AEK

Adult Language Educationaek.org

AEK (Euskaraz Kooperatiba Sozietatea) is a non-profit cooperative that provides Basque (Euskara) language education to ~50,000 adult learners annually through approximately 100 euskaltegis across the Basque Country and Navarre, plus online, intensive, and residential immersion programs.

Company typePrivate
Founded-
HeadquartersBilbao, Spain
Headcount1–10
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What AEK does

AEK (legal name: Euskaraz Kooperatiba Sozietatea; doing business as Euskal Herriko AEK) is a non-profit cooperative that provides Basque (Euskara) language education to adult learners across the Basque Country and Navarre. The organization operates approximately 100 euskaltegis (language schools) distributed throughout all Basque territories, enrolling roughly 50,000 learners annually with an average age of 40 and 65% female participation. Course offerings follow the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) levels A1 through C2, with structured progression paths of 100–400 hours per level, and are delivered in multiple formats: standard in-person group classes (October–June, 8 hours per week, approximately 600 euros), intensive trinkoak courses, self-study (autoikaskuntza), blended learning, online courses, and residential immersion barnetegiak in the Urdaibai biosphere reserve.

Beyond courses, AEK provides complementary language services including translation and proofreading (Itzulpenak-zuzenketak), language consulting (Hizkuntza Aholkularitza), didactic services, the PRAKTIKATU practice service, and the Aizu! periodical. The organization also organizes the biennial KORRIKA cultural relay, a major awareness campaign for the Basque language. Its go-to-market relies on a community-led network of physical schools, direct walk-in and phone enrollment, seasonal campaigns (summer, barnetegi), on-site enterprise delivery to companies and schools, and digital channels including the Bloga and online registration. Revenue is generated from course tuition, supplemented by government subsidies channeled through Eusko Jaurlaritza, Nafarroako Gobernua, Arabako Foru Aldundia, municipalities, Lanbide (for unemployed learners), and FUNDAE (for corporate training).

AEK firmographics

Firmographics

Name: AEK
Legal name: Euskaraz Kooperatiba Sozietatea
Website: https://aek.org
Company type: Private
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 1–10 employees
Short description: AEK (Euskaraz Kooperatiba Sozietatea) is a non-profit cooperative that provides Basque (Euskara) language education to ~50,000 adult learners annually through approximately 100 euskaltegis across the Basque Country and Navarre, plus online, intensive, and residential immersion programs.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

AEK industry classification

Industry

Product category: Adult Language Education
NAICS: Language Schools (611630), Educational Services (611)
SIC: Services-Educational Services (8200)
akta.pro industry: PRIMARYEDAAACAA
General ESL Programs (Multi-level Adult ESL)
Education/Adult & Continuing Education/English as a Second Language (ESL) & Adult Language Learning
SECONDARYEDANAAAF
Foreign Language Subject Tutoring (School Coursework)
Education/Tutoring & Test Preparation/Academic Subject Tutoring (K–12 & Higher Ed)

Keywords

Adult language education
Basque language courses
Language immersion programs
Language consulting services
Translation and proofreading

Where AEK is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Bilbao
HQ country: Spain
HQ region: Europe

Markets served

AEK business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

Course Tuition Fees: AEK charges tuition fees for its Basque language courses. In-person courses from October to June (8 hours/week) are approximately 600 euros. Pricing varies by course type: intensive (trinkoak), self-study (autoikaskuntza), online, and Foru residential barnetegi programs each have their own fee structures. The organization operates as a non-profit cooperative.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Subscription	Annual	Standard in-person courses (October–June, 8 hours/week): approximately 600 euros
Subscription	Annual	Intensive in-person courses (trinkoak): variable pricing by euskaltegi
Subscription	Annual	Online courses: variable pricing
Subscription	Annual	Self-study (autoikaskuntza): variable pricing
Subscription	Annual	Foru residential barnetegi: variable pricing

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

AEK product offering

Product offering

Core offering

AEK is a cooperative that delivers Basque (Euskara) language education through approximately 100 euskaltegis (language schools) across the Basque Country and Navarre. Offerings include standard in-person group courses, intensive (trinkoak) courses, online courses, residential barnetegi immersion programs, and ancillary services such as language practice (PRAKTIKATU), language consulting, translation/proofreading, and didactic support, structured to CEFR levels A1 through C2.

Product overview

AEK (Euskaraz Kooperatiba) operates a unified language learning platform offering Basque (Euskara) courses across multiple formats: in-person group courses at over 100 euskaltegis throughout the Basque Country, online courses, intensive courses, and residential immersion programs (Barnetegiak) including family, summer, and cycling variants. The organization also provides complementary language services including translations/proofreading, language consulting, didactic services, and organizes the KORRIKA awareness campaign. AEK's courses follow CEFR levels A1 through C2 with structured progression paths (100-400 hours per level) and include official certification examination preparation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

Korrika: The biennial relay race and campaign organized by AEK to promote the Basque language and culture.
Aizu!
Praktikatu

Products and services

Euskara ikastaroak (Basque courses at euskaltegis)

Quantifiable outcome

50,000 learners enroll in AEK Basque language courses annually
+4 more outcomes

Companies that use AEK

Customer profile

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

AEK technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AEK partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights12 records

AEK competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

EF Education First: Large global education company offering adult language courses, immersive programs, and online learning platforms. Comparable to AEK in offering structured multi-level language instruction with residential immersion and corporate training channels.
Goethe-Institut: Germany's official cultural institute operating worldwide to promote German language learning through a structured network of language centers. Highly comparable to AEK in its mission-driven, government-supported adult language education model with CEFR-aligned certification pathways.
Berlitz Corporation: Global language education company operating language centers for adult learners across many languages. Comparable to AEK as an established adult language school operator with multi-format delivery including in-person, online, and corporate training offerings.
International House: Established global network of language schools offering adult language instruction across multiple languages with standardized curricula and teacher training. Comparable to AEK as a multi-site adult language education operator with structured progression and certification pathways.
Instituto Cervantes: Spain's official institution for promoting Spanish language and culture globally, with a network of centers offering structured language courses following CEFR-aligned curricula. Comparable as a publicly-supported, geographically distributed language school network serving adult learners with certification pathways.
British Council: The UK's international organization for cultural relations and English language teaching, operating language centers worldwide. Comparable to AEK as a mission-driven, publicly-backed adult language education network with multiple delivery formats and CEFR-aligned certifications.
Alliance Française: Global network of French language and culture centers offering adult language instruction with formal certifications. Comparable to AEK as a widely distributed cultural/language education network with a normalization mission for a specific language and substantial governmental backing.

Direct peers

HABE: HABE is the Basque Government's institute for adult euskalduntze (Basque language learning), coordinating the euskaltegi network that includes AEK. Highly comparable as it operates in the same adult Basque language education space, regulates curriculum standards, and shares the same learner pool across the Basque Country.

Regional players

Ikastolen Elkartea: Federation of ikastolas (Basque-medium schools) that provides Basque-language education but focused primarily on K-12 rather than adults. Comparable as a fellow cooperative-style Basque language education institution embedded in the same normalization movement and serving overlapping families.
Consorci per a la Normalització Lingüística (CPNL): Catalonia's public consortium for Catalan language normalization, offering adult language courses and cultural programs across Catalonia. Highly comparable to AEK as a publicly-supported adult regional language education organization serving a similar normalization mandate for a co-official language in Spain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

AEK financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

AEK leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

AEK funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

AEK M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about AEK

What does AEK do?

Is AEK a public or private company?

AEK is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.

When was AEK founded?

AEK was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.

Where is AEK based?

AEK is headquartered in Bilbao, Spain, in the Europe region.

How does AEK make money?

One revenue line is on record: course Tuition Fees.

Who are AEK's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are EF Education First, Goethe-Institut, Berlitz Corporation, International House, Instituto Cervantes, British Council and Alliance Française. HABE is listed as a direct peer. Regional players are Ikastolen Elkartea and Consorci per a la Normalització Lingüística (CPNL).

Does AEK have an API?

No public API is recorded for AEK.

What industry is AEK in?

AEK's product category is Adult Language Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAACAA, General ESL Programs (Multi-level Adult ESL), with a secondary code of EDANAAAF, Foreign Language Subject Tutoring (School Coursework). Its NAICS code is 611630 and its SIC code is 8200.