Metabolism of Cities

What Metabolism of Cities does

Metabolism of Cities is a non-profit collective founded in 2016/2017 and headquartered in Schaerbeek, Brussels Region, Belgium, operating a global open-source platform for urban metabolism research and collaboration. The platform is built on a Django/Python web framework with a PostgreSQL/PostGIS backend for geospatial data management and is distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 with source code on GitHub. Its product surface spans five interconnected hubs — Data Hub, Library, Multimedia Library, Education Hub, and Community Hub — supported by specialized tools including the Online Material Flow Analysis Tool (OMAT), the Stocks and Flows Database Schema (STAFDBS), and the Global Urban Metabolism Dataset (GUMDB).

The organization serves three primary user segments: policy makers and urban sustainability practitioners, academic researchers studying material flows and circular economy, and students/educators. It monetizes nothing directly; the freemium operating model is funded primarily through EU research grants, most notably the Horizon 2020 CityLoops project, which is a 28-partner consortium closing urban material flows in pilot cities including Apeldoorn, Bodø, Mikkeli, Roskilde, and Seville. As of the latest data, the platform hosts 1,341 datasets, 412 contributors, and 31 cities, with additional ecosystem extensions including the PlatformU circular-economy platform and the Metabolism of Islands sibling site.

Name

Metabolism of Cities

Legal name

Metabolism of Cities

Website

https://metabolismofcities.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Metabolism of Cities is a Brussels-based non-profit operating a global open-source Django/PostGIS platform for urban metabolism data, tools, and education, serving researchers, policy makers, and students via EU grant-funded hubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Metabolism Research Platform

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate & Emissions Data Management (Data Lake, Integration, APIs) (EUABAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Enterprise Carbon Accounting & GHG Inventory Platforms (EUABAEAA)

Keywords

• Urban metabolism analytics
• Material flow analysis
• Sustainable cities data
• Circular economy research
• Open source geospatial platform

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Non-profit collective / Grant funded: Metabolism of Cities operates as a non-profit collective that facilitates collaborations creating and sharing urban metabolism knowledge. The initiative appears to be grant-funded through projects like Horizon 2020 (CityLoops). No direct revenue generation model is apparent; the platform provides free access to knowledge and tools.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Metabolism of Cities operates an open-source web platform with multiple interconnected hubs (Data Hub, Library, Multimedia Library, Education Hub, Community Hub) that provides data dashboards, material flow analysis tools, curated academic publications, online courses, and collaboration spaces for urban metabolism research. The platform tracks material stocks and flows across 31+ cities using a standardized database schema and geospatial analytics.

Product overview

Metabolism of Cities is a global network and open-source platform for urban metabolism research and collaboration. The platform consists of multiple interconnected hubs: the Data Hub (for material stocks and flows dashboards), Library (academic publications), Multimedia Library (visualizations and videos), Education Hub (online courses), and Community Hub (collaboration tools). Key analytical tools include the Stocks and Flows Database Schema, Online Material Flow Analysis Tool, and Global Urban Metabolism Dataset. The platform also hosts the CityLoops EU Horizon 2020 project and maintains sibling sites like Metabolism of Islands. All offerings operate under an open-source, community-driven model with Creative Commons licensing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CityLoops: Horizon2020 project focusing on closing the loop for urban material flows with 28 partners
• PlatformU
• Stocks and Flows Database Schema (STAF DBS)
• Online Material Flow Analysis Tool (OMAT)
• Global Urban Metabolism Dataset (GUMDB)

Products and services

• Metabolism of Cities Data Hub Data dashboards for cities featuring material stocks, flows, and related urban metabolism metrics with visualization and analysis tools for researchers, policy makers, and urban planners.
• Metabolism of Cities Library Repository of hundreds of academic publications and grey literature on urban metabolism, organized and curated for researchers and academics.
• Metabolism of Cities Multimedia Library Collection of data visualizations, podcasts, and videos related to urban metabolism topics.
• Metabolism of Cities Education Hub Online learning platform offering courses on urban metabolism, data collection, and material flow analysis for students and educators.
• Metabolism of Cities Community Hub Portal for community engagement, featuring forums, tasks, events, and user profiles for collaboration on urban metabolism projects.
• Stocks and Flows Database Schema (STAFDBS) Standardized database schema for recording material stocks and flows data, enabling consistent data collection across cities.
• Online Material Flow Analysis Tool (OMAT) Tool for conducting material flow analysis with data processing and visualization capabilities for urban areas.
• Global Urban Metabolism Dataset (GUMDB) Comprehensive dataset of urban metabolism indicators across multiple cities globally.
• PlatformU Platform for sharing and collaborating on urban metabolism data and resources for circular economy innovations.
• Circular Metabolism Podcast Podcast series covering urban metabolism topics, interviews, and circular economy discussions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 412+ contributors globally
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CityLoops Consortium (28 partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHorizon 2020 funded research project 'Closing the loop for urban material flows' involving 28 partners across Europe. Metabolism of Cities serves as a key platform within this project, providing data infrastructure and tools for participating cities including Apeldoorn, Bodø, Mikkeli, Roskilde, and Seville.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability: Global network of more than 2,500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Comparable as both organizations serve city governments on sustainability topics and provide toolkits, data, and frameworks for urban environmental management.
• Greenhouse Gas Protocol (WRI/WBCSD): Global standards organization for greenhouse gas accounting and reporting across corporate, city, and supply chain scopes. Comparable as a methodology-setting organization for environmental data, with similar city-focused scope (e.g., Global Protocol for Community-Scale GHG Emissions) that overlaps with urban metabolism accounting.
• C40 Cities: Network of 96 of the world's largest cities taking action on climate change, providing data, research, and programs for member cities. Comparable as a city-focused organization supporting sustainability data and policy work, though C40's focus is climate emissions rather than broader material flows.
• Ellen MacArthur Foundation: Global thought leader and foundation driving the circular economy agenda, publishing widely cited reports and frameworks. Comparable as a non-profit in the same circular economy and material flows space, though operating at a much larger scale and broader scope than Metabolism of Cities.
• World Resources Institute (WRI): Global research organization producing data-driven research and tools on environmental sustainability, including urban sustainability. Comparable as a research-focused organization producing open data and tools for climate and urban sustainability practitioners.
• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): International standards organization for sustainability reporting, providing frameworks used by cities and organizations globally. Comparable as a non-profit standards and methodology organization in the sustainability data space, with similar open-access model and city-relevant reporting.
• CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project): Global non-profit running the world's environmental disclosure system for companies, cities, states, and regions on climate, water, and forests. Comparable as a non-profit data platform serving cities and providing standardized environmental data infrastructure, though with a focus on disclosure rather than urban metabolism.

Emerging players

• Open Data for Resilience: Initiative focused on open data for disaster risk management and resilience, often working with cities and open-source tools. Partial overlap with Metabolism of Cities as both work on urban open data infrastructure with global reach, though the focus is on resilience rather than material flows.

Direct peers

• Metabolic: Amsterdam-based consultancy and foundation conducting urban metabolism research and advising cities on circular economy strategies. Comparable as both organizations operate in the urban metabolism space, work with European cities, and produce data-driven insights for sustainability planning.
• Circle Economy: Dutch foundation operating the Circularity Gap Reporting framework and Circle Economy Platform, providing global data, metrics, and tools for circular economy transition. Highly comparable to Metabolism of Cities as both are non-profit foundations building open data/methodology platforms at the intersection of cities, materials, and circularity.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/metabolism-of-cities/metabolism-of-cities-platform
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCwaliuWsJWhdhk-KUfQHlYA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/metabolismofcities

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries8 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 Metabolism of Cities