PROVADEMSE

What PROVADEMSE does

PROVADEMSE is a technology platform dedicated to ecotechnologies, wholly operated under INSAVALOR SA — the technology transfer subsidiary of INSA de Lyon — and headquartered in Villeurbanne, France. Founded in 1988, the platform provides specialized R&D and technical testing services across the waste management and circular economy value chain, serving local authorities, industrial companies, decontamination firms, waste operators, and engineering consultancies. Its five core service offerings cover non-hazardous waste characterization, alternative mineral resource valorization, alternative energy resource conversion (pyrolysis, pyrogazification, solid recovered fuels), decontamination and treatment of polluted soils/sediments/effluents, and ecotoxicity evaluation (HP14 bioassays). All services are delivered on a project-based, quote-based model with no public pricing, and the platform maintains a sales-led GTM with direct engagement and public procurement participation.

The platform operates from a 2,000 m² facility inaugurated in June 2023 (the Suzanne Mériaux building on the LyonTech La Doua campus), of which 600 m² is dedicated to a testing hall and specialized laboratories spanning laboratory through demonstrator scale (TRL 5-9). Equipment includes pyrolysis and pyrogazification pilot units, leaching columns, lysimeters, an industrial oven, and biochemistry laboratories. PROVADEMSE generates revenue exclusively through professional services — feasibility studies, characterization campaigns, and pilot-scale validation — and supplements service revenue with co-financed R&D participation in national (RECYBETON, ESTRAPOL, SEDITERRA, GABOREC) and European (LIFEProETV) projects, frequently funded by ADEME. The platform holds a co-authorship stake in national methodologies (MODECOM, CARADEME, ESTRAPOL) that are widely adopted in French waste and contaminated site regulation, and is signatory of long-term partnership conventions (e.g., CEREMA, 2018) and academic collaborations (INSA de Lyon laboratories, Tsinghua University).

Name

PROVADEMSE

Legal name

INSAVALOR SA

Website

https://provademse.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PROVADEMSE is an INSAVALOR (INSA de Lyon) technology platform providing pilot-scale R&D and testing services for waste characterization, decontamination, and valorization to local authorities, industrial companies, and environmental consultancies across France and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Testing and Waste Valorization Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Remediation Services (562910)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Feasibility Studies & Remedial Design/Engineering (FS/RD, Treatability Testing) (EUAIALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Site Assessment & Remedial Investigation (Phase II/III, Sampling & Characterization) (EUAIALAA), Laboratory & R&D Chemical Waste Management (BPALAHAI)

Keywords

• Waste characterization services
• Ecotoxicology bioassays
• Soil decontamination testing
• Thermochemical conversion studies
• Alternative mineral resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Villeurbanne

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Technical Studies and R&D Services: PROVADEMSE generates revenue through the provision of specialized technical studies, feasibility testing, characterization campaigns, and R&D services for waste management, decontamination, and valorization. Services are delivered to companies, local authorities, and industrial clients on a project basis.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

PROVADEMSE is a technological platform providing specialized R&D and technical testing services for waste characterization, valorization into alternative material and energy resources, and decontamination of polluted soils, sediments, effluents, and wastes. Services span laboratory (TRL 5-7) to demonstrator (TRL 8-9) scale, delivered to enterprises, local authorities, decontamination firms, and engineering consultancies on a project basis. The platform operates from a 2,000 m² facility with 600 m² of testing halls and laboratories, conducting feasibility studies, thermochemical conversion tests, ecotoxicity bioassays, and pilot-scale demonstrations.

Product overview

PROVADEMSE is a technological platform dedicated to ecotechnologies, operating as a service-based organization offering waste characterization, treatment, and valorization solutions. The portfolio comprises five core service offerings: (1) Caractérisation des déchets non dangereux for waste stream analysis and recovery potential assessment; (2) Valorisation en ressources matières alternatives for converting mineral waste into construction materials and depollution reagents; (3) Valorisation en ressources énergétiques alternatives for thermochemical conversion of waste into energy vectors; (4) Dépollution et traitement for remediation of contaminated soils and sediments; and (5) Évaluation du risque écotoxique for ecotoxicological risk assessment. These services span from laboratory-scale feasibility studies to pilot-scale demonstrations, targeting enterprises, industries, local authorities, and engineering firms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Caractérisation des déchets non dangereux Characterization services for non-hazardous waste including municipal waste (DMA) and waste from economic activities (DNDAE), with feasibility studies for material or energy recovery. Includes territorial diagnostics, support for setting up separate collection (e.g., biowaste), and optimization of sorting/recovery facilities. Delivered to local authorities, waste management unions, industrial/commercial waste producers following the MODECOM methodology.
• Valorisation en ressources matières alternatives Feasibility evaluation at laboratory and pilot scale of mineral waste valorization as alternative raw materials for construction (mineral additions for low-carbon binders), depollution reagents, and formulation of low-carbon binders. Includes assessment of hydraulic/pozzolanic reactivity, activation potential, mechanical characterization, and lixiviation testing per CEN/TS 16637-2 and EN/TS 16637-3. Delivered to industrial waste producers and construction sector companies.
• Valorisation en ressources énergétiques alternatives Feasibility studies for thermochemical conversion of waste into solid recovered fuels (CSR), pyrolytic oils, or synthesis gas (syngas) for energy production. Conducted at laboratory and pilot scale using PROVADEMSE's pyrolysis and pyrogazification pilot units and 4.5 m³ industrial oven. Includes evaluation of energy potential, recovery of high-value raw materials (carbon fiber composites, glass, abrasives, tires), and technical-economic-environmental assessment (OPEX, CAPEX, environmental impact). Delivered to energy producers/distributors, large industrial energy consumers, and waste-to-energy operators.
• Dépollution et traitement Feasibility studies for decontamination of soils, sediments, effluents, and waste using biological, chemical, and thermal treatment methods, following the ESTRAPOL methodology developed with ADEME, BURGEAP, ENOVEO, and SUEZ. Includes standardized and adapted feasibility testing, kinetic oxidation testing (weathering cells and lysimeters), leaching behavior studies (columns of percolation and lysimeters) per NF EN 12457-2, NF EN 14405, NF EN ISO 21268-3, and NF EN 14429. Supports PCT/PG technical plans. Delivered to decontamination firms and environmental engineering consultancies.
• Évaluation du risque écotoxique Ecotoxicological risk assessment using standardized bioassays for HP14 waste classification and environmental compliance evaluation. Bioassays conducted on marine bacteria (Aliivibrio fischeri), crustaceans (Daphnia magna), algae (Raphidocelis subcapitata), rotifers (Brachionus calyciflorus), soil bacteria (Arthrobacter globiformis), plant germination/growth, and earthworm avoidance testing, following INERIS and CEN guidelines. Includes ecosystem risk assessment (ERE) for contaminated sites and evaluation of depollution procedure performance. Delivered to waste treatment operators, power plants, contaminated site managers, and construction product manufacturers/importers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduction of waste sent to landfill through identified material and energy valorization pathways
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• LIFEProETV ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2020PROVADEMSE participates in the European LIFEProETV project (started September 1, 2020), which aims to make the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) program the primary European mechanism for encouraging adoption of innovative environmental technologies. The project develops practical tools (guides, recommendations) and organizes events (webinars, technical days) for technology suppliers, buyers, business support organisms, and government agencies.
• CEREMAmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 December 2018On December 20, 2018, Pascal Berteaud (Director General of CEREMA), Nicolas Penet (President of INSAVALOR's Directoire), and Jean-Louis Six (Director General of PROVADEMSE) signed a 5-year partnership convention. The partnership aims to advance circular economy and alternative material valorization through joint responses to national and European tenders, R&D for economic actors, a partner club on specific themes, and development of materials, software, and databases.
• INSAVALOR SAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPROVADEMSE is a technology platform wholly operated under INSAVALOR SA, a company majority-owned by INSA de Lyon. INSAVALOR SA manages the platform's operations, finances, and legal structure. PROVADEMSE serves as the operational arm for ecotechnology development within the INSAVALOR ecosystem.
• INSA de LyoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPROVADEMSE is embedded within the INSA de Lyon campus at LyonTech La Doua. The platform leverages academic research expertise, with professors from INSA de Lyon (such as Jacques Méhu as Scientific Director and Jean-Louis Six as Director General of PROVADEMSE) involved in platform activities. The platform provides a bridge between academic research and industrial application.
• BURGEAPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBURGEAP is a partner in the ESTRAPOL project ('Encadrement des procédures d'essais de faisabilité de traitement de sols pollués') co-financed by ADEME, alongside PROVADEMSE, ENOVEO, and SUEZ. Emmanuel Vernus (PROVADEMSE Technical Director) presented the project at Intersol'2018 in Paris.
• ENOVEOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerENOVEO is a partner in the ESTRAPOL project alongside PROVADEMSE, BURGEAP, and SUEZ, co-financed by ADEME. The project focuses on developing procedures for feasibility testing of polluted soil treatment techniques.
• SUEZcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUEZ is a partner in the ESTRAPOL project alongside PROVADEMSE, BURGEAP, and ENOVEO, co-financed by ADEME. The project develops procedures for feasibility testing of polluted soil treatment techniques.
• PRISM EnvironnementmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerADEME entrusted PROVADEMSE and PRISM Environnement with developing an accompaniment procedure for SMEs, upstream of the ETV (Environmental Technology Verification) process, to help companies prepare their ETV verification dossier. This partnership supports eco-innovation companies in obtaining environmental technology verification.
• AKLEA (Cabinet d'Avocats)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmmanuel Vernus (PROVADEMSE) and Lionel Roche (AKLEA) presented joint recommendations for managing excavated materials for circular economy at INTERSOL 2017 (Lyon) and INTERSOIL 2017 (Brussels), in the context of their work for RECORD Association.
• LGCIE-DEEP (INSA de Lyon)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPROVADEMSE partnered with the LGCIE-DEEP laboratory of INSA de Lyon as part of the PN RECYBETON national research project to characterize the environmental behavior of recycled concretes. This partnership contributed to studies on leaching behavior of natural aggregate concretes and recycled aggregate concretes.
• Université TsinghuamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPROVADEMSE has maintained collaborative exchanges with Tsinghua University (ranked #1 in China and 25th globally in QS 2018) for over 10 years through Jacques Méhu. Tsinghua delegations visited PROVADEMSE in February 2018 and May 2017. Jacques Méhu was also a speaker at the Franco-Chinese Forum (Lyon, November 2018).
• Association RECORDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPROVADEMSE works with the RECORD Association on multiple research studies including: comparison of excavated material management approaches across European countries (Project RECORD 16-0158/1A, 2018), integration of waste in construction (Record 18-0165/1A, 2019), management and reuse of excavated materials (Record 15-0159/1A, 2017), and mobility potential of organic and inorganic pollutants (Record 16-0158/1A, 2018).
• PN RECYBETONmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPROVADEMSE is a partner in the PN RECYBETON national research program alongside the LGCIE-DEEP laboratory of INSA de Lyon. The platform studied the leaching behavior of natural aggregate concretes and recycled aggregate concretes. PROVADEMSE presented results at the 2nd RECYBETON Colloquium (March 9, 2017, Paris) and the final results presentation (November 27, 2018, Pollutec 2018).
• AXELERAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPROVADEMSE participates in events alongside AXELERA (the competitiveness cluster for environmental technologies in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes). The platform exhibited at Pollutec 2018 on the AXELERA stand.
• TenerrdisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPROVADEMSE was mentioned alongside Tenerrdis (the energy competitiveness cluster for Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) as a participant at Pollutec 2021 on the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region village.
• PEXEminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPEXE (Pôle de spécialisation européen des éco-entreprises) organizes the Forum national des éco-entreprises in partnership with ADEME. PROVADEMSE participates in this annual event which gathers over 500 participants including SMEs, public and private buyers, investors, and research institutes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• BURGEAP: French environmental engineering consultancy specializing in contaminated sites and soils. Co-partner with PROVADEMSE in the ESTRAPOL project (with ADEME, ENOVEO, SUEZ) on feasibility testing procedures for soil treatment.
• Antea Group: French environmental engineering consultancy providing site characterization, soil/sediment remediation design, and waste management services. Comparable to PROVADEMSE's feasibility testing and PCT/PG plan work for contaminated sites.

Broad incumbents

• Ramboll Environment & Health: Global environmental consultancy with European operations in contaminated site investigation, remediation design, and waste valorization. Comparable to PROVADEMSE in contaminated site and circular economy service offering, though at much larger international scale.
• INERIS: French national institute for industrial environmental and occupational risk assessment. Directly comparable to PROVADEMSE as both develop contaminated site methodologies, soil/sediment treatment feasibility protocols, and ecotoxicology guidelines referenced by French regulators.
• BRGM: France's public geological survey, offering soil/sediment characterization, contaminated site assessment, and mineral resource evaluation. Comparable to PROVADEMSE in providing laboratory and pilot testing for environmental matrices and waste valorization at national scale.
• SGS Environment: Global testing, inspection and certification company offering environmental testing including soil, waste, and water characterization. Comparable to PROVADEMSE for routine environmental analysis at higher volume but less specialized in pilot-scale feasibility work.
• Bureau Veritas Environment: Global TIC provider with environmental and waste testing services. Comparable to PROVADEMSE for waste characterization and compliance testing, but operating at much greater geographic and commercial scale.
• SUEZ (Environmental Services division): Global environmental services and water/waste management group. Partner of PROVADEMSE in ESTRAPOL, with overlapping capability in waste characterization, treatment feasibility, and valorization at industrial scale.
• Eurofins Environment Testing France: Part of the Eurofins group, providing environmental and ecotoxicological testing services including waste classification and HP14 ecotoxicity assessment. Comparable analytical portfolio to PROVADEMSE's ecotoxicity and leaching characterization lines.

Regional players

• ENVIRA (Spain): Spanish environmental testing laboratory offering atmospheric emissions, soil, and waste characterization. Comparable scope to PROVADEMSE's environmental analytical services with similar mid-size lab profile but different geographic market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/provademse
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7LLb3N0WKhTwRZqRDNCBvg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/provademse

Compliance1 record

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 PROVADEMSE