ARPEA

What ARPEA does

ARPEA (Association romande pour la protection de l'environnement) is a Swiss non-profit association founded in 1944 in Neuchâtel, recognized as being of public utility and operating as an apolitical body dedicated to environmental protection through training and information dissemination. The organization was originally established as the 'Association pour la protection et la défense des eaux' before broadening its mandate across water, air, energy, biodiversity, climate, mobility, sustainability, and spatial planning.

Its core offerings are a portfolio of information and training services rather than a single product: the quarterly ARPEAmag magazine covering environmental topics in French-speaking Switzerland (Romandie), in-person and replay-format environmental seminars (including recent themes such as biodiversity in construction and wood-energy), two continuing-education courses in the energy domain (cours chauffage and cours CAD), and the annual Prix ARPEA student prize. All of these are bundled under a membership program open to individual and collective members (communes and enterprises), with collective members receiving additional services.

ARPEA is financed through member dues (subscription recurring), magazine advertising, seminar and formation fees priced at modest tiers (CHF 30 student, CHF 90–170 member, CHF 130–220 non-member), and donations processed via Banque Cantonale Neuchâteloise. The association is run by a small staff of approximately 5 supported by a volunteer committee, reaches roughly 600 members, and operates principally within French-speaking Switzerland (Romandie), with distribution through its website, newsletter, LinkedIn, in-person events at venues including HEIG-VD, and strategic partnerships with SIA Vaud, UCB Suisse, Losinger-Marazzi, CSD Engineers, and technology partner ecodev.

Name

ARPEA

Legal name

ARPEA - Association romande pour la protection de l'environnement

Website

https://arpea.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1944

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ARPEA is a Swiss non-profit association founded in 1944 that delivers environmental training, seminars, and a quarterly magazine (ARPEAmag) to approximately 600 individual and collective members — including municipalities and enterprises — across French-speaking Switzerland (Romandie).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Neuchâtel

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Member dues: Annual membership fees from individual and collective members. Collective members (companies, municipalities) receive additional benefits including preferential seminar rates.
2. Magazine advertising: Revenue from advertising placed in the quarterly ARPEAmag publication.
3. Seminars and training: Fees from professional seminars on environmental topics and energy training courses (heating and CAD courses).
4. Donations: Voluntary donations from supporters, processed through Banque Cantonale Neuchâteloise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ARPEA is a non-profit environmental protection association that delivers information and training through three commercial offerings: the quarterly ARPEAmag magazine, in-person and replayable environmental seminars, and continuing-education energy courses (cours chauffage and cours CAD). An annual Prix ARPEA prize is awarded to student environmental work, and individual and collective memberships (communes, enterprises, individuals) provide access to magazine delivery, preferential seminar rates, and networking across French-speaking Switzerland (Romandie).

Product overview

ARPEA is a non-profit environmental protection association founded in 1944 in French-speaking Switzerland. Its offerings consist of a portfolio of information and training services rather than a single product: the quarterly ARPEAMAG magazine, in-person and replayable environmental seminars, two continuing education courses in the energy domain (cours chauffage and cours CAD), and the annual Prix ARPEA prize for student work. All of these are tied to membership, with collective members (communes, enterprises) receiving additional services. The association is primarily financed by member dues, magazine advertising, and seminar/formation revenues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ARPEAmag: The quarterly magazine of the Romand environmental association, covering environmental topics for Swiss Romande professionals and organizations.

Products and services

• ARPEAmag (Quarterly Environmental Magazine) Quarterly Romandy environmental magazine covering environmental topics (water, air, energy, biodiversity, climate, mobility, sustainability, spatial planning) for members and subscribers, published 4x per year.
• Séminaires (Environmental Seminars) In-person and replayable professional seminars on environmental topics for members (CHF 170 full-day / CHF 90 afternoon) and non-members (CHF 220 / CHF 130), with CHF 30 student rate.
• Formations (Energy Training Courses) Two continuing-education courses in the energy domain — 'cours chauffage' (heating course) and 'cours CAD' — offered as professional development training for members and professionals.
• Membership Program (Individual & Collective) Individual and collective (communes, enterprises) annual membership providing ARPEAmag quarterly delivery, preferential rates on seminars and energy training courses, and additional services reserved for collective members.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Losinger-MarazziminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction company providing support/partnership for biodiversity in construction seminars. Their real estate projects are used as case studies for integrating biodiversity in construction.
• SIA VaudcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Society of Engineers and Architects (Vaud section) as principal partner for biodiversity and construction seminars. Co-organizes events and provides professional network access.
• UCB SuissecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal partner for biodiversity seminars. Their building projects are used as practical examples in monitoring tools and biodiversity integration case studies.
• HEIG-VD (Haute Ecole d'Ingénierie et de Gestion du Canton de Vaud)minorOthersUniversity of applied sciences providing venue for seminars. Events held at Centre St-Roch location.
• CSD EngineersminorOthersEngineering consultancy providing technical expertise for biodiversity monitoring seminars. Presented practical case study of UCB building monitoring in Bulle.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pro Natura: Switzerland's oldest and largest nature conservation organization, offering membership, publications, and educational programs. Comparable to ARPEA as a national Swiss environmental non-profit with member-based revenue and advocacy, though with a broader national footprint.
• Greenpeace Switzerland: Swiss branch of a global environmental organization with member-supported funding, publications, and educational outreach. Comparable to ARPEA as a member-based environmental NGO operating in Switzerland, though with a more advocacy-driven orientation.
• Pusch (Praktischer Umweltschutz Schweiz): Swiss foundation focused on environmental education and information dissemination for schools, municipalities, and the public. Highly comparable to ARPEA in mission and format (training, publications, member-oriented services) and the closest national counterpart for Romandy/German-speaking Switzerland.
• BirdLife Schweiz: Swiss nature and biodiversity association offering memberships, publications, and field-based educational events. Comparable to ARPEA in operating model (membership association, magazine, seminars) and biodiversity/environmental training focus.
• Schweizerische Energie-Stiftung (SES): Swiss foundation focused on energy policy, information, and continuing education in the energy domain. Directly comparable to ARPEA's energy training courses (cours chauffage, cours CAD) and information-sharing model.

Regional players

• Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU): Germany's largest environmental association, offering membership, publications, and educational programming. Comparable to ARPEA in association-based environmental education and information model, but serving the German-speaking market rather than Romandie.
• Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO): Major French environmental association with membership, publications, and educational events. Comparable to ARPEA in association-based environmental training model and Francophone audience, but operating in France.
• France Nature Environnement: Federation of French regional environmental associations offering publications, training, and community engagement. Comparable to ARPEA in federated environmental non-profit structure and Francophone audience, but at national French scale.

Broad incumbents

• WWF Switzerland: Major Swiss environmental non-profit offering membership programs, publications, and educational campaigns. Comparable to ARPEA in member-supported environmental communication and education, but operating at significantly larger scale and broader thematic scope.

Emerging players

• myclimate: Swiss non-profit focused on climate education and corporate climate training programs. Comparable to ARPEA in environmental training and information delivery, but with a narrower climate focus and stronger corporate training commercialization.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-romande-pour-la-protection-de-l-environnement

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 ARPEA