Yes We Camp
Yes We Camp is a French non-profit association that activates vacant urban spaces into hybrid third places serving vulnerable populations, artists, and municipalities. Operating roughly ten sites across France with a 5 million euro budget, the organization pioneered the transitional urbanism methodology.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Yes We Camp does
Yes We Camp is a French non-profit association (1901 law) founded in 2013 in Marseille, with a stated presence from 2012, that activates vacant and underutilized urban spaces into hybrid third places serving social, cultural, economic, and environmental functions. The association operates approximately ten active sites across France — including Académie du Climat in Paris, Buropolis (a 16,000 m² building hosting 200 artists in Marseille), Auberge Marseillaise (a shelter for women victims of domestic violence), Coco Velten, Les Amarres, GR1, Bercy Beaucoup, and Vive les Groues (a 9,000 m² site in Nanterre) — as well as international engagements in Taiwan and Belgium. Primary constituencies are vulnerable populations (refugees, women fleeing violence, homeless individuals, isolated elderly), artists and makers seeking affordable studio space, municipalities seeking innovative approaches to vacant public buildings, and broader local communities across Marseille, Paris, and Nanterre.
The core methodology is "transitional urbanism": the organization uses the temporary nature of occupations to secure "droit d'usage" (right of use) agreements with landowners and municipalities, avoiding traditional rent obligations and enabling frugal, low-tech, iterative site design. The technical stack is operational rather than software-based — comprising a participatory design and "do-together" methodology, collective governance circles (Achat, Bien-être) coordinated by a 15-member rotating Collegiate Council without presidency, and a space design philosophy built on frugality, iteration, and collective "chantiers". The Caravanade program deploys five mobile units (workshop, media, kitchen, hammam, stage) for on-demand participatory actions, with 250+ actions and over 40,000 field-hours recorded since 2014.
Revenue is hybrid: a minimum 50% self-financing floor through catering, site rentals, event privatizations, advisory/AMOA services, artistic commissions, and Buropolis studio rents, complemented by public subsidies — including European ERDF grants, municipal and departmental funding — that grew from 5% of the budget in 2017 to 45% in 2020. The association disclosed a 5 million euro annual budget supporting 75 full-time equivalents across Marseille and Paris offices. Customer segments are diversified across municipalities (Ville de Nantes, Ville de Martigues), social NGOs (Association Aurore, Emmaüs, Croix-Rouge française), cultural institutions (MuCEM), international public entities (Ministry of Culture of Taiwan), and foundations (Fondation Abbé Pierre). Distribution is direct on-site with no traditional sales cycle; secondary commercial channels include site privatizations and the D.U. Espaces Communs university diploma co-developed with academic partners.
Yes We Camp firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Yes We Camp
- Legal name
- Yes We Camp
- Website
- https://yeswecamp.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Yes We Camp is a French non-profit association that activates vacant urban spaces into hybrid third places serving vulnerable populations, artists, and municipalities. Operating roughly ten sites across France with a 5 million euro budget, the organization pioneered the transitional urbanism methodology.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Yes We Camp industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Urban Social Innovation Services
- NAICS
- Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Seasonal & Pop-Up Campsites (Event/Harvest/Temporary) (THAGAOAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Eco-Camps & Sustainable Camping Retreats (THAGAOAE), Seasonal & Long-Term Campsites (Snowbirds, Extended RV Stays) (THAMAJAF)
Keywords
Where Yes We Camp is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Yes We Camp business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Self-financing / Market revenues: Dominant revenue share maintained at minimum 50%. Sources include catering activities, contributions, charges from site occupants, service receipts, artistic commissions, advisory/AMOA services, space rental income, and event production.
- Public subsidies and grants: Subsidies grew from 5% in 2017 to 45% in 2020. Includes European funding (ERDF), municipal and departmental grants, and institutional support. Organization is deliberate about not becoming dependent on public funding.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Social housing / shelter (Auberge Marseillaise) — free or very low cost for vulnerable populations |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Atelier/laboratory spaces (Buropolis) — very low per m² pricing compared to market rents |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Yes We Camp product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Yes We Camp is a French non-profit association (1901 law) that activates vacant urban spaces — wastelands, brownfields and unused buildings — into temporary 'third places' combining social, cultural, economic and environmental functions. It operates roughly 10 hybrid sites across France (Marseille, Paris, Nanterre) housing emergency shelter, affordable artist studios, community catering, urban gardens and cultural programming, while providing accompaniment services, training (D.U Espaces Communs), and contracted advisory/AMOA missions to municipalities and partner associations.
Product overview
Yes We Camp is a 1901 law association that offers a unified portfolio of services focused on the inventive use of available spaces. The organization operates as a single integrated system comprising: (1) temporary space activation and management services that transform vacant urban sites into hybrid spaces; (2) an accompaniment/support format service helping other organizations develop their own projects; (3) the D.U Espaces Communs university diploma for professional training in transitional urbanism; and (4) a network of approximately 10 operational project sites across France including Académie du Climat (Paris), Césure (Paris), Vive les Groues (Nanterre), Buropolis (Marseille), Auberge Marseillaise (Marseille), Coco Velten (Marseille), Les Amarres (Paris), GR1 (Marseille), and Bercy Beaucoup (Paris). These sites host diverse activities including social hosting, food services, cultural programming, artistic residencies, urban agriculture, and community events. The Caravanade itinerant program provides mobile participatory tools for citizen initiatives. The organization functions as a transversal operator with collective capacity to design, produce, animate, manage, and commercially operate invested sites.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 250+ participatory actions conducted by Caravanade program since 2014, with 40,000+ hours deployed on the field
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Yes We Camp
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Yes We Camp technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Yes We Camp partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Association AurorecoreAssociation Aurore specializes in emergency housing and social work. A key operational partner present at multiple Yes We Camp sites including Auberge Marseillaise and Les Amarres. Aurore provides social outreach expertise and vulnerable population support, while Yes We Camp provides spatial activation and programming.
- Encore Heureux (architecture studio)coreArchitecture and commissariat firm specializing in participatory and socially engaged architecture. Long-standing partner for design and project commissioning across multiple Yes We Camp sites. Known for landmark projects including Les Grands Voisins.
- Plateau UrbaincoreSpecializes in solidarity urbanism and transitional space rental. Works with Yes We Camp on vacant building activation and transitional occupation protocols, sharing expertise in the 'droit d'usage' model.
- AshokasupportingGlobal social entrepreneurship organization. Supports Yes We Camp's development as a recognized social innovator, providing network access and institutional credibility within the social innovation ecosystem.
- BellastockcoreArchitecture and experimental design organization focused on material reuse and circular construction. Partner for experimental building techniques and participates in annual conferences on reuse and sustainable construction.
- EmmaüssupportingSocial action organization fighting exclusion through hospitality and mutual aid. Works with Yes We Camp on social hosting and emergency accommodation projects at various sites.
- Croix-Rouge françaisesupportingFrench Red Cross provides humanitarian expertise and support for emergency response and social integration programs at Yes We Camp sites.
- Université Gustave EiffelsupportingAcademic partner for research and education in urban studies and city planning. Collaborates on workshops and academic programming related to transitional urbanism.
- Le PEROU (laboratoire de recherche-action sur la ville)supportingResearch-action laboratory focused on urban questions. Provides academic rigor and research frameworks for Yes We Camp's transitional urbanism methodology.
- CodeSign-it (innovation collaborative)supportingCollaborative innovation organization. Works with Yes We Camp on co-design methodologies and participatory innovation processes.
- Refugee FoodsupportingFood-focused social organization supporting refugee integration through culinary professions. Partner at Académie du Climat and food solidarity events, bringing engaged cooking and community meals to Yes We Camp sites.
- ADDAP 13supportingSocial prevention and mediation organization in Marseille. Partner in Caravanade mobile program, providing youth outreach and social mediation expertise for participatory actions.
- Architectes Sans FrontièresupportingArchitecture nonprofit bringing technical expertise in participatory construction to Caravanade and site development projects.
- Fondation Abbé PierresupportingMajor French foundation dedicated to housing rights and fighting precarity. Supports projects addressing homelessness and inadequate housing within Yes We Camp's social mission.
- Médecins du MondesupportingMedical humanitarian organization. Provides healthcare access and social mediation at Yes We Camp sites hosting vulnerable populations.
- Ernest (cuisine engagée)supportingEngaged catering and restaurant operator. Collaborates on food programming and solidarity meals at Yes We Camp sites.
- Pépin ProductionsupportingUrban garden and agriculture organization. Supports urban agriculture and green space development at Yes We Camp sites including Vive les Groues.
- La Friche Belle de MaisupportingMajor Marseille cultural third-place and creative hub. Collaborates on cultural programming, conference hosting, and the broader tiers-lieux ecosystem in Marseille.
- Dakota (artistes, performances)supportingArtist collective and performance organization. Provides artistic programming and creative direction for events and site activations.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Yes We Camp competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Fondation Abbé Pierre: Major French foundation dedicated to housing rights and fighting housing precarity. Comparable as a partner and as a counterpart organisation operating in the same housing-inclusion space, but at advocacy and policy scale rather than direct site operation.
- Emmaüs Habitat: National social housing operator within the Emmaüs movement. A documented partner of Yes We Camp, comparable in addressing housing precarity and inclusion but operating at national scale with permanent rather than transitional property holdings.
- Le Centquatre (104): Major Paris public cultural centre housed in a former municipal funeral home, offering exhibitions, residencies, and community programming. Comparable as a third-place operator occupying a repurposed public building at much larger institutional scale.
Regional players
- La Friche la Belle de Mai: Major cultural third place in Marseille housed in a former tobacco factory, offering cultural programming, shared workspaces, and food services. Comparable in Marseille's tiers-lieux ecosystem and a documented partner of Yes We Camp, though operating at a larger and more institutional scale.
- Mains d'Œuvres: Saint-Denis third place combining social hosting, artistic programming, and participatory workshops in a former industrial site. Comparable in mixing vulnerable population support with cultural and civic programming under one roof.
Direct peers
- La Caserne: Paris-based platform dedicated to fashion and sustainable textile innovation, occupying a former fire station as a temporary third place. Comparable as a temporary occupation operator that uses a flagship site to anchor an ecosystem of partner associations and events.
- Plateau Urbain: Paris-based cooperative that specialises in transitional occupation of vacant urban buildings under the same 'droit d'usage' framework. It is both a strategic partner and the closest direct competitor for the same municipal and property owner mandates in France.
- La Recyclerie: Paris third place housed in a former railway station combining bar, restaurant, urban farm, and cultural programming. Comparable in combining transitional use of a vacant urban asset with a mix of food, social, and cultural revenue streams.
- Les Grands Voisins: Iconic Paris project on the former Saint-Vincent de Paul hospital site that mixed refugees, artists, social services, and the public. Operates an equivalent third-place model with a similar social, cultural, and economic mix, and is frequently cited alongside Yes We Camp as a transitional urbanism reference.
Emerging players
- Bellastock: Paris architecture and experimental design organisation focused on material reuse and circular construction. Comparable as a peer and partner in the transitional urbanism ecosystem, particularly on the construction methodology side of Yes We Camp's work.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Yes We Camp social profiles
Digital presenceYes We Camp financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Yes We Camp leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Yes We Camp funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Yes We Camp 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 Yes We Camp
What does Yes We Camp do?
Yes We Camp is a French non-profit association (1901 law) that activates vacant urban spaces — wastelands, brownfields and unused buildings — into temporary 'third places' combining social, cultural, economic and environmental functions. It operates roughly 10 hybrid sites across France (Marseille, Paris, Nanterre) housing emergency shelter, affordable artist studios, community catering, urban gardens and cultural programming, while providing accompaniment services, training (D.U Espaces Communs), and contracted advisory/AMOA missions to municipalities and partner associations.
Is Yes We Camp a public or private company?
Yes We Camp is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Yes We Camp founded?
Yes We Camp was founded in 2013. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Yes We Camp based?
Yes We Camp is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does Yes We Camp make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Self-financing / Market revenues are the primary driver. The others are public subsidies and grants.
Who are Yes We Camp's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Fondation Abbé Pierre, Emmaüs Habitat and Le Centquatre (104). Regional players are La Friche la Belle de Mai and Mains d'Œuvres. Direct peers are La Caserne, Plateau Urbain, La Recyclerie and Les Grands Voisins. Bellastock is listed as an emerging player.
Does Yes We Camp have an API?
No public API is recorded for Yes We Camp.
What industry is Yes We Camp in?
Yes We Camp's product category is Urban Social Innovation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAGAOAH, Seasonal & Pop-Up Campsites (Event/Harvest/Temporary), with a secondary code of THAGAOAE, Eco-Camps & Sustainable Camping Retreats. Its NAICS code is 721214 and its SIC code is 7000.