Association Cristal
Association Cristal is the student-run association-entreprise of EPITA engineering school, founded in 1989, that delivers project-based IT services — web, mobile, security, administration, and network — to French enterprises at competitive rates using voluntary student labor.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersLe Kremlin-bicêtre, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Association Cristal does
Association Cristal is a student-run association (association loi 1901) founded in 1989 as the association-entreprise of EPITA, a private computer engineering school within the IONIS Technology Group based in Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France. It operates as an ESN (Entreprise de Services du Numérique), delivering IT services across six domains: web development, mobile development, desktop and Office solutions, IT administration (including Office 365 and server management), cybersecurity (prevention, pentesting, risk analysis, post-incident response), and network and telecom infrastructure (cloud, VOIP, hosting). Service execution is performed by voluntary EPITA students who apply to project missions, with each engagement overseen by a member of Cristal's charged d'affaires team. Since founding, the association has completed over 2,500 projects for clients including Société Générale, BNP Paribas, Century 21, and Swarovski.
The business model is professional services-oriented: clients submit specifications or commercial proposals, Cristal diffuses the mission to its student network, students execute under supervision, and Cristal bills the client for project delivery while emphasizing competitive pricing relative to traditional IT services firms. Revenue mechanics are project-based with quotes sized to client requirements; no public pricing tiers exist. Go-to-market relies on direct client outreach managed by students acting as chargés d'affaires, supplemented by organic social presence on LinkedIn and Facebook and referral-driven inbound from existing clients. The organization is supported operationally by partnerships with Notion (organizational and tracking tooling) and Capgemini (technology training), and is governed by an elected student Bureau under EPITA's academic oversight, with no external investors, private equity, or venture capital involvement.
Association Cristal firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Association Cristal
- Legal name
- Association Cristal
- Website
- https://cristal.je
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Association Cristal is the student-run association-entreprise of EPITA engineering school, founded in 1989, that delivers project-based IT services — web, mobile, security, administration, and network — to French enterprises at competitive rates using voluntary student labor.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Association Cristal is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Le Kremlin-bicêtre
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Association Cristal business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- IT Project Services: Cristal provides IT services to companies through a mission-based model. Clients submit their needs via specifications or commercial proposals, and EPITA students execute the projects under Cristal's oversight. Revenue is generated through project fees charged to clients for completed IT services ranging from consulting to implementation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Project-based pricing with competitive rates |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Association Cristal product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Association Cristal provides IT services across six categories—web development, mobile development, desktop/Office applications, IT administration (Office 365, servers, architecture), security (prevention, pentesting, risk analysis, post-incident response), and network/telecom (cloud, VOIP, telephony, hosting). Projects are executed by volunteer EPITA engineering students under the supervision of Cristal's chargés d'affaires, who serve as intermediaries between client companies and student service providers.
Product overview
Association Cristal operates as an ESN (Entreprise de Services du Numérique) offering a comprehensive portfolio of IT services. The company provides six distinct service categories: Web Development Services (websites, e-commerce, social media, intranet/extranet), Mobile Development Services (Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Blackberry, Bada), Desktop Application Services (Windows, Mac OS, Unix), IT Administration Services (Office 365, servers, architecture), Security Services (prevention, pentesting, risk analysis, post-incident response), and Network & Telecom Services (cloud computing, infrastructure, VOIP, telephony, hosting). These services span from consulting through implementation across all areas of computer science.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Web Development Services Website creation including vitals, e-commerce, social networks, intranet, and extranet solutions, delivered by EPITA engineering students under Cristal's supervision.
- Mobile Development Services Mobile application development for Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Blackberry, and Bada platforms, executed by EPITA students and overseen by Cristal's chargés d'affaires.
- Desktop Application Services Desktop software development and support across Windows, Mac OS, and Unix environments, including Microsoft Office solutions, delivered by EPITA engineering students.
- IT Administration Services IT infrastructure administration covering Office 365 management, server management, and system architecture services for client companies.
- Security Services Cybersecurity services including prevention, penetration testing, risk analysis, and post-incident response delivered to client companies by EPITA engineering students.
- Network & Telecom Services Network infrastructure and telecommunications services including cloud computing, infrastructure setup, VOIP, telephony, and hosting, delivered by EPITA students.
Companies that use Association Cristal
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Association Cristal technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Association Cristal partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- CapgeminiminorCapgemini provides training on new technologies to Cristal members, enabling them to enhance existing skills and acquire new technical capabilities that benefit client projects.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Association Cristal competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Devoteam: French digital services consultancy covering cloud, security, infrastructure and managed services — direct overlap with Cristal's administration, security and network service lines.
- Capgemini: Global IT services leader and existing training partner of Cristal; competes for the same enterprise IT services contracts at vastly greater scale and with formal certifications.
- Accenture France: Global professional services firm with a major French presence delivering digital, technology and operations services overlapping Cristal's enterprise IT services scope.
- Atos: Global IT services and consulting firm headquartered in France with strong banking-sector presence, competing for IT services engagements at significantly larger scale than Cristal.
- Inetum: French IT services group (formerly GFI Informatique) with broad ESN capabilities across application development, infrastructure and digital transformation competing for similar mid-market and enterprise deals.
- Sopra Steria: Major French-headquartered IT services and digital transformation firm serving banking and enterprise clients directly overlapping Cristal's customer base (Société Générale, BNP Paribas).
- CGI France: IT and business consulting services arm of CGI in France offering application development, infrastructure and managed services comparable to Cristal's service portfolio.
Direct peers
- Junior Entreprise EPITECH (and similar CNJE-affiliated JEs): Other CNJE-affiliated Junior Enterprises at French engineering schools run the same student-delivery professional services model; direct competitors in the junior-services segment for similar client mandates.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Association Cristal social profiles
Digital presenceAssociation Cristal financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Association Cristal leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Association Cristal funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Association Cristal 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 Association Cristal
What does Association Cristal do?
Association Cristal provides IT services across six categories—web development, mobile development, desktop/Office applications, IT administration (Office 365, servers, architecture), security (prevention, pentesting, risk analysis, post-incident response), and network/telecom (cloud, VOIP, telephony, hosting). Projects are executed by volunteer EPITA engineering students under the supervision of Cristal's chargés d'affaires, who serve as intermediaries between client companies and student service providers.
Is Association Cristal a public or private company?
Association Cristal is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Association Cristal founded?
Association Cristal was founded in 1989. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Association Cristal based?
Association Cristal is headquartered in Le Kremlin-bicêtre, France, in the Europe region.
How does Association Cristal make money?
One revenue line is on record: IT Project Services.
Who are Association Cristal's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Devoteam, Capgemini, Accenture France, Atos, Inetum, Sopra Steria and CGI France. Junior Entreprise EPITECH (and similar CNJE-affiliated JEs) is listed as a direct peer.
Does Association Cristal have an API?
No public API is recorded for Association Cristal.