Alter Gaïa

Organic Waste Management Servicesaltergaia.fr

Alter Gaïa is a French worker cooperative that collects and composts biodéchets for restaurants, hotels, healthcare facilities, events, and individuals in the La Rochelle, Ile de Ré, Royan, and Rochefort areas using electric cargo bikes and local composting platforms.

Company typePrivate
Founded2021
HeadquartersPérigny, France
Headcount1–10
GTM typeB2B and B2C
OfferingServices

What Alter Gaïa does

Alter Gaïa is a French worker cooperative (SCOP) headquartered in Périgny near La Rochelle, founded in November 2021 by three co-founders (Laura Nicolleau, Frédéric Lanoy, Lucas Rigoland) and commercially operational since May 2022. The company collects and valorizes biodéchets (food and organic waste) for professional clients — restaurants, hotels, healthcare facilities, event venues, schools, and companies — as well as individual urban residents, operating across La Rochelle, Ile de Ré, Royan, and Rochefort in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Its technology stack is physical rather than digital: electric cargo bikes (Freegônes by Kleuster) for carbon-free collection in city centers, larger-capacity BOB (Benne à Ordures Biodégradables) for broader catchment areas, and two composting platforms at Chambon and Echillais where collected material is transformed into compost redistributed to local organic farmers. Since launch the company has reportedly saved 419 tonnes of biodéchets from incineration and serves more than 200 clients.

The business is built around three core service lines — professional collection (soft-mobility and large-capacity subscriptions), on-site composting management for establishments with outdoor capacity, and the Point Relais Compost consumer subscription (€7/month with a €3 one-time kit fee) — plus a communications-kit add-on that helps professional clients showcase their environmental engagement. The professional pricing model is quote-based with monthly billing and bundled equipment, exchange, and collection frequency; the consumer offering is a fixed monthly subscription. Distribution is direct, combining founder-led field sales to professionals with a network of merchant-hosted point relais drop-off points for individuals. Go-to-market blends sales-led outreach with strong community engagement via workshops, local media coverage (Les Pandas Roux, Sud Ouest), and event partnerships such as the Francofolies festival.

The company operates as a SCOP with no outside investors or parent company identified, supported by an ecosystem of institutional partners including ADEME, France Active, Réseau Entreprendre, POP Incub, CDA La Rochelle, UMIH, and URSCOP. Five people are currently on the team (three co-founders plus a communication apprentice and a collection agent), and no financial figures, funding rounds, or M&A activity are disclosed in the available material.

Alter Gaïa firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Alter Gaïa
Legal name: SARL SCOP ALTER GAÏA
Website: https://altergaia.fr
Company type: Private
Founded year: 2021
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 1–10 employees
Short description: Alter Gaïa is a French worker cooperative that collects and composts biodéchets for restaurants, hotels, healthcare facilities, events, and individuals in the La Rochelle, Ile de Ré, Royan, and Rochefort areas using electric cargo bikes and local composting platforms.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Alter Gaïa industry classification

Industry

Product category: Organic Waste Management Services
NAICS: Compost Manufacturing (325315), Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531)
SIC: Refuse Systems (4953)
akta.pro primary industry: Organics Collection & Processing (Composting/Anaerobic Digestion) (IMAIAFAF)
akta.pro secondary industries: Compost & Soil Amendment Product Manufacturing/Blending (Value-Added Organics) (BPALAEAH), Residential Curbside Organics Programs (Municipal/Franchise) (BPALAEAF)

Keywords

Biowaste collection
Organic waste management
Urban composting services
Electric cargo bike collection
Circular economy services

Where Alter Gaïa is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Périgny
HQ country: France
HQ region: Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

Alter Gaïa business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B and B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

Professional Biodéchet Collection Services: Regular collection services for restaurants, hotels, healthcare facilities, events, and companies. Includes provision of collection equipment (bioseaux 22L or bennes 120L), exchange service, and local composting.
Point Relais Compost (Individual Subscription): Monthly subscription service for individual urban residents: 7€ per month for access to point relais network, bucket exchange, and biodéchet valorization.
On-site Composting Management: Setup and ongoing management of on-site composting facilities for professional clients. Includes audit, training, equipment, and accompaniment services.
Initial Equipment Sale: One-time sale of collection equipment (buckets) to new subscribers: 3€ for initial bucket kit.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Subscription	Monthly	Point Relais Compost - Individual Subscription
Subscription	Monthly	Professional Collection - Soft Mobility
Subscription	Monthly	Professional Collection - Large Capacity (BOB)

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Alter Gaïa product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Alter Gaïa collects biowaste (biodéchets) from professionals and individuals in the La Rochelle region using electric cargo bikes and BOB bins, then transforms the organic matter into compost on local urban platforms. The company provides collection, valorization, on-site composting management, and community drop-off points to support a circular local economy.

Product overview

Alter Gaïa operates as a unified service portfolio offering biowaste collection and valorization for professionals and individuals in the La Rochelle, Ile de Ré, Royan, and Rochefort areas. The core offering comprises four interconnected services: (1) Collecte en mobilité douce — carbon-free collection via electric cargo bikes for urban centers; (2) Collecte grande capacité — large-capacity collection via BOB bins for broader catchment areas; (3) Gestion de site — on-site composting management with equipment, training, and ongoing support; and (4) Points relais compost — community drop-off points enabling urban residents to compost. All collected biowaste is valorized into normed compost on local platforms (Chambon, Echillais) and redistributed to partner local organic farmers. An optional communication kit add-on supports clients' visibility. The company is structured as a SCOP (worker cooperative) founded in November 2021.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Collecte mobilité douce (Collecte de biodéchets en mobilité douce) Zero-emission biowaste collection service using electric cargo bikes (Freegônes by Kleuster) for businesses in La Rochelle and surrounding areas. Designed for restaurants, hotels, healthcare facilities, and food retailers seeking a low-carbon collection solution.
Collecte grande capacité (Collecte de biodéchets grande capacité) Large-capacity biowaste collection using BOB bins for professional clients producing higher volumes of organic waste. Includes equipment rental and scheduled pickup.
Gestion de site / Gestion de proximité On-site management of composting installations for businesses, residential complexes, or public sites that want to manage their organic waste locally without building their own composting infrastructure.
Points relais compost Community drop-off points where individual residents can bring their biowaste to be composted locally, enabling participation in the circular economy without home composting.

Quantifiable outcome

419 tonnes of biodéchets saved from incineration
+2 more outcomes

Companies that use Alter Gaïa

Customer profile

Named customers24 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Alter Gaïa technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Alter Gaïa partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

Les Jardins de l'AubreçaycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Tiers-lieu alimentaire et nourricier located in Nieul-sur-Mer where Alter Gaïa installed composteurs. The compost produced is redistributed to partner market gardeners (maraîchers).
Les Pandas RouxflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional media specializing in ecological and solidarity transition. Interviewed Alter Gaïa multiple times (July 2022, June 2023, January 2024), providing media coverage and visibility.
POP IncubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStartup incubator supporting Alter Gaïa's development and growth.
ADEMEcoreOthersAgence de la Transition Écologique providing environmental guidance and support for sustainable development initiatives.
Communauté d'Agglomération de La Rochelle (CDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government body supporting sustainable development initiatives in the La Rochelle metropolitan area.
Les Cabanes UrbainescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEco-responsible third place that hosts a point relais compost location, allowing nearby residents to deposit biodéchets.
Réseau Compost CitoyenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork supporting citizen composting initiatives, providing best practices and community connections.
URSCOPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnion of SCOP (Société Coopérative et Participative) companies supporting worker cooperative businesses.
UMIH (Union des Métiers et des Industries de l'Hôtellerie)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerHotel and restaurant industry union representing hospitality sector professionals.
Les FrancofoliesflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAnnual music festival in La Rochelle attracting 150,000 festival-goers. Partnership began in 2021 and was renewed in 2023 for biodéchet collection during festival.
Sunêlia Interlude (Camping)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCamping establishment engaged in on-site composting management with Alter Gaïa, contributing to sustainable tourism.
Flower Campings (Les Ilates, Le Bel Air)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCamping group with two establishments using on-site composting management services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Alter Gaïa competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Alter Gaïa financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Alter Gaïa leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Alter Gaïa funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Alter Gaïa M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alter Gaïa

What does Alter Gaïa do?

Is Alter Gaïa a public or private company?

Alter Gaïa is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.

When was Alter Gaïa founded?

Alter Gaïa was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.

Where is Alter Gaïa based?

Alter Gaïa is headquartered in Périgny, France, in the Europe region.

How does Alter Gaïa make money?

Four revenue lines are on record. Professional Biodéchet Collection Services are the primary driver. The others are point Relais Compost (Individual Subscription), on-site Composting Management and initial Equipment Sale.

Does Alter Gaïa have an API?

No public API is recorded for Alter Gaïa.

What industry is Alter Gaïa in?

Alter Gaïa's product category is Organic Waste Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAIAFAF, Organics Collection & Processing (Composting/Anaerobic Digestion), with a secondary code of BPALAEAH, Compost & Soil Amendment Product Manufacturing/Blending (Value-Added Organics). Its NAICS code is 325315 and its SIC code is 4953.