IRI UL - Institute for Innovation and Development of University of Ljubljana

What IRI UL - Institute for Innovation and Development of University of Ljubljana does

The Institute for Innovation and Development of the University of Ljubljana (IRI UL) is a non-profit research institute established in 2007 as part of the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. It conducts interdisciplinary research at the intersection of energy systems, the built environment, and social science, with active programs in energy efficiency, building renovation, energy communities, and social innovation. The institute operates with 18 employees organised across four research departments: Applied Social Science Research, Efficiency and Built Environment, Sustainable Energy Solutions, and Responsible Research and Innovation.

IRI UL's research output is anchored in two signature methodologies: the Urban Real-Life Learning Lab (U-RLLL), which uses physical urban infrastructure for field experimentation, and a people-centred anthropological approach used in stakeholder engagement. The institute currently manages 15 active EU-funded research projects, with named engagements including BARRIO (€2M total budget), EBENTO (€5.6M), crossCert (€2M), SynGRID (running May 2024 to April 2027), SOCIALNRG, and Renov-AID. Project work spans Slovenia, Italy, Belgium, Croatia, Greece, Spain, and Bulgaria, with international pilots extending to Lebanon, Bhutan, Kenya, and Uganda.

The institute's revenue model is grant-driven, drawing from EU framework programmes (Horizon Europe, LIFE, Interreg, Erasmus+), national research grants, and fee-based training services such as Massive Open Online Courses priced at €250 per participant. As a partner in multi-country consortium projects, IRI UL typically receives a fraction of consortium budgets allocated to its work packages. Its stakeholders include municipalities, energy companies (e.g., Petrol, Elektro Celje, HSE, ELES), housing cooperatives (SP Ravne, UNIABITA, èNostra), and academic collaborators across Europe, Africa, and Asia. In November 2024 the institute adopted a new visual identity, and a director-level recruitment call was issued in September 2021, indicating ongoing organisational development.

Name

IRI UL - Institute for Innovation and Development of University of Ljubljana

Legal name

INOVACIJSKO-RAZVOJNI INŠTITUT UNIVERZE V LJUBLJANI

Website

https://iri.uni-lj.si

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IRI UL is a non-profit research institute at the University of Ljubljana employing 18 researchers across four departments, conducting interdisciplinary research in energy efficiency, building renovation, energy communities, and social innovation, funded primarily through EU research grants and training services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research and Innovation Consulting

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Performance Contracting & Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) for Buildings (BPABAGAN)

Keywords

• Applied research services
• Building renovation consulting
• Energy efficiency consulting
• Sustainable energy research
• Professional training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ljubljana

HQ country

Slovenia

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. EU Research Programme Grants: IRI UL's primary revenue source consists of competitive grants from EU funding programmes including Horizon Europe, LIFE, Interreg, Erasmus+, and Horizon 2020. The institute serves as project coordinator or research partner in multi-year collaborative research projects targeting energy efficiency, sustainable communities, and social innovation across Europe.
2. National Research Funding: Funding from the Slovenian Research Agency (ARIS) and national ministries for applied research projects, knowledge transfer initiatives, and experimental development in areas aligned with national sustainability and innovation priorities.
3. Education and Training Services: Fee-for-service training programmes delivered to professionals in building management, facility maintenance, and energy efficiency. Examples include 2-day training courses for maintenance staff and building technicians on operational energy efficiency, invoiced at €250 + VAT per participant.
4. Expert Consulting and Advisory Services: Research-based consulting services for public institutions, municipalities, and industry partners on topics such as energy renovation pathways, one-stop-shop (OSS) models, energy communities, and sustainable building certification.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IRI UL is a non-profit research institute that delivers interdisciplinary applied research, expert consulting, and professional training on energy efficiency, building renovation, sustainable energy solutions, and energy poverty across Europe. It operates as a coordinator or partner in EU-funded research consortia (Horizon Europe, LIFE, Interreg, Erasmus+) and provides fee-for-service training programmes (e.g., €250 per participant for building energy efficiency courses) and consulting services to municipalities, energy companies, housing cooperatives, and universities.

Product overview

IRI UL is a research institute organized into four departments: Department for Applied Social Science Research, Department for Efficiency and Built Environment, Department for Sustainable Energy Solutions, and Responsible Research and Innovation. The institute offers services including Networking with Industry, Education and Training, and Real-Life Learning Labs. Their research portfolio includes multiple EU-funded projects addressing building renovation (BARRIO, Renov-AID, EffiComfort), energy communities and poverty (SOCIALNRG, NRG2peers), smart grids (SynGRID, STREAM), workplace design (SONATA), hybrid energy storage (HAVEN), and food systems (INSSPIRE). Key project outputs include the EBENTO platform for energy performance contracting, the BARRIO Defragmentation Multidisciplinary Toolkit (DMT) for neighborhood renovation planning, and various methodologies such as the Urban Real-Life Learning Lab (U-RLLL). The institute also develops educational tools like the SOCIALNRG board game and publishes research studies on topics including industrialised building renovation and people-centred energy performance certificates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Education and Training Services

Quantifiable outcome

• A building maintenance staff member reduced water consumption from 280 m³ to 3-4 m³ per week through interventions identified during IRI UL training, saving approximately €700/week in water costs and €275/week in salt costs — nearly €20,000/year in total savings.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Municipality of LjubljanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Municipality of Ljubljana is a primary Slovenian partner in multiple IRI UL projects including Renov-AID, where it serves as one of three pilot cities for the one-stop-shop energy renovation concept, and BARRIO, where it participates in the neighbourhood renovation pilot. The municipality is also listed as a key collaborator on IRI UL's homepage.
• University of Ljubljana (UL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUL is IRI UL's parent institution. The institute is organisationally embedded within UL, with offices at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (Tržaška cesta 25) and the rectorate building (Kongresni trg 12). UL benefits from IRI UL's project coordination, energy strategy development, and the Real-Life Learning Lab model applied across UL faculties.
• Petrol (Slovenia)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPetrol Slovenija participates as an industry partner in the SynGRID project, contributing to smart grid innovation and renewable energy integration research. The partnership connects academic research with energy sector operational realities.
• KolektorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKolektor, a Slovenian technology company, is listed among IRI UL's collaboration partners, indicating involvement in joint research or innovation activities.
• ELESminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerELES (Slovenian electricity transmission system operator) is listed as a collaborator, typically involved in smart grid and energy system research projects.
• ETRAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerETRA is a partner in the EBENTO project, working with IRI UL on integrated platforms for energy performance contracting and one-stop-shop services in the building renovation sector.
• CERTIMAC (Italy)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCERTIMAC, an Italian institute, is the coordinator of the BARRIO project, with IRI UL as the Slovenian partner. The partnership focuses on comprehensive neighbourhood energy renovation methodologies and digital planning tools.
• èNostra (Italy)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerèNostra is an Italian energy cooperative leading the SOCIALNRG project's Italian pilot activities. It hosted the November 2025 consortium meeting in Milan and leads the development of energy community blueprints and the SOCIALNRG board game for household education.
• RESCoopmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRESCoop (European federation of energy cooperatives) partners with IRI UL in SOCIALNRG to develop educational tools such as the SOCIALNRG board game and to provide expertise on energy community governance and co-creation methodologies.
• UNIABITA (Italy)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNIABITA is an Italian housing cooperative with over 120 years of tradition, conducting SOCIALNRG pilot activities in Cinisello Balsamo. It provides the on-the-ground context for energy community formation with vulnerable households.
• FOCUS (društvo za sonaraven razvoj)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFOCUS is a Slovenian sustainable development association and a key partner in SOCIALNRG and other energy transition projects. The organisation contributes expertise in citizen engagement, energy policy advocacy, and public awareness campaigns.
• Stanovanjsko podjetje Ravne (SP Ravne)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA Slovenian housing company and pilot partner in SOCIALNRG. It is cited as a reference case for successful neighbourhood renovation using prefabricated façade modules in Ravne na Koroškem, which triggered further renovations in the surrounding area.
• Joanneum Research (Austria)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn Austrian research institute participating in the EBENTO project alongside IRI UL, contributing to energy performance contracting research and platform development.
• ICCS - Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (Greece)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICCS from Athens participates in the SynGRID project alongside IRI UL (as coordinator), contributing technical expertise on smart grid management and observability of low-voltage networks.
• Faculty of Electrical Engineering, UL (FER)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFER (Laboratory for Energy Policy) collaborates with IRI UL on EBENTO project research into energy performance contracting practices in Slovenia, and hosts IRI UL's operational offices at Tržaška cesta 25.
• Faculty of Arts, ULcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Faculty of Arts at UL is a partner in the HAPPY project, collaborating on qualitative research methodology education alongside IRI UL.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• TNO: Dutch applied research organisation with a dedicated Built Environment unit covering energy renovation, grid flexibility, and circular construction. Matches IRI UL in applied sustainability focus but is much larger and more diversified across thematic areas.
• Fraunhofer Institute (IAO / ISE / IEE): Germany's largest applied research organisation with multiple building-energy and energy-transition institutes (ISE, IEE, IAO). Competes with IRI UL for EU building-renovation and energy-efficiency consortium roles but operates at materially larger scale with broader capabilities.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Nordic applied research centre with programmes covering sustainable energy, smart grids, and built environment. Comparable in mission and EU-project orientation, though much larger scale and broader technology scope than IRI UL.

Direct peers

• Joanneum Research: Austrian non-profit applied research institute with 600+ staff covering materials, health, and energy. Explicitly named as an EBENTO project partner to IRI UL, making it the closest direct peer in scale, funding model (national + EU grants), and interdisciplinary energy-and-building research focus.
• CERTIMAC: Italian applied research consortium coordinator of the BARRIO project (€2M LIFE programme) with IRI UL as Slovenian partner. Similar mission in building renovation and energy efficiency, with comparable size and EU-grant-driven revenue model.
• RINA: Italian certification, engineering consulting, and testing firm active in building-energy certification and energy performance. Provides fee-for-service revenue alongside EU-funded work similar to IRI UL's training and advisory practice, and operates in the same EU energy-renovation ecosystem.

Others

• Energy Cities: European network of 1,000+ municipalities driving the energy transition. Overlaps with IRI UL on citizen-engagement and municipal energy strategy (Renov-AID OSS pilots) but operates as a membership network rather than a research institute.
• IIASA – International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis: Austrian international applied research institute covering energy transition, urban systems, and sustainability. Comparable non-academic university-affiliated research model, though operating at significantly larger scale and on more theoretical/quantitative methods than IRI UL's anthropological focus.
• Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE): European policy think tank focused on building decarbonisation and energy performance. Competitively overlaps with IRI UL's BARRIO and crossCert work on next-generation Energy Performance Certificates and EPBD implementation research.

Regional players

• EnEffect: Bulgarian applied energy-efficiency centre operating in South-Eastern Europe on building renovation capacity building and BUILD UP Skills-adjacent work. Closest regional peer in profile, size, and EU-grant-driven energy-efficiency mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ebentoEU
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ebentoproject
• Facebookfacebook.com/institute.for.innovation.and.development
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iriul
• Instagraminstagram.com/iriul.official

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about IRI UL - Institute for Innovation and Development of University of Ljubljana