AFPAPH - Association Française des Professionnels de l'Accessibilité

What AFPAPH - Association Française des Professionnels de l'Accessibilité does

AFPAPH (Association Française des Professionnels pour l'Accessibilité aux Personnes Handicapées) is a French nonprofit professional association founded on August 31, 2005, under the French law of July 1, 1901. Headquartered in Claye-Souilly, France, the association federates more than 70 member structures across the full accessibility value chain, including design and consulting offices, manufacturers, distributors, digital accessibility solution providers, training organizations, and installers. Its mission is to represent accessibility professionals to public authorities and user associations, promote the exchange of best practices and innovation, and enforce an ethics charter that members must sign on admission. The Bureau reviews all membership applications, and members pay an annual subscription fee of €150 (with a higher fixed contribution for "benefactor" members set by the Board and General Assembly).

The association's product surface is built around four working commissions (digital accessibility, MaPrimeAdapt' housing adaptation, training and awareness, and standards/regulations), the Observatoire des solutions d'accessibilité innovantes co-developed with CEREMA (signed October 6, 2022 at Batimat Paris), a member directory categorized by specialty, training modules covering public reception, building accessibility, accessible communication, and disability-in-employment, and the co-published Tourisme & Handicaps magazine. Distribution is domestic-focused and primarily direct: digital channels (website, LinkedIn page with 10,466 followers, Twitter @AFPAPH1, quarterly newsletter) plus in-person commissions, plenary meetings, and the annual seminar. Member companies collectively report 41,455 establishments diagnosed, 7,430 fully made accessible, 9,120 equipped with hearing-loop solutions, 19,650 people trained or sensitized, and 570 websites made accessible.

Revenue is generated almost entirely from membership subscriptions (€150/year per active or founding member) and ancillary service/consulting fees, with no disclosed external funding, investor ownership, or parent entity. The association operates as a member-governed body with a 12-member Board of Directors and an Executive Bureau led by President Sandra Bossard. It holds formal institutional relationships with the Délégation Ministérielle à l'Accessibilité (DMA), the Ministère des Solidarités et de la Santé, and the Ministère de la Transition écologique, alongside academic and corporate partners (CEREMA, IUT de Vélizy, Université Paris-Saclay, École de Design Nantes Atlantique, Saint-Gobain, Tourisme & Handicaps, Handibat, among others).

Name

AFPAPH - Association Française des Professionnels de l'Accessibilité

Legal name

Association Française des Professionnels pour l'Accessibilité aux Personnes Handicapées (AFPAPH)

Website

https://afpaph.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AFPAPH is a French nonprofit professional association founded in 2005 that federates 70+ member structures across the accessibility value chain (design, manufacturing, distribution, digital, training, installation) to represent practitioners, share best practices, and enforce an industry ethics charter in France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Claye-Souilly

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership subscriptions and fees: The association derives its primary revenue from membership fees. According to the statutes, members pay an annual subscription fee. For the first fiscal year, the fee was set at 150 euros for founding members and active members. Benefactor members pay a fixed right plus the annual subscription determined by the General Assembly.
2. Service and consulting fees: Revenue from performing work, supplies, or services for third parties or members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

AFPAPH is a nonprofit professional association that federates more than 70 French accessibility-focused companies across the entire value chain — design offices, manufacturers, distributors, digital solution providers, training organizations, and installers. It delivers its value through working commissions, a public member directory (Annuaire), a collaborative Observatory platform co-built with CEREMA, training and awareness modules, an ethics charter, and representation of members before public authorities and user associations.

Product overview

AFPAPH is a professional association (not a software product company) that federates accessibility professionals in France. The association provides services through working commissions, a member directory, and a collaborative observatory platform with CEREMA. Member companies offer various individual products and services in accessibility including hardware solutions (ramps, stair lifts, elevators), digital accessibility tools (web accessibility, audio assistance), and consulting services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Association Membership and Member Services Professional association membership for French accessibility professionals offering networking, ethics charter, representation before authorities, and visibility via directory and commissions; targeted at design offices, manufacturers, distributors, digital solution providers, training organizations, and installers.
• Observatoire des solutions d'accessibilité innovantes Collaborative platform co-developed with CEREMA gathering case studies, expert analyses, and webinars on innovative accessibility solutions for the built environment and displacement chain, aimed at project owners and accessibility professionals.
• Member Directory (Annuaire) Online directory of over 70 AFPAPH member companies categorized by specialty including digital accessibility, design studios, consulting, distribution, training, and installation, used by buyers to find qualified accessibility service providers.
• Formation – Sensibilisation Training Modules Training modules covering public reception, building accessibility, exploitation accessibility, accessible communication, and disability integration in employment, delivered by AFPAPH's Formation-Sensibilisation commission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 41,455 establishments diagnosed by members
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CEREMA (Centre d'études et d'expertise sur les risques, l'environnement, la mobilité et l'aménagement)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2022Strategic partnership for the Observatoire des solutions d'accessibilité innovantes. The partnership was signed on October 6, 2022 at Batimat Paris. AFPAPH and CEREMA collaborate to build a platform featuring case studies, expert analysis, and webinars on innovative accessibility solutions for the built environment and displacement chain.
• Délégation Ministérielle à l'Accessibilité (DMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal support and collaboration with the ministerial delegation. Quote from Déléguée Ministérielle Carole Guéchi acknowledging AFPAPH's work since 2005 in bringing ground-level information to decision makers.
• Ministère des Solidarités et de la SantéminorOthersGovernment ministry providing institutional support and recognition to the association's mission.
• Ministère de la Transition écologiqueminorOthersGovernment ministry providing institutional support for accessibility in the built environment and transportation.
• APAHM (Association Pour l'Accueil et l'Hébergement des Personnes Handicapées)minorOthersPartner association for accessibility and housing of people with disabilities.
• HandibatminorOthersProfessional network of accessibility specialists in France.
• IUT de VélizyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the University Institute of Technology for academic collaboration in accessibility.
• VHMA - Université Paris-SaclayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Master's program in Adapted Physical Activity and Health, focusing on aging and disability.
• Paris Office du Tourisme et des CongrèsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for promoting accessible tourism in Paris.
• Saint-GobainminorOthersBuilding materials manufacturer partner in accessibility solutions.
• APHPP (Association des Professionnels pour l'Habitat Participation et Prospective)minorOthersProfessional association focused on housing and living environment.
• Ecole de design Nantes AtlantiqueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign school partnership for accessibility-focused design education.
• FILIANCEminorOthersProfessional network partner in accessibility sector.
• Tourisme & HandicapsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-label association for accessible tourism, co-publishing magazine with AFPAPH.
• A Tour de BrasminorOthersAssociation founded by AFPAPH founding member Yves Pucheral, organizing handbike and cycling trips to evolve disability image and infrastructure. AFPAPH contributes to their annual 'périple handivalide'.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• AGEFIPH: French fund financing professional inclusion of people with disabilities. Adjacent stakeholder that channels demand for accessibility adaptations in employment — a use case AFPAPH members also address through the MaPrimeAdapt' commission.
• AFNOR: French national standards body in which AFPAPH participates. Comparable in shaping the regulatory and standards framework that governs the work of AFPAPH's accessibility professional members.
• Saint-Gobain: Global building materials manufacturer listed by AFPAPH as a corporate partner. Comparable through its accessibility-focused product lines and involvement in French built-environment standards that AFPAPH influences.
• FIPHFP: Public-sector counterpart to AGEFIPH, funding disability inclusion in public employment. Adjacent to AFPAPH's training-sensitization commission and ERP accessibility work for government employers.

Broad incumbents

• CEREMA: French public expert agency on environmental, mobility, and urban planning risks. AFPAPH's strategic partner on the Observatoire; comparable in that both work on accessibility in the built environment and mobility chain, though CEREMA is a state agency rather than a professional association.
• APF France Handicap: Major French disability advocacy organization that represents users with disabilities — the same constituency AFPAPH's members serve. Operates at a much larger scale and shapes the policy environment in which AFPAPH members operate.
• UNAPEI: Federation of French associations representing people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Comparable mission area (disability inclusion/accessibility) at significantly larger scale, and a stakeholder AFPAPH engages through public-authority representation.

Direct peers

• Tourisme & Handicaps: French state-label association for accessible tourism and co-publisher of AFPAPH's magazine. Comparable professional-association structure and a direct collaborator on accessible-tourism certification and operator training.
• Handibat: French professional network of accessibility specialists, listed by AFPAPH itself as a partner. Operates in the same French accessibility professional space with overlapping member bases and similar ethical/membership-driven model.
• FILIANCE: Professional network partner in the French accessibility sector. Comparable scope: federates accessibility practitioners and supports them with standards, training, and visibility.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AFPAPH1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afpaph-association-francaise-des-professionnels-pour-accessibilite

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 AFPAPH - Association Française des Professionnels de l'Accessibilité