What Operate Foundation does

Fondazione Operate (Operate Foundation) is an Italy-based non-profit foundation, registered in the Registry of Legal Entities of the Prefettura di Torino under number 1007, with operations headquartered between Torino (Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 84) and Prato (Via Giacinto Fabbroni 12). The foundation employs approximately 9 people and operates as a knowledge and membership-based organization dedicated to advancing circular economy and sustainable waste management in Italy. Its mission is to disseminate results, best practices, and best available technologies through research, training, information, and sector communication. The organization publishes regulatory analysis, organizes webinars and conferences (including an annual presence at Ecomondo, and participation in IFAT Munich and the ISWA World Congress), and produces a regular newsletter and member-only publications.

The foundation's product surface centers on proprietary methodologies and projects rather than commercial software: Carbon WastePrint® (a program for standardized measurement of CO2 emissions from waste management operations), Payt (systems implementing Pay-As-You-Throw tariffa puntuale at regulatory, managerial, and communicative levels), Sustainability Made (a sustainability resources project), Connext Waste (an EU best-practices initiative), and UPSURGE (an EU Horizon 2020 research project on nature-based urban solutions and bio-monitoring). Its technology layer is a web-based information platform (operate.it) with an Italian-language content library spanning news, webinars, articles, and a Toolkit resource, plus member authentication for exclusive content such as webinar recordings and 'atti' (proceedings).

Commercially, Operate functions as a subscription-recurring model via annual membership dues paid by individual professionals (professionisti) and companies (Aziende), supplemented by revenue from event participation. Membership tiers and fees are not publicly disclosed. The customer base is segmented across municipalities and local governments implementing ARERA tariff reforms and PAYT systems, waste management professionals seeking regulatory expertise, and waste management enterprises (e.g., CEM Ambiente, COABSER) collaborating through Technical Committees. Marketing and distribution are content-led, relying on the website, MailChimp newsletter, organic social, and presence at Italian and international industry events.

Name

Operate Foundation

Legal name

Fondazione Operate

Website

https://operate.it

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fondazione Operate is an Italian non-profit foundation that provides regulatory guidance, training, and proprietary methodologies on waste management and circular economy to municipalities, professionals, and waste management companies, financed primarily through membership fees and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management Research & Advisory

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Circularity Consulting & Program Management (EPR, Design-for-Circularity, LCA) (EUAIANAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Waste & Hazardous Materials Management (incl. HazMat) (BPAHAJAK), Circular Economy & Resource Efficiency (BPADALAM), Reuse & Resale / Recommerce Operations (EUAIANAC)

Keywords

• Waste management consulting
• Circular economy research
• Regulatory compliance services
• Carbon emissions measurement
• Professional association services

Headquarters

HQ city

Torino

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership contributions from individuals (professionisti) and companies (Aziende) specialized in environmental and waste management sectors. Members gain access to expertise, publications, webinar recordings, and participate in the foundation's activities.
2. Event Participation: Revenue generated from webinars and events, with webinar proceedings available exclusively to Operate members (non-members may attend live sessions but recordings require membership).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Operate Foundation is an Italian non-profit foundation (Fondazione) that operates a membership-based information, research, and advisory platform focused on circular economy and waste management. It delivers expertise on ARERA tariff regulation and PAYT (Pay As You Throw) systems through webinars, publications, articles, and conferences, and runs dedicated programs such as Carbon WastePrint® (CO2 measurement methodology for waste operations), Payt (point-based tariff implementation systems), Sustainability Made, Connext Waste, and the EU Horizon 2020 UPSURGE research project.

Product overview

Operate Foundation operates as a research and information portal focused on environmental sustainability and circular economy in waste management. The organization offers a portfolio of programs and initiatives including Carbon WastePrint (a standardized methodology for measuring CO2 emissions from waste), Payt (systems for implementing point-based tariff models), Sustainability Made, Connext Waste, and UPSURGE (EU Horizon 2020 research project). These offerings are primarily informational, regulatory guidance, and research programs rather than commercial software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carbon WastePrint: Program to establish common requirements and methods for measuring CO2 emissions from waste management.
• Payt
• Sustainability Made
• Connext Waste
• UPSURGE

Products and services

• Carbon WastePrint® (CWP) Program A program establishing common requirements and methods for measuring CO2 emissions from waste management activities, providing standardization for environmental impact assessment. Targeted at waste management operators, municipalities, and sustainability professionals.
• Payt (Pay As You Throw) Systems Waste management systems implemented through the 'tariffa puntuale' (point-based tariff) at normative, managerial, and communicative levels, enabling pay-as-you-throw pricing models. Targeted at Italian municipalities and waste management operators.
• Sustainability Made An Operate project dedicated to sustainability, providing resources and frameworks for environmental best practices in waste management and circular economy.
• Connext Waste EU best practices project focused on waste management and circular economy methodologies, disseminating best-available techniques across European stakeholders.
• UPSURGE EU Horizon 2020 research project aimed at bridging the gap between Nature-based Solutions and smart city technologies for urban environmental challenges, involving citizen engagement and bio-monitoring. Operate Foundation is a partner.
• Operate Membership (Individual Professional & Corporate)

Quantifiable outcome

• 65+ pages of archived news content spanning from 2017 to present
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PartitaliaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2026Operate participated as guest of Partitalia at IFAT 2026, the world's leading environmental technology fair held in Munich. This partnership allows Operate to reach an international audience in the waste management technology sector.
• Fare i Conti con l'AmbientecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Ongoing partnership with 'Fare i Conti con l'Ambiente' for the 18th edition of their program. Collaborate on webinars focused on ARERA regulatory topics, providing educational content to waste management professionals.
• UPSURGE ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025Operate Foundation is a partner in UPSURGE, a European Union Horizon 2020 project. The project aims to bridge the gap between existing Nature-based Solutions (NBS) and urban environmental challenges, with a focus on citizen involvement and bio-monitoring.
• CEM AmbienteminorOthers · 1 June 2025CEM Ambiente became a member of Operate Foundation in June 2025. The company has over 50 years of experience in integrated waste management and joined the foundation to access expertise and collaborate on waste management topics.
• Consorzio Albese Braidese Servizi Rifiuti (COABSER)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025The Board of Directors of COABSER approved the document prepared by the Operate Technical Committee in April 2025, demonstrating collaboration on technical standards and waste management practices.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Legambiente: Major Italian environmental association active in waste management policy, citizen campaigns, and annual reports. Comparable in addressing circular economy topics for an Italian audience, though broader in environmental scope than Operate's waste focus.

Broad incumbents

• Eureau: European federation representing water and waste services operators, focused on EU regulation and policy. Comparable as a higher-level industry association in the European waste services policy environment, with overlapping regulatory focus.
• ISWA (International Solid Waste Association): Global waste management association organizing the ISWA World Congress (where Operate presents). Comparable as a membership-based knowledge and advocacy body for waste professionals, but at much larger global scale.

Direct peers

• ACR+ (Association of Cities and Regions for sustainable Resource management): European network of municipalities and regions focused on circular economy and waste management best practices. Directly comparable as a membership-driven, knowledge-sharing organization serving the same public-sector and waste-operator audience.
• CONAI (Consorzio Nazionale Imballaggi): Italian national packaging consortium coordinating recycling and recovery across material streams. Comparable in serving the Italian waste management ecosystem with regulatory interpretation, member services, and producer-responsibility expertise overlapping Operate's circular economy scope.
• Utilitalia: Italian federation representing environmental services (waste, water, energy) utilities, providing regulatory and technical guidance to municipalities and operators. Directly comparable as a domestic industry body serving overlapping member types (municipalities, waste operators) with regulatory and tariff expertise.
• Fondazione per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile: Italian foundation dedicated to sustainable development and circular economy research, policy advice, and publications. Closely comparable in mission, structure (Italian fondazione), and audience (institutions, companies, professionals).
• Centro di Coordinamento RAEE: Italian coordination center for WEEE (RAEE) management, working with producers, municipalities, and operators on regulated e-waste streams. Comparable as a domestic body in the Italian circular economy and waste compliance space.

Regional players

• Zero Waste Europe: European NGO network promoting zero-waste circular economy policies, connecting member organizations across EU countries. Comparable as a knowledge/advocacy body in the European waste and circular economy space, but EU-wide rather than Italy-only.

Others

• Erion: Italian Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) compliance system managing waste streams including WEEE, packaging, and textiles. Comparable as a domestic organization embedded in the Italian producer-responsibility and waste compliance ecosystem that Operate's members operate within.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7N9Tvk0XgS_vxjJ3L9d1YA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/operatefoundation

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 Operate Foundation