Cluster Défense Sécurité

What Cluster Défense Sécurité does

Cluster Défense Sécurité is a Paris-based French consulting and training firm founded in 2010 that advises enterprises and organizations on economic security and the protection of sensitive and defense-classified information. Operating as a SAS with 11-50 employees and led by President Patrice Lefort-Lavauzelle, the firm splits its offering into two synergistic lines: enterprise development services (commercial development, strategy support for tech SMEs seeking defense-sector access, and intelligence/influence work) and organizational security reinforcement (a catalogue of one-day in-person training programs covering economic security, generative AI risk to sensitive information, restricted-distribution ('Diffusion Restreinte') handling, and IGI 1300 national defense secret protection, plus custom accompaniment engagements). Revenue is generated exclusively through professional services — quote-based one-day in-person training sessions and tailored consulting — sold via direct enterprise outreach rather than a published catalog, with pricing not publicly disclosed.

The firm's core technology is its codified expertise in economic security methodology and compliance with French regulatory frameworks (notably IGI 1300 and the firm's own drafted IM 2300 instruction), packaged into repeatable training curricula and supporting PDF collateral under the registered Data Shield® trademark. Operations are hardened through daily use of Olvid (end-to-end encrypted messaging) and Tixeo (end-to-end encrypted video conferencing), both CSPN-certified by ANSSI. Distribution is tightly focused on the French market and selected European inbound SME engagements, with the firm operating from its 115 rue Saint-Dominique headquarters in Paris's 7th arrondissement and maintaining visibility across major French defense and industrial clusters (GIFAS, GICAT, GICAN, Nuclear Valley, ASTECH, Aerospace Valley, AID).

The firm's positioning rests on a stack of regulatory and reputational credentials that would be difficult for a new entrant to replicate: Qualiopi certification since 2020 (valid through October 2027), ANSSI 'prestataire terrain' status under France Relance Cyber, and authorship of official French ministerial instruction IM 2300 for the Ministry of Ecological Transition. Customer-facing teams are augmented by an Ethics & Prospective Committee staffed by recognized French intelligence and economic-warfare figures (Jean-Michel Chéreau, Christian Harbulot, Alain Juillet, François Mattens). The go-to-market is founder-led enterprise field sales targeting primarily civil nuclear, defense-adjacent SMEs, and security-conscious enterprises, with thought-leadership content distributed via three LinkedIn professional groups.

Name

Cluster Défense Sécurité

Legal name

Cluster Défense Sécurité® SAS

Website

https://clusterdefensesecurite.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cluster Défense Sécurité is a Paris-based consulting and training firm founded in 2010 that advises French enterprises — primarily in the civil nuclear, defense, and tech SME sectors — on economic security and the protection of sensitive and national defense-secret information, via one-day trainings and customized IGI 1300 accompaniment engagements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Security Consulting and Training

NAICS

Investigation and Security Services (5616)

SIC

Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381)

akta.pro primary industry

Cybersecurity Awareness & Digital Safety Training for Security Personnel (BPAKAOAO)

Keywords

• Economic security consulting
• Defense information protection
• Classified information training
• Generative AI risk management
• Sensitive data governance

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Formation présentielle: One-day in-person training sessions covering economic security, generative AI protection, and defense information protection. Professional services model with direct client delivery.
2. Accompagnements sur mesure: Customized consulting and accompaniment services tailored to strengthen protection of sensitive information for clients, including support for defense procurement contracts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cluster Défense Sécurité provides consulting and one-day in-person training programs on economic security, classified information protection (Diffusion Restreinte and IGI 1300 frameworks), and generative AI risk management for sensitive information. Offerings are designed for organizations whose operations involve national defense secrets, civil nuclear information, or other strategically sensitive data, with tailor-made support missions delivered alongside the standard training catalog.

Product overview

Cluster Défense Sécurité is a consulting and training firm established in 2010 offering advisory services and professional training in synergy. The company operates two main divisions: business development services (including technology SME strategy, commercial development, and intelligence/influence) and organizational security strengthening (including economic security training, generative AI and sensitive information protection, and defense secret protection). The product portfolio centers on five core training offerings: 'Sécurité économique de l'entreprise' (economic security), 'IA générative et protection des informations sensibles' (generative AI protection), 'Protection des informations et supports Diffusion Restreinte' (restricted distribution protection), and 'Protection du secret de la défense nationale IGI 1300' (national defense secret protection), supplemented by custom consulting and training services. All training services operate under the Data Shield® brand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Formation Sécurité économique de l'entreprise Standardized one-day training program on enterprise economic security, aimed at organizations seeking to strengthen protection of strategic information and competitive intelligence practices.
• Formation IA générative et protection des informations sensibles One-day training program on the risks generative AI poses to sensitive information, designed for organizations deploying or evaluating generative AI tools in environments with confidential data.
• Formation Protection des informations et supports 'Diffusion Restreinte' One-day training program on protecting information and physical/digital supports classified at the Diffusion Restreinte level, targeted at organizations operating under French civil-nuclear and other regulated classification regimes.
• Formation Protection du secret de la défense nationale (IGI 1300) One-day training program on protecting national defense secrets under the IGI 1300 framework, intended for personnel of organizations subject to French national-defense classification obligations.
• Accompagnements et formations sur mesure Custom-tailored advisory missions and bespoke training programs designed to address specific client needs in economic security, classified information protection, and AI risk management.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of participants rated training from 'satisfying' to 'very satisfying'
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ANSSI (Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d'information)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANSSI is the French national cybersecurity agency. Cluster Défense Sécurité is officially referenced as a 'prestataire terrain' (field service provider) under the Cyber component of France Relance, demonstrating official recognition of their cybersecurity consulting capabilities.
• OlvidcoreTechnology or IntegrationFrench end-to-end encrypted mobile messaging application with cryptographic authentication. Cluster Défense Sécurité uses Olvid daily for internal operations and with prospects and clients, leveraging a CSPN (Certification de sécurité de premier niveau) certified solution.
• TixeocoreTechnology or IntegrationFrench end-to-end encrypted video conferencing solution with screen sharing and file transfer capabilities. Cluster Défense Sécurité uses Tixeo daily for internal operations and with prospects and clients, leveraging a CSPN certified solution.
• DatadockminorOthersTraining provider database reference for professional development tracking and quality verification purposes.
• GIFAS (Groupement des Industries Françaises Aéronautiques et Spatiales)minorOthersFrench aerospace and defense industry association. Linked as a useful resource for the defense sector ecosystem.
• GICAT (Groupementement des Industries Françaises de Défense et de Sécurité Terrestres et Aériennes)minorOthersFrench land and air defense and security industries association. Linked as a useful resource for the defense sector ecosystem.
• GICAN (Groupementement des Industries de Construction et des Activités Navales)minorOthersFrench naval defense construction industries association. Linked as a useful resource for the defense sector ecosystem.
• Nuclear ValleyminorOthersFrench nuclear industry cluster. Linked as a useful resource for the nuclear sector ecosystem.
• ASTECHminorOthersTechnology innovation cluster. Linked as a useful resource for the technology ecosystem.
• Aerospace ValleyminorOthersAerospace competitiveness cluster for southwestern France. Linked as a useful resource for the aerospace sector ecosystem.
• AID (Agence Innovation Défense)minorOthersFrench Defense Innovation Agency. Linked as a useful resource for defense innovation ecosystem.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Capgemini: Global consulting and technology services firm with a dedicated cybersecurity practice. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving French defense and public sector clients with security consulting, training, and compliance support.
• CS GROUP: French defense and security systems integrator with consulting services. Comparable as a French player in defense, cybersecurity, and sensitive information protection with both consulting and technical offerings to defense and critical sector clients.
• KnowBe4: Global security awareness and phishing simulation training platform. Comparable as a provider of enterprise-scale cybersecurity awareness training — directly addressing the same employee-awareness use case as Cluster Défense Sécurité's economic security and AI risk training, but at much larger scale and via a SaaS model.
• Sopra Steria: Major European IT and cybersecurity consulting firm with significant French public sector and defense presence. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering security consulting and training to government and defense-sector clients, including regulated information handling.
• SANS Institute: Global cybersecurity training and certification provider. Comparable as a training-focused organization delivering cybersecurity awareness and technical security training to enterprise and government audiences, including defense-sector organizations.
• Wavestone: Major French-origin consulting firm with a substantial cybersecurity and trust practice. Comparable as a French consulting provider addressing cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, and security transformation for large enterprises and public sector clients.
• Thales: Major French defense, aerospace, and digital identity company with cybersecurity training and consulting services. Comparable as a broad incumbent in French defense security, including training and consultancy around sensitive information and defense secrets.

Direct peers

• CEIS (Compagnie Européenne d'Intelligence Stratégique): French strategic intelligence and economic security consulting firm. Directly comparable as a French consulting firm in economic intelligence and security, with notable overlap: Cluster's Ethics & Prospective Committee includes Christian Harbulot, founder of CEIS.
• ALCYCONIE: French crisis management and security consulting firm. Comparable as a boutique French firm providing consulting and training services to organizations on security, resilience, and crisis preparedness, with a similar niche positioning.
• HeadMind Partners: French cybersecurity and digital trust consulting firm. Comparable as a French pure-play cybersecurity and information protection consulting/advisory provider serving enterprises and regulated organizations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/groups/13615166

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Cluster Défense Sécurité