ITAB - Institut Technique de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation Biologiques

What ITAB - Institut Technique de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation Biologiques does

ITAB — Institut Technique de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation Biologiques — is a French non-profit technical institute founded in 1982 and headquartered in Paris, dedicated exclusively to organic agriculture and food. It functions as the central coordinating body for organic-farming R&D in France, operating five thematic research poles (Durabilité et Transition, Qualités et Transformation, Elevage, COMET Connaissances/Médiations/Transitions, and Végétal et Biodiversité Cultivée) and serving the full spectrum of organic farmers, agricultural advisors, European research institutions, and organic food processors and distributors.

ITAB's core outputs are technical tools, scientific datasets, and applied research rather than commercial software products. Notable proprietary assets include ISYBIO, a predictive biodiversity-impact indicator that responds to gaps in Life Cycle Assessment methodology; AGRIBALYSE/ECOBALYSE environmental databases (with 400+ Life Cycle Inventories, 83 organic-specific) feeding France's official environmental display system; a synthesis of approximately 800 scientific articles on the externalities of organic farming; and a content library spanning 50+ thematic areas with thousands of publications, guides, and e-learning modules. ITAB-Lab, a separate 2017 association of 10 regional organic R&D actors, extends the institute's experimental footprint into sub-national territories.

Commercially, ITAB operates a hybrid public-grant-and-services model. Primary funding flows from public research programs (CASDAR, Horizon Europe, ADEME, French Ministry of Agriculture/MASA) covering the majority of its R&D portfolio, supplemented by training and consulting services (formations, prestations), fee-based or quote-based pricing, and sales of technical publications through its e-commerce boutique (itab.boutique). Pricing is mostly open-access (research outputs) or registration-based (training). Direct customer/member relationships span pilot farms (e.g., Ferme du Cochon Bleu, Pôle Ferme Pilote), regional chambers of agriculture, CIVAM/GAB groups, FNAB, and a dense network of European research consortia (AGROMIX, PPILOW, OrganicAdviceNetwork, INCYVIE).

Name

ITAB - Institut Technique de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation Biologiques

Legal name

ITAB - Institut Technique de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation Biologiques

Website

https://itab.asso.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ITAB is the French non-profit technical institute dedicated to organic agriculture, coordinating national and European R&D, producing environmental datasets (AGRIBALYSE/ECOBALYSE, ISYBIO), and delivering training, publications, and advisory services to organic farmers, advisors, and public institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Research and Technical Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Organic & Biological Input Retail (Biostimulants, Biopesticides, OMRI) (AFABAJAK)

Keywords

• Organic agriculture research
• Agricultural technical institute
• Organic farming training
• Agroecological consulting
• Environmental assessment tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris / National coverage

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Research Funding and Government Grants: ITAB operates as a French technical institute (Institut Technique) funded primarily through public agricultural research programs including CASDAR (Compte d'Affection Spéciale pour le Développement Agricole et Rural), Horizon Europe/EU R&I programmes, ADEME, and national ministry funding. This covers the majority of its R&D project portfolio.
2. Training and Consulting Services: ITAB generates revenue through fee-for-service training sessions (formations) and consulting/prestations on topics including organic livestock management, crop protection, sustainability assessment, and transformation. Services include both open enrollment courses and bespoke corporate training.
3. Publications and Editions: ITAB publishes and sells technical guides, reference manuals, and scientific documents through its editions programme. Notable publications include 'Produire des légumes biologiques' (3 volumes) and 'Externalités de l'Agriculture Biologique' reports.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ITAB is a French non-profit technical institute dedicated exclusively to organic agriculture and food. It conducts applied research, coordinates R&D projects, develops technical tools and methods (e.g., ISYBIO biodiversity indicator, AGRIBALYSE/ECOBALYSE environmental data), delivers professional training (formations) and consulting (prestations), and publishes technical guides for organic farmers, advisors, processors, and research institutions across France and Europe.

Product overview

ITAB operates as a research and technical institute for organic agriculture and food, functioning as a multi-pole organization rather than a unified product platform. The core offerings include the ITAB website portal (itab.bio) providing access to resources, and specialized poles (Pôle Durabilité et Transition, Pôle Qualités et Transformation, Pôle Elevage, Pôle COMET, and Pôle Végétal et Biodiversité Cultivée) each addressing distinct aspects of organic agriculture research. Supporting offerings include tools such as ISYBIO (biodiversity impact predictor), ECOBALYSE (environmental footprint calculator), INTERPLAY (serious game), and AGRIBALYSE (environmental database reference), alongside services like training programs, consulting, and technical publications including guides for organic vegetable and fruit production. Itab-Lab serves as an associated member network for collective research and innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ITAB Lab: A collective of actors engaged in research and innovation for organic agriculture (AB), pooling resources to complement each other and expand reach. Founded in 2017 as an loi 1901 association.

Products and services

• Training Services (Formations) Fee-for-service professional training programs on organic agriculture topics including livestock feed, animal welfare, organic farming practices, processing, crop protection, and sustainability assessment. Open enrollment courses and bespoke corporate group training available.
• Advice and Consulting Services (Etudes et conseils) Customized service studies, synthesis reports, trial protocols, and expert advisory services for organic agriculture stakeholders including farmers, advisors, processors, and public bodies.
• Publications and Technical Guides (Editions) Technical publications sold through ITAB's online boutique, including the multi-volume 'Produire des légumes biologiques' series, 'Produire des petits fruits biologiques', and other technical guides and reference manuals for organic farming.

Quantifiable outcome

• Generated 400 Life Cycle Inventories (ICV), including 83 specific to organic agricultural productions, feeding the official ECOBALYSE environmental display platform
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• ACTA (Association de Coordination Technique Agricole)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACTA is the national association coordinating France's network of agricultural technical institutes. ITAB collaborates with ACTA on multi-institute projects including INCYVIE (2022-2026), which engaged 11 agricultural and agri-food technical institutes to generate 400 Life Cycle Inventories for environmental assessment.
• ACTIAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACTIA coordinates France's network of agri-food technical institutes. ITAB co-animates the RMT ACTIA TransfoBio (Transformation Bio) with the Critt Agroalimentaire Sud, bringing together ~15 partners for organic food transformation research. ITAB also co-animates RMT ACTIA Juste Formulation.
• INRAE (Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINRAE is France's leading agricultural research body. ITAB collaborated with INRAE on the AGRIBALYSE database initiative (co-founded by ADEME, INRAE, and technical institutes), the ACV Bio project, INCYVIE, the externalities quantification study, and multiple joint publications. ITAB also participates in INRAE's UMT structures (UMT SI Bio, UMT CORSAIRE Bio).
• ADEME (Agence de la Transition Écologique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerADEME is France's environment and energy agency. Created at ADEME's initiative with INRAE and technical institutes, the AGRIBALYSE database is a key component of France's future state environmental display system. ADEME financed the INCYVIE project (2022-2026) which ITAB participated in, generating 400 life cycle inventories. Data is released in open access via ADEME's Dataverse.
• FNAB (Fédération Nationale d'Agriculture Biologique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFNAB is France's national federation of organic farmers. ITAB collaborates with FNAB on multiple projects including ALTERSPINO (spinosad alternatives, FNAB-led), FARINELLI (castration-free pig farming, co-led), and the Synergies Bio & Non Bio programme. FNAB's regional GAB groups serve as distribution channels for ITAB outputs.
• Coventry University (AGROMIX Lead)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoventry University (UK) is the lead coordinator of the AGROMIX European project (€6,999,254.99, Horizon 2020). ITAB is one of 28 partners across 12 European countries, coordinating a pilot site in France (Ferme du Cochon Bleu) and leading Work Package 4.1 on multi-criteria sustainability and resilience analysis.
• INRAE Transfert (PPILOW Lead)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerINRAE Transfert leads the PPILOW project (€9,999,580, Horizon 2020) on poultry and pig welfare in organic/low-input systems. ITAB serves as Work Package Leader for alternatives to male chick culling and animates French stakeholder groups on pig and poultry welfare, coordinating with 25+ European partners.
• ITAB-LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerITAB-Lab is a collective of 10 members (associations, poles, ITAB) dedicated to organic farming research and innovation. Founded in 2017 as a loi 1901 association, ITAB is a member and provides the animation/coordination of ITAB-Lab. Members cover diverse topics, sectors, skills, and territories including Bio Hauts-de-France, Bio Nouvelle-Aquitaine, CIVAM Bio 66, CREABio, Ferme de Thorigné d'Anjou, FRAB Bretagne, Grab, and Pôle Bio Massif Central.
• GIS REVALIMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGIS REVALIM (Groupement d'Intérêt Scientifique) is a scientific interest group for environmental evaluation of agricultural and food products. ITAB participates in REVALIM which oversees the AGRIBALYSE database, and the INCYVIE project was carried out within the REVALIM framework.
• Réseau RotABcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRotAB is a network of 12 long-term organic arable crop system trials across France. ITAB participates in this network which generates and shares experimental data on organic crop systems over multi-year timescales.
• UMT SI Bio (Systèmes Horticoles Biologiques)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUMT SI Bio is a joint technology transfer unit co-piloted by ITAB focused on horticultural systems in organic farming, working on transitions, co-design, evaluation, and knowledge methods for organic horticulture.
• IDELE (Institut de l'Élevage)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIDELE (Institut Technique de l'Élevage) is France's livestock technical institute. ITAB collaborates with IDELE on multiple livestock projects including RESILAIT (dairy farm resilience, IDELE as project lead), FARINELLI, PPILOW, VALORAGE, and NOV-AT-BIO.
• ITAVI (Institut Technique de l'Aviculture)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerITAVI is France's poultry technical institute. ITAB partners with ITAVI on VALORAGE (poultry feed and pasture), PPILOW (poultry welfare), and NOV-AT-BIO (organic poultry projects), as well as the OrganicAdviceNetwork European project.
• IFIP (Institut du Porc)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFIP (Institut Technique du Porc) is France's pig research institute. ITAB partners with IFIP on FARINELLI (uncastrated organic pigs), PPILOW (pig welfare), VALORAGE (pig feeding), OK-Net EcoFeed, and NOV-AT-BIO (pig projects).
• IFOAM Europe (OrganicAdviceNetwork Lead)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFOAM Europe leads the OrganicAdviceNetwork project (€4,998,669.69, Horizon Europe, 2024-2028) which aims to create a network of 1,000 organic farming advisors across the EU. ITAB serves as thematic leader for arable crops and contributes to training design and best practice analysis.
• FiBL France (Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFiBL France (Research Institute for Organic Agriculture) collaborates with ITAB on the TRANSAAT project covering phyto-aromatherapy in goat/sheep farming, and on organic farming research more broadly.
• Arvalis - Institut du VégétalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArvalis (now part of Institut du Végétal) co-piloted the PAIN BIO project (2005-2007, €600,000) with ITAB and INRA on wheat quality in organic bread making, developing milling and baking protocols for organic flours.
• Chambre d'agriculture des Pays de la LoirecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Chamber of Agriculture of Pays de la Loire is a key regional partner for ITAB, leading several co-funded projects including VALORAGE (with IBB), NOV-AT-BIO (regional lead), and AGROMIX pilot site activities. The chamber distributes ITAB's technical knowledge to regional farmers.
• Critt Agroalimentaire SudcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCritt Agroalimentaire Sud co-animates the RMT ACTIA TransfoBio with ITAB. This network of ~15 partners constitutes a unique national structure for organic food transformation research in France.
• Consortium SPOR&DminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPOR&D is a consortium focused on sports turf research including topics of relevance to organic farming such as biocontrol, biostimulation, water management, and plant health. ITAB participates as a partner.
• Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty (MASA / DGPE)coreOthersThe French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty (MASA), through its DGPE (Directorate General for Economic and Environmental Performance), is a key public policy partner. ITAB contributes to regulatory evolution discussions and participated in the June 2024 externalities colloquium with ministry representatives including Nicolas Chérel (Deputy Director).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• IDELE (Institut de l'Élevage): France's livestock technical institute, collaborating with ITAB on PPILOW, FARINELLI, RESILAIT, and VALORAGE. Directly comparable as a French agricultural technical institute with shared R&D portfolio, though focused on livestock across both conventional and organic systems.
• IFOAM Organics Europe: IFOAM Organics Europe is the EU-level representative body for organic agriculture. ITAB is a thematic leader in IFOAM-led OrganicAdviceNetwork (€4.99M Horizon Europe), making it a direct collaborator on EU organic policy and advisor network development.
• FiBL (Research Institute of Organic Agriculture): FiBL is the leading European research institute dedicated exclusively to organic agriculture, with operations in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and France. Directly comparable to ITAB as a peer organic-agriculture R&D body with shared topics (livestock, plant protection, LCA), though with significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• FNAB (Fédération Nationale d'Agriculture Biologique): FNAB is the national federation of French organic farmers and a close ITAB partner on ALTERSPINO, FARINELLI, and Synergies Bio & Non Bio. Comparable as a French organic-agriculture organization with overlapping members and projects, though FNAB is more advocacy/farmer-representation focused.
• ITAVI (Institut Technique de l'Aviculture): French poultry technical institute, partnering with ITAB on PPILOW, VALORAGE, and NOV-AT-BIO. Comparable as a sister French agricultural technical institute with shared livestock R&D responsibilities and similar institutional structure.
• IFIP (Institut du Porc): French pig sector technical institute, partnering with ITAB on FARINELLI, PPILOW, VALORAGE, and OK-Net EcoFeed. Directly comparable as a French agricultural technical institute focused on a specific livestock segment with which ITAB collaborates on organic pig R&D.

Broad incumbents

• ACTA (Association de Coordination Technique Agricole): ACTA coordinates France's network of agricultural technical institutes. ITAB is a member and collaborator (e.g., INCYVIE with 11 institutes), but ACTA itself is a broader umbrella body representing all agricultural technical institutes, not just organic — making it a higher-level incumbent peer.
• INRAE (Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement): France's flagship public agricultural research institute. ITAB is a frequent collaborator with INRAE on AGRIBALYSE, INCYVIE, and UMT structures, but INRAE is a much larger generalist incumbent that conducts research across both conventional and organic agriculture and could absorb organic-specific R&D at scale.
• ADEME (Agence de la Transition Écologique): France's ecological transition agency, which co-funds and co-initiates AGRIBALYSE/ECOBALYSE. ADEME acts as a major ITAB funder and project partner but operates as a much larger public agency with a broader environmental mandate covering energy, waste, and sustainable agriculture.

Emerging players

• Organic Research Centre (UK): UK-based applied research charity dedicated to organic/agroecological farming, participating in European organic R&D consortia alongside ITAB. Comparable as a smaller national organic research body with similar applied R&D and policy advisory role.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzb3ijHU9qFoXMRN_jv_fQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/ITABinstitut
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/itab-institut

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ITAB - Institut Technique de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation Biologiques