What Le Crayon does

Le Crayon Groupe is a privately held French digital media and influence company founded in 2020 in Paris by four co-founders (Wallerand Moullé-Berteaux, Antonin Marin, Sixtine Moullé-Berteaux, and Jules Stimpfling). The group operates four integrated subsidiaries: Le Crayon Média, a debate and societal-issue media brand distributed natively across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Snapchat; Le Surligneur, a press relations, content creation, and influence agency targeting entrepreneurs, SMEs, and large enterprises; Le Pinceau, an influence and consulting arm focused on connecting large companies with opinion leaders; and Les Pépites de France, an acquired heritage, tourism, and art de vivre media brand with a mobile application (updated in 2024 with an AI language model) and a series of bestselling travel books.

The group's underlying technology stack is a multi-platform social media content production and distribution system spanning long-form debate shows, short vertical videos, podcasts, and a mobile app, aggregating 6 million subscribers and approximately 140 million monthly views across networks. The core content engine is supported by a 36-person in-house team of creators, press officers, videographers, and editors.

Le Crayon generates revenue through three primary streams: (1) brand content production and sponsored media campaigns for clients including LVMH, BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole, Trade Republic, and WWF; (2) agency services via Le Surligneur, billed on a project or retainer basis with no public pricing; and (3) branded content sponsorships, book sales, and app-based monetization via Les Pépites de France, with brand partners including Airbnb, Michelin, L'Oréal, Gîtes de France, and Château de Chantilly. Disclosed revenue reached approximately €3M in 2024 and over €5M in 2025, following the 2023 acquisition of Les Pépites de France and a €1M+ funding round led by investors including Xavier Niel, Émilie Daversin, and David Layani.

Name

Le Crayon

Legal name

LE CRAYON SAS

Website

https://lecrayongroupe.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Le Crayon Groupe is a Paris-based digital media and influence company that operates debate media (Le Crayon Média), a PR/influence agency (Le Surligneur, Le Pinceau), and the acquired heritage tourism media Les Pépites de France, serving young French audiences and enterprise brand clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Media Production and PR Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Public Relations Agencies (541820), Graphic Design Services (541430), Media Representatives (54184)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Content & Creative Studio for Creators (Concepting/Production) (MPAAAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Creator-Centric Short-Form Video Platforms (MPACAHAB), Social Media Creative Agencies (Content & Community) (MPAAAAAE), Fan Club, Community & CRM Management (MPAIAGAJ)

Keywords

• Digital media production
• Public relations services
• Social media content
• Influencer marketing
• Corporate communications

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Media Production & Brand Content: Le Crayon Média produces content for brand partners including LVMH, Trade Republic, WWF, and Crédit Agricole. Revenue comes from brand content campaigns and sponsored media production.
2. Agency Services (Le Surligneur): Le Surligneur offers PR relations, social media content creation, and influence campaigns to enterprises. Services include press relations, content production, and influence activation. Billed as project or retainer engagements.
3. Les Pépites de France Sponsorship & Content: The media generates revenue through branded content partnerships with tourism, heritage, and lifestyle brands including Airbnb, Michelin, Château de Chantilly, Gîtes de France, and L'Oréal, as well as book sales and app user engagement.
4. Les Pépites de France Book Sales: Les Pépites de France publishes a series of bestselling books on French tourism and heritage, including regional guides. Books are sold through Amazon and other retailers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Le Crayon Groupe is a French digital media group that produces and distributes video debate media across social networks (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, Snapchat) targeting young adults aged 18-34. The group also operates a press relations and influencer marketing agency for entrepreneurs and enterprises, as well as a heritage and tourism media brand with a mobile application.

Product overview

Le Crayon Groupe operates as a multi-brand digital media and influence ecosystem comprising four distinct subsidiaries: (1) Le Crayon Média - the core debate media platform producing societal and political content across social networks; (2) Le Surligneur - a PR and content creation agency offering press relations, social media management, and influence campaigns; (3) Le Pinceau - an influence consulting service connecting large enterprises with opinion leaders; and (4) Les Pépites de France - an acquired media brand covering French heritage, tourism, and art de vivre with a mobile application featuring AI-powered discovery and published travel books. The group targets young audiences aged 18-34, reaching 6 million subscribers and 140 million monthly views across all platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Les Pépites de France Application: Digital atlas application for discovering French heritage, landscapes and unique environments with practical info, travel offers and tools
• Les Pépites de France Books

Products and services

• Le Crayon Média France's premier debate media brand, producing video debate content featuring diverse personalities and perspectives to help citizens sharpen critical thinking and form their own opinions. Distributed natively across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Snapchat, reaching 6M+ subscribers and 140M monthly views.
• Le Surligneur Specialized press relations, content creation, and influence agency helping businesses and entrepreneurs build and develop their image, notoriety, and authority. Services include PR relations, social media content creation, and influence campaigns billed as project or retainer engagements. Has accompanied over 300 creators and brands.
• Le Pinceau Influence and consulting service focused on connecting large enterprises with opinion leaders and creators, optimizing networks to strengthen relationships between big companies and key influencers targeting young audiences on themes including inclusion, technology, culture, and future of work.
• Les Pépites de France French heritage and tourism media brand showcasing the best of France including exceptional locations, events, savoir-faire, and beautiful stories. Includes a mobile application with AI-powered discovery features (500K+ users) and publishes bestselling travel books sold via Amazon. Reaches 3M+ subscribers and 30M+ monthly views.
• Le Cercle BTB B2B community and networking initiative connecting entrepreneurs with Le Crayon's media ecosystem, offering strategic visibility acceleration for business clients through the group's media and influence network.

Quantifiable outcome

• 140 million views per month across all networks
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers34 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Google/YouTube (YouTube Sustainability Lab)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Le Crayon was selected for the YouTube Sustainability Lab alongside Hugo Décrypte and StreetPress to help develop media features on YouTube's platform. This partnership provided product development support and platform visibility.
• Elyze AppcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Le Crayon founders co-created the Elyze app, which democratized access to French presidential candidates' programs. The app reached #1 on app stores with 3.5 million downloads during the 2022 election campaign, becoming a major civic engagement tool.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Webedia: Leading French digital media group operating multi-brand portfolio of creator-led properties (Cyprien, Squeezie, etc.) plus influencer marketing services. Comparable to Le Crayon Groupe in multi-sub brand strategy, influencer monetization, and French market focus.
• Konbini: French digital media brand producing youth-oriented lifestyle and culture content distributed on social platforms. Comparable to Le Crayon's media model: social-native content production, brand partnerships, and 18-34 audience focus.
• Melty Group: French digital media network (Melty, Les Divines, etc.) targeting Gen Z with social-native content. Comparable to Le Crayon in youth audience focus, branded content production, and multi-brand media strategy.
• Brut: Global French-origin short-form video news media brand producing social-native content for young audiences. Directly comparable to Le Crayon Média in format (vertical video, multi-platform distribution) and target demographic.
• Hugo Décrypte: French YouTube-first news and debate media brand targeting young audiences, founded by Hugo Travers. Closely comparable to Le Crayon Média in format, audience demographic (18-34), and social-native distribution model. Co-selected with Le Crayon for the YouTube Sustainability Lab.
• Slate.fr: French online media producing debate, opinion, and analysis content. Comparable to Le Crayon Média's non-partisan debate positioning and focus on critical thinking content for engaged audiences.
• Reech: French influencer marketing platform and agency providing creator campaign planning, measurement, and influence activation. Directly comparable to Le Surligneur's influence services and Le Pinceau's enterprise offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Prisma Media: Largest French print-to-digital media group (Gala, Voici, Capital, etc.) with significant digital and brand content operations. Comparable as a multi-brand French media house with enterprise advertising clients, but much larger and more diversified.
• Publicis Groupe: Global advertising and communications holding company with significant operations in France. Overlaps with Le Crayon's enterprise content, PR, and influence marketing services, but as part of a much broader portfolio serving global brands.

Emerging players

• Influence4You: French influencer marketing platform connecting brands with creators. Comparable to Le Surligneur/Le Pinceau in influencer campaign services, but operates more as a self-serve platform than a high-touch agency model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@lecrayonmedia?si=sBQF0iIbi-gHUZG5
• Facebookfacebook.com/lecrayonmedia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/le-crayon-media
• Instagraminstagram.com/lecrayonmedia?igsh=dG80MG9ucG9odmI5
• TikToktiktok.com/@lecrayonmedia?_t=8pld4Bn1Aie&_r=1
• Xx.com/lecrayonmedia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Le Crayon