What Benkei does

Benkei is a French boutique consulting firm (Benkei SAS) founded in 2013 and headquartered in Lyon, with a secondary office in Grenoble, employing between 11 and 50 people. The firm specializes in Research and Innovation (R&I) advisory services, supporting client companies across the full lifecycle of an R&I initiative — from strategy definition and market-fit validation, through project preparation and financing, to deployment, project management, and capability-building via training and coaching.

The firm delivers its services through a four-pillar framework: Définition de la stratégie d'innovation (innovation strategy definition, including market-fit verification, financing strategy, and mobilization of indirect aid mechanisms such as JEI, CIR, CII, CICO, and LabCom), Préparation et financement de projets (consortium building, proposal writing, and pursuit of public/private funding programs such as France 2030, Horizon Europe, ADEME, ANR, Bpifrance, i-Lab, i-Nov, and EIC Accelerator), Déploiement et pilotage (project coordination, funder-expectation management, risk management, and scientific communication), and Formation et coaching (training in innovation management and R&I methodology). Benkei does not develop proprietary technology products; its core "technology" is human expertise, with all consultants holding scientific or technical degrees (Master, Engineer, or PhD) and many carrying PMP, PRINCE2, Bpifrance (Diag Europe, Diag PTI, Diag Defense), and INPI (Masterclass PI) accreditations.

Commercially, Benkei operates a sales-led, project-based professional services model targeting enterprise clients undertaking R&I projects. Engagements are bespoke and favor long-term co-development relationships rather than standardized products. Go-to-market relies on content marketing via the corporate website, LinkedIn presence, webinar participation, and industry conferences. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quote-driven per project. Pierre Alfonsi serves as Managing Director. The firm has not raised external funding and operates privately with no disclosed parent or holding structure.

Name

Benkei

Legal name

Benkei SAS

Website

https://benkei.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Benkei is a Lyon-based French consulting firm that advises companies on research and innovation (R&I) strategy, public and private project financing (e.g., France 2030, Horizon Europe, Bpifrance), and R&I project management, serving enterprise clients undertaking innovation initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyon

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Benkei generates revenue through professional consulting services for innovation strategy definition, project financing support, and R&I project management. Services are delivered through bespoke engagements of varying duration, with a co-development approach positioning the firm as a long-term partner to clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Benkei is a French consulting firm that supports client organizations across the full lifecycle of their Research and Innovation (R&I) projects. Its core services cover defining innovation strategy, securing public and private financing (including French research tax credits CIR/CII/CICO), building and coordinating collaborative R&I projects, and managing the deployment of funded projects. All engagements are bespoke and delivered through co-development with the client on short- or long-duration missions.

Product overview

Benkei is a consulting firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of advisory services for Research and Innovation (R&I) project support. The company operates as a single unified service offering organized into four interconnected practice areas: Définition de la stratégie d'innovation (innovation strategy definition), Préparation et financement de projets (project preparation and financing), Déploiement et pilotage (deployment and project management), and Formation et coaching (training and coaching). All engagements are customized and emphasize co-development approaches with clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Innovation Strategy Definition (Définition de la stratégie d'innovation)

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wavestone: Major French-origin consulting firm with a strong innovation, public funding, and R&D transformation practice. Comparable because it serves the same French enterprise clients on innovation strategy and public R&I financing topics, but as part of a broader portfolio.
• Sia Partners: Large international management and consulting firm with a dedicated innovation and R&D funding practice in France. Comparable as a broader incumbent that competes for the same R&I strategy, CIR/CII, and innovation financing mandates, but at greater scale and across multiple industries.
• KPMG Fabernovel: Innovation, strategy, and transformation consulting arm of KPMG France. Comparable as a larger incumbent with overlapping capabilities in innovation strategy, R&I transformation, and public funding advisory for French clients.

Direct peers

• Extens: European consulting firm focused on innovation, R&D financing, and operational performance. Comparable because it serves a similar client base of innovative SMEs and mid-caps seeking support on R&I strategy and public funding.
• Alcimed: French innovation and new market consulting firm headquartered in Paris with offices across Europe. Directly comparable as a science-heavy boutique advising clients on innovation strategy, market entry, and R&D project support.
• Kea & Partners: Paris-based consulting firm focused on innovation, R&D, and growth strategy. Comparable because it serves a similar French enterprise and mid-market client base seeking innovation strategy and project support, including public funding access.
• Tulipac: French consulting firm specialized in public R&D financing (CIR, CII, JEI) and innovation project support. Directly comparable to Benkei's innovation tax credit and public funding advisory service lines.
• PMP (Project Management Partner): French consulting firm specialized in project management and PMO services. Comparable on Benkei's deployment and project coordination practice, particularly for R&I and collaborative projects requiring PMP/PRINCE2-style governance.

Others

• Forward Financing: French public innovation financing body (under Bpifrance umbrella) supporting R&I and innovation projects. Ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor, but relevant given Benkei's project preparation and financing practice.
• Bpifrance: France's public investment bank and innovation financier, which both runs R&I funding programs (and accredits Benkei consultants for its Diag offerings) and competes for the same advisory mandates. Relevant ecosystem participant rather than direct service competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/benkei-sas/mycompany
• Xx.com/benkei_fr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Benkei