI Futureshapers Portugal - Social Innovation in Tourism program, which is run by IRIS. The 15-month program (March 2025-May 2026) includes Design Sprint Workshops, Impacthon, mentorship, masterclasses, webinars, and incubation. Prizes of 10,000€, 7,500€, and 5,000€ for top 3 projects.
• Banco MontepiominorOthersListed partner providing banking/financial services support to IRIS projects.
• Porto Business SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner supporting IRIS with business expertise and training capabilities.
• UPTECminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScience and technology park partner collaborating on startup and innovation support.
• Vieira de Almeida AssociadosminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal services partner providing legal support for incubated projects.
• Comunidade Intermunicipal do Tâmega e SousaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntermunicipal community partner from the region where IRIS originated, supporting regional social innovation initiatives.
• Rede Nacional de Incubadoras e AceleradorasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of incubators and accelerators providing mutual support and collaboration. IRIS offers 20% discounts to incubators that are members of this network.
• Centro de Inovação Social da Fundação Eugénio de AlmeidaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial innovation center supporting projects focused on social impact with sustainable business models and scalability potential.
• Fábrica do EmpreendedorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree support space for employment, training, business creation, and community projects.
• Human Power HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative and innovative space creating an online marketplace for sharing/donating services and products.
• i9socialminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial innovation incubator supported by Portugal Inovação Social, promoted by Escolíadas.
• Ponte HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDynamic hub in Loures focused on entrepreneurship as a tool for transformation and sustainable development.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ponte Hub: Dynamic hub in Loures (Greater Lisbon) focused on entrepreneurship as a tool for transformation and sustainable development. Listed in IRIS's partner network. Direct peer with similar community-based incubation model.
• NESsT: International nonprofit that supports social enterprises through incubation, investment, and capacity building in emerging markets. Direct peer in social enterprise incubation model with similar focus on sustainability and impact.
• Beta-i: Portuguese innovation hub running flagship programs like Web Summit and acceleration programs for startups. Comparable in operating an innovation hub in Portugal with structured acceleration programs, though with broader startup focus rather than social impact specifically.
• Human Power Hub: Collaborative Portuguese hub creating an online marketplace for sharing/donating services and products. Listed in IRIS's partner network. Direct peer operating in the Portuguese social innovation space.
• Impact Hub: Global network of social innovation hubs providing coworking, incubation, and accelerator programs for impact-driven entrepreneurs. Directly comparable to IRIS's model of combining physical workspace, incubation, and a community network for social entrepreneurs, though at much larger global scale.
• i9social: Portuguese social innovation incubator also supported by Portugal Inovação Social, promoted by Escolíadas. Listed in IRIS's own partner network. Closest direct peer in Portugal with similar incubation focus and identical funding source.
• Centro de Inovação Social da Fundação Eugénio de Almeida: Social innovation center in Portugal's Alentejo region supporting projects with sustainable business models and scalability potential. Direct peer in same country with similar mission of supporting social enterprises through incubation and capacity building.
• Fábrica do Empreendedor: Portuguese organization providing free support space for employment, training, business creation, and community projects. Listed in IRIS's partner network. Comparable in offering capacity-building and community-focused entrepreneur support.

Broad incumbents

• Ashoka: Global organization supporting leading social entrepreneurs through fellowship programs and changemaker ecosystem. Broader incumbent in social entrepreneurship support with similar mission of identifying and scaling social innovators, but operates as a fellowship model rather than incubation.
• Acumen: Global nonprofit that uses entrepreneurial approaches to solve problems of poverty, including social enterprise incubation and impact investing. Broader incumbent in social innovation with similar theory of change but operates at international scale with investment capability.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCkyD7DFlV2ha3DbVvLe1gw
• Facebookfacebook.com/IRISIncubadora
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iris-incubadora
• Instagraminstagram.com/explore/locations/276479652802694/iris-incubadora-regional-de-inovacao-social

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 IRIS - Incubadora Regional de Inovação Social