ACTE44

What ACTE44 does

ACTE44 (Association ACTE44) is a French nonprofit association (association loi 1901) founded in 2008 and headquartered in Orvault, Loire-Atlantique. The organization's core function is to provide free business creation, takeover, and development mentorship to entrepreneurs in the Loire-Atlantique department through a volunteer network of approximately 40 active and retired business leaders and executives, who collectively contribute nearly 4,000 hours per year. The association is not a technology company: its core technology is human mentorship, delivered through in-person permanence hours, telephone, and email consultations across five regional antennas (Ancenis, Châteaubriant, Clisson, Nantes, Saint-Nazaire), each co-located within established business creation centers.

ACTE44's product offering comprises a unified suite of support services: business creation accompaniment (feasibility studies, business plan development, market research, legal status selection), business takeover/repreneurship support, post-creation sponsor/mentor pairing, and strategic redirection assistance for struggling businesses. A specific service line also exists for entrepreneurs with disabilities. Service delivery is anchored by a dedicated volunteer mentor assigned to each entrepreneur for the duration of their journey, in cooperation with Réseau Initiative platforms (Initiative Nantes, Initiative Pays d'Ancenis, Initiative Loire-Atlantique) that provide post-creation honor loans.

The business model is community-led and non-transactional: ACTE44 charges no fees to entrepreneurs for any service. Revenue (in the nonprofit sense of operating inflows) is generated through institutional and partner contributions rather than beneficiary billing. The association is governed by volunteer members under President Michel ALLAIN and operates with 26 employees alongside the volunteer mentor base. Strategic partnerships with the Chambre des Métiers de Loire-Atlantique, CESI École d'Ingénieurs, multiple inter-municipal communities, and career-transition organizations extend ACTE44's reach into the regional entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Name

ACTE44

Legal name

Association ACTE44

Website

https://acte44.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ACTE44 is a French nonprofit association founded in 2008 that provides free business creation, takeover, and development mentorship to entrepreneurs in Loire-Atlantique through approximately 40 volunteer business leaders across five regional antennas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship Support Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (813920), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship mentoring
• Small business creation
• Business takeover support
• Volunteer business advisors
• Free business consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Orvault

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Free support services: ACTE44 is a nonprofit association providing free mentorship and business creation support to entrepreneurs in Loire-Atlantique. The organization operates on volunteer labor and partnerships rather than generating revenue from its beneficiaries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ACTE44 is a French nonprofit association (loi 1901) that provides free, personalised mentorship and accompaniment services to individuals who want to create, take over, or develop a small business in the Loire-Atlantique department. The service is delivered by approximately 40 volunteer business leaders and retired executives across five territorial antennas, with roughly 4,000 volunteer hours contributed per year and long-term follow-up after business launch.

Product overview

ACTE44 is a non-profit association offering a unified suite of business support services for entrepreneurs in Loire-Atlantique, France. The core offering consists of business creation accompaniment (including feasibility studies, business plan development, market research, and legal status selection), business takeover support, and ongoing development assistance for existing small businesses. These services are delivered through a volunteer mentor/sponsor program pairing entrepreneurs with approximately 40 experienced business leaders across five regional antennas (Ancenis, Châteaubriant, Clisson, Nantes, Saint-Nazaire). The organization operates in partnership with local financing platforms and business support networks, providing both pre-creation guidance and post-creation sponsorship during the critical early years of business operation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free individual support and listening sessions for project leaders A free, one-to-one accompaniment and listening service for individuals at the earliest stage of an entrepreneurial project, intended to help them structure their idea and clarify their project before formal creation work begins. Targeted at aspiring entrepreneurs in Loire-Atlantique.
• Free business creation support Free end-to-end accompaniment for individuals creating a new business, from initial idea through to the actual launch of the company. Delivered by volunteer business leaders across the five territorial antennas in Loire-Atlantique, with continued long-term follow-up after launch.
• Free business takeover support Free mentorship for individuals planning to take over an existing small business in Loire-Atlantique. Volunteer business leaders help candidates evaluate opportunities, prepare the takeover project, and structure the acquisition.
• Free business development support Free ongoing accompaniment for owners of existing small businesses in Loire-Atlantique who want to develop, structure, or grow their company. Delivered by the same volunteer mentors over the long term.
• Free support for business leaders facing difficulties Free, confidential support for owners of small businesses in Loire-Atlantique who are encountering financial, operational, or strategic difficulties. Provided independently by volunteer business leaders and retired executives as a sounding board and turnaround aid.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 4,000 volunteer hours dedicated annually to supporting entrepreneurs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Les Supporteurs de la Création 44coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the regional network of business creation supporters, working together to strengthen entrepreneurship in Loire-Atlantique. Located at entreprisespaysdelaloire.fr/reseaux/les-supporteurs-de-la-creation-44
• CESI École d'IngénieurscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with engineering school providing connections to technical expertise and student resources for entrepreneurs supported by ACTE44
• Chambre des Métiers de Loire-Atlantique (CMA 44)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Chamber of Trades providing co-location at Maison des Chambres Consulaires in Clisson and connecting ACTE44 with artisan entrepreneurs
• Réseau Initiative Pays de la LoirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partnership for post-creation sponsorship of entrepreneurs. Initiative networks provide honor loans and ongoing support for businesses created with ACTE44 assistance. ACTE44 works with Initiative Nantes, Initiative Pays d'Ancenis, and Initiative Loire-Atlantique.
• Compa AncenisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal development agency for Ancenis area, connecting ACTE44 with entrepreneurs in the Ancenis region
• Communauté de Communes de Grand LieuminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInter-municipal cooperation body serving communities around Grand Lieu lake area, partnering for local entrepreneurship support
• Maison de l'Entreprise (Saint-Nazaire)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-location partnership providing ACTE44 presence at Maison des Entrepreneurs in Saint-Nazaire, one of the five regional antennas
• Communauté de Communes de NozayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal inter-municipal partner connecting ACTE44 with entrepreneurs in the Nozay area
• Communauté de Communes du Pays de BlainminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal inter-municipal partner serving the Blain area, supporting regional entrepreneurship initiatives
• Pornic AgglominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgglomeration community of Pornic connecting ACTE44 with entrepreneurs in the Pornic region
• Saint-Nazaire AgglomérationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgglomeration community providing support for ACTE44 antenna in Saint-Nazaire and broader regional entrepreneurship development
• Retravailler dans l'OuestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer transition organization for Western France, partnering to support entrepreneurs in professional reconversion

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• France Active: National network financing and supporting social and solidarity economy entrepreneurs, including via accompagnement partnerships. Comparable in being a nonprofit intermediary for business creation, with a broader social-impact focus.
• ADIE: Association pour le Droit à l'Initiative Économique — French nonprofit providing microcredit and accompagnement to entrepreneurs excluded from traditional banking. Comparable mission (inclusive business creation support) though differentiated by ADIE's focus on financing.
• Initiative France: Federation of local 'Initiative' platforms providing honor loans and accompagnement to business creators. ACTE44 is itself a downstream partner via Initiative Nantes / Pays d'Ancenis / Loire-Atlantique, making this the most directly comparable peer in terms of mission and beneficiary profile.
• Réseau Entreprendre: French nonprofit network pairing entrepreneurs with volunteer business leader mentors and offering financing. Highly comparable to ACTE44's mentor/parrainage model, but operating across many régions with a national brand.
• BGE (Boutiques de Gestion): French national nonprofit network supporting business creation and SME development. Closely comparable to ACTE44 in offering free pre- and post-creation accompaniment to entrepreneurs, but operates at significantly larger national scale.

Broad incumbents

• CMA France (Chambres des Métiers et de l'Artisanat): National chamber of trades providing business creation support to artisans, with which ACTE44 co-locates in Clisson. Much broader mandate and resources, overlapping on artisan entrepreneur accompagnement.
• Bpifrance: French public investment bank providing financing, guarantees, and accompagnement to business creators. Adjacent incumbent — provides formal financial support that complements the volunteer mentorship ACTE44 offers, and is a common partner/referral target in the ecosystem.
• CCI France (Chambres de Commerce et d'Industrie): National network of chambers of commerce offering business creation support, training, and formal advice. Operates broadly across all French regions and serves a more commercial (vs. artisan) entrepreneur base, partially overlapping ACTE44's mission.

Emerging players

• France Angels: French federation of business angel networks investing in and supporting early-stage entrepreneurs. Comparable in pairing experienced business figures with project carriers, but differentiated by equity investment angle.
• Les Premières: French nonprofit network supporting women entrepreneurs through incubation and mentoring. Overlaps with ACTE44's mentor/incubation model but with a specific gender-focus and national reach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acte44

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 ACTE44