Social Innovation Monitor (SIM)

What Social Innovation Monitor (SIM) does

Social Innovation Monitor (SIM) is a private academic research initiative and international team focused on innovation and entrepreneurship with significant social and environmental impact. Coordinated by Paolo Landoni at Politecnico di Torino, it brings together professors and researchers from universities in several countries. Its principal users are corporations, public institutions, universities, incubators and accelerators, business-angel networks, impact investors, social enterprises, and other startups.

SIM's core product is research rather than software. It publishes annual reports on incubators and accelerators in multiple countries and on Italian business angels, impact-oriented startups, and startup studios and venture builders. It also conducts ad hoc research and offers ecosystem mapping, open-innovation scouting, training, innovation-program development, and social and environmental impact assessment. Its methodological base is cross-country data collection and comparative analysis rather than a named software architecture or proprietary technical platform.

Revenue comes from free public report summaries used to generate interest, one-time purchases of full analytical reports, and customized consulting, training, and impact-assessment engagements. Public report pricing and service contract values are not disclosed. SIM also works through EU and international project consortia and institutional partnerships, making project funding a third component of its revenue mix.

Name

Social Innovation Monitor (SIM)

Legal name

Social Innovation Monitor (SIM)

Website

https://socialinnovationmonitor.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Social Innovation Monitor is an international research team that benchmarks social-impact entrepreneurship ecosystems, publishes country and sector reports, and advises corporations, institutions, investors, incubators, and startups on innovation, impact measurement, and open innovation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Innovation Research & Consulting

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

akta.pro primary industry

Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB)

Keywords

• Social innovation research
• Impact startup analytics
• Incubator accelerator benchmarking
• Business angel reports
• Open innovation consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Torino, Torino

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Published research reports (public and full): SIM produces public summary reports (free) and full detailed analytical reports (sold via socialinnovation.shop). Reports cover incubators/accelerators, business angels, impact startups, and startup studios in Italy and internationally. Revenue is generated through report sales to ecosystem participants, partner organizations, and academic institutions.
2. Consulting, training, and advisory services: SIM professors and researchers provide fee-based services including ecosystem analysis and mapping, open innovation scouting, training on innovation/entrepreneurship/impact assessment, and social and environmental impact assessment. Clients include large corporations (ABB, Lidl Italia, Vodafone, etc.), institutions, and nonprofits.
3. EU and international project grants: SIM participates in funded research and innovation projects co-financed by EU programmes (e.g., Interreg ALCOTRA for the ATENA project with a EUR 1.9 million budget) and national government ministries (e.g., Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Young Entrepreneurs in the Balkan Region project). These grants support project activities and staff.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SIM is an international academic research consortium that produces comparative annual analytical reports on social innovation ecosystems (incubators, accelerators, business angels, impact startups, and startup studios/venture builders) across Italy, Europe, and other geographies. It complements these publications with fee-based consulting, training, social/environmental impact assessment services, and the Open Sustainability Club—a corporate-startup open innovation matching program. Full detailed reports are sold via socialinnovation.shop while public summary reports are distributed for free through gated download forms on the SIM website.

Product overview

SIM is a research and advisory organization offering exploratory and applied research, consulting, and training services focused on innovation and entrepreneurship with significant social and environmental impact. The core product portfolio consists of annual reports: Incubators/Accelerators Reports (covering multiple countries globally), Business Angels Reports (Italy), Startups with Significant Social and Environmental Impact Reports (Italy), and Startup Studio/Venture Builder Reports (Italy). Additional offerings include ad-hoc research reports (European Microfinance Survey, Health & Biotech reports, regional ecosystem analyses) and service modules such as the Open Sustainability Club (open innovation matching program), social/environmental impact assessment, and training programs. Reports are available in public (free) and full (paid) versions, with detailed analyses for ecosystem stakeholders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Incubators/Accelerators Reports Annual comparative analytical reports on incubators and accelerators across Italy, Germany, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, UK, Argentina, Brazil, and a pan-European comparative report, covering impact, business models, support services, geographic distribution, and ecosystem development.
• Italian Business Angels Reports Annual reports on Italian Business Angel Groups (BAG), Business Angel Networks (BAN), and individual Hybrid/Impact-oriented angels, including investment sectors, benefits created for invested startups, and impact investment analysis.
• Startups with Significant Social and Environmental Impact Reports Annual reports analyzing Italian startups with significant social and environmental impact, covering Società Benefit, B Corp, and Startup Innovative a Vocazione Sociale (SIaVS), including legal framework, growth trends, geographic/sectoral distribution, revenues, and employment data.
• Startup Studio / Venture Builder Reports Reports mapping and analyzing the Italian landscape of Startup Studios and Venture Builders, examining business models, services, idea evaluation and selection processes, and effectiveness of support provided.
• Open Sustainability Club Collaborative open innovation program that matches companies seeking sustainability improvements with startups and innovative B2B solution providers, including challenge identification, company-startup matching, and facilitated cooperation via online and in-person sessions.
• Consulting, Training and Impact Assessment Services Fee-based consulting and training by SIM professors and researchers, covering innovation and entrepreneurship training, impact assessment, ecosystem mapping, open innovation scouting, and project/program development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2025 Italian Incubators/Accelerators report documents analysis of ~50 incubators and accelerators that ceased operations, providing unique insight into ecosystem sustainability challenges
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers20 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

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Politecnico di TorinocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolitecnico di Torino is the primary institutional host of SIM. The team is coordinated by Prof. Paolo Landoni, a professor at Politecnico di Torino. SIM operates as a research consortium embedded within the university. The Politecnico is the lead institution for the ATENA project (Interreg ALCOTRA) and the Young Entrepreneurs in the Balkan Region project (MAECI-funded).
• PNICube (Italian University Incubators Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPNICube is a collaborator on the Italian Startup Studio and Venture Builder reports. PNICube brings together Italian university incubators and provides a network of practitioners for SIM's research on the startup support ecosystem in Italy.
• Italian Business Angels (IBAN / Italian Angels)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian Business Angels is a key partner in the Italian Business Angel reports, providing ecosystem access and co-developing research on angel investment activity and impact in Italy.
• Italian Angels for Growth (A4W)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian Angels for Growth is a partner in the Italian Business Angel impact reports, contributing data and expertise on the impact angel investment ecosystem.
• Italian TechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian Tech is a partner in the Business Angel reports, providing industry expertise and ecosystem connectivity within Italy's technology investment community.
• Growth CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrowth Capital collaborates on the Italian Business Angel reports, contributing data on growth-stage investment and connections to the impact investment ecosystem.
• CoopfondcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoopfond, the cooperative fund, partners on the Italian Business Angel reports and the broader social innovation research agenda, providing connections to Italy's cooperative economy and impact-oriented enterprises.
• iAF Consulting (International Advisory Forum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartneriAF Consulting contributes to the Business Angel impact reports, providing international perspective on angel investment and impact measurement frameworks.
• Molten RockminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMolten Rock is a partner in the Italian Business Angel reports, contributing to research on the impact investment ecosystem.
• ICCSI (Italian Center for Social Innovation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICCSI collaborates on the Italian Startup Studio and Venture Builder report, contributing expertise on social innovation and the Italian impact entrepreneurship ecosystem.
• Aix-Marseille Université (France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAix-Marseille Université is a partner in the ATENA project, contributing academic research capacity and French ecosystem connections to the cross-border impact entrepreneurship initiative.
• Impact Hub srl SB (Italy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImpact Hub Torino is a partner in the ATENA project, providing startup community infrastructure and cross-border entrepreneurial ecosystem connections between Italy and France.
• GAL Escartons e Valli Valdesi s.r.l. (Italy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGAL Escartons e Valli Valdesi is a Local Action Group partner in the ATENA project, contributing territorial development expertise and local business network connections in the Alpine territory.
• GIP FIPAN — Groupement d'Intérêt Public pour la Formation et l'Insertion Professionnelles de l'Académie de Nice (France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGIP FIPAN is a public interest group for vocational training and professional insertion in Nice, France. It partners in the ATENA project to support cross-border skills development and entrepreneurship training.
• Campus des Métiers et des Qualifications d'Excellence Tourisme International Hôtellerie (France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Campus of Trades and Qualifications for International Tourism and Hospitality is a partner in the ATENA project, contributing expertise in the strategic tourism sector to the cross-border entrepreneurship initiative.
• University of Shkodra (Albania)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Shkodra is a project partner in the Young Entrepreneurs in the Balkan Region initiative, contributing academic connections and local ecosystem knowledge in Albania.
• BITF — Business Innovation Technology Forum (Bosnia and Herzegovina)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBITF is a partner in the Young Entrepreneurs in the Balkan Region project, providing innovation hub connections and startup ecosystem infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• BIT — Business Innovation Technology (Serbia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIT is a partner in the Young Entrepreneurs in the Balkan Region project, contributing startup ecosystem and technology innovation connections in Serbia.
• NT Park (Montenegro)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNT Park (National Technology Park of Montenegro) is a partner in the Young Entrepreneurs in the Balkan Region project, providing technology park infrastructure and startup ecosystem connections in Montenegro.
• ICK — Innovation Center KosovocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation Center Kosovo is a partner in the Young Entrepreneurs in the Balkan Region project, contributing Kosovo's startup ecosystem connections and innovation hub infrastructure.
• European Microfinance NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIM collaborated with the European Microfinance Network to produce the European Microfinance Survey Report (2016–2017), analyzing data from 156 microfinance institutions across 28 countries.
• SisvelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSisvel participated in the Open Sustainability Club (first edition), collaborating on topics including sustainable mobility, climate control, and administration through open innovation processes with startups and other companies.
• Lidl ItaliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLidl Italia participated in the Open Sustainability Club (first edition), engaging in open innovation on sustainability topics with startups and other corporate partners.
• Penny MarketcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPenny Market participated in the Open Sustainability Club (second edition, 2024), focusing on innovative and sustainable solutions in the Welfare & HR Management sector. The company engaged in B2B connections with startups offering applicable solutions.
• Art-ER (Emilia-Romagna)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt-ER is the regional agency for entrepreneurship and innovation in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. SIM collaborated on ecosystem analysis and has produced a dedicated report on the entrepreneurship support ecosystem in the Emilia-Romagna region.
• IReR — Istituto regionale di ricerca della LombardiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIReR is a regional research institute in Lombardy, Italy. SIM has collaborated on ecosystem research and analysis of the innovation and entrepreneurship landscape in the Lombardy region.
• Compagnia di San PaolocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompagnia di San Paolo is a major Italian banking foundation and philanthropist. SIM has collaborated with the foundation on research related to social innovation, impact entrepreneurship, and ecosystem development in Italy.
• ILO — International Labour OrganizationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ILO (a specialized agency of the United Nations) is listed among SIM's collaboration partners, indicating international reach and alignment with global social impact standards.
• ValuePartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerValuePartners, a management consulting firm, is among SIM's client/collaboration relationships for innovation and entrepreneurship consulting.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ashoka: Global organization supporting social entrepreneurs and producing research on social entrepreneurship ecosystems. Comparable to SIM in research focus on social innovation, though with a more practitioner/network orientation versus SIM's academic/analytical orientation.
• NESsT: Researches and supports social enterprises and impact ventures across emerging markets, producing ecosystem analyses similar to SIM's impact startup reports. Directly comparable in producing applied research on social enterprise ecosystems, though with a different geographic focus.
• Startup Genome: Produces the world's most widely cited startup ecosystem reports (e.g., Global Startup Ecosystem Report) with a comparable multi-country benchmarking methodology. Directly comparable to SIM's incubator/accelerator reports in approach and target audience of policymakers and ecosystem builders.
• Dealroom.co: Global startup and venture capital data platform that produces ecosystem intelligence reports and maps across Europe. Comparable to SIM in producing data-driven ecosystem analytics, though more commercially focused and venture-oriented rather than impact-focused.

Regional players

• Italian Tech Alliance: Italian association of leading tech companies and investors that produces research on the Italian technology and innovation ecosystem. Comparable regional peer focused on Italy, with whom SIM collaborates on Business Angel reports.
• PNICube: Italian association of university incubators and technology parks that produces research on Italian academic entrepreneurship support. Direct collaborator on SIM's Startup Studio and incubator/accelerator reports; comparable as a regional research counterpart.

Others

• Impact Hub Network: Global network of impact-focused innovation hubs (including Impact Hub Torino, a SIM partner on the ATENA project). Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem facilitator driving corporate-startup connections, similar in role to SIM's Open Sustainability Club.

Broad incumbents

• European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC): EU's in-house science and knowledge service producing research on innovation, entrepreneurship, and regional development across Europe. Comparable as a much larger incumbent in policy-oriented ecosystem research that SIM contributes to via EU-funded projects.
• OECD LEED (Local Employment and Economic Development): OECD programme producing policy-oriented research on entrepreneurship, social innovation, and inclusive entrepreneurship across OECD member states. Comparable as a much larger incumbent producing cross-country research on social and innovation ecosystems that SIM's academic research feeds into.

Emerging players

• B Lab: Operates the B Corp certification standard and produces research/analytics on certified B Corps globally. Comparable to SIM's B Corp and Società Benefit reporting work, though as the standard-setter rather than an independent research consortium.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SIMmonitor
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCV_72hKSYUrf_LZyMD8R70w
• Facebookfacebook.com/socialinnovationmonitor
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/social-innovation-monitor-sim

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Social Innovation Monitor (SIM)