ESDES
ESDES is a French private business school in Lyon and Annecy, part of UCLy, offering state-recognized Bachelor, Programme Grande École, specialty MSc, DSCG, and Executive Education programs to French and international students through tuition, ACCES consortium admissions, and corporate training channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersLyon, France
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What ESDES does
ESDES Business School is a private French higher education institution founded in 1987 and operated by AFPICL as part of the Université Catholique de Lyon (UCLy). The school operates from two campuses — a main campus in Lyon (10, place des Archives) and a regional campus in Annecy (UCLy Alpes Europe) — and delivers a portfolio of state-recognized programs spanning the Bachelor in Business (grade de licence), the five-year Programme Grande École (grade master), specialty MSc programs, DSCG examination preparation, and Executive Education offerings. It holds the EESPIG public-utility label, AACSB international accreditation (achieved in 2023), and EFMD program accreditation (renewed in 2020), placing it within the top 6% of business schools globally and the top 25 in the Financial Times 2025 French ranking.
The school's core technology is an educational platform integrated with the UCLy digital infrastructure (ecampus), with pedagogical differentiation built around the "Responsible Natives" philosophy, the SoliCity two-month humanitarian mission embedded in the Bachelor program (delivered through 40+ partner associations), and the PEP'S career professionalization program. Curriculum specialization tracks emphasize sustainability and finance, anchored by three specialty MSc programs in Circular Economy & Sustainable Innovation, Sustainable Tourism & Event Management, and Impact Finance & Fintech Management, plus double-degree pathways with Cardiff Metropolitan, Hull, and Edinburgh Napier universities.
Revenue is generated through tuition fees across multiple subscription-style annual billing cycles (differentiated by French/EU versus international student status, with 10% early-bird discounts and merit-based scholarships), supplemented by professional-services revenue from Executive Education and corporate training delivered by a dedicated Corporate Relations team. Go-to-market combines the Parcoursup national platform and ACCES consortium entrance exams for French secondary school graduates, direct international recruitment via Campus France fairs (including Shanghai and Wuhan), webinars, and student ambassador programs, plus a B2B enterprise channel for internships, apprenticeships, and custom training. Student cohorts, partner employers (UBS, Société Générale, CIC, Crédit Agricole Centre-Est, Cegid, STMicroelectronics, Groupe SEB, BioMérieux, Sanofi, Sysco France), and 45 teacher-researchers across 4 research groups constitute the primary operating assets.
ESDES firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ESDES
- Legal name
- AFPICL (Association des Fondateurs et des Protecteurs de l'Institut Catholique de Lyon)
- Website
- https://esdes.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- ESDES is a French private business school in Lyon and Annecy, part of UCLy, offering state-recognized Bachelor, Programme Grande École, specialty MSc, DSCG, and Executive Education programs to French and international students through tuition, ACCES consortium admissions, and corporate training channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where ESDES is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lyon
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
ESDES business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition Fees - Bachelor Programs: Annual tuition fees for Bachelor in Business programs, with different rates for French/EU students and international students outside EU. Early bird discounts available for international students.
- Tuition Fees - Programme Grande École (Master Grade): 5-year program tuition with annual fees for French/EU and international students. Admissions parallel fees of 140-195€ for entrance exams.
- MSc Programs Tuition: Master of Science programs taught in English with tuition fees. 1-year accelerated and 2-year pathway options. Merit-based scholarships available.
- Executive Education Corporate Training: Customized in-company training programs designed and delivered for enterprise transformation needs. Short courses in management, finance, sales, marketing, digital, strategy, and RSE. Also includes certified and qualifying training programs.
- DSCG Examination Preparation: Preparation program for Diplôme Supérieur de Comptabilité et de Gestion, offered in partnership with Institution des Chartreux, with separate enrollment fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Programme Grande École - French/EU Students |
| Subscription | Annual | Programme Grande École - International Students (Non-EU) |
| Subscription | Annual | MSc Programs - International Students |
| Subscription | Annual | Executive Master Leadership Responsable |
| Subscription | Annual | Bachelor in Business - All Students |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
ESDES product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ESDES is a French non-profit business school that delivers higher-education programs including a Bachelor in Business, the Programme Grande École (Master-level), specialized MSc tracks, Executive Education for professionals and corporate clients, and DSCG (accountancy diploma) preparation courses. The school operates campuses in Lyon and Annecy and is part of the Université Catholique de Lyon under the AFPICL holding, holding EESPIG recognition alongside AACSB and EFMD program accreditations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bachelor in Business
Quantifiable outcome
- Top 25 French Business Schools in Financial Times 2025 ranking
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use ESDES
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ESDES technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
ESDES partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- UCLy (Université Catholique de Lyon)coreParent institution providing institutional framework, shared services (digital campus, administrative systems), and association with other UCLy schools (ESTRI, ESQESE, ESTBB, IFTLM, ILCF). ESDES is part of AFPICL (Association des Fondateurs et Protecteurs de l'Institut Catholique de Lyon), EESPIG recognized private higher education institution.
- Institution des ChartreuxcorePartnership for DSCG (Diplôme Supérieur de Comptabilité et de Gestion) examination preparation, with 80%+ average success rate over 3 years (3x higher than Lyon academy average).
- Cardiff Metropolitan UniversitymajorDouble degree partnership offering Master in Financial Management for Semesters 9-10 or Semester 10 of Grande École program.
- Hull UniversitymajorDouble degree partnership offering Master in Financial Management for Semester 10 of Grande École program.
- Edinburgh Napier UniversitymajorDouble degree partnership offering International Finance Master. Alumni Mathilde Giniès completed double diploma here before joining UBS.
- Napier University (Edinburgh)majorInternational partner university for student exchanges and double degree programs.
- CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply)coreInternational accreditation body that accredited the Master specialization in International Supply Chain and Purchasing (2023).
- Sysco FrancemajorStrategic partnership announced for student recruitment, corporate relations, and collaborative initiatives.
- France CompétencescoreGovernment body managing RNCP (Répertoire National des Certifications Professionnelles) where ESDES programs are registered. Executive Master registered under RNCP n°36271.
- AACSB InternationalcoreInternational accreditation body for business schools. ESDES achieved AACSB accreditation in 2023, joining top 6% of business schools worldwide.
- EFMD (European Foundation for Management Development)coreEuropean accreditation organization that renewed EFMD Accredited status for Grande École program (5-year renewal in 2020).
- Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3minorAcademic partnership for PhD supervision and research collaboration. Faculty member Huiyi Gao holds PhD from Lyon 3.
- ALGEDminorDisability inclusion partnership conducting seminars on disability awareness and professional integration for students.
- Cracow University of EconomicsminorInternational university partnership hosting exchange students and collaborative academic programs.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ESDES competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ESDES social profiles
Digital presenceESDES financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ESDES leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
ESDES funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ESDES M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ESDES
What does ESDES do?
ESDES is a French non-profit business school that delivers higher-education programs including a Bachelor in Business, the Programme Grande École (Master-level), specialized MSc tracks, Executive Education for professionals and corporate clients, and DSCG (accountancy diploma) preparation courses. The school operates campuses in Lyon and Annecy and is part of the Université Catholique de Lyon under the AFPICL holding, holding EESPIG recognition alongside AACSB and EFMD program accreditations.
Is ESDES a public or private company?
ESDES is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ESDES founded?
ESDES was founded in 1987. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is ESDES based?
ESDES is headquartered in Lyon, France, in the Europe region.
How does ESDES make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Tuition Fees - Bachelor Programs are the primary driver. The others are tuition Fees - Programme Grande École (Master Grade), MSc Programs Tuition, executive Education Corporate Training and DSCG Examination Preparation.
Does ESDES have an API?
No public API is recorded for ESDES.