What Ernesti does

Ernesti is a French private social startup founded in 2017 that operates a digital marketplace connecting families caring for elderly relatives ("aidants familiaux") with verified health students ("Chouettes") who provide nighttime in-home presence services. Its core commercial products are Garde de nuit (overnight accompaniment and safety monitoring), Aide au diner (evening meal assistance), and the forthcoming Garde de jour (daytime care); a planned Garde de jour expansion is reported for 2026. The proprietary digital application bundles a collaborative calendar, a real-time transmission notebook, online payment processing, pre-filled contract generation, and CESU declaration assistance, allowing families to coordinate interventions, communicate with caregivers, and manage administrative compliance through a single interface. Coverage is nationwide in France, supported by more than 15,000 enrolled health students, and the company maintains offices in Bordeaux (headquarters) and Paris alongside remote operations.

Ernesti monetizes through a professional-services revenue model in which families pay for nighttime accompaniment delivered by student caregivers; pricing is not publicly disclosed but is positioned as roughly half the cost of traditional overnight care alternatives. Distribution is hybrid: a sales-led motion with dedicated advisors who receive callbacks via the website or phone (09 80 80 90 70) and a self-service search experience where families can locate students in their area. Strategic customer-segment channels include partnerships with AG2R La Mondiale and Malakoff Humanis (AGIRC-ARRCO retirement funds), which entitle eligible beneficiaries to up to five nights of subsidized coverage; a complementary partnership with SeniorAdom extends daytime teleassistance (bracelet, geolocation, motion detectors); AXA provides insurance coverage on all accompaniments; and Silver Alliance membership positions Ernesti within an ecosystem of aging-in-place providers. Co-founders Quentin Zakoian (President) and Séverine Zakoian lead the company alongside CTO Kévin Beaubestre; the firm is bootstrapped, with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or subsidiary structure.

Name

Ernesti

Legal name

Ernesti

Website

https://ernesti.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ernesti is a French digital platform connecting family caregivers of elderly dependents with a nationwide network of 15,000+ verified health students who provide nighttime in-home accompaniment and care coordination.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Elderly Home Care Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

Overnight In-Home Care (Night-Only Supervision) (HSABAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Overnight & Short-Shift Companion Sitter Services (HSABAAAJ), Companion Care & Social Support (non-clinical) (HLADAGAB)

Keywords

• Nighttime care services
• Elderly home care
• Family caregiver support
• Health student platform
• Home care coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Le Tourne

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Nighttime Care Services: Ernesti connects families needing nighttime care for elderly dependents with verified health students. Families pay for the nighttime accompaniment service provided by students. The service is described as being '2 times cheaper' than traditional alternatives.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ernesti connects families caring for elderly dependents at home with a nationwide community of verified health students ('Chouettes') who provide overnight presence and supervision. Core services include Garde de nuit (Night Watch) for nighttime accompaniment and Aide au diner (Dinner Assistance), all coordinated through a digital companion application supporting scheduling, real-time updates, online payments, contract signing, and CESU declaration.

Product overview

Ernesti is a social startup offering a platform of home care services centered on connecting elderly individuals with verified health students. The core offering consists of Garde de nuit (night watch) and Aide au diner (dinner assistance) services, supplemented by a proprietary digital application featuring a collaborative calendar, real-time transmission notebook, online payment processing, pre-filled contract generation, and CESU declaration assistance. The platform operates as a unified ecosystem where families can coordinate overnight care, manage payments, and handle administrative tasks through one interface. Ernesti is expanding into Garde de jour (daytime care) and offers supplementary content through its 'Histoire d'Aidants' podcast.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Garde de nuit (Night Watch) Night care service connecting families with verified health students ('Chouettes') who provide overnight companionship and safety monitoring for seniors at home, enabling elderly individuals to remain in their preferred environment.
• Aide au diner (Dinner Assistance) Evening meal assistance service provided by health students to support seniors with nutrition and meal preparation during dinner time.
• Application digitale Ernesti Digital companion application for caregivers featuring a collaborative calendar, real-time transmission notebook, online payment processing, pre-filled contract generation, and CESU declaration assistance to manage daily home care coordination.
• Garde de jour (Day Care) Daytime companion care service for seniors, expanding beyond nighttime coverage to provide daytime presence and in-home assistance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Enable elderly to stay at home 18+ months longer than would otherwise be possible
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AG2R La MondialecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership via AG2R AGIRC-ARRCO allows beneficiaries to receive up to 5 nights of Ernesti care coverage. Eligible beneficiaries include retired allocantees or those receiving pension reversions from AG2R LA MONDIALE who are in loss of autonomy, as well as active contributors or retired allocantees needing respite from caregiving responsibilities.
• Malakoff HumaniscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership via Malakoff Humanis AGIRC ARRCO enables beneficiaries to receive up to 5 nights of nighttime care coverage. Eligible participants include retired allocantees or those with pension reversions from Malakoff Humanis in loss of autonomy, and active contributors or retired allocantees requiring caregiver respite.
• SeniorAdomcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeniorAdom is a leading teleassistance provider in France offering bracelets with call buttons, collars with geolocation, and movement detectors. The partnership combines Ernesti's nighttime accompaniment services with SeniorAdom's daytime teleassistance solutions for comprehensive elderly care coverage.
• Silver AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver Alliance is a collective of companies serving seniors that selects the best solutions for enabling elderly individuals to live at home longer. Ernesti joined this collective to commit to improving quality of life at home beyond nighttime accompaniment.
• Les Autonomie PlannersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPrivate coordination service recommended by Ernesti for families seeking comprehensive care planning. Services available in Aix en Provence, Paris-Clamart, Grand Nîmes, and Lyon.
• Expert AutonomieminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPrivate coordination service recommended by Ernesti for care planning support. Services available in Bordeaux Métropole area.
• AXAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAXA provides insurance coverage for Ernesti's accompaniment services, ensuring protection for both families and the health students providing nighttime care.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Alenvi: French home-care startup using a digital platform to match professional auxiliaries de vie with elderly clients. Direct competitor on platform-enabled home care, with a more clinically trained caregiver pool.

Direct peers

• Petits-fils: Major French in-home care network specializing in elderly assistance, offering hourly and live-in aide services. Directly comparable as a French home eldercare provider with nationwide agency coverage.
• Domidom: National French home-care network providing personal care, housekeeping, and assistance for seniors and dependents. Direct comparable in service model and target customer.
• SeniorAdom: Leading French teleassistance provider offering call buttons, geolocation, and movement detectors. Already an Ernesti partner, the two companies serve overlapping elderly populations and are now combining daytime teleassistance with Ernesti's nighttime accompaniment.
• Bien à la Maison: French personal-services platform providing household and eldercare support across France. Comparable in offering non-medical home support to elderly and dependent populations.

Broad incumbents

• O2 (France): One of the largest French home-services franchises, offering a broad portfolio including eldercare, childcare, and housekeeping. Operates at much greater scale than Ernesti and is a credible broader incumbent in the at-home services category.
• Aide à domicile (generic category): Long-standing French network of public and nonprofit home-help providers delivering ADL assistance to elderly and disabled populations under local authority contracts. Represents the traditional incumbent model Ernesti is disrupting.
• ADMR: France's leading nonprofit home-care federation with thousands of local branches providing personal care and household services to elderly and disabled clients. Comparable in mission (enabling home living) and geographic reach.
• Orpea / emeis: Large international operator of nursing homes and senior living facilities. While facility-based rather than home-based, it competes for the same end-customer wallet and is shaping policy and competitive dynamics in French eldercare.

Others

• Silver Alliance: Collective of senior-focused companies in France. Ernesti is already a member; the alliance represents a curated ecosystem of comparable peers and complementary services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ernesti_fr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCoHkcvucsLTnKVvITPCL0oA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ernesti.fr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ernesti
• Instagraminstagram.com/ernesti_fr

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Ernesti