What CADRE21 does

CADRE21 (Centre d'animation, de développement et de recherche en éducation pour le 21e siècle) is a Quebec-registered non-profit organization (OBNL) founded in 2016 as an initiative of the Fédération des établissements d'enseignement privés (FEEP), headquartered in Montreal at 1940 Boulevard Henri-Bourassa Est. The company operates cadre21.org, a digital professional-development platform for Francophone educators that delivers 50+ self-paced self-training courses (autoformations) across six competency axes — digital skills, pedagogical strategies, learner support, distance learning, leadership, and partner content — organized as a four-level progression (Explorateur, Architecte, Virtuose, Leader). Learners earn Open Badges 2.0 digital credentials that are validated through a human-mediated pedagogical-feedback process and stored in personal digital portfolios, with 33,000+ badges issued and 41,000+ registered users accumulated by the 2026 tenth anniversary.

The platform's business model is structurally freemium and grant-funded: training is free for Quebec K-12 teachers, college and university faculty, student teachers, and francophone school staff across all Canadian provinces and territories, underwritten by contributions from Quebec's Ministère de l'Éducation (MEQ) and Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur (MES), the federal CanCode program, and the Caisse Desjardins de l'Éducation. Diversified revenue comes from per-badge self-pay for ineligible users ($60+ per level), negotiated catalogue licensing to partner organizations (school networks, colleges, universities, international francophone schools), venue rental of CADRE21's multifunctional Montreal space, and a growing roster of international partnerships across Senegal, Singapore, the Dominican Republic, and France. Distribution is hybrid — self-serve product-led growth on the web combined with 50+ association and institutional partners (AQPC, CRIFPE, AQUOPS, AESTQ, Collecto, L'École branchée, FEEP, university networks) that co-develop content and co-issue event badges, plus an annual flagship conference (Sommet du développement professionnel, launched 2018) that draws 200–700+ educators per edition.

Name

CADRE21

Legal name

CADRE21 (Centre d'animation, de développement et de recherche en éducation pour le 21e siècle)

Website

https://cadre21.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CADRE21 is a Quebec non-profit operating a digital platform that delivers badge-based professional development and self-training courses to Francophone teachers and school staff across Canada and the global Francophonie, funded primarily by government education ministries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educator Professional Development Platform

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Training Delivery Providers (In-Person, Virtual, Train-the-Trainer) (BPACANAM), Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD)

Keywords

• Educator professional development
• Digital badging credentials
• Self-paced teacher training
• Open badges standards
• Francophone education platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding (Québec): CADRE21 is a non-profit initiative (OBNL) whose training costs are covered by financial contributions from the Quebec Ministry of Education (MÉQ) and Ministry of Higher Education (MES), making training free for Quebec school personnel.
2. Direct Self-Pay (Non-Eligible Learners): Individuals outside eligible networks (e.g., non-Quebec educators) can purchase training starting at $60 per level/badge.
3. Catalogue Licensing to Partner Organizations: Organizations (school networks, colleges, universities, international partners) acquire access to the full training catalogue, with statistical tracking and support, on a negotiated/subscription basis.
4. Venue Rental (Montreal Facilities): CADRE21 rents out its Montreal facilities (training rooms, creativity room, production room) for events and meetings, generating rental revenue at daily or half-day rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CADRE21 is a digital professional development platform for French-language educators that delivers self-paced online self-training courses (autoformations), issues verifiable Open Badges 2.0 digital credentials through a structured four-level pedagogical framework (Explorateur, Architecte, Virtuose, Leader), and provides personal professional portfolios. The platform integrates human-led pedagogical feedback on learner submissions, organized learning paths (parcours de formation) spanning six competency axes, and serves Quebec school personnel at no cost via government funding, with paid licensing available to partner organizations in Canada and the global Francophonie.

Product overview

CADRE21 operates as a unified digital platform for professional development in education, combining three core interconnected pillars: self-training courses (autoformations), digital badges, and professional portfolios. The platform offers over 50 self-training courses organized into six competency axes (digital competencies, pedagogical strategies, learner support, distance learning, leadership and accompaniment, and partner trainings). Learners progress through four integration levels (Explorateur, Architecte, Virtuose, Leader) to earn digital badges. The ecosystem also includes structured learning paths (parcours de formation), pedagogical feedback services, a professional development summit, and physical space rentals for events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Autoformations (Self-Training Courses) Self-directed online training courses accessible anytime, organized around a four-level integration framework (Explorateur, Architecte, Virtuose, Leader) and structured across six competency axes. Designed for Quebec and francophone K-12 and college educators and available free for Quebec-eligible users via government funding.
• Badges num\u00e9riques (Digital Badges) Open Badges 2.0 compliant digital credentials certifying competencies from self-training completions, recognition of pedagogical reflections, and professional activities. Issued by CADRE21 and partner organizations to support portable, verifiable educator recognition.
• Portfolio professionnel Personal digital portfolio where learners store digital badges, document their training journey in relation to competency frameworks, and demonstrate reflective practice to support professional autonomy and career-long learning.
• Parcours de formation (Learning Paths) Structured and personalized professional development paths that combine multiple activities (self-training, events, readings, podcasts, reflections) over time around a common theme or objective, available to educators seeking cohesive development journeys.
• Sommet du d\u00e9veloppement professionnel Annual professional development summit held virtually and in person, drawing 200 to over 700 educators to reflect on the challenges and issues of continuing professional development in education. Event participants receive CADRE21-issued digital badges.
• Location de locaux (Facility Rental) Rental of CADRE21's Montreal headquarters space, including a creativity room (4-6 people), production room (up to 6 people), and a main training/conference room plus lounge (25-50 people), at half-day and full-day rates for training events, conferences, and team meetings.
• Catalogue d'autoformations (Licensed Training Catalogue for Organizations) Subscription-based licensing of CADRE21's full training catalogue for partner organizations (school networks, colleges, universities, international partners), bundled with usage statistics, support, and co-branded professional development program options.

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and key.

• Fédération des établissements d'enseignement privés (FEEP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 January 2016FEEP is CADRE21's founding parent organization. CADRE21 originated as an initiative of FEEP in 2015–2016 to address professional development needs in Quebec's private school network. FEEP provides ongoing institutional support, physical office space, and administrative infrastructure.
• Pygmalion NumériquecoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner that co-developed the digital badge system and recognition platform for CADRE21, alongside CTRLWEB, as part of the original platform launch in 2016.
• CTRLWEBcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner that co-developed the digital badge and recognition platform for CADRE21 alongside Pygmalion Numérique, forming the technical backbone of the badge-hosting infrastructure.
• CNIPE (Centre national de recherche et d'innovation en éducation)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with CADRE21 to organize the first Sommet du développement professionnel en éducation in 2018, marking the inaugural flagship annual conference.
• Coalition Nationale pour l'Éducation pour Tous (CNEPT) — SénégalkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Senegal's national education coalition to strengthen capacities of teachers and literacy actors in West Africa, expanding CADRE21's reach into the global Francophonie.
• École Normale Supérieure d'Enseignement Technique et Professionnel (ENSETP) — SénégalkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with ENSETP in Senegal to promote continuing professional development for teachers in technical and vocational education.
• International French School — SingapourkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to support and train primary school teachers in a French educational context, diversifying professional development approaches for a community of 3,000 students and 325 teachers.
• Lycée Français de Saint-Domingue / AIDEOR — République dominicainekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to promote inclusive and effective teaching through teacher professional development in the French school in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
• Enseignement Catholique de Paris — FrancekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting pedagogical leaders in enriching school projects using CADRE21 self-training on digital pedagogical leadership, transforming schools into hubs of pedagogical innovation.
• Diocèse de Nanterre — FrancekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-construction of a customized training pathway to strengthen pedagogical leadership and teacher competencies in Catholic schools in the Hauts-de-Seine region of France.
• UQAMkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner collaborating with CADRE21 on education research projects, including a partnership award from UQAM in 2019 for work on immersive environments for learners.
• Université de SherbrookekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner working with CADRE21 on collaborative research initiatives in education.
• Université TÉLUQkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner that co-develops and hosts training content on the CADRE21 platform, contributing to distance education expertise.
• AQPC (Association québitaire de pédagogie Collégiale)keyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProfessional association of college teachers that distributes CADRE21's training catalog to its members and co-issues badges for its annual colloquium.
• CRIFPE (Centre de recherche intermdisciplinaire sur la formation et la profession enseignante)keyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorResearch centre that issues event badges through CADRE21 for its professional activities and conferences.
• AQUOPSkeyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorQuebec association of school principals that distributes CADRE21 training to its network and partners on badge issuance for events.
• Fédération des cégeps (REPTIC Network)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe REPTIC network of college librarians co-develops and hosts training content on information literacy and digital skills for the college network.
• L'École branchéekeyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDigital education media organization that distributes CADRE21 content and co-issues badges for professional development events.
• AESTQ (Association des enseignantes et des enseignants en sciences et technologies)keyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorQuebec science and technology teachers' association distributing CADRE21 training to its members.
• CollectokeyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorQuebec educational services consortium that distributes CADRE21's training catalog across its member institutions.
• École en réseaukeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative network of schools that co-develops professional development content hosted on the CADRE21 platform.
• Regroupement des organismes ESPACE du Québec (ROEQ)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped a multi-level self-training on preventing violence against children, co-created with ROEQ's 35+ years of expertise in child protection education.
• Lab-ÉcolekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerContent contributor for the self-training on school space design, sharing expertise on school building and outdoor area planning.
• RÉCIT de l'enseignement privékeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerContent specialist developing the 'Quelques incontournables du PFEQ' self-training for new teachers and pedagogical leaders in Quebec's private schools.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BetterLesson: BetterLesson delivers personalized K-12 teacher professional development and coaching, similar to CADRE21's educator-focused PD approach. Both operate at the intersection of structured learning pathways and human-led instructional support.
• Edthena: Edthena provides video-based teacher coaching and professional development with peer/mentor feedback, mirroring CADRE21's pedagogical feedback process. Both serve K-12 educators with structured improvement frameworks.
• BloomBoard: BloomBoard is a US-based educator professional development platform offering micro-credentials and personalized PD pathways for teachers, closely comparable to CADRE21's badge-based self-training model. Both platforms target teacher CE/CPD with structured progression frameworks.

Emerging players

• Digital Promise: Digital Promise issues micro-credentials for educators using Open Badges standards, directly comparable to CADRE21's badge issuance model. Both focus on competency-based recognition for K-12 educators.

Broad incumbents

• EdCast (by Cornerstone): EdCast, now part of Cornerstone, provides enterprise learning and skill development platforms including micro-credentialing for workforce upskilling. Comparable to CADRE21 in its badge-driven learning model, though broader and more enterprise-focused.
• Coursera for Education: Coursera is a global MOOC platform offering professional development courses for educators, including credential programs. While broader than CADRE21, it competes for the same educator upskilling wallet with substantial content libraries and brand recognition.

Others

• Learning Forward: Learning Forward is a US-based professional association for educator learning and development, similar in mission to CADRE21's role within Quebec's PD ecosystem. Both advocate for and curate teacher professional development standards.
• AQPC (Association québécoise de pédagogie Collégiale): AQPC is a Quebec professional association for college teachers that distributes CADRE21 training and co-issues badges. It is both a partner and a thematically adjacent organization serving the same Quebec college-level PD market.

Regional players

• L'école branchée: L'école branchée is a Quebec-based digital education media organization and CADRE21 partner that also distributes teacher PD content. Both serve the Quebec Francophone educator community with complementary but overlapping content offerings.
• Knowledgehook: Knowledgehook is a Canadian math learning and teacher PD platform serving North American educators, comparable to CADRE21's STEM and pedagogical training offerings within a similar geographic and regulatory context.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCADevs
• Facebookfacebook.com/lecadre21/?locale=fr_CA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cadre21
• Xx.com/LeCADRE21

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

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about CADRE21