AGI-SON
AGI-SON is a French non-profit association founded in 2000 that coordinates sound management in amplified music across France, serving professional music organizations, concert venues, festivals, music schools, and local authorities through training, consulting, prevention campaigns, and regulatory advocacy on the Décret Son.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What AGI-SON does
AGI-SON (Association AGI-SON) is a French non-profit association (association loi 1901) founded in 2000 and headquartered in Paris, dedicated to sound management in amplified music. It serves as the central coordinating body between professional music industry organizations, concert venues, festivals, music schools, local authorities, and hearing health associations in France, with the stated mission of reconciling artistic expression, hearing health protection, and environmental noise control. The association operates an integrated ecosystem spanning prevention, education, training, consulting, and policy advocacy.
Its core products include the EAR WE ARE national hearing protection campaign, custom hearing protection devices, the EduKson digital education platform (edukson.org), and the Peace&Lobe® label for pedagogical concerts. Training is delivered through a three-tier stack: the Ambassador EAR WE ARE online course (€38–€58), the Appréhender les risques sonores dans les ERP first-level course (€55–€80), and the Gérer les risques sonores dans les ERP professional certification launched in 2023. Bespoke advisory is delivered through the Pôle Conseil for venues, events, and local authorities. Research outputs include the annual Baromètre des publics de concerts (2,460+ respondents in 2023) and the Baromètre jeunes, musique et risques auditifs (up to 15,000 youth respondents), plus the Guide de la Gestion Sonore co-published with CNM.
AGI-SON is funded through tiered organizational membership dues, individual memberships from €15/year, fee-based training, consulting engagements, tax-deductible donations, and public grants (notably from CNM). With only 8 employees, it leverages a network of regional relays, a licensed instructor directory across France, and a Scientific Committee. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, anchored by Les Perspectives Sonores (200+ events each November), the Backline technician exchange series, the Tour de France outreach program, and inter-ministerial working group participation that has shaped and revised the Décret Son (2017-1244) framework.
AGI-SON firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AGI-SON
- Legal name
- Association AGI-SON
- Website
- https://agi-son.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- AGI-SON is a French non-profit association founded in 2000 that coordinates sound management in amplified music across France, serving professional music organizations, concert venues, festivals, music schools, and local authorities through training, consulting, prevention campaigns, and regulatory advocacy on the Décret Son.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AGI-SON industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Music Acoustic Management Services
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Assistive Hearing & Communication Access (Captioning, Hearing Support, Transcription) (EDAFAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Early Childhood Music Education (Ages 0–7) (EDAMANAD)
Keywords
Where AGI-SON is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
AGI-SON business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership dues: Organizational members (professional music industry organizations, venues, festivals, schools, prevention associations) pay annual membership fees structured in three tiers: national organizations pay based on global revenue; regional AGI-SON relays pay based on global revenue; other structures (training organizations, venues, festivals, prevention associations) pay based on number of full-time equivalent employees. Individual members pay a minimum of €15 per year.
- Training and professional development: AGI-SON generates revenue through fee-based training programs including the Ambassador EAR WE Are online training (€38–58 per person depending on group size and membership status), Appréhender les risques sonores self-paced course (€55–80 per person), the full Gestion des risques sonores dans les ERP certificate program, and custom in-person or webinar interventions (€100–300 depending on format and duration). Members receive discounted rates.
- Consulting services (Pôle Conseil): The AGI-SON Conseil Pole provides bespoke advisory services on sound management, noise impact studies (EINS), regulatory compliance, prevention planning, and sound policy development for venues, events, local authorities, and other public-facing structures. Pricing is customized per engagement with preferential rates for members.
- Donations: AGI-SON accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals (66% tax deduction within 20% of taxable income, carryforward up to 5 years) and companies (60% tax deduction within 5 per mille of revenue). Donors receive a receipt upon request.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Ambassador EAR WE ARE online training — 2-hour self-paced course with QCM certification |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Appréhender les risques sonores dans les ERP self-paced course — first-level online training with QCM certification |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Guided intervention on hearing risks and sound management — 2-hour webinar or in-person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Regulatory framework of amplified concerts — 2–3 hour intervention |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sound management for open-air events — 1.5-hour intervention |
| Subscription | Annual | Individual annual membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Organizational membership tiers — three-tier structure based on entity type and size |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels11 records
AGI-SON product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AGI-SON is a French non-profit association that operates as the central national body for sound management in amplified music. It delivers fee-based professional training (Ambassador EAR WE ARE, Appréhender and Gérer les risques sonores dans les ERP), bespoke advisory via the Pôle Conseil, the national EAR WE ARE hearing protection campaign with custom-molded hearing protection, the EduKson digital education platform and Peace&Lobe® pedagogical concerts for schools, plus research and publications including annual Baromètres, the Guide de la Gestion Sonore and the Livre Blanc on the Décret Son.
Product overview
AGI-SON is a French non-profit association (created in 2000) dedicated to sound management in amplified music. The organization operates as a multi-service provider offering a comprehensive ecosystem of prevention, education, training, consulting, and research products. The core offerings include the EAR WE ARE hearing risk prevention campaign with related custom hearing protection products; the EduKson educational platform and Peace&Lobe® concert-label for youth sound education; multiple training modules (Ambassadeur EAR WE ARE, Appréhender les risques sonores dans les ERP, Gérer les risques sonores dans les ERP certification); consulting services via the Pôle Conseil; and national events like Les Perspectives Sonores and Backline professional exchanges. Research publications include the Baromètre publics de concerts, Baromètre jeunes/musique/risques auditifs, and the Guide La Gestion Sonore published with CNM. The organization also conducts specialized sound measurement campaigns (Opér@'Son, Marsatac experimentation) and provides practical tools like the Fiches repères for outdoor festival management.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ambassadeur EAR WE ARE Online Training A 2-hour online self-paced course with QCM certification that qualifies participants as 'Ambassadors' for hearing risk prevention and equips them to deploy EAR WE ARE campaign tools at venues and events. Tiered pricing from €58 to €38/person depending on group size; member rates apply.
- Appréhender les risques sonores dans les ERP (Online Training) A self-paced online training program constituting the first level for understanding sound risk management in public establishments (both enclosed venues and outdoor festivals). Covers sound physics, hearing physiology, legislation and prevention. Pricing from €80 to €55/person by group size, with member discounts.
- Gérer les risques sonores dans les ERP (Professional Certification) A professional certification training launched in 2023 with support from CNM and FNEIJMA, providing comprehensive sound management competencies for managing amplified sound in public establishments in the cultural and tourism sectors.
- AGI-SON Interventions (Guided Training Sessions) Fee-based guided interventions covering hearing risks and sound management (2h), the regulatory framework of amplified concerts (2-3h), and sound management for open-air events (1.5h). Delivered as webinars or in-person by AGI-SON's certified trainer network; member vs non-member pricing with transport/accommodation billed extra for in-person.
- Pôle Conseil AGI-SON (Consulting Service) Bespoke advisory service delivering sound management consulting, noise impact study (EINS) assistance, regulatory compliance guidance, prevention planning, and sound policy development for venues, events, local authorities, and other public-facing structures. Custom-engagement pricing with preferential rates for members.
- Protections auditives sur-mesure (Custom-Molded Hearing Protection) Custom-made hearing protection devices for repeated use at concerts and festivals, produced through dedicated molding sessions organized with venues and festivals.
- Plateforme EduKson (Online Sound Education Platform) An online education platform at edukson.org providing pedagogical resources and tools (including the Sound Park tool) for primary and secondary school students to understand sound and hearing risks, supporting the Peace&Lobe® label and wider school programs.
- Label Peace&Lobe® (Pedagogical Concert Label) A registered label (Peace&Lobe®) for pedagogical concerts that combine live music performances with hearing health education, delivered to middle and high school groups across France.
- EAR WE ARE Hearing Protection Campaign National hearing protection awareness campaign targeting concert and festival audiences, featuring standardized messaging, free hearing protection distribution at events, and annual Barometer survey tracking audience behavior changes over time (in operation since 2010).
Quantifiable outcome
- +43% increase in hearing protection usage among concert audiences over 10 years of AGI-SON campaigns
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use AGI-SON
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
AGI-SON technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
AGI-SON partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Centre national de la musique (CNM)coreAGI-SON and CNM have a deep strategic partnership spanning multiple years. CNM co-published the 'Guide de la gestion sonore' (Guide to Sound Management in Amplified Music) under AGI-SON's editorial direction. CNM also provided financial support for AGI-SON's Tour de France #2 in 2021, enabling nationwide outreach to elected officials and cultural professionals. CNM partners on the Barometer of Concert Audiences survey. The relationship is foundational to AGI-SON's institutional legitimacy and operational capacity.
- Live DMAcoreLive DMA is the European network of live music venues and festivals, of which AGI-SON is a member. AGI-SON participated in Live DMA's working group that produced the 'Music Is Not Noise' white paper, proposing orientations for urban music policy that respects all stakeholders. This partnership positions AGI-SON in a European advocacy context and facilitates knowledge exchange on sound regulation across EU countries.
- SACEMminorSACEM (Société des auteurs, Compositeurs et Distributeurs de la Musique) partnered with AGI-SON to co-organize regional information sessions for live music professionals on the new Décret Son regulations following its 2017 publication. The partnership leveraged SACEM's regional presence and member network to extend the reach of AGI-SON's regulatory guidance.
- CNV (Centre national de la chanson, des variétés et du jazz)minorThe CNV co-organized regional information sessions with AGI-SON and SACEM to inform and support live music professionals in applying the Décret Son regulations. CNV's involvement brought additional professional representation from the chanson, varieties, and jazz sectors into AGI-SON's network.
- ACOEM Group (formerly 01dB)coreACOEM donated sixteen 01dB sound monitoring stations to AGI-SON, enabling the Opér@'Son campaign of acoustic measurements across French open-air festivals and small concert venues from 2014 to 2016. These stations were essential infrastructure for producing objective data on sound levels that informed the regulatory reform process leading to the 2017 Décret Son.
- CIDB (Centre d'information sur le bruit)minorThe CIDB co-authored a regulatory guidance document with AGI-SON to accompany the implementation of Décret n°2017-1244. CIDB's involvement provides scientific credibility and connects AGI-SON to the broader noise management policy community in France.
- Marsatac FestivalcoreMarsatac served as the primary testing ground for AGI-SON's national acoustic experimentation (2022–2023), applying and validating sound management protocols for open-air amplified music events under the Décret Son. The partnership produced technical and methodological learnings that informed AGI-SON's proposals to the inter-ministerial working group on open-air festival sound regulations.
- SoCo (Sociological Consulting)minorSoCo is the market research and sociological consulting firm commissioned by AGI-SON to analyze data from the annual Barometer of Youth, Music and Hearing Risks surveys. SoCo processes and interprets responses from thousands of young people, producing quantitative reports used both for internal program evaluation and external advocacy.
- OpaleminorOpale is a research and consulting firm that redesigned AGI-SON's concert audience survey into the current Barometer des publics de concert format in 2022, expanding the respondent panel to over 850 participants in its first year of the new methodology.
- ARS (Agences Régionales de Santé) — multiple regional health agenciesminorRegional Health Agencies partnered with AGI-SON during the Opér@'Son measurement campaigns (2014–2016), validating sound measurement results across different festival sites and lending governmental legitimacy to the data collection methodology.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
AGI-SON competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- SACEM: France's leading collective rights management organization for music creators and publishers. Comparable as a French institutional music industry partner with which AGI-SON co-organizes regulatory training sessions; much larger but with overlapping stakeholder base among French music professionals.
- CNM (Centre National de la Musique): France's national music industry development agency and strategic partner of AGI-SON. Comparable as a French institutional body serving the live music ecosystem through funding, publishing, and policy advocacy, though operating at a much larger scale and broader music industry scope.
- Action on Hearing Loss (RNID): UK charity dedicated to hearing health, tinnitus, and deafness. Comparable as a mission-driven organization combining hearing protection public campaigns, research, and policy advocacy — though operating at significantly larger scale and broader scope (not amplified-music specific).
- World Health Organization — Make Listening Safe: WHO initiative promoting safe listening practices globally, including in recreational music settings. Comparable as a hearing protection advocacy framework that legitimizes AGI-SON's mission and could either compete for institutional attention or amplify AGI-SON's policy influence.
Direct peers
- Noise Abatement Society (UK): UK charity campaigning for noise control and quiet environments. Comparable as a national-level non-profit combining noise policy advocacy, public education, and professional training — the closest UK analog to AGI-SON's regulatory and awareness mission.
- Live DMA: European network of live music venues and festivals with which AGI-SON collaborates on the 'Music Is Not Noise' white paper. Comparable as a membership-based association representing the same European live music constituency, but operating at a continental rather than national scale.
- Dangerous Decibels: US-based public health partnership dedicated to reducing noise-induced hearing loss, particularly in youth. Comparable as an educational program delivering school-based hearing protection curricula — directly parallel to AGI-SON's Peace&Lobe® and EduKson platforms.
- CIDB (Centre d'Information sur le Bruit): France's national noise information center, co-author with AGI-SON of Décret Son guidance documents. Directly comparable as a French non-profit focused on noise policy, public education, and regulatory interpretation — overlapping mission on environmental noise and sound measurement.
Emerging players
- Hearing Health Foundation: US non-profit funding hearing and balance research and education. Comparable as a mission-driven hearing health organization with a research-funding and public education mandate, though focused on biomedical research rather than regulatory advocacy.
- Hear the World Foundation: Sonova-funded foundation supporting hearing health projects globally. Comparable as a hearing protection advocacy organization with prevention campaigns, though corporate-funded and broader in geographic scope than AGI-SON.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AGI-SON social profiles
Digital presenceAGI-SON financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AGI-SON leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
AGI-SON funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AGI-SON 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 AGI-SON
What does AGI-SON do?
AGI-SON is a French non-profit association that operates as the central national body for sound management in amplified music. It delivers fee-based professional training (Ambassador EAR WE ARE, Appréhender and Gérer les risques sonores dans les ERP), bespoke advisory via the Pôle Conseil, the national EAR WE ARE hearing protection campaign with custom-molded hearing protection, the EduKson digital education platform and Peace&Lobe® pedagogical concerts for schools, plus research and publications including annual Baromètres, the Guide de la Gestion Sonore and the Livre Blanc on the Décret Son.
Is AGI-SON a public or private company?
AGI-SON is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was AGI-SON founded?
AGI-SON was founded in 2000. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is AGI-SON based?
AGI-SON is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does AGI-SON make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership dues are the primary driver. The others are training and professional development, consulting services (Pôle Conseil) and donations.
Who are AGI-SON's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are SACEM, CNM (Centre National de la Musique), Action on Hearing Loss (RNID) and World Health Organization — Make Listening Safe. Direct peers are Noise Abatement Society (UK), Live DMA, Dangerous Decibels and CIDB (Centre d'Information sur le Bruit). Emerging players are Hearing Health Foundation and Hear the World Foundation.
Does AGI-SON have an API?
No public API is recorded for AGI-SON.
What industry is AGI-SON in?
AGI-SON's product category is Live Music Acoustic Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFAKAC, Assistive Hearing & Communication Access (Captioning, Hearing Support, Transcription), with a secondary code of EDAMANAD, Early Childhood Music Education (Ages 0–7). Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 8200.