GrandsEnsemble
GrandsEnsemble is a Hauts-de-France worker cooperative (CAE) that hosts 150+ freelancers under the entrepreneur-salarié status, providing social protections, shared administrative services, coworking space at Bazaar St-So, and a Qualiopi-certified training arm.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersLille, France
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What GrandsEnsemble does
GrandsEnsemble is a Coopérative d'Activité et d'Emploi (CAE) — a worker cooperative structured as a SCOP SA à capital variable — headquartered at the Bazaar St-So innovation hub in Lille (292 rue Camille Guérrin), with operational presence in Amiens and Valenciennes. The cooperative hosts independent workers and freelancers under the entrepreneur-salarié status, providing them with a CESA employment contract, social protections (unemployment, health, pension, parental leave), and shared administrative, accounting, and insurance services. Aspiring entrepreneurs first enter through a CAPE (Contrat d'Appui au Projet d'Entreprise) test contract lasting 6–24 months before transitioning to full CESA membership. As of December 31, 2024, the cooperative reported 150 entrepreneur-salarié members and 55 entrepreneurs in the CAPE testing phase, collectively generating €3.37M in business revenue. The cooperative monetizes via a fixed 13% contribution on members' gross margin (with zero fee if no revenue is generated) and via its Qualiopi-certified training sub-brand, GrandsEnsemble Formation, which deploys 30 trainer-entrepreneurs across health/social, business services, and transversal competencies. Supporting infrastructure includes the Nuage collaborative platform (NextCloud-based, self-hosted via IndieHosters), a 5,000m² shared workspace at Bazaar St-So co-founded with Smart and the initiativesETcit cluster, a Budget Contributif system for democratic project funding, and a mutualized operational team of 14 shared with Smart. The organization is a member of the Hauts les Coop network of 8 CAEs in Hauts-de-France and receives public co-financing from Région Hauts-de-France, Lille Métropole, and the European Union.
GrandsEnsemble firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GrandsEnsemble
- Legal name
- GrandsEnsemble
- Website
- https://grandsensemble.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- GrandsEnsemble is a Hauts-de-France worker cooperative (CAE) that hosts 150+ freelancers under the entrepreneur-salarié status, providing social protections, shared administrative services, coworking space at Bazaar St-So, and a Qualiopi-certified training arm.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GrandsEnsemble industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cooperative Business Services (Coopérative d'Activité et d'Emploi)
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Remote/Hybrid Work Readiness & Digital Collaboration (EDAAAKAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Financial Literacy, Budgeting & Personal Finance (EDAMAHAE), Communication, Collaboration & Conflict Resolution Skills (EDAMAIAF)
Keywords
Where GrandsEnsemble is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lille
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
GrandsEnsemble 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
- Membership Fee on Gross Margin: GrandsEnsemble charges a fixed rate of 13% on the gross margin of entrepreneurs' revenue. No fees are charged if no revenue is generated. This contributes to shared services, administrative management, professional insurance, mutualized risk coverage, and cooperative services.
- Professional Training Services: The formation organization generates revenue through continuing professional education courses delivered by 30 trainer-entrepreneurs. Training covers sectors including health/social, business services, and transversal competencies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | 13% contribution on gross margin |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
GrandsEnsemble product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GrandsEnsemble is a Coopérative d'Activité et d'Emploi (CAE) that hosts independent workers and freelancers under the entrepreneur-salarié (employee-entrepreneur) status via CESA contracts and CAPE test-phase agreements. The cooperative provides shared administrative, accounting, and financial management services, social protections, coworking space at the Bazaar St-So in Lille, and access to the Nuage collaborative platform. A separate training arm (GrandsEnsemble Formation) delivers Qualiopi-certified continuing professional education through 30 trainer-entrepreneurs.
Product overview
GrandsEnsemble is a Coopérative d'Activité et d'Emploi (CAE) headquartered at the Bazaar St-So in Lille, offering a comprehensive ecosystem for independent professionals. The core offering centers on the CAE hosted entrepreneur status (entrepreneur-salarié), supported by the CAPE testing contract and CESA formal employment agreement. Entrepreneurs benefit from integrated administrative/accounting services, a secure 24/7 management tools platform, and the Nuage collaborative platform (powered by NextCloud). The cooperative provides physical infrastructure including coworking spaces at the 5000m² Bazaar St-So location, alongside a rich program of collective workshops, networking events (petits dej' entrepreneurs, apéros), and the innovative Budget Contributif system for democratic value creation. A dedicated sub-brand, GrandsEnsemble Formation, operates as a Qualiopi-certified training organization offering professional development courses across multiple domains, with 30 expert trainers serving continuing education needs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GrandsEnsemble Formation: The training division of the cooperative offering continuing professional development courses.
Products and services
- Coopérative d'Activité et d'Emploi (CAE) Hosted Entrepreneur Status A cooperative hosting structure enabling independent workers and freelancers to operate under entrepreneur-salarié (employee-entrepreneur) status via a CESA contract, combining autonomy with employee social protections (unemployment, health, pension, parental leave) and shared administrative services.
- Contrat d'Appui au Projet d'Entreprise (CAPE) A 6-24 month support contract enabling aspiring entrepreneurs to test their activity while preserving unemployment benefits, with first invoicing, treasury building, and client portfolio development within a secure cooperative framework.
- Administrative and Accounting Management Services Comprehensive administrative, accounting, and financial management services covering invoicing, payroll processing, and compliance, allowing cooperative entrepreneurs to focus on their core business activities.
- GrandsEnsemble Formation — Training Organization Qualiopi-certified continuing professional education organization delivering courses across health/social/education, transversal skills, business services, and human sciences/law via 30 trainer-entrepreneurs, serving companies, associations, and public organizations.
- Coworking Spaces (Bazaar St-So) Access to shared coworking and event spaces at the 5000m2 Bazaar St-So in Lille, providing entrepreneurs, makers, and creative professionals with physical workspace and networking opportunities.
- Collective Workshops and Training (Cooperative Life) Regular collective workshops for cooperative members covering business development, communication, prospecting, pitch presentation, and professional skills, organized by members for members through the budget contributif system.
Quantifiable outcome
- 3.37M€ combined business revenue generated by entrepreneurs (2024)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use GrandsEnsemble
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
GrandsEnsemble technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
GrandsEnsemble partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Région Hauts-de-FrancecoreCo-financier supporting the cooperative's accompaniment services and entrepreneurship development programs, particularly for fragile territories and women entrepreneurs through the Grandes Ensemble program.
- Lille MétropolecoreMetropolitan authority co-financing cooperative development and entrepreneurship support activities in the Lille metropolitan area.
- CRESS HDF (Chambre Régionale de l'Économie Sociale et Solidaire)minorRegional chamber representing and supporting ESS organizations, providing network and resources for cooperative development.
- FDCAE (Fédération des CAE)minorNational federation of Cooperatives d'Activité et d'Emploi providing resources, best practices, and collective representation.
- Hauts les CoopcoreRegional brand uniting 8 CAEs in Hauts-de-France for joint events, knowledge sharing, and collective promotion of cooperative entrepreneurship. GrandsEnsemble actively participates in network activities and events.
- SmartcoreCo-founder of the Bazaar St-So shared space. Smart is a pioneering cooperative platform for independent workers, sharing infrastructure and team resources with GrandsEnsemble at the Lille location.
- initiativesETcité ClustercoreCreative industries cluster co-founding the Bazaar St-So innovation hub, contributing to creative economy development and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
- Bazaar St-Socore5000m2 shared innovation space housing makers, artisans, coworkers, and creative entrepreneurs. Founded by Smart and initiativesETcité, supported by regional authorities. Home to GrandsEnsemble headquarters.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
GrandsEnsemble competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Smart (Coopérative d'Activité et d'Emploi): France's largest cooperative platform for independent workers, hosting tens of thousands of entrepreneurs. GrandsEnsemble directly partners with Smart at the Bazaar St-So location and shares a mutualized team with it, making Smart both a co-founder and a direct competitor in the CAE model.
- Inter-Made: Marseille-based CAE supporting independent workers and social entrepreneurs in PACA. Closely parallels GrandsEnsemble's mission of hosting entrepreneurs with social protections and a cooperative structure.
- Mensa (Coopérative d'Activité et d'Emploi): CAE based in Toulouse/Occitanie providing the same entrepreneur-salarié model and shared services as GrandsEnsemble. Comparable in scale and cooperative governance model, serving as a direct peer in another French region.
- Coopaname: Major Paris-based CAE offering the same entrepreneur-salarié status and shared administrative services as GrandsEnsemble, with a much larger member base across multiple activity domains. Directly comparable model and target customer segment.
- Oxalis (Coopérative d'Activité et d'Emploi): SCOP-format CAE based in the Lyon/Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region providing hosted entrepreneur status, administrative services, and coworking support. Closely matches GrandsEnsemble's structure, services, and cooperative governance.
Broad incumbents
- France Active: National network financing and supporting social and solidarity economy (ESS) enterprises, including cooperatives. Shares GrandsEnsemble's ESS orientation and regional Hauts-de-France presence but focuses on financing rather than hosted employment.
- BGE Réseau (Boutiques de Gestion): National French network supporting business creation across France, including by independent entrepreneurs. Provides incubation, training, and advisory services overlapping with GrandsEnsemble's entrepreneur-support mission but on a much broader scale and with a different legal structure.
Others
- CRESS Hauts-de-France: Regional chamber representing social and solidarity economy (ESS) organizations in Hauts-de-France. GrandsEnsemble is a member of CRESS HDF, which provides policy advocacy and ecosystem support rather than direct services, making it a structural peer and ecosystem partner.
Emerging players
- La Ruche qui dit Oui: French cooperative platform connecting local producers and consumers. Shares the cooperative DNA and French social-economy ecosystem with GrandsEnsemble but operates a marketplace model rather than hosted-employment services.
- ADIE (Association pour le Droit à l'Initiative Économique): French association financing and supporting micro-entrepreneurs through microcredit and accompaniment. Targets a similar aspiring-entrepreneur customer but provides capital rather than hosted employment status, making it a complementary rather than directly competing offering.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
GrandsEnsemble social profiles
Digital presenceGrandsEnsemble compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
GrandsEnsemble financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GrandsEnsemble leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
GrandsEnsemble funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GrandsEnsemble 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 GrandsEnsemble
What does GrandsEnsemble do?
GrandsEnsemble is a Coopérative d'Activité et d'Emploi (CAE) that hosts independent workers and freelancers under the entrepreneur-salarié (employee-entrepreneur) status via CESA contracts and CAPE test-phase agreements. The cooperative provides shared administrative, accounting, and financial management services, social protections, coworking space at the Bazaar St-So in Lille, and access to the Nuage collaborative platform. A separate training arm (GrandsEnsemble Formation) delivers Qualiopi-certified continuing professional education through 30 trainer-entrepreneurs.
Is GrandsEnsemble a public or private company?
GrandsEnsemble is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was GrandsEnsemble founded?
GrandsEnsemble was founded in 2008. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is GrandsEnsemble based?
GrandsEnsemble is headquartered in Lille, France, in the Europe region.
How does GrandsEnsemble make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Fee on Gross Margin is the primary driver. The others are professional Training Services.
Who are GrandsEnsemble's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Smart (Coopérative d'Activité et d'Emploi), Inter-Made, Mensa (Coopérative d'Activité et d'Emploi), Coopaname and Oxalis (Coopérative d'Activité et d'Emploi). Broad incumbents are France Active and BGE Réseau (Boutiques de Gestion). CRESS Hauts-de-France is listed as an others. Emerging players are La Ruche qui dit Oui and ADIE (Association pour le Droit à l'Initiative Économique).
Does GrandsEnsemble have an API?
No public API is recorded for GrandsEnsemble.
What industry is GrandsEnsemble in?
GrandsEnsemble's product category is Cooperative Business Services (Coopérative d'Activité et d'Emploi). Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAKAL, Remote/Hybrid Work Readiness & Digital Collaboration, with a secondary code of EDAMAHAE, Financial Literacy, Budgeting & Personal Finance. Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.