What Humans Matter does

Humans Matter is a French cognitive design company founded in 1998 and headquartered in Lyon, operating at the intersection of cognitive and behavioral sciences and Design methodology. It serves large enterprises, public institutions, and individuals across France (with selective English-language deployments) through three practice areas: organizational transformation, collective/team development, and individual capability development. Its primary buyers are HR, learning and development, and senior management stakeholders at major French corporations such as AXA, Banque de France, Chanel, Cartier, Capgemini, EDF, Fnac Darty, Michelin, Orange, and Orano.

The company's core product portfolio combines proprietary assessment tools and AI-augmented digital platforms. PEPCO is a scientifically validated cognitive potential test used for HR decision-making and high-stakes selection contexts including Air France pilot cadet assessment (~3,000 candidates per year). The STDRP, GEUM, and AEM protocols measure individual and collective capacity for action and underpin research collaborations with CNRS, INP-UGA, Sciences Po, and Strate School of Design. On the digital side, WeSuccess® is an augmented co-development platform, AnthropoviZ applies visual anthropology plus AI to map organizational dynamics, and buddi.a.® is an in-house cognitive AI agent that poses Socratic questions to support coaching, training, and managerial practice.

Humans Matter operates a primarily enterprise direct-sales model with on-site and remote delivery, complemented by Qualiopi-certified training programs (€500 per person for standard courses, €400 per debrief session) and quote-based bespoke coaching, assessment, and transformation engagements. The company raised €3 million from Socadif in August 2022, employs 101-250 people, maintains Qualiopi (2025-2028) and ISO 13485 certifications, and operates primarily within France.

Name

Humans Matter

Legal name

Humans Matter

Website

https://humansmatter.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Humans Matter is a Lyon-based cognitive design consultancy founded in 1998 that combines cognitive and behavioral sciences with proprietary AI tools to deliver organizational transformation, team training, individual coaching, and cognitive assessments for large enterprises and institutions primarily in France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organizational Development and Cognitive Design Consulting

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

akta.pro primary industry

Innovation & Design Thinking Programs (EDAMAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Critical Thinking, Problem Solving & Decision-Making (EDAAAKAH), Collaboration, Teamwork & Conflict Resolution (EDAAAKAF), Personality & Behavioral Assessments (BPACAMAC)

Keywords

• Organizational transformation services
• Cognitive science consulting
• Professional training programs
• Executive coaching services
• Behavioral assessment tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Corporate Training Programs: Professional training programs delivered either on-site or remotely, with courses ranging from 7 to 14 hours covering topics such as memory, concentration, decision-making, emotional skills, stress management, and paradox management. Training courses are accessible within 3-6 weeks of request and are Qualiopi certified.
2. Individual Coaching: Tailor-made coaching programs for professional development. Programs range from 3 to 12 hours, include framing session, kick-off phase, coaching sessions, detailed review, and impact measurement at 6 months. Uses AI assistant for need identification and includes network of over 30 experienced coaches.
3. Assessment Center: Evaluation devices that project individuals or groups into future challenges. Includes psychometric tests, individual and/or group simulations, competency-based interviews. Multiple pathway options: Complete (1 day + debrief), Accelerated (half day + debrief), Quick Scan (2 hours + debrief), and Digital Pathways.
4. Digital Co-development (WeSuccess®): Subscription-based or per-session access to digital collaborative platform for co-development sessions, including AI-powered buddi.a.® support and PDF session report generation.
5. Managerial Training Centre: Manager development program structured like athletic training, involving AI-assisted problem definition, content access, 1-hour preparation workshops, autonomous practice challenges in real work situations, and self-assessment.
6. Decision Support Tools (AnthropoviZ): Customizable organizational assessment projects including framing, information gathering, analysis, and feedback phases. Used for mapping managerial culture, employee perceptions, and organizational dynamics.
7. Funding: Company raised €3 million in funding round in August 2022 to support growth and development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Humans Matter designs and delivers organizational transformation, training, coaching, and cognitive assessment services for enterprises, teams and individuals, grounded in cognitive and behavioral sciences. Its portfolio combines professional services (training programs, individual and group coaching, assessment centers) with proprietary AI-augmented digital tools such as WeSuccess®, buddi.a.®, AnthropoviZ and the PEPCO cognitive potential test, sold primarily to large French organizations and educational institutions.

Product overview

Humans Matter operates as a transformation and cognitive science consultancy offering an integrated ecosystem of products and services. Their approach combines cognitive and behavioral sciences with AI-powered tools. The core product portfolio includes WeSuccess® (collaborative digital co-development platform augmented with buddi.a.® AI), AnthropoviZ (organizational mapping and decision support), PEPCO (cognitive potential assessment), Assessment Center (talent evaluation), and coaching services. Supporting offerings include training programmes, Managerial Training Centre, Inspiring Talks (We Matter), and ability-to-act measurement services. The company is Qualiopi-certified for training and holds ISO 13485 quality certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WeSuccess®: Digital-augmented co-development platform for collaborative problem-solving and action planning, incorporating AI for cognitive load management.
• PEPCO
• buddi.a.®
• AnthropoviZ
• We Matter
• Centre d'Entraînement Managérial
• Qualiopi Certification

Products and services

• WeSuccess® Collaborative digital co-development platform combining video conferencing, shared textual notes, AI-assisted questioning through buddi.a.®, and PDF session reports; supports remote problem-solving and action planning for distributed teams.
• buddi.a.® Cognitive AI agent trained on Humans Matter's scientific frameworks; asks structured questions to help users articulate narratives, prepare coaching sessions and identify development needs.
• AnthropoviZ Mobile app-based decision support tool that combines visual anthropology, AI, and data analysis to capture informal interactions, viewpoints and dynamics within organizations for transformation and decision-making.
• PEPCO – Cognitive Potential Test Cognitive potential assessment test developed from cognitive science research; objectifies HR decisions on recruitment, career development, mobility and promotions by measuring decision-making, action planning, adaptability and attention.
• Assessment Center Individual and group evaluation service using psychometric tests, role-playing simulations, competency-based interviews and expert assessors for recruitment and talent development; offered in Complete, Accelerated, Quick Scan and Digital pathways.
• Individual Coaching Tailor-made individual coaching programmes combining listening, structured questioning, practical tools and personalized follow-up; includes AI-assisted framing and impact measurement at six months; programs range from 3 to 12 hours.
• Centre d'Entraînement Managérial Managerial training programme using experiential learning methodology; managers define challenges, access content, attend preparation workshops and complete autonomous practice challenges in real work situations.
• We Matter (Inspiring Talks & Conferences) Acculturation programme of conferences, seminars, round tables and inspiring videos featuring experts in science, engineering, design and art, designed to restore critical thinking and enable informed decision-making.
• Ability to Act Measurement (La Mesure de la Capacité d'Agir) Agency/ability-to-act measurement service using scientifically validated protocols (STDRP, GEUM, AEM); delivers individual reports with psychologist debriefs and optional collective reports.
• Training Catalogue (Catalogue de Formations) Qualiopi-certified professional training programmes covering memory, concentration, mental load, emotional skills, stress management, decision-making, conflict resolution and paradox management; courses range from 7 to 14 hours, available on-site or remote within 3-6 weeks of request.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% satisfaction rate among trained participants
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Design New ValueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner within the Humans Matter ecosystem of committed people, contributing to the collaborative approach to organizational transformation.
• Media LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner within the Humans Matter ecosystem contributing to the interactive centers of expertise.
• PixelisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner within the Humans Matter ecosystem for collaborative innovation projects.
• Strate School of DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for GEUM protocol deployment in English, preparing students for capacity to act measurement.
• Usbek & RicaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia partner within the ecosystem for spreading knowledge and critical thinking content.
• User StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign-focused partner within the Humans Matter ecosystem.
• ZegameminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner within the Humans Matter ecosystem for collaborative transformation projects.
• CNRScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific research partnership using STDRP protocol for measuring capacity for action of employees in French.
• INP-UGAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership with Institut Polytechnique de Grenoble using STDRP protocol for employee capacity assessment in French.
• Science-PocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlanned academic partnership with Sciences Po using GEUM protocol for post-master's students capacity for action measurement in French.
• Cnam Grand-EstminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing client and potentially research partner for organizational transformation programs.
• BPI (Banque Publique d'Investissement)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical research partner for cognitive tests for employability and insertion programs.
• Pôle EmploiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical research partner for cognitive tests for employability and insertion programs.
• SBT (Creator)coreOthersWebsite creator and potential parent company or affiliated entity based on legal notices.
• RTEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical research partner for cognitive tests related to attention risk management in dispatching operations.
• SNCFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical research partner for cognitive tests related to attention risk management in train operations.
• Air FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for pilot assessment using PEPCO cognitive potential test (approximately 3,000 assessments per year).
• OnisepminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing client partner for training and development programs.
• CRETAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner using AEM protocol for pre-master's students capacity for action measurement in French.
• ScholanovaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner using AEM protocol for pre-master's students capacity assessment.
• EssaimeursminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner using AEM protocol for pre-master's students capacity assessment.
• 28°DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign-focused partner within the committed ecosystem.
• DiaforaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner within the ecosystem focused on committed transformation.
• FondamentappsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology/application partner within the ecosystem.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• SHL (now part of Expleo/Aon): Global psychometric and cognitive assessment provider for talent selection and development, comparable to Humans Matter's PEPCO and ability-to-act measurement protocols. Represents the dominant scale player against which Humans Matter's proprietary assessments compete.
• Hemsley Fraser: UK-based learning and development provider offering leadership, management, and professional skills training to enterprise clients. Comparable in catalogue-based training delivery and focus on senior leadership development.
• Wemanity: France- and Benelux-based agile and organizational transformation consultancy focused on enterprise culture and operating model change. Comparable niche as a mid-sized transformation specialist selling similar custom change and team-development programs to enterprise clients.

Direct peers

• IFG Executive Education: French executive education and management training provider focused on leadership development for executives and managers. Comparable in target customer (French enterprise leaders) and in offering custom executive programs similar to Humans Matter's Centre d'Entraînement Managérial.
• CrossKnowledge: European digital learning platform serving large enterprises with blended, mobile, and AI-augmented learning programs. Comparable as a French-headquartered L&D technology and content provider competing for the same enterprise training budget.
• Cegos: Largest French corporate training and organizational development group with a global footprint. Directly comparable in target market (enterprise L&D) and training catalogue breadth, and serves as the most direct domestic competitor to Humans Matter's training and coaching business.
• CoachHub: Berlin-based digital coaching platform for enterprises with a global network of certified coaches. Directly comparable to Humans Matter's individual coaching and Managerial Training Centre offering, but with a more scalable platform-first go-to-market.

Broad incumbents

• Capgemini Invent: Global transformation and digital innovation arm of Capgemini, also a named Humans Matter customer. Overlaps as a much larger provider of organizational transformation, learning, and people-change services at enterprise scale.
• BearingPoint: European-headquartered management and technology consultancy with a strong people-and-change practice serving large enterprise and public-sector clients across France. Overlaps in the organizational transformation and capability development space.
• Sia Partners: Paris-headquartered global management consulting firm with a dedicated People & Change practice. Comparable as a French-rooted consultancy serving large enterprises on transformation, talent, and learning initiatives.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/humans__matter
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCcByBRdpPagX-e3G2cXtcTA
• Facebookfacebook.com/humans.matter.team
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sbt-human-s-matter

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Humans Matter