FONPRO

What FONPRO does

FONPRO (Fondation cantonale pour la formation professionnelle) is a public cantonal foundation established on June 9, 2009 by the law on vocational training in the canton of Vaud (LVLFPr), with implementing regulations adopted on June 30, 2010. Headquartered at Avenue Général-Guisan 48a, 1009 Pully, Switzerland, the foundation operates as the statutory body tasked with distributing the non-subsidized costs of vocational training among employers in the canton of Vaud. It coordinates funding flows among three constituencies: companies that train apprentices (including those with employees following the article 32 OFPr curriculum), training organizations that deliver inter-company courses (CIE) and professional exams, and apprentice/candidate beneficiaries of individual financial aid and support services.

FONPRO's service portfolio spans five core areas: financing of inter-company courses (CIE) and federal CFC/AFP examination costs; individual financial aid to apprentices covering transportation, teaching materials, and preparatory courses; socio-pedagogical support for apprentices in difficulty via CoachApp and AppApp; financial support for higher vocational education (federal expert examinations and higher vocational schools); and apprenticeship promotion through the annual Salon des Métiers et de la Formation Lausanne — an event drawing approximately 49,800 visitors, 106 exhibitors, and 540 trades. The foundation also funds trade-discovery internships for compulsory-school students in partnership with sector associations across culinary, construction, healthcare, and ICT professions.

The foundation operates five dedicated web platforms for processing funding requests: ciech.ch for inter-company courses, financement-cie.fonpro.ch for CIE financing verification, fonprostages.ch for professional internship supervision, fonprosup.ch for federal degrees and brevets, and fonprocie32.ch for article 32 curriculum funding. FONPRO is funded through cantonal subsidies and mandatory contributions from Vaud enterprises rather than commercial revenue, operates with 1-10 employees, and is not privately owned or backed by venture capital. The organization has no subsidiaries, no parent company, and no disclosed funding rounds.

Name

FONPRO

Legal name

Fondation cantonale pour la formation professionnelle

Website

https://fonpro.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FONPRO is a public cantonal foundation in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, established by law in 2009 to coordinate and finance vocational training by distributing non-subsidized training costs among employers. It serves companies training apprentices, training organizations, and apprentices across Vaud.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Training Funding Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Financial Services & Insurance (FINRA, CFP, IAR, Insurance CE) (EDAAALAJ)

Keywords

• Vocational training funding
• Apprenticeship financing
• Inter-company courses
• Cantonal foundation services
• Workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Pully

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

FONPRO is a cantonal foundation that coordinates and finances vocational training in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. It collects contributions from employers and redistributes them to fund inter-company courses (CIE), cover CFC and AFP examination costs, provide individual financial aid to apprentices, and support apprentices facing difficulties. It also promotes apprenticeship through career discovery programs and the annual Salon des Métiers et de la Formation Lausanne.

Product overview

FONPRO (Fondation cantonale pour la formation professionnelle) is a public foundation in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, that supports vocational training. The organization provides a coordinated portfolio of services for companies, training organizations, and apprentices, including: financing for inter-company courses (CIE) and CFC exam costs; individual financial aids for apprentices; support for apprentices facing difficulties; promotion of apprenticeships through the annual Salon des Métiers; and financial support for higher vocational education (federal brevets and diplomas). Services are delivered through both digital platforms for request management and in-person support programs. FONPRO operates as a unified service organization rather than a technology product company with distinct modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Formation professionnelle initiale (Initial Vocational Training Funding) Core service supporting companies in initial vocational training in the canton of Vaud, including financing for inter-company courses (CIE), coverage of CFC exam costs, and management of apprenticeship contracts. Targeted at Vaud-based companies training apprentices or those whose employees follow the article 32 OFPr curriculum.
• Cours interentreprises (CIE) Financing Inter-company courses financed by FONPRO for apprentices in the canton of Vaud, with video explanations on financing mechanisms and online request processing via ciech.ch. Target audience: companies training apprentices and training organizations providing CIE courses.
• Aides individuelles aux apprentis (Individual Aid for Apprentices) Individual financial aid for apprentices covering support courses from certified organizations, transportation costs, teaching materials, and preparatory courses for apprenticeships. Target audience: apprentices in the canton of Vaud pursuing vocational qualifications.
• Soutien aux apprentis en difficulté (Support for Apprentices in Difficulty) Support services for apprentices facing difficulties, including individual coaching (CoachApp) and targeted group support (AppApp) provided by socio-pedagogical coaches. Target audience: apprentices in Vaud experiencing difficulties during their vocational training.
• Promotion de l'apprentissage (Apprenticeship Promotion Program) Career discovery and apprenticeship promotion activities including the annual Salon des Métiers et de la Formation Lausanne, reaching approximately 49,800 visitors. Target audience: young people in mandatory school, families, and companies considering apprentice training in Vaud.
• Stages de découverte métiers (Career Discovery Internships) Career discovery internships for compulsory school students in Vaud, with financial support for professional environments to organize workplace exposure activities. Target audience: students in mandatory school in the canton of Vaud and the professional associations/employers hosting them.
• Plateformes de gestion des demandes en ligne (Online Request Management Platforms) Four online platforms for processing funding requests: ciech.ch (inter-company courses), financement-cie.fonpro.ch (CIE financing verification), fonprostages.ch (professional internships), fonprosup.ch (federal brevets/diplomas), and fonprocie32.ch (article 32 curriculum). Target audience: companies, training organizations, and apprentices in Vaud.
• Formation professionnelle supérieure (Higher Vocational Education Funding) Financial support for higher vocational education including federal expert examinations (EP) and higher vocational schools (EPS), with subsidies for exam fees and course materials. Target audience: Vaud-based companies and individuals pursuing higher vocational qualifications.
• Salon des Métiers et de la Formation Lausanne Annual vocational training and careers fair held at Beaulieu Lausanne, showcasing 540 professions and formations with 106 exhibitors and approximately 49,800 visitors including 16,097 students and teachers. Target audience: students, parents, teachers, and prospective apprentices in Vaud.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• AVMBC – Le club des petits épicuriensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFONPRO has financed stage discovery projects for this professional association, helping to promote apprenticeships in the culinary/hospitality sector among young people in mandatory school in Vaud.
• FVE – Pass'métiersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFONPRO supports Pass'métiers project for trade discovery, along with Petits Bâtisseurs, to promote vocational training in the construction sector to students in mandatory school.
• ARH – Stages de découverteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFONPRO provides financial support for ARH trade discovery stages to promote apprenticeships in various professional sectors.
• ICT – Stages de découverteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFONPRO funds ICT industry trade discovery stages for Médiamaticien and Développeur professions to encourage apprenticeships in the technology sector.
• AORIS – Stages de découverte des cours interentreprisesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFONPRO supports AORIS trade discovery stages for inter-company courses in ASA, ASSC, and ASE professions to promote healthcare and social professions to young people.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• SBFI (Staatssekretariat für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation): Swiss federal authority overseeing vocational training policy, federal diplomas, and apprenticeship frameworks nationally. Comparable to FONPRO as a regulator/funding-coordinator in the same vocational training ecosystem, though at federal rather than cantonal level.
• Swissmem (branchenfonds): Swiss industry association for the MEM sector that administers a sectoral training fund for apprenticeship financing. Conceptually comparable to FONPRO's employer-contribution funding model for vocational training, though organized industry-wide rather than canton-wide.

Regional players

• Ecoles professionnelles de Lausanne (EPL): Public vocational schools in Lausanne delivering CFC-level training and inter-company courses. Comparable to FONPRO on the training delivery side of Vaud's vocational training ecosystem, partnering with the foundation on apprentice funding flows.
• TBB (Stiftung für Lehrlingsförderung und Berufsbildung): Cantonal foundation providing apprenticeship and vocational training funding in another Swiss canton. Directly comparable to FONPRO's mission of financing dual vocational training, but operating in a different Swiss canton.
• BIZ Bern (Berufsinformationszentrum): Vocational information and orientation center in the canton of Bern providing career discovery, apprenticeship support, and guidance services. Comparable to FONPRO's candidate-facing orientation and apprenticeship promotion mission, including the Salon des Métiers-style activities.
• CPNV (Centre professionnel du Nord vaudois): Public vocational training center in the canton of Vaud delivering inter-company courses (CIE) and professional education. Comparable to FONPRO as a cantonal vocational training provider, though focused on course delivery rather than financing coordination.
• EFA (Stiftung Ehemalige der Förderklasse): Swiss foundation supporting vocational education and professional integration through financing and scholarships. Comparable to FONPRO's individual apprentice aid and support-for-apprentices-in-difficulty programs, though with a different target population.

Others

• CSFP (Conférence suisse des offices de la formation professionnelle): Swiss coordinating body for cantonal vocational training offices. Comparable to FONPRO in serving as a coordinating layer between cantons, employers, and training organizations, though at inter-canton policy level rather than direct financing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FonproVaud
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fonpro

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 FONPRO