What The International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS) does

The International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS) is an independent, self-governing international institution headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with a regional office in Nairobi, Kenya. Founded in concept by the Danish government in 2018 and formally established as a self-governing entity in November 2021, ICARS partners with low- and middle-income country (LMIC) governments to co-develop and implement evidence-based, context-specific solutions to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) under a One Health framework spanning human health, animal health, and environmental health.

Its core offering is a portfolio of intervention and implementation research projects, organised around thematic areas including Diagnostic and Antimicrobial Stewardship, Vaccination and Immunity Strengthening, Infection Prevention and Control, Gender and Equity Integration, and Climate Change and Environmental Dimensions of AMR. Supporting products include a public Knowledge Hub, capacity-building and training programmes, and policy translation and advisory services that help countries move project results into national AMR strategy. Documented outcomes include a 91% reduction in antibiotic feed use on Colombian pig farms, a 50%+ reduction in piglet diarrhoea, and meaningful reductions in overall antibiotic use (81% to 71%) and ceftriaxone use (48% to 38%) in Zambian hospitals. The technology layer is essentially a research-and-advisory platform rather than a software product; there is no proprietary technology stack or API.

ICARS is a grant-making international organisation, not a commercial vendor. It is funded through mission partners and strategic donors led by the Government of Denmark (commitment through 2030), with additional support from the European Union (Team Europe Initiative, EUP OHAMR), IDRC, FAO, IVI, C-CAMP, and other foundations. Funds are deployed as grants to LMIC research institutions and ministries, with go-to-market executed through direct bilateral partnerships and a Technical Advisory Forum that reviews country-level proposals. The business model is therefore best understood as a donor-funded implementation research intermediary rather than a revenue-generating enterprise.

Name

The International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS)

Legal name

International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions

Website

https://icars-global.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ICARS is an independent Copenhagen-based international institution that partners with low- and middle-income country governments to co-develop and implement evidence-based, context-specific solutions to antimicrobial resistance across human, animal, and environmental health.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Global Public Health / Antimicrobial Resistance Implementation Research

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations (HLAJAKAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multilateral Global Health Agencies (UN/IFIs) (HLAJAKAA), Global Health Security & Pandemic Preparedness Partnerships (HLAJAOAH), International & Global Public Health Aid Administration (Government Donors) (HLAJALAO), Safeguarding, Accountability & Compliance (ESG, Gender/GBV, Do No Harm) (BPADAEAM)

Keywords

• Antimicrobial resistance research
• One health implementation
• AMR mitigation solutions
• Infection prevention programs
• Antimicrobial stewardship

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding and Partnerships: ICARS operates as an international organization primarily funded through partnerships with governments (notably Denmark funding through 2030), foundations, and international development organizations. The organization provides grants to LMICs for AMR intervention research rather than generating revenue from product sales.
2. Donor-Funded Project Implementation: ICARS receives funding from mission partners, funding partners, and strategic partners to implement AMR mitigation projects in LMICs, with funds deployed to support local research institutions and government initiatives

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ICARS partners with low- and middle-income country governments and research institutions to co-fund and co-develop intervention and implementation research that delivers evidence-based, cost-effective, and context-specific solutions to antimicrobial resistance. Working across One Health sectors, the organisation supports countries to translate AMR evidence into policy and practice, build sustainable local capacity, and integrate gender and equity dimensions into mitigation efforts.

Product overview

ICARS offers a portfolio of intervention and implementation research projects, thematic programs, and advisory services to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in low- and middle-income countries. The core offering consists of co-developed AMR mitigation projects spanning human health, animal health, and environmental sectors under the One Health framework. These projects are supported by thematic focus areas including Vaccination and Immunity Strengthening, Diagnostic and Antimicrobial Stewardship, Infection Prevention and Control, Gender and Equity Integration, and Climate Change and Environmental Dimensions. ICARS also provides a Knowledge Hub for sharing resources, capacity building programs for One Health professionals, and policy translation services to help countries adopt evidence-based AMR solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AMR Intervention and Implementation Research Funding Programme Co-funded research grants and technical partnership for designing, piloting, and evaluating context-specific, evidence-based solutions to antimicrobial resistance in low- and middle-income countries across One Health sectors. Targeted at LMIC governments and research institutions.
• One Health AMR Advisory and Capacity Building Advisory engagements, technical assistance, and training programmes that help LMIC ministries and institutions translate AMR research into policy and operational practice across One Health sectors.
• Knowledge Hub and Evidence Translation Services Curated publications, case studies, and policy briefs that translate ICARS-funded AMR research into actionable insights for governments, researchers, and funders worldwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• UTI management: polypharmacy reduced by one-third in primary and secondary facilities; Access antibiotics rose to above 75% in secondary facilities in Zambia
• +2 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• European Union / Team Europe InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026ICARS joined as implementation partner in the Team Europe Initiative for Africa, funded by the EU, to strengthen Africa's capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to AMR across human, animal, and environmental health sectors.
• European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership Association (EDCTP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026EDCTP collaborates with ICARS as part of the Team Europe Initiative to strengthen Africa's AMR preparedness and response through joint capacity building and research programs.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025FAO and ICARS jointly organized a regional workshop on integrating gender and equity into AMR One Health solutions with over 90 participants from 24 countries. Collaboration under FAO-WHO-WOAH Regional Tripartite AMR Project.
• European Partnership on One Health Antimicrobial Resistance (EUP OHAMR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025ICARS serves as key international partner in the €253 million ten-year EUP OHAMR initiative, leading on capacity strengthening and scientific evidence translation within the partnership of 50+ organizations.
• Amref Health AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025ICARS Africa is developing partnership with Amref Health Africa and other African institutions. Advisors will assist in establishing the new ICARS Africa office and developing partnerships across the continent.
• Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024ICARS partnered with C-CAMP to launch the One Health AMR Challenge 2025, supporting India-led technologies and innovations addressing AMR with funding up to $250,000 per innovation over 5 years.
• World BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Bank participated in initial discussions and workshops that fostered the idea of ICARS, contributing to the conceptual foundation of the organization.
• CGIARminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGIAR signed MoU with Danish Ministry of Health and Danish Ministry of Environment and Food to initiate collaboration on AMR, including establishment of ICARS.
• International Vaccine Institute (IVI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICARS co-funds projects with IVI, including the Philippines vaccine project, to advance the value of vaccines as a critical tool to mitigate AMR in LMICs.
• Helle Engslund Krarup (Executive Director)coreOthersAppointed as new Executive Director in April 2026, providing strategic leadership and representing ICARS internationally as most senior ambassador towards governments, multilateral organisations, donors and strategic partners.
• National University of SingaporeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical partner in Cambodia AMS HICAP project, providing expertise for hospital-based antimicrobial stewardship programs implementation.
• KHANA Centre for Population Health ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner in Cambodia AMS HICAP project, supporting implementation of hospital-based antimicrobial stewardship programs.
• Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, ZambiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating with ICARS on projects for sustainable antimicrobial use in livestock systems, including Farmer Field Schools in Copperbelt province.
• ITN BusinessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerICARS participated in ITN Business documentary program 'Defending our health: Unravelling antimicrobial resistance' to showcase AMR work and projects.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Wellcome Trust: Major global health foundation funding AMR research and policy. Francesca Chiara (ICARS Science Partnership Advisor) previously worked at Wellcome, illustrating overlapping networks; Wellcome is a much larger funder operating across the full AMR landscape.
• World Health Organization (WHO): UN specialized agency coordinating global AMR action plans, surveillance, and stewardship guidance. ICARS operates alongside WHO, co-developing country-level implementation while WHO sets global norms.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): UN agency addressing AMR in food and agriculture sectors under the One Health framework. ICARS has formal FAO collaboration including joint regional workshops and shares overlapping AMR/One Health mandates.

Direct peers

• GARDP (Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership): Global non-profit focused on developing and delivering new antibiotic treatments, particularly for drug-resistant infections. Like ICARS, GARDP addresses AMR through partnership-driven, mission-aligned funding models targeting LMICs and public health priorities.
• CARB-X (Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator): Global non-profit partnership accelerating antibacterial product development to combat AMR. Comparable to ICARS as a publicly-funded partnership model targeting AMR solutions, though CARB-X focuses on early-stage R&D therapeutics while ICARS focuses on implementation research.
• Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND): Global non-profit driving diagnostic innovation and access for diseases of poverty, including AMR diagnostics. Comparable partnership-driven model co-developing solutions with LMIC governments and institutions.
• Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy (CDDEP): Global health think tank producing AMR-related research, data, and policy analysis with LMIC presence. Comparable as a research-driven organization generating AMR evidence for policy translation.
• CIDRAP (Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy): University of Minnesota-based center focused on infectious disease and AMR research, policy translation, and global outreach. Comparable as a research-to-policy translation organization in AMR; Francesca Chiara also previously worked at CIDRAP.
• ReAct – Action on Antibiotic Resistance: Independent global network advocating for action on antibiotic resistance, with research, policy translation, and LMIC engagement. ICARS' Science Officer Fabian Maza previously worked at ReAct, illustrating overlapping missions and approaches.

Emerging players

• AMR Action Fund: Pharma-backed investment vehicle funding clinical-stage antibiotic development. Overlaps with ICARS' AMR mission but focuses on therapeutic pipeline investment rather than implementation research in LMICs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/icars_global?lang=da
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/icars-global

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS)