What Ires Institut De Recherche Et D'expertise Scientifique does

IRES Institut de Recherche et d'Expertise Scientifique is a Strasbourg-based analytical chemistry laboratory founded in 2010 by Dr. Pierre Muller to democratize environmental and toxicological testing. The laboratory operates gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (LC) instruments coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and spectrophotometers to detect and quantify chemical substances at trace levels across environmental (air, water, soil), biological (blood, hair), and material matrices. Since 2015 the laboratory has held COFRAC accreditation under ISO 17025:2017 (No. 1-5775) and its benzene and formaldehyde indoor air kits are certified by INERIS, making IRES eligible to deliver the regulatory-grade measurements required for French public establishments (ERP) and occupational exposure programs.

The company sells consumer and professional self-sampling kits under the Kudzu Science brand through the shop.kudzuscience.com e-commerce platform, alongside proprietary sampling devices including the EWS Aquasystem (a sub-20g cartridge that reduces water sample logistics to postal envelope size), dried blood spot (DBS) kits for finger-prick self-collection stable at room temperature, and silicone wristband passive samplers developed with Reseau Environnement Sante. Core services include hair analysis for chronic exposure assessment, DBS for acute exposure, professional VLEP exposure measurement, environmental audits (notably for airports and ports in partnership with EDEIS), and bespoke analytical method development. Revenue is generated across five streams: e-commerce kit sales, fee-for-service laboratory analysis, custom environmental audits, publicly co-funded collaborative R&D (ECOPHYTO, OFB, ONEMA, ARS, Region Grand Est, Region Ile-de-France), and bespoke method development and validation.

IRES operates a hybrid go-to-market combining product-led growth (direct-to-consumer kits), sales-led engagement (custom campaigns to airports, ports, public institutions, and building operators quoted at more than euro 3,000 per measurement campaign), and event-driven demand from publicly funded research projects. Geographic footprint is anchored in France, with peripheral international reach into Peru and Laos through IRD-led biomonitoring collaborations. Marketing relies primarily on earned media (France 2, France 3, M6, RTS, RTBF coverage), scientific publications, and collaborative research visibility rather than paid acquisition.

Name

Ires Institut De Recherche Et D'expertise Scientifique

Legal name

Institut de Recherche et d'Expertise Scientifique

Website

https://ires-lab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IRES is a Strasbourg-based, COFRAC-accredited analytical chemistry laboratory that delivers environmental and toxicological testing for individuals, professionals, and public institutions through self-sampling kits (Kudzu Science) and bespoke laboratory services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Analytical Laboratory Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Test & Measurement Equipment (Oscilloscopes, DAQ, signal analyzers, calibration benches) (IMAGAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Elemental Impurities & Trace Metals (ICP-MS) (HLAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Environmental testing services
• Toxicological analysis services
• Indoor air quality testing
• Human bio-monitoring services
• Chromatography laboratory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Strasbourg

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Analysis kits (consumer & professional): Sale of environmental and toxicological self-sampling test kits through the Kudzu Science e-commerce platform. Kits include sampling materials and prepaid return shipping, with analysis performed in the IRES COFRAC-accredited laboratory. Targets both individual consumers and professional clients.
2. Professional laboratory analysis services: Fee-for-service chemical analysis of submitted samples (environmental, biological, materials) using COFRAC-accredited methods. Pricing is custom quote-based per project.
3. Environmental audit and consulting services: Custom measurement campaigns, environmental audits for airports and ports (in partnership with Edeis), indoor air quality assessments for ERP compliance, and building health certification consulting. Long-term engagement with 12-month monitoring programs.
4. Collaborative R&D project funding: IRES participates in publicly funded research projects (ECOPHYTO, OFB, ONEMA, ARS, Région Grand Est, Région Ile-de-France) that co-finance method development and validation activities.
5. Method development and validation: Bespoke analytical method development, transfer, and validation services for specific client analysis needs, including custom sampling device design and method certification.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IRES is a COFRAC-accredited analytical laboratory that performs trace-level chemical analysis of environmental, biological, and material samples using chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The company sells self-sampling test kits under the Kudzu Science brand for consumers and professionals, and provides fee-for-service professional laboratory analysis, environmental audits, occupational exposure measurement, and bespoke analytical method development for enterprise clients.

Product overview

IRES (Institut de Recherche et d'Expertise Scientifique) is an environmental and human health laboratory offering a comprehensive portfolio of analytical services and consumer-facing test kits under the Kudzu Science brand. The core offering centers on chromatography-based laboratory analysis services for chemical substance detection at trace levels in environmental, biological, and material samples. Key products include the EWS Aquasystem® for water analysis and silicone bracelets for personal exposure monitoring. The company provides analysis kits for measuring indoor air quality (VOCs, formaldehyde, benzene), pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, plasticizers (phthalates and bisphenols), flame retardants, and allergens. Biological monitoring services include hair analysis and dried blood spot (DBS) testing. Additional services encompass professional exposure measurement, environmental audits for ports and airports, material quality labeling in partnership with EDEIS, and professional training programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kudzu Science: Brand name under which IRES sells its environmental and toxicological analysis kits to individuals and professionals.

Products and services

• Kudzu Science Analysis Kits Easy-to-use self-sampling kits with prepaid return shipping for indoor air quality (VOCs, formaldehyde, benzene), water, and human exposure testing (pesticides, PAHs, plasticizers, bisphenols, flame retardants). Kits include sampling materials and prepaid return shipping; analysis is performed in IRES's COFRAC-accredited laboratory and delivered as a confidential, complete, personalized report.
• Chromatography Laboratory Analysis Services Fee-for-service chemical analysis of environmental (air, water, soil), biological (blood, hair), and material samples using gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and spectrophotometers, performed in a COFRAC ISO 17025:2017 accredited laboratory (No. 1-5775).
• Professional Exposure Measurement Services Measurement of professional exposure to dangerous chemical agents using passive sensors (SKC Umex 100, GABIE II) and laboratory analysis services for evaluating worker exposure to CMR substances and compliance with French VLEP occupational exposure thresholds.
• Hair Analysis Service for Human Bio-surveillance Biological sample analysis service using hair as a matrix for evaluating chronic exposure over months to pesticides, heavy metals, plastic additives, chlorinated and phosphorous flame retardants, and markers of tobacco and alcohol consumption.
• Dried Blood Spot (DBS) Analysis Service Biological sample analysis service using finger prick dried blood spot sampling for evaluating acute exposure to 142 pesticides and organophosphorus flame retardants, with validated methods (NF T90-210 standard), simplified self-collection, and room-temperature stability for transport.
• EWS Aquasystem® Water Sampling Device Proprietary water sampling device consisting of a 1-litre pouch and cartridge system weighing under 20g that allows postal delivery of water samples to the IRES laboratory, where the cartridge is extracted and analyzed by chromatography and mass spectrometry.
• Silicone Bracelet Passive Sampler Personal pollution sensor made of silicone material that captures toxic chemical substances through sorption, used for evaluating individual exposure to endocrine disruptors (phthalates, bisphenols), pesticides, and organophosphorus flame retardants.
• Environmental Audit Services for Airports and Ports Environmental audit services for ports and airports including ambient air quality monitoring (PM10, PM2.5, PM1, hydrocarbons, NO2), indoor air quality in public spaces, and stormwater quality assessment through 12-month monitoring campaigns, delivered in partnership with EDEIS.
• Material Quality Label (EDEIS-IRES) Joint program with EDEIS for labeling construction materials (paints, adhesives, floor coverings) based on laboratory analysis of 76 chemicals (34 VOCs and 42 SVOCs including plasticizers, flame retardants, biocides, PFAS, POPs, perfumes), awarding 'Excellent' or 'Premium' material labels that go beyond current VOC emission regulations.
• Training Services (Formation) Training services on indoor air quality, environmental analysis, and chemical analysis for professionals seeking to acquire knowledge in environmental health monitoring.
• Bespoke Analytical Method Development and Validation Bespoke analytical method development, transfer, and validation services for specific client analysis needs, including custom sampling device design and method certification, funded in part through IRES's R&D program.

Quantifiable outcome

• Validated method for 142 pesticides in dried blood spot samples with limits of quantification between 2 and 1,000 ng/mL, according to NF T90-210 standard.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EDEIScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023EDEIS, a group managing numerous airports and ports in France, partnered with IRES to perform environmental audits of six airports (Tours Val de Loire, Bourges, Aix-les-Milles, Auxerre, Lorient, Toulouse Francazal). EDEIS and IRES also jointly launched a pioneering material quality label for construction materials (paints, adhesives, flooring) that goes beyond current VOC emission regulations, classifying materials as 'EXCELLENT' or 'PREMIUM' based on 76 chemical substance tests.
• PHARMADEV / Université de Toulouse / IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022IRES partnered with the PHARMADEV unit of Université de Toulouse and IRD on the CA-Cert project (2022-2024) to develop a unique and innovative methodology for certifying the composition of plant-based dietary supplements, determining metabolic fingerprints and using specific markers to evaluate content precision.
• ARCMSA du Grand Est, CAAA (3CA), OFB (Office Français de la Biodiversité)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022IRES leads the INDEXPRO project (2022-2024) funded by OFB in partnership with ARCMSA du Grand Est and CAAA, evaluating farmer exposure to pesticides, effectiveness of personal protective equipment, and tractor cabs using silicone bracelets, dried blood spot, and hair analysis.
• Réseau Environnement SantécoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021IRES partnered with Réseau Environnement Santé (RES) and Région Ile-de-France to develop silicone bracelet methodology for human exposure assessment to endocrine disruptors. The PELIF project (more than 180 student participants) and CAMPOL international study were conducted in collaboration with RES.
• ICPEES / Université de StrasbourgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRES collaborated with ICPEES (Institut de Chimie et Procédés pour l'Energie, l'Environnement et la Santé) of Université de Strasbourg on the TRANSPOPEST project (2017-2021) to study pesticide transfer from agricultural fields to residential areas and residents' exposure.
• ICPEES / Université de Strasbourg, CURML, Région Alsace (Grand Est), Eurométropole de StrasbourgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRES collaborated with ICPEES of Université de Strasbourg, Centre Universitaire Roman de Médecine Légale (CURML), and public bodies on the BATITOX project (2012-2016), developing indoor air quality monitoring tools and studying building environment pollution and human exposure.
• Eurométropole de Strasbourg, ICube, GESTE (ENGEES/Irrstea), IRH Ingénieur Conseil, OREAU Ingénieur Conseil, Tronico-VigiCell, INERIS, CNIDEP, HydreosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRES was a partner in the LUMIEAU-Stra project (2015-2020, €3.4M total budget, 50% co-funded by ONEMA and Agence de l'eau Rhin-Meuse) led by Eurométropole de Strasbourg to develop innovative tools for managing micropollutants in urban wastewater.
• Université de Poitiers, ARS Poitou-Charentes, FREDON Nouvelle Aquitaine, CHU Poitiers, ATMO Nouvelle AquitaineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRES collaborated with Université de Poitiers, ARS Poitou-Charentes, FREDON Nouvelle Aquitaine, CHU Poitiers, and ATMO Nouvelle Aquitaine on the PHYTOTIF project (2013-2015) to evaluate viticulturist and vineyard resident exposure to pesticides using hair analysis.
• IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRES partnered with IRD for the CAMPOL project (2020-2021) and international study, conducting dried blood spot and hair analyses on populations from France, Peru (with Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas), and Laos (with Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Health Sciences, Vientiane).
• ATMO Grand EstminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRES collaborated with ATMO Grand Est on the TRANSPOPEST project (2017-2021) to study pesticide transfer from agricultural fields to residential areas in Alsace, combining ambient air sampling, dust sampling, and hair analysis.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ALS Global: ALS Global is a major international testing services provider with strong environmental, food, and pharmaceutical testing capabilities. They have accredited laboratories in France and Europe offering comparable services to IRES in environmental and biological sample analysis.
• SGS: SGS is a global leader in testing, inspection, and certification, including extensive environmental and life sciences testing. SGS offers many of the same analytical services (chromatography, MS/MS) as IRES, but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach, including France-specific accredited labs.
• Eurofins Scientific: Eurofins is the largest European environmental testing laboratory network with thousands of COFRAC/ISO 17025 accreditations. While IRES is a niche specialist in environmental and toxicological analysis, Eurofins competes directly in French indoor air quality and biological monitoring under the same accreditation regime.
• Bureau Veritas: Bureau Veritas is a global TIC company offering environmental testing, air quality monitoring, and building health compliance services. They compete with IRES in French environmental and occupational health testing markets with similar COFRAC accreditation and larger bundled service offerings.
• TÜV SÜD: TÜV SÜD is a global testing, inspection, and certification organization with environmental and product testing services. They are a broader incumbent in the European testing market with comparable accredited analytical capabilities and broader service portfolios.
• Intertek: Intertek is a global TIC company with environmental testing, air quality monitoring, and consumer product testing services. They compete with IRES in occupational exposure measurement and environmental compliance testing across European markets.

Direct peers

• Phytocontrol: Phytocontrol is a French laboratory specializing in pesticide residue analysis and food safety testing. Like IRES, they focus on analytical chemistry for environmental and health applications, with similar methods for pesticide extraction and quantification in environmental and biological matrices.
• Mérieux NutriSciences: Mérieux NutriSciences (part of Institut Mérieux) provides food, environmental, and life sciences testing services globally. Like IRES, they have bioMérieux heritage and offer specialized environmental and toxicological analysis, bio-monitoring, and consumer product testing with strong French footprint.
• CARSO (Carso Group): CARSO is a French analytical laboratory group providing environmental testing, food safety, and pharmaceutical analysis services. They are a direct competitor to IRES in the French environmental testing market with COFRAC accreditation and similar analytical capabilities (chromatography, mass spectrometry).

Others

• INERIS: INERIS is a French public institute that certifies IRES's indoor air quality kits for benzene and formaldehyde measurement. While not a direct lab competitor, INERIS is a key regulatory partner whose certification enables IRES to serve French ERP clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kudzuscience

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ires Institut De Recherche Et D'expertise Scientifique