AWA - World center of education for awareness and sustainability (project)

What AWA - World center of education for awareness and sustainability (project) does

AWA is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) founded in 2014 and headquartered in Paris, organized as a "world center of education for awareness and sustainability" through entertainment, image, and play. It operates four sub-brands: AWA Game (a gamified mobile platform for citizen engagement via real-world "AWACT" challenges that earn XP and ethical prizes), AWA Events (eco-responsible event production, gamified seminars, and theatrical conferences — previously branded AWA Cube), AWA Boost (a volunteer accompaniment and social-entrepreneur training program), and AWA Animals (a network of animal-world experts and human-animal ambassadors founded by Tippi Degré). The association targets children, adolescents, schools and universities, NGOs, ministries of Education and Culture, municipalities, and the general public across an explicitly planetary geographic ambition, currently with operational footprint in France and endorsements from WWF France, Ashoka France, Comité mondial pour les apprentissages tout au long de la vie, Numa, Edgar Morin, and Cyrille Cohen (Sotheby's).

The core technology stack is a gamification platform combining an AWACT repository of citizen-action challenges with an XP/rewards system exchangeable for ethical prizes, a collaborative educational-image and video production network (Hollywood-quality visuals with celebrity, animal, and scenic elements, customizable text and voice-over for local adaptation), and the ECOLO plug-in methodology for eco-responsible event production. The architecture is intentionally multi-channel — schools, museums, metro, social media, YouTube, and merchandise — and designed to be deployed at planetary scale, with a stated capital requirement of €20M for a two-year pilot phase (mobile app development plus the first 10 images/videos) and €60M for a second two-year phase (~40 new images, video production expansion, first government collaborations, and global reach). The mobile app itself is not yet publicly launched in app stores.

The business model is a diversified non-profit revenue stack: donations and grants (municipal, regional, national, EU subsidies, foundations, corporate patronage, high-net-worth individuals, crowdfunding) as the primary funding; sale of educational images as art through galleries/museums and customizable image/merchandise sales on the official website; licensing/royalty arrangements with ministries of Education and Culture for curriculum and public-space integration; professional-services commissions from major NGOs for custom educational images; and consulting/production services from AWA Events for institutions, associations, and private companies. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Operations run on a lean core team of approximately 7 paid employees supported by ~30 highly qualified volunteers across four departments (Media/Culture/Public Relations, Development/Production, Marketing/Distribution, Finance/Law), led by founder, President, and Global Coordinator Arnaud Canizarès.

Name

AWA - World center of education for awareness and sustainability (project)

Legal name

AWA

Website

https://awa.education

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AWA is a French non-profit association that uses gamified mobile challenges (AWACTs), eco-responsible events, and Hollywood-quality educational images to drive citizen engagement and sustainability awareness among children, schools, NGOs, governments, and the general public globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Primary funding from donations and grants including municipal, regional, national, and European subsidies; foundation support; corporate patronage; high-net-worth individuals; and crowdfunding campaigns.
2. Art and Educational Image Sales: Sale of educational images as art in major galleries and museums on every continent. Customizable image purchases through the official website with novel texts for merchandise including prints, books, clothing, and other products.
3. Government Collaborations: Partnerships with ministries of education and culture to integrate AWA images into school curricula and public urban spaces, providing generalized access within educational institutions.
4. NGO Commissioned Work: Major NGOs with significant capital commission custom educational images for exclusive ownership.
5. Event Production Services: AWA Events branch provides consulting and production services for gamified, eco-responsible events to institutions, associations, and private companies.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AWA is a French non-profit association that delivers citizen education for awareness and sustainability through three core offerings: AWA Game, a gamified mobile platform where users complete real-life civic and ecological challenges called 'AWACTs' and earn XP points redeemable for ethical prizes; AWA Events, an eco-responsible event production service producing gamified seminars and theatrical conferences; and a library of Hollywood-quality customizable educational images distributed to schools, museums, governments, and NGOs.

Product overview

AWA is a non-profit association (French law 1901) focused on creating a world center for citizen education through entertainment. The organization operates a multi-product portfolio centered on gamified citizen engagement: AWA Game serves as the core mobile application platform enabling users to complete eco-citizen challenges and earn rewards; AWA Events provides event production services for sustainable development; and AWA Boost offers volunteer development programs. The products are designed to work together as part of a unified mission to educate citizens on sustainable development and social responsibility through play and entertainment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AWA Game: Mobile application for citizen engagement through gamified eco-citizen challenges (AWACTs) with XP points and ethical prizes
• AWA Boost
• AWA Events
• AWA Animals

Products and services

• AWA Game A gamified mobile platform that catalogs positive daily actions called 'AWACTs' (citizen action challenges), where players complete altruistic or ecological challenges in real life, upload photographic proof to unlock experience points exchangeable for ethical prizes, and track citizen engagement progress. Designed for children, adolescents, and adults.
• AWA Events An event production service that puts event management at the service of education and ecology, offering eco-responsible production, gamified corporate seminars, theatrical conferences, festivals, and consulting for institutions, associations, and private companies using the proprietary ECOLO Plug-in methodology.
• AWA Boost A volunteer support program focused on personal development and professional skill acquisition in project management, designed to form socially performative, fulfilled, and inspiring social entrepreneurs who serve as ambassadors for the AWA mission.
• AWA Animals A network of animal world experts and human-animal link ambassadors, founded by Tippi Degr\u00e9, providing expert content and spokesperson representation for the AWA mission on animal welfare and environmental issues.
• AWA Educational Images and Content A library of Hollywood-quality educational images combining celebrity, animal, and scenic imagery with infographic educational content covering sociology, psychology, economics, environment, health, and education. Sold as art in galleries and museums on every continent; customizable for schools and institutions; also merchandised as prints, books, and clothing.

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered key partner, high-profile endorsement, key institutional partner and partner.

• Odyssée Durablekey partnerTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for the development of playful digital products. Collaborates with AWA on creating engaging digital tools for education and citizen engagement.
• Assemblée Virtuellekey partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation partner for events. Collaborates with AWA on organizing and producing events that promote digital culture and citizen engagement.
• WWF Francehigh-profile endorsementGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor environmental NGO providing endorsement and support. Jacques-Olivier Barthes, Director of Communication, expressed strong support for AWA's mission to sensitize audiences through entertainment and education.
• Ashoka Francehigh-profile endorsementGTM or Marketing PartnerLeading social entrepreneurship organization providing endorsement. Thomas Blettery, Head of Education, recognized AWA's innovative use of contemporary art for large-scale awareness of 21st century challenges.
• Comité mondial pour les apprentissages tout au long de la vie (CMA)high-profile endorsementGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational organization for lifelong learning providing endorsement. President Yves Attou stated CMA supports all AWA initiatives as a humanistic innovation deserving attention from international organizations.
• Numahigh-profile endorsementGTM or Marketing PartnerLeading startup accelerator and innovation hub providing endorsement. Numa team stated they are happy to support AWA as it synergizes art and knowledge to invent new learning methods.
• Mairies (Municipal Governments)key institutional partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partners including Mairie du 2e arrondissement de Paris, hosting Eco-Games events and collaborating on educational initiatives.
• Établissements scolaires (Schools)key institutional partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institutions collaborating with AWA for integrating educational images into school programs and participating in events.
• Yes AkademiapartnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOrganization referenced as a partner for humanitarian travel experiences accessible through AWA Game platform.
• Action contre la faimpartnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHumanitarian organization whose contests are referenced within AWA Game as positive citizen actions accessible to users.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Ashoka: Global network supporting social entrepreneurs, whose France affiliate endorses AWA. Comparable in targeting social-entrepreneur education and changemaker development (overlapping with AWA Boost).
• WWF (World Wildlife Fund): Global environmental NGO with extensive education and citizen engagement programs and the organization whose France affiliate (Jacques-Olivier Barthes) endorses AWA. Directly comparable mission focus on environmental awareness and citizen action.

Emerging players

• Litterati: Digital platform that gamifies litter collection and citizen environmental action through photo documentation and data aggregation. The closest direct peer to AWA Game's AWACT mechanic (real-life action + photo proof + reward) in the sustainability vertical.
• iNaturalist: Citizen-science platform combining real-world biodiversity observations, photo documentation, and gamified engagement with expert networks. Comparable to AWA Game and AWA Animals in combining citizen action, photographic proof, and expert ambassador networks around sustainability themes.
• Quest (formerly EcoChallenge): Gamified platform for tracking and competing on sustainable lifestyle actions over defined challenges. Closely comparable to AWA Game's AWACT system in mechanic — completing real-life sustainability actions, earning points, and competing or collaborating with peers.

Broad incumbents

• Khan Academy: A large-scale nonprofit educational content platform offering free, gamified learning across multiple subjects to global audiences. Comparable to AWA in mission (free, accessible education) and model (nonprofit, multi-subject content), but vastly more resourced and with a shipped, proven product.
• Duolingo: The leading gamified education platform, using XP points, streaks, and rewards to drive daily engagement. Comparable to AWA Game's gamification mechanic (XP, ethical prizes for AWACTs) and is the closest reference point for what scaled gamified education looks like in practice.
• UNESCO (Education for Sustainable Development): UN agency driving global Education for Sustainable Development programs and policy. Comparable to AWA in targeting schools, governments, and institutional channels for sustainability education at planetary scale — but operates as the dominant incumbent in the institutional space AWA seeks to enter.
• Sesame Workshop: Nonprofit educational entertainment organization producing research-based content for children combining entertainment with social-emotional learning. Directly comparable to AWA's approach of using entertainment and high-quality visual production as a vehicle for citizen education.
• National Geographic Education: Established publisher of visual educational content on environment, sustainability, and society distributed into schools globally. Comparable to AWA in combining high-quality visual storytelling with environmental/sustainability educational content for institutional and consumer audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/awa---world-center-of-education-for-awareness-and-sustainability-project-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about AWA - World center of education for awareness and sustainability (project)