Professional Union of Ecological Engineering

What Professional Union of Ecological Engineering does

Professional Union of Ecological Engineering (UPGE) is a French professional federation (association loi 1901) created in 2008 and headquartered in Paris at 21 Rue de Cléry, with an administrative address at 13 rue Duroc. It aggregates approximately 100 member companies — including very small firms, SMEs, and large groups such as Ecosphère, TBM Environnement, Egis, Biotope, and Naturalia — that collectively employ around 35,000 collaborators across the ecological engineering sector. Its mission is to structure the sector, animate the member network, create recognition tools for professional competencies, and represent ecological engineering companies with French and European institutional actors.

Name

Professional Union of Ecological Engineering

Legal name

Union professionnelle du génie écologique

Website

https://genie-ecologique.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

French non-profit professional federation founded in 2008 that unites roughly 100 ecological engineering companies across France, developing sector standards, competency frameworks, and member services while representing the industry to public authorities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: UPGE operates as a professional federation funded through membership fees from its member companies (TPEs, SMEs, and large groups engaged in ecological engineering works and environmental studies).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

UPGE is a French non-profit professional federation (association loi 1901) that unites approximately 100 ecological engineering companies and study offices in France. It delivers member services including a company directory, job board, webconferences, working groups, and an annual trade fair (Hydronext), and develops industry standards (NF X10-900, NF X32-102) and the Kalisterre competence certification framework.

Product overview

UPGE (Union Professionnelle du Génie Écologique) is a professional federation that serves as a coordination and support organization for the ecological engineering sector in France. Rather than offering a single unified software product, UPGE provides a portfolio of member-facing services including a company directory (connecting clients with ecological engineering professionals), a job board for sector recruitment, a resources portal with technical documentation and guides, working groups on specialized topics, webconferences for knowledge sharing, and an annual trade fair event. The organization functions as a network aggregator and professional development hub rather than a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UPGE Professional Membership Annual membership in the French federation of ecological engineering firms, providing access to UPGE services (directory, job board, working groups, webconferences, Hydronext trade fair) and the right to participate in standards development and sector representation.
• Kalisterre Competence Certification UPGE-developed competence certification framework that recognizes qualified professionals and firms in the ecological engineering sector, providing market credibility and a recognized quality signal for member companies and their clients.
• UPGE Members Directory Online directory listing member ecological engineering companies and study offices, giving the French ecological engineering sector visibility and giving buyer-clients a centralized reference of qualified providers.
• UPGE Job Board Dedicated job board for ecological engineering job postings and recruitment, available to UPGE member companies and to candidates seeking employment in the sector.
• Hydronext Annual Trade Fair Annual in-person trade fair organized by UPGE for the French ecological engineering sector, providing a venue for member companies, partners, and clients to network, showcase services, and discuss sector trends.
• UPGE Webconferences and Working Groups Regular online webinars/webconferences and thematic working groups for UPGE members, enabling knowledge sharing, peer discussion, and collaborative development on sector topics (including standards work).
• NF X10-900 and NF X32-102 Sector Standards National French standards (NF X10-900 and NF X32-102) for the ecological engineering sector, co-developed by UPGE and its members to establish common definitions, terminology, and quality frameworks for ecological engineering practices such as site decontamination, water management, and related engineering services.

Quantifiable outcome

• The ecological engineering sector employs 35,000 collaborators and will recruit approximately 7,000 employees per year in France until 2030
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministry of Transition écologique et de la MercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-developed the 'Ingénierie et Génie Écologiques – Horizon 2030' roadmap launched June 2025, defining strategic axes for the sector including sector structuration, training, visibility, and national governance.
• Office Français de la Biodiversité (OFB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Strategic partner for ecological engineering sector development. UPGE participates in European Life project 'Biodiv France' piloted by OFB and contributes to resource centers and professional guides.
• AFNORcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Standards organization collaborating on NF X10-900 (ecological project management) and NF X32-102 (initial state assessment) standards for the ecological engineering sector.
• Marque Végétal LocalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Supports local plant sourcing in ecological engineering projects, with UPGE members involved in pioneering national contracts for locally-sourced plants.
• Salon des MairescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-organizer of the Salon de la Biodiversité et du Génie Écologique, held alongside the Salon des Maires et des Collectivités at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. The partnership provides a platform for UPGE members to showcase ecological engineering solutions to public decision-makers.
• Association des Maires de France (AMF)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Institutional partner for the Salon de la Biodiversité et du Génie Écologique, bringing together mayors and local authorities across France to promote ecological engineering solutions.
• Les Eco MairescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Partner organization representing eco-responsible municipalities, collaborating on the Salon de la Biodiversité et du Génie Écologique to promote biodiversity and ecological engineering among local authorities.
• OPIE (Office Pour les Insectes et leur Environnement)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaborated on publication 'Pollinisateurs sauvages et ruches' (Wild pollinators and beehives) guide for businesses, promoting biodiversity-friendly practices in corporate environments.
• Fédération des ScotminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Collaborated on SCoT biodiversity integration guide with OFB and UPGE.
• Centre de Recherche sur la Biodiversité et l'Environnement (CRBE)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Research partnership with CERMECO (ETCEE TERRA subsidiary) for pollinator studies on photovoltaic parks, combining CRBE expertise with field implementation.
• CNRS ToulouseminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Research partner with CERMECO for pollinator studies on photovoltaic parks in Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions.
• CSA BISON ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 202145 partners from 16 countries working on adapting transport infrastructure to climate change. UPGE represents the third work force in the project, contributing to biodiversity integration in European transport networks through handbook development and good practice guidelines.
• TerrOïkominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021UPGE member contributing to CSA BISON Handbook development for biodiversity integration in transport infrastructure.
• EgisminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021UPGE member contributing to CSA BISON Handbook development for biodiversity integration in transport infrastructure.
• cdc BiodiversitéminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021UPGE member contributing to CSA BISON Handbook development for biodiversity integration in transport infrastructure.
• NaturaliaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021UPGE member contributing to CSA BISON Handbook development for biodiversity integration in transport infrastructure.
• BiotopeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021UPGE member contributing to CSA BISON Handbook development for biodiversity integration in transport infrastructure.
• ValhorizminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021UPGE member contributing to CSA BISON Handbook development for biodiversity integration in transport infrastructure.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Society for Ecological Restoration (SER): International scientific and professional society for ecological restoration. Comparable as the international reference body for ecological restoration practitioners and standards, with overlapping membership, conference activity, and standards-setting missions relative to UPGE.
• AFIE (Association Française des Ingénieurs Écologues): French association of ecological engineers, named in UPGE's data as a co-developer of competency frameworks. Directly comparable as a French professional organization focused on ecological engineering with overlapping membership and standards-development activities.
• CINOV: Fédération française des syndicats et associations professionnelles de l'ingénierie, du conseil et du numérique. Comparable because it is a French federation of engineering professionals with a similar membership-fee model, directory, and institutional representation role for a closely adjacent professional segment.
• UNEP (Union Nationale des Entreprises du Paysage): French federation of landscape enterprises. Comparable because it represents a closely adjacent professional sector (landscape companies, including ecological works), uses a similar federation model with membership dues, and engages in standards, events, and representation for environmental works companies.
• Fédération Française du Paysage: French federation of landscape professionals. Comparable as a sectoral federation that organizes an adjacent profession (landscape architecture and works), running similar member services such as directories, events, and continuing education, with overlapping downstream buyer base in public authorities.

Broad incumbents

• IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): Global conservation body that sets international nature standards and policy frameworks. Comparable as the broader umbrella for conservation and ecosystem-restoration practice that UPGE's members ultimately serve; influences the policy and funding environment UPGE depends on.
• SYNTEC INGÉNIERIE: French professional union representing engineering firms across many sub-disciplines. Comparable as a broader engineering federation that overlaps with UPGE's domain, but is significantly larger and covers non-ecological engineering firms as well.

Others

• Biotope: Large French ecological engineering firm and UPGE member. Comparable as an exemplar downstream member company that consumes UPGE's standards, events, and representation services; relevant as a peer in ecological engineering practice rather than as a federation competitor.
• Office Français de la Biodiversité (OFB): French public agency overseeing biodiversity and water. Comparable as a key institutional partner for UPGE — co-developing sector resources and the Biodiv France Life project — but operating as a public regulator and funder rather than a competing federation.

Emerging players

• ATEE (Association Technique Énergie Environnement): French technical association for energy and environment professionals. Comparable as a sectoral association with membership-fee funding, events, and standards work, though focused on energy-environment intersections rather than ecological engineering specifically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/GenieEcologique
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdc8YzmVBkE9bLo33IxHjUQ/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/pg/UnionProfessionnelleGenieEcologique/posts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upge

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Professional Union of Ecological Engineering