I CAN

What I CAN does

ICAN (Institut de Création et Animation Numériques) is a private French higher education institution founded in 2010 and operating as an Établissement d'Enseignement Supérieur Privé. The school specializes in digital design training across three poles — Video Games (Game Design, Game Art, Game Programming, Level Design), Animation (Real-time 3D Design, 2D/3D Animation, Motion Design, Illustration & Digital Comics), and Web & Digital (UX/UI Design, AI Design, Web Development) — and awards French State-recognized professional certifications at niveaux 6 and 7. Programs are delivered from Bac to Bac+5 across six French campuses located in Paris, Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lille, Lyon, and Tours, with an integrated 5-year work-study (alternance) track.

The curriculum is built on industry-standard creative software stacks (Unity, Unreal Engine, 3DS Max, Blender, ToonBoom Harmony, After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma, DaVinci Resolve, TVPaint) plus web development environments, and is delivered through a project-based 'learning by doing' pedagogy. Supporting assets include the Studio ICAN portfolio platform (launched November 2023) hosting 14 years of documented student work, the Écran Partagé Twitch emission launched in January 2026, and ongoing collaborations with industry partners such as Safran, Amplitude Studios, Space Cargo Unlimited, and EIML. The school is a member of the SKOLAE network (grouping specialized grandes écoles and the Réseau EDUCTIVE), the Réseau des Écoles du Jeu Vidéo, and the Syndicat National du Jeu Vidéo.

ICAN's revenue model is tuition-driven and recurring, with annual billing cadence on Bachelor and Mastère programs offered both in full-time and alternance formats, supplemented by a continuing education / VAE service. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market relies on a multi-channel mix: open days across all six campuses, a self-serve online application system, the national Parcoursup admission platform for Baccalaureate holders, and event-driven marketing through hackathons and game jams. The institution is part of the SKOLAE group, but no venture capital or private equity ownership has been disclosed.

Name

I CAN

Legal name

ICAN - Institut de Création et Animation Numériques

Website

https://ican-design.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ICAN is a French private higher education institution founded in 2010 that trains students in video game design, 3D animation, and web/digital creation across six French campuses, awarding French State-recognized professional certifications at niveaux 6 and 7.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Revenue generated from student tuition for Bachelor and Mastère programs. Programs include full-time and work-study (alternance) options. Pricing not publicly disclosed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ICAN is a private French higher education institution that delivers Bachelor and Mastère (master's) programs in digital design, video games, animation, and web & digital creation. The school teaches project-based curricula from Bac to Bac+5 across six French campuses, awarding French State-recognized professional certifications at levels 6 and 7. Programs combine classroom learning with an alternance (work-study) track and make use of industry-standard creative software.

Product overview

ICAN (Institut de Création et Animation Numériques) is a private higher education institution specializing in digital design education. The school offers a comprehensive portfolio of Bachelor (undergraduate) and Mastère (master's) programs organized around three main poles: Video Games (Game Design, Game Art, Game Programming, Level Design), Animation (3D Design, 2D Animation, Motion Design), and Web & Digital (Web & AI, AI Design, UX/UI Design). Programs range from Bac to Bac+5 level, leading to state-recognized professional certifications (niveaux 6 and 7). The school also operates Studio ICAN, a digital portfolio platform showcasing student work, and provides continuing education and VAE services. Programs are delivered through project-based pedagogy and alternating training (apprenticeship) formats across six campuses in France (Paris, Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lyon, Lille, Tours).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Studio ICAN: Digital platform showcasing student projects in game design, animation, web design, and digital creation.
• Écran Partagé

Products and services

• Bachelor Game Design

Quantifiable outcome

• State-recognized professional certifications at levels 6 and 7 equivalent to bachelor's and master's degrees

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• SKOLAEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026ICAN is a member of SKOLAE, a brand grouping the Network of Specialized Grandes écoles and the EDUCTIVE Network. Participates in inter-school hackathons and collaborative educational initiatives.
• ESGI (École Supérieure de Génie Informatique)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Partner school in SKOLAE network hackathons. Students collaborate across disciplines on intensive week-long projects responding to real client briefs.
• ECITVminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Partner school in SKOLAE network hackathons, bringing complementary expertise to interdisciplinary student teams.
• EFET CRÉAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Partner school in SKOLAE network hackathons contributing creative expertise to collaborative student projects.
• Space Cargo UnlimitedflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2026Strategic partner for Space Game Jam 99 event (April 10-19, 2026). Provides real-world challenges from the space industry for student game development projects. Nicolas Gaume represents the company as special guest speaker during the 10-day collaborative game creation event.
• Amplitude StudiosflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2026Partner for Space Game Jam 99, contributing Romain de Waubert de Genlis as special guest to share expertise on challenges in the space industry. Students collaborate with industry experts to develop innovative game solutions.
• SafranflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2026Major aerospace partner for Space Game Jam 99, with Quentin Bommart participating as special guest speaker. Provides technological challenges and industry perspective for student innovation projects in game development.
• EIML (École Internationale de Marketing du Luxe)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Collaborative workshop partnership (March-May 2025) exploring Fortnite as a platform for digital fashion, luxury digital commerce, and immersive shopping experiences. ICAN students worked alongside EIML students on innovative retail concepts.
• Réseau des Écoles du Jeu Vidéo (Network of Video Game Schools)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional membership in professional network of video game education institutions, providing industry recognition and networking opportunities.
• Syndicat National du Jeu Vidéo (National Video Game Union)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional membership in the national professional union for video games, connecting ICAN with industry stakeholders and professional development opportunities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• HETIC: Paris-based private French school specializing in web development, digital marketing, and data. Comparable to ICAN's web and digital programs and target student demographic.
• LISAA (L'Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués): Paris-based private French design school offering programs in graphic design, animation, game design, and interior architecture. Comparable peer in the French private applied arts higher education segment.
• Strate École de Design: Paris-based elite French design school with programs in product design, transportation design, and digital design. Comparable to ICAN's design-focused programs and similar target student profile.
• Studio M (Sup de Création): French private creative arts school with campuses in Lyon, Paris, and other cities. Offers programs in graphic design, 3D animation, and digital creation similar to ICAN's animation and web/digital tracks.
• Brassart: French private school with multiple campuses offering programs in graphic design, 3D animation, video games, and digital arts. Directly comparable in scope and target student base to ICAN.
• Rubika: French private higher education institution offering programs in game design, 2D/3D animation, and digital design, with campuses in Valenciennes, Montreal, and India. Directly comparable to ICAN's game design and animation offerings.
• Gobelins, l'école de l'image: Paris-based elite French school offering animation, game design, and digital arts programs. The most prominent French competitor in creative higher education with similar degree and certification offerings to ICAN.
• ECV (École de Communication Visuelle): Paris-based private French school specializing in visual communication, design, and digital creation programs. Offers Bachelor and Mastère programs similar to ICAN's web and digital tracks.
• E-artsup: Paris-based private French school focused on digital design, game design, and web development programs. Directly comparable in curriculum and target audience to ICAN.

Emerging players

• ESGI (École Supérieure de Génie Informatique): Paris-based private French IT and digital school, member of SKOLAE network alongside ICAN. Offers computer science and programming programs with partial overlap in digital/game programming domains.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ican_paris
• YouTubetwitch.tv/icandesign
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/ican-design

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 I CAN