About IZRIIS Institute

IZRIIS Institute is a Slovenian non-profit, non-governmental research and development organisation established in Ljubljana in 2003. We connect research, digital innovation, health and social care, education, prevention and civil-society action to develop practical solutions that improve quality of life and strengthen inclusive, resilient communities.

Our work is guided by a simple principle: innovation creates meaningful value only when it responds to real human needs. We therefore combine scientific and professional knowledge with co-creation, user involvement, field testing and cooperation across sectors and countries.

More than two decades of development

Since 2003, IZRIIS Institute has developed from a community-oriented organisation working with families, young people and older adults into an interdisciplinary partner at the intersection of research, digital technologies, healthcare, social care, standardisation and civil society.

Our network-based model brings together universities, research organisations, companies, non-governmental organisations, municipalities, ministries, public institutions, professionals and local communities. International cooperation enables us to translate emerging knowledge, standards and technologies into solutions adapted to real-life settings.

Our areas of expertise

  • Digital health, telemedicine and integrated care — accessible and user-centred services, interoperability, quality, evaluation and implementation in real-life environments.
  • Healthy ageing and independent living — active and assisted living, dementia support, age-friendly technologies and services for older adults and caregivers.
  • Digital inclusion and accessible artificial intelligence — digital skills, safe technology use and inclusive learning for older adults, people with disabilities and groups with fewer opportunities.
  • Public health and prevention — long-term programmes for children, young people, parents, schools and communities, including addiction prevention and health promotion.
  • Citizen science and environmental engagement — digital participation, awareness raising and trustworthy community-generated data for marine protection.
  • Standards, accreditation and programme evaluation — quality frameworks that strengthen safety, trust, accessibility and sustainable uptake.

From pioneering care solutions to current European cooperation

European research and innovation projects have played a central role in building our expertise. NITICS explored modular technologies for safer and more connected home care. IONIS developed indoor and outdoor solutions for people with dementia, while INCARE advanced flexible, user-friendly integrated care tested in different cultural and real-life settings. ACESO connected health monitoring, analytics and personalised feedback in a patient-centred platform.

These projects strengthened our competencies in active and assisted living, dementia care, interoperability, stakeholder engagement and the evaluation of digital health solutions. They also established the collaborative approach that continues to shape our work.

Our recent and current portfolio includes:

  • TIGER — FosTering eHealth and Social Innovations as Game-Changers in Senior and Remote Care, an Interreg Alpine Space project supporting SMEs, start-ups and innovators developing solutions for senior and remote care through expert services, validation and cross-border cooperation.
  • VIGO4AI — Visually Impaired Go for Artificial Intelligence, an Erasmus+ initiative developing accessible, practical and multilingual artificial-intelligence learning for blind and visually impaired adults and their educators.
  • RENEW, advancing personalised, data-supported approaches to chronic-disease management, particularly for older adults living with hypertension.
  • Mobile Money, strengthening the digital and financial literacy of older adults and supporting the safe use of mobile banking, digital payments and related services.
  • ERMAT, which developed learning materials and an open training platform focused on assistive technologies and the quality of life of older people with reduced mobility.
  • Digitalno vključeni (Digitally Included), helping reduce the digital divide by building skills, confidence, safety awareness and critical understanding among older adults and other vulnerable groups.
  • Povezani za morje (United for the Sea), a citizen-science and marine-conservation initiative developed with Morigenos, YouSea and NOMED. IZRIIS leads digital development and communication activities that connect public participation with research and environmental protection.

A new digital milestone: zamorje.si

In July 2026, the Povezani za morje consortium launched zamorje.si, a public platform that enables people to record observations from the Slovenian coast and sea and contribute to citizen science. The platform turns accessible participation into moderated, structured and research-ready data while placing privacy, security and responsible data governance at the centre of its design.

This milestone demonstrates how knowledge developed through health, inclusion and digital-service projects can be transferred to environmental action. It also reflects our growing capacity to connect user-centred design, digital infrastructure, communication and stakeholder coordination in one practical public service.

Prevention, education and community impact

Technology is only one part of sustainable innovation. IZRIIS also develops and implements prevention and health-promotion programmes for young people, parents, schools and local communities. Choose a Healthy Life! promotes healthy habits and helps prevent tobacco, alcohol and other psychoactive-substance use. Complementary activities strengthen emotional, social and communication skills, non-violent behaviour and supportive family environments.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, IZRIIS contributed expertise in digital communication, awareness raising and stakeholder cooperation to an international initiative focused on helping communities reach migrants and refugees with reliable public-health information. This work reinforced a lesson that continues to guide us: effective innovation depends on trust, cultural understanding and active community participation.

How we work

  • co-creation with end users, professionals and communities;
  • interdisciplinary and cross-sector partnerships;
  • pilot implementation and evaluation in real-life environments;
  • responsible, secure and accessible technology;
  • capacity building, communication and sustainable uptake;
  • European and cross-border cooperation.

Looking ahead

Digital inclusion, smart healthcare, healthy ageing, prevention, social innovation and environmental sustainability are not separate challenges. They are interconnected parts of a responsible development model.

IZRIIS Institute remains committed to connecting research, innovation and civil society — and to turning knowledge and partnerships into sustainable solutions with measurable benefits for people and communities.