ISTOM

What ISTOM does

ISTOM is a private French engineering school founded in 1908 and headquartered in Angers, operating as a non-profit association under French law (loi 1901). The school specializes in international agro-development and trains engineers to address food security, agroecological transition, climate change adaptation, and sustainable resource management challenges, primarily in developing countries of the Global South. Its core offering is a 5-year engineering degree (formation d'ingénieur en agro-développement international) accessible via Parcoursup for French students, Campus France for international applicants, and lateral file-based admissions, structured around 16 months of mandatory international internships across progressive stages (MTEDS, agricultural farm stage, enterprise internship in Southern countries, MJE collective expertise mission, and end-of-studies internship). In 2025, ISTOM launched a complementary one-year Mastère Spécialisé MEET (Énergie, Environnement et Transitions des Pays du Sud) labeled by the Conférence des Grandes Écoles, and in 2024 introduced an apprenticeship (alternance) track in partnership with CFA ESA Angers.

The school's revenue model combines multiple streams: annual tuition of €6,795 for engineering students and €9,500 for the Mastère MEET, a €50 application fee via Parcoursup, the €105 CVEC contribution, continuing education modules at €600/day (Qualiopi-certified), venue rental of the 5,000m² modern campus facility (e.g., €261-417/day for the 130-seat amphitheater), donations channeled through the ISTOM Développement endowment fund, and the French apprenticeship tax (taxe d'apprentissage) collected via the SOLTÉA platform. Distribution channels include the official website, social media (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube), educational fairs, the annual Forum des Métiers, virtual campus tours, and a WhatsApp community. The school holds CTI accreditation, EESPIG status, RNCP registration (code 36058), CGE label for the Mastère, Qualiopi certification for continuing education, and an Erasmus+ charter since 2014, supported by 12+ European university partnerships and research collaborations with CIRAD, IRD, and the ABIES doctoral school.

ISTOM has produced over 3,000 graduates working in 110 countries, maintains an 17-teacher-researcher research unit (ADI-SUDS) created in 2018, and operates without external investors as an independent non-profit. The school is led by President Jean Philippe Tonneau, with Gérald Liscia as Deputy Director for Development and Tatiana de Oliveira as Director of Studies. The 2026 graduate cohort shows 72% employed in metropolitan France, 15% in DROM COM territories, and 13% internationally, spread across 20+ professions and 5 major activity sectors, demonstrating the practical, distributed outcomes of the program.

Name

ISTOM

Legal name

ISTOM

Website

https://istom.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1908

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ISTOM is a French non-profit engineering school in Angers, founded in 1908, training engineers in agro-development for Southern countries through a 5-year program with 16 months of international internships, plus a new Mastère on energy transitions and an apprenticeship track.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Engineering

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cooperative Education (Co-op) Technical Universities (EDAHAEAF)

Keywords

• Agricultural engineering education
• Sustainable agriculture training
• International development programs
• Tropical agronomy studies
• Continuing education agronomy

Headquarters

HQ city

Angers

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Annual tuition fees for the engineering program at 6,795 euros per year. Mastère Spécialisé at 9,500 euros for the full year. Application fees at 50 euros via Parcoursup.
2. Donations and Mécénat: ISTOM Développement fonds de dotation collects donations from individuals and companies, with tax benefits (66% deductible for individuals, 60% for companies).
3. Taxe d'Apprentissage: Companies can allocate their apprenticeship tax to ISTOM through the SOLTéA platform, supporting training of engineers in sustainable agriculture.
4. Rental Income: Modern 5000m² building generates revenue through renting spaces (amphitheaters, classrooms, meeting rooms) to external organizations for events.
5. Continuing Education: Professional development modules at 600 euros per day, covering topics like project management, agricultural development, agroecology, and environmental management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

ISTOM is a French private engineering school that trains engineers in international agro-development through a 5-year engineering degree program. It also offers a one-year specialized Mastère Spécialisé MEET focused on energy transition and environment in Southern countries, 14 continuing education modules for professionals, and operates the ADI-SUDS research unit. The curriculum combines agronomy, ecology, economics, and sociology with 16 months of mandatory international internships across 110 countries.

Product overview

ISTOM is a private engineering school in Angers, France, offering two main educational programs: a 5-year Engineer degree in International Agro-Development (formation d'ingénieur) and a one-year Mastère Spécialisé MEET on Energy, Environment & Transitions. The curriculum integrates 16 months of mandatory international internships across five progressive stages (MTEDS, agricultural farm, enterprise, MJE collective expertise mission, and end-of-study internship). The school also operates research unit ADI-SUDS, provides 14 continuing education modules, and offers campus facility rentals. All programs emphasize practical fieldwork in Southern countries, sustainability, and international development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Formation d'Ingénieur en Agro-Développement International A 5-year CTI-accredited engineering degree program accessible after the baccalauréat or via parallel admissions. The curriculum forms engineers capable of addressing agricultural, food, environmental, and socio-economic challenges in Southern countries, combining scientific training with 16 months of international internships across 110 countries.
• Mastère Spécialisé MEET (Énergie, Environnement et Transitions des Pays du Sud) A one-year specialized Master (Bac+6) labeled by CGE, targeting bac+5 graduates. The program focuses on energy transition, environmental challenges, and sustainable development in Southern countries, including 430 hours of coursework and a 24-26 week international internship.
• Formation Continue (14 Continuing Education Modules) Fourteen professional development modules covering project management, agricultural development, agroecology, environmental management, apiaries, territorial governance, and water resource management. Delivered at 600€ per day, certified by Qualiopi, and designed for agronomy, environmental, and development sector professionals.
• Location de Locaux (Campus Venue Rental) Rental of campus spaces to external organizations, including a 130-seat amphitheater (261€ half-day, 417€ full-day) and a 60-seat classroom (156€ half-day, 208€ full-day). The modern wood-and-glass building is located on the Belle-Beille university campus in Angers.

Quantifiable outcome

• High employment rate demonstrated by annual professional integration surveys showing graduates occupy positions aligned with their training
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• CIRADcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Framework convention signed in 2019 with CIRAD (Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement) for collaborative research in agricultural development and agroecology in Southern countries.
• IRDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement) in scientific research collaborations focused on Southern country development issues.
• AgriNatura ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member of the European AgriNatura consortium, collaborating on agricultural research and education initiatives.
• Czech University of Life Sciences PragueminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorErasmus+ exchange partner in Czech Republic for student mobility during semester 5 or 9.
• Estonian University of Life SciencesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorErasmus+ exchange partner in Estonia for student mobility.
• Latvia University of AgricultureminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorErasmus+ exchange partner in Latvia for student mobility.
• Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV-ETSIAMN)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorErasmus+ exchange partner in Spain, with multiple student exchange arrangements.
• Universidad de ValenciaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorErasmus+ exchange partner in Spain.
• ETSIA (Universidad de Córdoba)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorErasmus+ exchange partner in Spain specializing in agricultural engineering.
• Universidad de AlmeríaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorErasmus+ exchange partner in Spain.
• University of Agriculture in KrakowminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorErasmus+ exchange partner in Poland.
• Université de Liège AgrobiotechminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorErasmus+ exchange partner in Belgium (Gembloux).
• Weihenstephan Triesdorf UniversityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorErasmus+ exchange partner in Germany.
• Universidad de Castilla la Mancha (ETSIA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorErasmus+ exchange partner in Spain (Albacete).
• Universidad Pública de NavarraminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorErasmus+ exchange partner in Spain (Pamplona).
• Universidad Miguel HernandezminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorErasmus+ exchange partner in Spain (Elche-Orihuela).
• Universidad de GranadaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorErasmus+ exchange partner in Spain.
• CFA ESA AngerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner CFA (Centre de Formation des Apprentis) for apprenticeship program. Students in alternating 4th and 5th year follow training with this partner institution.
• Partner Schools for 5th Year Specialization (DA)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMultiple French and international schools for Domaines d'Approfondissement including AgroParisTech, ESA, SupAgro, INP Purpan, ISARA, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, and others.
• Campus FrancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatform facilitating international student recruitment, mandatory for students from countries requiring Études en France procedure.
• École doctorale ABIES (AgroParisTech)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerADI-SUDS research unit is attached to the ABIES doctoral school for PhD programs.
• Angers TechnopoleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on carob by-product valorization project in pastry sector, linking Moroccan and Anjou activities.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ESA (Ecole Supérieure d'Agriculture d'Angers): Another French agricultural engineering school in the same city of Angers, offering similar engineering degrees in agriculture, agronomy, and food sciences. Direct competitor for French student applicants and overlapping employer network in Western France.
• AgroParisTech: France's flagship agricultural engineering grande école, offering engineering degrees in life sciences, agronomy, and environmental sciences. ISTOM lists AgroParisTech as a 5th year "Domaines d'Approfondissement" partner — a direct academic peer competing for similar career-oriented students interested in agro-development.
• Institut Agro Montpellier (formerly Montpellier SupAgro): Major French agricultural engineering grande école with strong tropical agronomy and Southern-country development expertise. Direct competitor for international students and aid-funded positions, with deeper research standing and brand.
• ISARA Lyon: French agricultural engineering school in Lyon offering agroecology and sustainable food systems programs. ISTOM lists ISARA as a 5th-year partner school; both schools compete for similar student profiles in agro-development.
• Bordeaux Sciences Agro: French agricultural engineering grande école with international development, viticulture, and environmental engineering tracks. Competes for the same student segment pursuing agricultural careers with international and sustainability focus.
• INP Purpan (Toulouse): French engineering school in agronomy and food science, also listed by ISTOM as a 5th-year specialization partner. Competes for the same applicant pool seeking agricultural engineering degrees with international exposure.
• UniLaSalle: French engineering school with campuses in Beauvais and Rouen offering agricultural, food, environmental, and land management engineering programs. Direct competitor for students targeting agro-development with technical engineering credentials.
• Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (Université de Liège): Belgian agricultural engineering school, listed by ISTOM as both an Erasmus+ and 5th-year "Domaines d'Approfondissement" partner. Closest cross-border peer for tropical agronomy and sustainable agriculture engineering.

Broad incumbents

• Wageningen University & Research: Dutch research university, the global gold-standard in life sciences, agronomy, and food systems. Larger, better-funded, broader geographic reach; competes for top international talent and Southern-country development research funding, but operates at much larger scale.

Others

• CIRAD (Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement): French public research institution for tropical agricultural development, with which ISTOM has a 2019 framework convention. Not a degree-granting competitor but a research partner and indirect comparator for project funding and talent flows.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCKtt3hX5YA2mstHcR52vpjA
• Facebookfacebook.com/istomingenieur
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/istom
• Instagraminstagram.com/istomingenieur

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries2 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 ISTOM