SustainIQ Raises the Bar for Real-Time ESG Analytics
From carbon emissions to community engagement, SustainIQ provides a complete view of ESG performance.
Belfast-based SustainIQ has raised $847,000 in seed funding to scale a platform that turns ESG reporting from a retrospective compliance task into a real-time, operationally embedded activity. The round, closed in January 2021, was led by a four-member syndicate through the Halo Business Angel Network (HBAN) with match funding from Co-Fund NI, managed by Clarendon Fund Managers on behalf of Invest Northern Ireland. PitchBook also lists Duggan Brothers among the company’s backers, bringing total investors to eight.
The capital injection came at a pivotal moment. ESG disclosure requirements across the UK and Europe were tightening, public sector tenders were beginning to weight sustainability credentials at up to 20% of overall scores, and most businesses were still relying on spreadsheets and siloed departments to pull together annual reports months after the data was relevant. SustainIQ co-founder Liam McEvoy called the investment “a game-changer,” noting it allowed the company to bring technology development in-house and hire dedicated customer success and marketing teams for the first time.
The Founders
Maria Diffley and Liam McEvoy launched SustainIQ in 2018 after spending years working in the sustainability sector. McEvoy, who has over two decades of experience in the field, has pointed to the Paris Agreement and the UK government’s Net Zero targets as catalysts for a fundamental shift in how businesses approach ESG. Diffley’s previous role was as a Business Development Executive at Business in the Community Northern Ireland, where she developed a practical understanding of how organisations measure social impact.
Before raising external capital, the pair went through the Springboard Programme at Catalyst in Northern Ireland and InterTradeIreland’s Seedcorn Investor Readiness Competition. Diffley credited Seedcorn with forcing the team to step back from day-to-day operations and build a robust ten-year business plan, including a clear exit strategy.
How the SustainIQ Platform Works
The platform consolidates ESG data across four pillars: Environmental Management, Responsible Procurement, People, Health and Diversity, and Community Engagement. It tracks over 200 metrics in a single dashboard, covering Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, waste diversion rates, embodied carbon, supply chain compliance, social value, and biodiversity. Data enters the system through API integrations, automated forms, bulk uploads, QR codes, and a mobile app.
The core value proposition is speed. Rather than generating a static annual report, SustainIQ delivers real-time analytics, filterable by site, region, or company-wide performance. Users set baselines, define reduction targets, and benchmark progress toward Net Zero on demand. The report builder produces stakeholder-ready outputs aligned with major ESG frameworks.
SustainIQ Funding, Investors, and Growth
The $847,000 seed round remains the company’s only disclosed raise. HBAN, a joint initiative of Enterprise Ireland, InterTradeIreland, and Invest Northern Ireland, sourced the angel syndicate. Co-Fund NI matched the investment. Clarendon Fund Managers, the Belfast-based venture capital firm that manages Co-Fund NI’s £49.8 million portfolio, oversaw the match funding. Jim Curran, a partner at Clarendon, said at the time that the company’s offering “has the potential to bring sustainable insights and solutions to companies throughout the UK and Ireland.”
The results since have been measurable. SustainIQ expanded from roughly 500 active sites at the time of funding to over 600 by 2022. The company generated an additional 20% of annual revenue in 2023 as a direct result of participating in InterTradeIreland’s Acumen programme, while growing its overall customer base by 10%. In February 2024, the team joined an InterTradeIreland cross-border trade mission to Cork, signalling a push deeper into the Irish market. According to GetApp, the platform is now trusted by over 1,100 sites in 14 countries globally.
As of late 2023, Tracxn recorded the company at around 11 employees, though RocketReach now lists 26, suggesting recent growth.
Clients and Sector Focus
Construction and infrastructure account for the bulk of SustainIQ’s business. The client list includes Belfast Harbour, Gilbert-Ash, Heron Brothers, SHS Group, Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland, JP Corry, McCue, Translink, and Mannok. The platform was deployed during the construction of the Belfast Transport Hub at Weavers Cross, one of Northern Ireland’s largest infrastructure projects in recent years.
The sector fit is not accidental. Public procurement in the UK increasingly requires bidders to demonstrate sustainability performance with verified data. For contractors managing large workforces across dozens of sites, the ability to produce on-demand ESG reports has become a commercial necessity rather than a branding exercise. SustainIQ has positioned itself as the tool that makes that reporting practical at scale.
Competitive Landscape
The ESG software market is on a huge growth trajectory. Well-funded competitors like EcoVadis and Novisto operate at significantly larger scales. What differentiates SustainIQ is its focus on operational integration, particularly in construction, where daily data capture matters more than annual snapshots. The platform was ranked 8th in Business Cloud’s 2022 EnviroTech50 list of the UK’s most innovative green technology solutions, appeared again on the 2025 list, and was shortlisted for Sustainability Project of the Year at the Digital DNA 2023 awards. It also integrates with Procore, a widely used construction project management platform, through its marketplace.
Reviews on Capterra and Software Advice consistently highlight responsive customer support and the platform’s ability to serve both annual reporting and monthly board-level discussions. For a company of its size, the retention and satisfaction signals are strong.
Outlook
ESG regulation in the UK and Europe is moving in one direction. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, Green Public Procurement requirements, and increasing investor scrutiny are all pushing companies toward mandatory, real-time disclosure. SustainIQ is positioned on the right side of that trend, with a proven product, a loyal client base in a sector where switching costs are high, and room to expand geographically and into adjacent industries.
With a sub-million-dollar raise and a footprint now spanning over 1,100 sites across 14 countries, the company’s growth trajectory suggests efficient capital deployment. Whether the next step is a larger funding round, a strategic partnership, or a push into European markets, the fundamentals point toward growth. What started as a two-person response to a broken reporting process now looks like a company building toward something considerably larger.
