CLASSE EXPORT

What CLASSE EXPORT does

Classe Export is a French B2B media and events business specializing in international trade information, operating as the commercial brand of LINKATEAM SAS, an independent privately held SAS headquartered in Sainte Foy les Lyon (Lyon metropolitan area) and registered with RCS Lyon 890 329 097. Founded around 1996, the company has served French companies and entrepreneurs for 30 years, helping them develop internationally through editorial content, reference publications, and live B2B events. Its core product set includes the Classe Export website and daily news organized by sector (aeronautics, agriculture, energy, transport/logistics, health, finance, digital, construction, textile, tourism) and geography (Africa, Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe/CIS, Middle East); the bimonthly Lettre Internationale newsletter; the Guide TRANSPORTER reference guide on transport, customs, Incoterms, and insurance (24th edition, 2026-2027); the Classe Export magazine; and branded events including Symposium Douane (multi-city across France), Rencontres Africa (Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire), Journée Transporter, Forum des Diasporas, and Colloque Algerie.

The business generates revenue through four streams: guide sales (digital and paper formats, one-time purchase), event participation fees and sponsorship, digital and print advertising sold to partners such as Medlink Ports and CONEX, and subscriptions to the magazine and newsletter. Distribution runs through classe-export.com as both a content hub and e-commerce storefront, supported by direct field sales in the Ile de France region. The company has 11-50 employees, a share capital of €66,503, and is led by President Fabien Soudieu. No external investment, parent company, subsidiaries, or M&A activity is disclosed. There is no proprietary technology platform, no AI or ML capability, and no mobile applications; the offering is built on editorial production, recurring event franchises, and a niche B2B community around French-speaking international trade.

The competitive position rests on 30 years of accumulated editorial content, a portfolio of recurring branded events, and dedicated communities (Transport & Logistics Community and Rencontres Africa). The company's strategic intent, evidenced by the 2026 calendar, is to scale its event franchises across more French cities and into francophone Africa, layer consulting and white-label event services on top of its media base, and continue annual refresh of reference guides. The primary structural risks are narrow advertiser concentration, dependence on live-event attendance in a post-pandemic environment, and the absence of any disclosed AI or technology moat that could differentiate the offering as the broader trade-media landscape digitizes.

Name

CLASSE EXPORT

Legal name

LINKATEAM S.A.S

Website

https://classe-export.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Classe Export is a French B2B media and events business, operating as the brand of LINKATEAM SAS, that publishes international trade information and organizes B2B events for French SMEs and entrepreneurs developing internationally across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Écully

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Guide Sales (Digital and Paper): Sale of specialized guides on transport, customs, Incoterms, insurance and international trade in both digital (flippable PDF) and paper formats. The Guide Transporter is in its 24th edition (2026-2027), indicating a long-standing and recurring revenue product line.
2. Event Participation and Sponsorship: Organization and sale of tickets/sponsorship for B2B events including Symposium Douane (Dunkerque, Lyon, Paris, Bordeaux), Rencontres Africa (Abidjan), Journée Transporter, and Colloque Algerie. These events generate registration fees and exhibitor/sponsor revenue.
3. Advertising (Digital and Print): Sale of advertising space on the digital platform (banners on classe-export.com) and within printed guides and publications. Advertisers include Medlink Ports and CONEX.
4. Magazine and Newsletter Subscriptions: Publication and distribution of the Lettre Internationale (bimonthly newsletter) and the Classe Export magazine covering international trade news, sector analyses, and country profiles. Revenue may include subscription fees for premium or print editions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Classe Export (legal entity: LINKATEAM SAS) is a French media company that publishes specialized information on foreign trade and organizes B2B events on import-export topics. It produces reference guides (including the Guide Transporter), a bimonthly newsletter (Lettre Internationale), a print/digital magazine, and runs branded events such as Symposium Douane, Rencontres Africa, Forum des Diasporas, Journée Transporter and Colloque Algerie. The company also sells advertising space on its digital platform and within printed guides, and offers white-label event services.

Product overview

CLASSE EXPORT is a publisher of specialized foreign trade information and organizer of B2B events on import/export, operating under multiple brands: Classe Export (information publications), Symposium Douane (customs events), Rencontres Africa (Africa business meetings), and Forum des Diasporas (diaspora forums). The company also produces the Lettre Internationale newsletter and Guide TRANSPORTER reference publication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Symposium Douane: Customs symposium event brand
• Rencontres Africa
• Forum des Diasporas
• Transport & Logistics Community
• Lettre Internationale

Products and services

• Guide TRANSPORTER

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rencontres AfricacoreOthersRencontres Africa is a flagship business community and event series organized by Classe Export focused on African market opportunities. The 2026 edition is scheduled for June 16-17 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. This community platform generates B2B connections between French companies and African partners, markets, and distributors, serving as a core differentiator for Classe Export's value proposition.
• Symposium DouanecoreOthersSymposium Douane is a branded event series organized by Classe Export covering customs, logistics, and trade facilitation topics. Multiple editions are planned across France in 2026 (Dunkerque on September 24, Lyon, Paris, Bordeaux). The event attracts freight forwarders, customs agents, and transport professionals, serving as a recurring revenue and brand-building vehicle.
• Medlink PortsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedlink Ports is an advertiser on the Classe Export digital platform, appearing as a banner advertiser on classe-export.com. This represents a commercial advertising relationship where Medlink Ports pays for visibility to Classe Export's audience of international trade professionals.
• CONEXminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCONEX is an advertiser on the Classe Export digital platform, appearing as a banner advertiser. CONEX provides customs and foreign trade compliance solutions, aligning with Classe Export's editorial focus on customs and international trade topics.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Global Sources: Hong Kong–headquartered B2B media and trade show company serving international sourcing and export markets. Comparable as a B2B trade media + events operator, but focused on Asia-based suppliers rather than French exporters.

Direct peers

• Kompass: International B2B directory and trade data company with French origins and global SMB reach. Comparable as a long-standing French-rooted international trade information business with diversified data, digital, and advertising revenue streams.
• Le Moci (Le Moniteur du Commerce International): French B2B publication focused on international trade, customs, and export strategy for French companies. Closely mirrors Classe Export's editorial mission and target audience of French export-oriented professionals.
• Europages: European B2B directory and sourcing platform with strong French SMB roots and international trade focus. Overlaps with Classe Export in connecting French businesses to international trade opportunities, though more product/supplier-discovery oriented.

Others

• Business France: French national agency supporting French companies' international development through export advisory, events, and VIE program. Comparable audience (French SMEs exporting internationally) and overlapping event activity, though it is a public agency rather than a commercial publisher.
• CCI France International: Network of French Chambers of Commerce abroad organizing B2B events and export support for French companies. Comparable as an event organizer and B2B matchmaking platform serving French exporters, though operating as a non-profit chamber network.

Broad incumbents

• La Tribune: National French business newspaper with regional editions and digital media covering economic and international trade news. Comparable as a French B2B news/events brand, though with broader corporate and economic coverage.
• L'Usine Nouvelle: French B2B media brand covering industry, energy, and manufacturing sectors with significant international trade content. Comparable as a French industrial/trade publication with events and digital content, though broader than Classe Export's international trade specialization.
• Les Echos: Leading French business and financial newspaper covering economic, corporate, and international trade topics. Comparable as a French-language B2B media brand, but with much broader scope beyond international trade and larger scale.

Emerging players

• TradeKey: Online B2B marketplace and trade platform serving SMEs in international trade. Comparable as a digital trade platform targeting SMB exporters and importers, with overlapping audience even though it operates as a marketplace rather than a publisher.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/classe-export
• Xx.com/ClasseExport

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 CLASSE EXPORT