What CITADIA does

CITADIA is a French consulting firm specializing in urban planning, territorial development, and project strategy, founded in 1997 and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Groupe SCET (the consulting arm of Caisse des Dépôts, a French state-owned investment institution) since 2017. The firm employs approximately 120 staff across five agencies in France and serves French public-sector clients including local authorities (collectivités territoriales), intermunicipal cooperation establishments (EPCI), and metropolitan areas. Activity has extended into French overseas territories including Polynesia. CITADIA operates through five complementary brands — Citadia Conseil (strategy), Merc/AT (project governance), Citadia Design (urban design), Even Conseil (operational consulting), and Aire Publique (public space) — covering the full chain from territorial diagnosis to operational implementation.

The firm's core intellectual property is a suite of proprietary tools — CITAVIZ (data visualization), CIT'adapt (housing adaptation), CIT'atten (vulnerability assessment), CITAfoncier (land analysis) — and a methodology framework branded DEX. These are used to support planning documents (PLU, PLH, SCOT), strategic studies, urban design missions, and project governance for public clients. The tools appear to be diagnostic and visualization platforms rather than AI-driven systems, and are monetized through embedding in client engagements rather than standalone licensing.

Revenue is generated through mission-based consulting fees tied to public-sector commissioning cycles. The business model is project-based professional services rather than product licensing, with revenue exposed to French local-authority budget cycles and state transfers. Anne Matysen has served as Directrice Générale since 2022, and the firm is preparing a merger with Habitat & Territoires Conseils, a complementary SCET subsidiary. Eric Dubertrand was appointed Directeur Général of SCET in 2026, completing a top-of-house leadership refresh across both the subsidiary and parent.

Name

CITADIA

Legal name

CITADIA CONSEIL

Website

https://citadia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CITADIA is a French consulting firm in urban planning and territorial development, employing ~120 staff across five brands and serving French public-sector clients (collectivités, EPCI, métropoles) as a subsidiary of Groupe SCET (Caisse des Dépôts).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban and Territorial Planning Consulting

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Real Estate Development & Feasibility Advisory (Highest-and-Best-Use, Entitlements Support) (BPAJANAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

EIA/ESIA Documentation & Technical Studies (Air/Water/Noise/Traffic) (EUAHAAAC)

Keywords

• Urban planning consulting
• Territorial strategy advisory
• Ecological transition consulting
• Housing policy advisory
• Citizen participation consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advisory and Consulting Services (Honoraires de conseil): CITADIA generates revenue through professional services fees charged to public sector clients for urban planning studies, territorial strategy consulting, environmental assessments, housing policy advisory, and project management services. Revenue is earned on a project-by-project basis through direct consultancy mandates and public procurement contracts. The firm works primarily with collectivités territoriales, intercommunalités, métropoles, and government agencies on engagements ranging from strategic planning to operational project management.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CITADIA is a professional services firm that provides strategic and operational consulting to French public sector clients across five domains: territorial strategy and urban planning (SCoT, PLU, PLUi), ecological and energy transition, urban project design and management, housing policy, and citizen participation. Revenue is earned via project-by-project advisory mandates and public procurement contracts. The firm deploys proprietary analytical tools (CITAVIZ, CIT'adapt, CIT'atten, CITAfoncier) and the Diagnostic Expert methodology to deliver evidence-based territorial diagnosis, climate vulnerability assessment, and land consumption modeling.

Product overview

CITADIA is a national urban planning and territorial development consulting group comprising three core brands: CITADIA Conseil (urban planning and territorial strategy), CITADIA Design (urban programming and landscape design), and MERC/AT (housing policy). The group also operates through subsidiaries Even Conseil (ecological transition) and Aire Publique (citizen participation). The portfolio includes proprietary tools CITAVIZ (data visualization platform), CIT'adapt (climate adaptation), CIT'atten (energy/carbon scenarios), and CITAfoncier (land modeling), all supported by an innovative Diagnostic Expert methodology. The company operates as a multi-brand consulting firm rather than a software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Citadia Conseil: Accompanies cities and territories in their urban planning, strategic thinking, and land development projects.
• Merc/AT
• Citadia Design
• Even Conseil
• Aire Publique

Products and services

• CITADIA Conseil — Territorial Strategy and Urban Planning Strategic and operational advisory for cities and territories on urban planning reflections, strategic territorial projects, and planning approaches (SCoT, PLU, PLUi). For local authorities (communes, EPCI, métropoles) and public agencies.
• CITADIA Design — Urban Project Management and Landscape Design Urban programming, management of complex urban projects, urban and landscape design (maîtrise d'œuvre urbaine et paysagère). Delivered to public authorities and private developers undertaking major urban renewal or extension projects.
• Merc/AT — Housing Policy and Real Estate Programming Expertise in housing policy (PLH), residential needs assessment, and programming for residential and activity real estate. For local authorities, social landlords, and private developers.
• Even Conseil — Ecological and Energy Transition Consulting Strategic and operational advisory on ecological and energy transition, including PCAET (Plan Climat Air Énergie Territorial), climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, biodiversity, and water cycle planning. For local authorities and public agencies.
• Aire Publique — Citizen Participation and Territorial Intelligence Citizen participation, public debate facilitation, and territorial intelligence through participatory approaches. For local authorities undertaking mandatory or voluntary citizen engagement (réunions publiques, ateliers, consultations).

Quantifiable outcome

• CITADIA accompanied Ile de Noirmoutier in setting a goal of carbon neutrality by 2040 through its PCAET – a notably ambitious target relative to national timelines
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and major.

• Groupe SCET (Caisse des Dépôts)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017CITADIA joined the SCET group in 2017 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Caisse des Dépôts. As part of Groupe SCET, CITADIA benefits from preferential access to a national network of 400 consultants, 350 Entreprises Publiques Locales, and 14 territorial offices. The group positions itself as the only fully integrated advisory and development support group for French territories. CITADIA frequently co-delivers projects with other SCET group entities.
• Aire PubliquecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAire Publique is a subsidiary brand within the CITADIA group, specialized in citizen participation, territorial debate animation, and participatory communication. It operates as an integrated team delivering the participation and communication component of CITADIA's multi-disciplinary urban planning projects across France.
• Even ConseilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEven Conseil is a subsidiary brand within the CITADIA group, specialized in ecological and energy transition advisory. It provides environmental expertise (biodiversity, climate, energy, water cycle) across the full range of CITADIA's planning and urban project engagements.
• Merc/ATcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMerc/AT is a subsidiary brand within the CITADIA group dedicated to housing policy and real estate programming. It provides specialized expertise in housing needs assessment, old housing stock intervention, and residential programming for social and private developers.
• Citadia DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCitadia Design is a subsidiary brand of CITADIA dedicated to urban programming, complex urban project management, and urban and landscape design services. It provides the design and operational delivery layer for CITADIA's urban project engagements.
• ANCT (Agence Nationale de la Cohésion des Territoires)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCITADIA holds an accord cadre d'ingénierie with ANCT to provide tailored strategic advisory to 11 collectivités in Centre Val de Loire for the formalization of their CRTE (Contrat de Relance et de Transition Écologique). The engagement required rapid immersion in diverse territorial contexts and coordination across multiple public stakeholders.
• EPF Nouvelle Aquitaine (Établissement Public Foncier)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCITADIA was commissioned by EPF Nouvelle Aquitaine to identify and qualify land reserves (gisements fonciers) across multiple communes in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region. The project leveraged CITADIA's urban planning expertise and SOGEFI's GIS tools to develop replicable methodologies for land reserve identification.
• SOGEFImajorTechnology or IntegrationSOGEFI provides GIS (Geographic Information System) technology and data capabilities that CITADIA integrates into its territorial analysis and planning projects. The partnership enables advanced spatial analysis, advertising device inventories (for RLPi projects), and land reserve identification.
• SCET (Mandataire)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIn large multi-brand projects (e.g., Centre-ville d'Épernay), SCET acts as the lead contracting party (mandataire) with CITADIA operating as a subsidiary within the consortium. This structure allows CITADIA to participate in major urban revitalization programmes while SCET provides contractual umbrella and coordination.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Inddigo: Independent French consultancy specialized in sustainable development, energy transition, and territorial planning for public and private actors. Comparable to CITADIA on PCAET-type climate plans and territorial strategy projects for collectivities.
• EODD Ingénieurs Conseils: French consulting firm specializing in ecological transition, environmental assessment, and PCAET/energy strategy for local authorities. Directly comparable to CITADIA's Even Conseil sub-brand on climate adaptation and environmental impact advisory.
• Auxilia Conseil: French consultancy supporting public and private actors on environmental and territorial transition projects, including PCAET and sustainable urban planning. Comparable to CITADIA's mix of environmental consulting and territorial strategy.
• Urbalia: French consultancy specialized in urban planning and territorial strategy, serving cities and intercommunalités. Closely comparable to CITADIA Conseil as a direct peer in strategic planning, PLUi/PLU/SCoT advisory, and citizen participation.

Broad incumbents

• setec groupe: French multidisciplinary engineering firm with urban planning, transport, and environmental practices. Comparable as a similarly sized French-headquartered professional services firm serving public sector clients on complex territorial projects.
• Egis: Major French engineering and consulting group with urban planning, transport, and territorial development practices serving public sector clients. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlap with CITADIA's strategic advisory and urban project work, but at much larger scale.
• SAFEGE (Suez Consulting): Engineering consultancy within the Suez group providing urban planning, water, and environmental services to French local authorities. Comparable as a long-established incumbent serving the same public client base with overlapping environmental and planning offerings.
• Artelia: Major French engineering consultancy active in urban planning, environment, and territorial development. Overlaps with CITADIA on PLUi/PCAET-type mandates and serves similar public sector clients, but operates at significantly larger scale internationally.

Emerging players

• Even Cities (Studio Even): French consulting firm focused on ecological and energy transition for cities and territories. Comparable as a smaller, specialized peer overlapping with CITADIA's Even Conseil climate adaptation and PCAET offerings.

Regional players

• A'urba (Agence d'urbanisme Bordeaux Aquitaine): Agence d'urbanisme serving the Bordeaux metropolitan area, producing studies and planning documents. Comparable to CITADIA on regional SCoT/PLUi work but limited to a single metropolitan territory and operated as a public association.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSZWZ_KCLhxGxAbNpTPfgaw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/groupecitadia
• Xx.com/citadia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries5 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 CITADIA