Les Argonautes

What Les Argonautes does

Les Argonautes is a Paris-based digital communication agency founded in 1994 that delivers end-to-end strategy, creative, and technical services for enterprise, public sector, and nonprofit clients. Its core product is the proprietary DéliDé 5.0 CMS/backoffice, which supports complex multi-site, multi-country deployments; the agency has used DéliDé to run Peugeot's international web presence across 90 countries (with 70+ country-specific sites) and AXA's agent websites across 57 countries. Service lines span web and mobile strategy, responsive design, brand content, social marketing and community management, e-commerce, CRM, e-reputation, and employer branding, with the firm claiming a combined reach of 13.5 million monthly visitors across its client properties. The team of approximately 60 people covers consulting, creative, UX, engineering, development, and data analysis, supported by ancillary practices in WordPress-based builds, social media strategy (e.g., for SAP France), and rapid event-platform delivery (e.g., IWA ODOURS 2015 site built in under 10 days).

The agency's go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, with named business development and general management contacts (Pascale Benhamou, Directrice du développement; Nicolas Chagny, Directeur Général) handling direct enterprise engagement. Founder Alain Assouline has anchored the firm's industry profile, including co-founding the WebForce3 accelerated web developer training program. Les Argonautes reported €5.5 million in revenue for fiscal year 2012 and has been supported by OSEO (now Bpifrance) with the 'Entreprise Innovante' label since 2008. In 2016, the firm was acquired by Makheia Group to reinforce the parent's capabilities in complex web technologies, and continues to operate as a subsidiary under the Makheia LFI SAS entity in Paris.

Name

Les Argonautes

Legal name

LES ARGONAUTES, Société Anonyme

Website

https://les-argonautes.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Les Argonautes is a Paris-based digital communication agency, founded 1994, offering strategy, creative, and web development services through its proprietary DéliDé CMS to enterprise, public sector, and nonprofit clients in France and internationally. Acquired by Makheia Group in 2016.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Agency Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Public Relations Agencies (54182)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile/Digital Experiential (AR/VR, Interactive Installations) (MPAAAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

E-commerce & Online Business (Marketplaces, DTC) (EDAMAHAH)

Keywords

• Digital agency services
• Web development
• Responsive web design
• Content management systems
• Digital strategy consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-antoine

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital agency services: Les Argonautes generated revenue as a digital/communication agency providing strategy, creative, and technical services to enterprise clients. Revenue was derived from project-based professional services, retainer engagements, and ongoing maintenance contracts with major accounts.
2. WebForce3 co-founding and training programs: Founder Alain Assouline co-founded WebForce3, a accelerated web developer training school. The agency contributed to the formation and curriculum development of this initiative, generating indirect revenue through industry influence and talent pipeline.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Les Argonautes is a French digital communication agency offering end-to-end digital services encompassing web and mobile strategy, responsive design and development, brand content, social marketing, e-commerce, CRM, e-reputation, and employer branding. The agency leverages its proprietary Dé lia CMS platform to deliver complex multi-site, multi-country website deployments, alongside WordPress-based development, social media strategy, and community management for enterprise, government, and nonprofit clients.

Product overview

Les Argonautes is a hybrid digital communication agency offering a comprehensive suite of digital services. Their core proprietary technology is the Délia 5.0 CMS and backoffice platform, which serves as the foundation for website and content management across multiple client projects. The agency's service portfolio encompasses web and mobile strategy, responsive design, brand content, social marketing and community management, e-commerce and CRM solutions, digital communication and e-reputation management, and HR 2.0 services including employer branding and e-recruitment. They serve major clients including Peugeot (90 countries), APEC, AXA, SUEZ Environnement, La Ligue contre le Cancer, France Agrimer, and various government agencies, with monthly reach of 13.5 million visitors across their created sites and applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dé lia 5.0 CMS
• Digital Strategy and Consulting Services
• Web and Mobile Design and Development
• Social Media Strategy and E-Reputation Analysis
• WordPress CMS Development Services
• WebForce3 Web Developer Training Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 13.5 million monthly visitors across client sites and applications
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CANOPE (Guide 'Développer le Numérique à l'Ecole')minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2016Les Argonautes partnered with the CANOPE guide 'Développer le Numérique à l'Ecole' (Developing Digital in Schools), part of the 'Le Numérique à l'Ecole' initiative to promote digital literacy in French public education.
• SOS Villages d'EnfantsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2015Les Argonautes is engaged in child protection initiatives with SOS Villages d'Enfants, having created the 'Be You' campaign for the organization. This represents a charitable/pro-bono strategic partnership in the social sector.
• WebForce3coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2013Co-founded by Les Argonautes founder Alain Assouline, who serves as president of WebForce3. The agency contributed to the conceptualization and financing of this accelerated web developer training school. WebForce3 targets university dropouts and career changers, offering 490 hours of training in web development (HTML5/CSS3, Responsive Web Design, JavaScript, jQuery, AJAX, PHP/MySQL, WordPress, Symfony). The initiative trained 240 young people in 2014 with a target to expand. The partnership demonstrates the agency's commitment to digital talent development and creates a recruitment pipeline.
• Institut Edgar QuinetminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Les Argonautes partnered with Institut Edgar Quinet on the annual study 'Collectivités territoriales & Réseaux sociaux' analyzing the evolution of local government institutions on Facebook and Twitter. The agency participated in research methodology, data analysis, and thought leadership, contributing to an annual barometer covering 178 cities, departments, and regions analyzed over 12 months.
• Open du WebminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2012Les Argonautes has been an official partner of the Open du Web since its first edition in March 2012. Open du Web is a web professional competition event covering development, integration, system administration, SEO-SEM, web design, and community management, held in Paris and Tunis. The agency participates as both sponsor and evaluator, reinforcing its role as a leader in the French digital ecosystem.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Digitas (Publicis Groupe): Digitas is Publicis Groupe's global digital network brand and operates as a hybrid digital agency (strategy, creative, data, technology, media) serving large enterprise and brand clients in France and globally. Closely comparable to Les Argonautes on multi-discipline digital model and enterprise client base (AXA, Peugeot-class).
• Isobar (Dentsu): Isobar is Dentsu's global digital experience agency combining creative, technology, and commerce capabilities. Direct overlap on end-to-end digital transformation engagements for multinational enterprise and brand clients, including proprietary platforms and CMS-driven multi-country deployments.
• Dagobert: Dagobert is an independent French digital agency offering strategy, design, and technology services to enterprise clients. Closely comparable as an independent French digital boutique competing for brand-transformation mandates similar to those won by Les Argonautes (Peugeot, AXA-class).
• BETC (Havas): BETC is Havas' flagship French creative and digital agency in Paris, serving major French and international brands with strategy, creative, and digital production. Comparable on Paris HQ, hybrid creative/tech model, and enterprise brand client roster.

Broad incumbents

• Publicis Groupe: Publicis is the world's largest advertising holding company with deep French roots and a full digital portfolio (Publicis Sapient, Digitas, Leo Burnett, Publicis Conseil). It is the broad incumbent against which hybrid French digital agencies like Les Argonautes compete for enterprise mandates.
• Accenture Song: Accenture Song (formerly Accenture Interactive) is the largest systems-integrator-led experience agency globally. It is a scaled incumbent in French enterprise digital transformation RFPs, offering strategy, creative, technology, and platform delivery that directly overlaps Les Argonautes' hybrid 'hybride et responsive' value proposition.
• VMLY&R: VMLY&R is WPP's global brand, customer experience, and commerce network. Competes with Les Argonautes on integrated digital transformation and CMS-led multi-country engagements for enterprise clients.
• Ogilvy (WPP): Ogilvy is WPP's flagship creative and integrated communications network with a strong Paris presence. It serves large multinational brand clients on creative, digital transformation, and social media strategy—overlapping Les Argonautes' functional benefits and enterprise client base.
• Havas Group: Havas is a global French-headquartered communications group operating creative, media, and digital practices (BETC, Havas Paris, Havas Media). The macro incumbent competitive set for French enterprise digital transformation RFPs.

Regional players

• Makheia Group: Makheia is the French diversified communications group that acquired Les Argonautes in 2016. As parent, its broader network (digital, content, corporate communications) is the operational channel through which Les Argonautes' capabilities now flow, and a directly comparable French agency-services consolidator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/lesargonautes
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Les-Argonautes/100606788006
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/les-argonautes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Les Argonautes