European Science Communication Institute

What European Science Communication Institute does

European Science Communication Institute (ESCI) is a German non-profit (gGmbH) founded in 2016 and headquartered in Oldenburg, with a secondary office in Frehel, France. The organization provides professional science communication services to research institutions, universities, and industry partners participating in EU-funded research and innovation projects, primarily under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. Across more than 50 projects spanning disciplines including smart infrastructure, climate, energy, bioeconomy, agriculture, health, and digitization, ESCI delivers dissemination, communication, exploitation, and proposal-writing support that is required as work packages within EU grant frameworks.

ESCI's core offering is organized into seven service modules: EU-research project services, graphic design, audio and video production, written content, social media management, science communication training, and public engagement. These are delivered as bundled packages or standalone engagements covering the full project lifecycle from funding application through final reporting. The company leverages a multilingual team based in Germany and France, supported by a broad network of European science journalists, to deliver content across multiple languages and channels. Distribution is direct: ESCI engages project coordinators and consortia partners via established relationships within the European R&I ecosystem rather than through any digital storefront or third-party channel.

ESCI's revenue model is professional services fee-for-project, funded indirectly through EU grant dissemination budgets allocated by project coordinators. As a non-profit gGmbH, ESCI has no external investors, no funding rounds, and no disclosed parent company; ownership rests with co-founders Elmar Bartlmae (Managing Director, Germany) and Helga Treiber (Communication Strategist, France). The customer base is distributed across 20+ named research institutions and universities (Brunel, INRAE, Aarhus, Wageningen, RISE, VTT, NIVA, AIT, CERTH, Eurecat, and others), with no single logo disclosed as material to revenue.

Name

European Science Communication Institute

Legal name

European Science Communication Institute (ESCI) gGmbH

Website

https://esci.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

European Science Communication Institute is a German non-profit that provides dissemination, communication, graphic design, audiovisual, social media, training, and public engagement services to research consortia running EU-funded Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Communication Services

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (54182), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Cause, ESG & Sustainability Communications (MPAAADAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

ESG, Sustainability & Impact Research (BPAHALAL)

Keywords

• Science communication services
• EU research dissemination
• Project communication strategy
• Public engagement science
• Scientific media production

Headquarters

HQ city

Oldenburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. EU Project Communication Services: ESCI generates revenue by providing full-service communication and dissemination packages to EU-funded research and innovation projects. Services include communication strategy, graphic design, audiovisual content, written content, social media management, training, and public engagement support for research consortia across Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ESCI provides full-service science communication and dissemination support to EU-funded research and innovation projects. Its offerings span the full project lifecycle — from funding application and proposal writing through daily communication management to final reporting — covering EU research project services, graphic design, audio and video production, written and multilingual content, social media management, science communication training, and public engagement.

Product overview

ESCI offers a unified portfolio of science communication services organized around seven core offerings. The services are delivered as full-service packages tailored for EU research projects and include: EU-Research Projects Services (communication, dissemination, and exploitation support), Graphic Design Services, Audio & Video Production Services, Written Content Services, Social Media Services, Science Communication Training, and Public Engagement Services. These service modules can be contracted individually or as comprehensive packages, with a focus on EU-funded research projects across disciplines including Smart Infrastructure, Climate, Industry, Energy, Society, Bioeconomy, Agriculture, Nature, Food, Water, Algae, Digitisation & Robotic, Health, and Traffic.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EU-Research Projects Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Experience in 50+ EU projects across various disciplines

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ATB – The Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and BioeconomyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in EU projects with collaboration on science communication activities. ESCI provides dissemination and communication support for joint research initiatives.
• AIT – Austrian Institute of TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in EU projects. ESCI supports communication activities for joint research initiatives in Austria and across Europe.
• Brunel University of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey project partner, particularly in ETEKINA project where ESCI works closely with Brunel University as exploitation leader. Long-standing collaboration in EU-funded research communication.
• CERTH – The Centre for Research & Technology, HellasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in EU projects. ESCI provides communication and dissemination services for joint initiatives.
• EurecatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology center partner in EU research projects requiring communication support.
• Greenovate! EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner for dissemination and communication activities, particularly in RUBIZMO project where ESCI works jointly with Greenovate! Europe to manage communication and outreach.
• INRAE – Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench national research institute partner in EU agricultural and environmental research projects.
• Aarhus UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDanish university partner in EU research projects with communication collaboration.
• NIVA – The Norwegian Institute for Water ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian water research institute partner in EU water and environment-related projects.
• RISE – Research Institutes of SwedenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwedish research institute partner in EU-funded research projects requiring communication support.
• University College DublinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIrish university partner in EU research initiatives with collaboration on science communication.
• University of FlorenceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian university partner in EU research projects.
• University of Modena and Reggio EmiliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian university partner in EU research initiatives.
• University of PortominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortuguese university partner in EU research projects.
• VTT – Technical Research Centre of FinlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish research organization partner in EU research projects.
• AWI – Alfred-Wegener-InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman polar research institute partner in EU climate and environmental projects.
• MIGAL – Galilee Research InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIsraeli research institute partner in EU-funded research projects.
• AgroscopeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss agricultural research institute partner in EU agricultural research projects.
• CeitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish engineering research center partner in EU technical research projects.
• CEMOSAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish engineering and consulting firm partner in EU construction and infrastructure research projects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• AUSTRALO: Spain-based marketing and innovation communication agency that supports EU research projects with dissemination, stakeholder engagement, and impact communication. Directly comparable niche to ESCI in EU R&I project communications.
• Lattanzio KIBS: Italy-based consulting group with a dedicated EU projects and public affairs practice that delivers communication, dissemination, and event services for European research consortia. Overlaps with ESCI in serving Horizon-funded research clients.
• Trust-IT Services: Italy/UK-headquartered provider of communication, dissemination, and exploitation services for EU-funded research and innovation projects. Closely comparable offering to ESCI, including content creation, multimedia, and stakeholder engagement for Horizon projects.
• Greenovate! Europe: Brussels-based sustainability innovation network and EU project dissemination partner. Listed as one of ESCI's core strategic partners (joint communication leadership on RUBIZMO); operates in the same EU R&I communications niche, especially for sustainability-focused projects.
• BIOCOM AG: Berlin-based communications and networking specialist for the European life sciences and biotechnology research community, with significant involvement in EU R&D project dissemination. Closely comparable in serving European research clients with B2B science communication.
• Levermore & Associates: UK-based science and innovation communications agency with long experience supporting research organisations and EU projects. Comparable to ESCI in delivering strategic science communication and stakeholder engagement for research-driven clients.
• Net7: Italy-based firm providing web technologies and digital communication services specifically for EU-funded research projects (H2020, Horizon Europe). Directly comparable in that it acts as a dissemination and communication partner inside EU research consortia, the same role ESCI plays.
• VIM Group: Netherlands-based communications and brand consultancy with a track record of supporting European research and innovation projects. Comparable in offering strategic communication, visual identity, and dissemination services for EU consortia clients.

Broad incumbents

• Fleishman-Hillard: Large global communications agency with a science and public affairs practice serving research institutions, corporates, and public-sector clients. Adjacent incumbent that can compete for the same EU project dissemination mandates ESCI targets, though at a different scale and pricing tier.
• Edelman: Global public relations firm with a dedicated health and science practice that increasingly competes for EU research dissemination and sustainability communications budgets. Broader incumbent offering overlapping ESCI's space but without ESCI's specialisation in H2020/Horizon Europe work packages.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UChiT4w-ba0LJ9KT-vhTBjQQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/european-science-communication-institute-esci-
• Instagraminstagram.com/esci.eu

Compliance1 record

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 European Science Communication Institute