icmq

What icmq does

ICMQ (ICMQ Spa, a socio unico) is an Italian third-party certification, inspection, validation, and training body founded in 1988 and headquartered in Milan. The firm is accredited by Accredia for personnel certification under UNI CEI EN ISO/IEC 17024 (no. 084/C), independent Type A inspection under UNI CEI EN ISO 17020 (no. 007/E), voluntary product certification (no. 011B), and EPD validation (no. 002H), and is recognized by ISPRA for EMAS verification. It is also listed by EC ministers (no. 1305) for CE marking on construction products and authorized by the Ministry of Economic Development for specific technical tests. ICMQ specializes exclusively in the construction sector and serves construction-product manufacturers, architecture and engineering firms, infrastructure developers and public works entities, and individual construction professionals.

The company operates five core service lines — management systems certification (quality, environmental, health & safety), materials and product certification, inspections and audits, buildings and infrastructure certification (Envision, LEED, BREEAM, GBC Italia, ITACA, ARCA protocols), and professional figures certification (BIM Specialist/Coordinator/Manager/CDE Manager, energy managers, building surveyors, welders) — supplemented by training, validation and verification services under UNI CEI EN ISO/IEC 17029, and the ICMQ Sustainability Academy platform. Proprietary assets include ICMQ ENVISION guidelines adapted for Italian railway stations (RFI) and electrical infrastructure (Terna), a DNSH assessment methodology for infrastructure, and the Make It Sustainable certification model. ICMQ holds over 70% of the Italian BIM expert certification market per Accredia data (March 2026) within an addressable pool of approximately 10,000 certified professionals.

ICMQ earns revenue through professional services fees on a quote-based model with multi-year contracts, distributed through direct enterprise sales from Milan headquarters, a nationwide network of 60+ qualified inspectors, and a partnership channel of more than a dozen exam centers for BIM professional certifications. The operational company (ICMQ Spa) sits under the non-profit ICMQ Institute, which also owns Cersa Srl (a separate certification body created in 2006). The group operates exclusively in Italy, with international reach provided through memberships in IQNet, ECO Platform (founding member), Eurocer-building, and GBC Italia, and a partnership with the British Board of Agreement for UKCA/UKNI certifications into Great Britain. ICMQ adopted Società Benefit status and published its fourth integrated Sustainability Report in 2025.

Name

icmq

Legal name

ICMQ Spa (a socio unico)

Website

https://icmq.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ICMQ is an Italian third-party certification, inspection, validation, and training body accredited by Accredia, serving the construction sector with product, management system, professional (including BIM), and sustainability certification services across Italy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Certification Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Building Inspection Services (54135)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Third-Party Certification, Code Compliance & Regulatory Inspection (ASME/API/ISO) (EUAEAHAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Standards, Metrology & Accreditation Bodies (BPAIAOAC)

Keywords

• Construction certification services
• Management systems certification
• Product certification services
• BIM professional certification
• Sustainability certification services

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Certification Services: Third-party certification of construction products including voluntary certifications, CE marking notifications, and sustainability certifications. Services include EPD validation, carbon footprint declaration validation, and circular certification.
2. Management System Certification: Certification of quality, environmental, health and safety management systems, energy management systems, and social responsibility systems, accredited by Accredia and ISPRA
3. Professional Certification: Certification of professional figures including BIM experts (Specialist, Coordinator, Manager, CDE Manager), energy managers, building surveyors, administrators, welders. Revenue from examination fees and certification maintenance fees.
4. Inspection and Audit Services: Technical inspections for construction validation, decennial liability insurance verification, plan validation according to Italian legislative decree 50/2016, and equipment undergrounding checks authorized by Ministry of Economic Development
5. Training and Education: Courses, seminars, and conferences on certification topics, sustainability, and BIM. Includes the BIM Community webinars (Traiettorie cycle) and ICMQ Sustainability Academy platform

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ICMQ is an Italian third-party certification, inspection, and validation body accredited by Accredia that delivers product certification, management systems certification, professional personnel certification, technical audits, and sustainability certification for the construction sector. Services span voluntary and statutory product certifications (including CE marking and Environmental Product Declarations), quality/environmental/health-and-safety management systems, BIM personnel and management system certification, Envision/LEED/BREEAM/GBC Italia building and infrastructure sustainability assessments, and accredited validation of ethical and environmental claims.

Product overview

ICMQ is a third-party certification body accredited by Accredia, specializing in the construction sector. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of certification services organized into core product lines: Management Systems Certification (quality, environmental, health & safety standards), Materials and Products Certification (voluntary and statutory product certifications), Inspections and Audits (Type A inspection body services), Buildings and Infrastructure Certification (sustainability protocols including Envision, LEED, BREEAM), Professional Figures Certification (personnel competency certification per ISO 17024), Training (courses and seminars), and Validation & Verification services. Specialized offerings include BIM services for digital construction modeling, Sustainability services, and the Sustainability Academy platform. The company also operates through subsidiary brands including CERSA (management and product certification) and EPDItaly (environmental product declarations). ICMQ ENVISION provides protocol-specific certification for Italian infrastructure projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cersa: Certification body created in 2006 for the certification of corporate management systems, products, staff and services.

Products and services

• Management Systems Certification
• Materials, Products and Services Certification
• Inspections and Audits
• Buildings and Infrastructure Certification
• Professional Figures Certification
• Training
• Validation and Verification
• BIM Services
• Sustainability Services
• ICMQ Sustainability Academy
• ICMQ ENVISION
• Make It Sustainable
• CERSA Certification
• EPDItaly

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 70% market share in BIM expert certification in Italy
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BIMportalecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership for finding BIM experts, with a dedicated space where companies can search for certified BIM professionals divided by competencies. Enables visibility and market access for ICMQ-certified professionals.
• British Board of Agreement (BBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for facilitating client companies in obtaining UKCA and UKNI certifications for exporting to Great Britain. Optimizes audit activities and documents to be used for both CE and UKCA/UKNI markings, reducing certification costs.
• EPDItaly / ECO PlatformcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPDItaly is the Italian Program Operator and founding member of ECO Platform, the European association grouping all EPD Program Operators working to sustain and harmonize European EPDs for construction products. ICMQ contributes to standardization efforts and validation services.
• AccrediacoreOthersNational accreditation body that provides third-party attestation of ICMQ's technical competence to certify products, services, and professionals. Essential regulatory recognition for certification validity.
• GBC ItaliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreen Building Council Italia is an association for sustainable building promotion in line with LEED standards. ICMQ hosts the offices of the Lombardy Chapter, indicating active collaborative relationship.
• IQNetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Certification Network present in more than 30 countries worldwide. Provides mutual recognition of certification value and international visibility for ICMQ certifications.
• Eurocer-buildingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean federation of certifying bodies in the construction sector established in 1994, working to encourage voluntary product certification in Europe and develop free movement of certified products.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• RINA: Italian-headquartered certification, inspection, and testing body with a strong construction and infrastructure practice. RINA competes directly with ICMQ in Italian construction-sector certification while operating broader marine, energy, and transport verticals.
• Italcert: Italian certification body offering management system, product, and personnel certification across construction and adjacent sectors. Italcert is one of ICMQ's most direct domestic competitors for Accredia-accredited certifications in Italy.
• IMQ (Istituto Italiano del Marchio di Qualità): Italian certification and testing body with strong electro-mechanical and building product certification practice. IMQ competes with ICMQ on construction product certifications and CE marking services in Italy.
• CERSA: Wholly-owned ICMQ subsidiary operating as a separate certification body for management systems, products, and personnel, offering an adjacent brand and scope that overlaps and extends ICMQ's addressable Italian market.

Broad incumbents

• Bureau Veritas: Global TIC (testing, inspection, certification) major with a dedicated Construction & Infrastructure division offering product certification, BIM services, and sustainability verification across multiple jurisdictions, directly overlapping with ICMQ's offerings at larger scale.
• SGS: Swiss-based global TIC leader providing construction product certification, management system audits, and sustainability assurance. SGS competes with ICMQ on multinational manufacturer certifications and Italian market mandates.
• TÜV Rheinland: German global TIC provider with construction product certification, building inspection, and management system services. Overlaps with ICMQ's product certification and management system portfolios on European cross-border mandates.
• TÜV SÜD: Global TIC and certification body with construction, real estate, and infrastructure service lines including product certification and sustainability assurance, competing with ICMQ in pan-European programs.
• DNV: Norwegian-headquartered TIC and certification major with construction and infrastructure services including management system certification, sustainability assurance, and BIM-related assurance, competing for Italian and European accounts.
• Kiwa: Dutch TIC group with strong construction-sector focus in product certification, building inspection, and sustainability schemes, and active Eurocer-building membership overlapping with ICMQ's federation positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/maxcas69
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/massimo-cassinari-161593a

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 icmq