Breizh Amerika

What Breizh Amerika does

Breizh Amerika is a volunteer-based non-profit association founded in 2014 by Charles Kergaravat (also founder of BZH NY in 2007) to strengthen cultural, economic, and creative ties between Brittany, France and the United States. The organization has no paid staff, no disclosed revenue, and no institutional investors; it is funded through donations, partner underwriting, and merchandise sales. Programming has spanned 25+ cities across the USA and Brittany over a decade, anchored by three product lines: the Breizh Amerika Collective (a cross-cultural music initiative that has engaged 50+ musicians since 2016, including Grammy Award-winning collaborator Alex Asher), the Breizh Amerika Startup Contest (an annual competition sending Breton startups to a New York acceleration program since 2016), and the Breizh Amerika Session IPA (a 4% ABV craft beer launched in 2024 with Brasserie Lancelot, with proceeds funding Breton musical projects).

The organization's business model is donation- and partnership-driven rather than transactional. Distribution operates through festival partnerships (Festival Interceltique de Lorient, Celtic Bayou Festival, Festival International de Louisiane) and venue collaborations (Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, Irish Arts Center in NYC, French Institute of Michigan), with event-based programming as the primary go-to-market motion. Secondary distribution includes a Sendinblue-powered bilingual newsletter, a podcast, the Copains Comme Cajuns documentary (2018, 52 minutes), an extensive blog, and a Teespring merchandise storefront for t-shirts, sweatshirts, and caps. There is no proprietary technology platform; the underlying "stack" consists of standard SaaS tools (Sendinblue, Teespring, Squarespace/Wix-class website hosting) layered over volunteer-coordinated programming.

Breizh Amerika serves four primary customer segments: the Breton diaspora in the USA (cultural preservation and community-building), Americans interested in Breton and Celtic culture (cultural consumption), Breton startups seeking US market entry (economic development), and Louisiana-Acadian communities sharing Celtic linguistic and musical heritage with Brittany. Notable institutional backers include Region Bretagne (regional government partner), and earned media coverage has appeared in Le Monde, Financial Times, and BFM Business TV. The founder's adjacent venture, the Interceltic Business Forum, extends the mission into broader Celtic commercial diplomacy.

Name

Breizh Amerika

Legal name

Breizh Amerika

Website

https://breizh-amerika.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Breizh Amerika is a volunteer-based non-profit association founded in 2014 that strengthens cultural, economic, and creative links between Brittany, France and the United States through music exchanges, a startup contest, a craft beer, and festival programming across 25+ cities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Exchange Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Food, Wine & Beverage Festivals/Expos (MPAGAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Provider-Run International Internship Programs (Multi-Country/Multi-Industry) (EDAIAFAA), Beverage & Mixology (Coffee, Tea, Wine, Cocktails) (EDAAAGAH)

Keywords

• Cultural exchange programs
• Music collective tours
• Startup acceleration contests
• Breton diaspora community
• Cultural festival organizing

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and fundraising: Non-profit organization financed through donations from partners and supporters to organize Breton cultural events in the USA.
2. Merchandise sales: Online store selling t-shirts, sweatshirts, and caps to finance future events. Powered by Teespring.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Breizh Amerika is a volunteer-based non-profit association that organizes cross-cultural programs strengthening ties between Brittany, France and the United States. Its core offerings include the Breizh Amerika Collective (a music initiative pairing Breton and American musicians on US tours), an annual Startup Contest connecting Breton companies with US accelerators, the Breizh Amerika Session IPA craft beer (with proceeds funding Breton musical projects), and annual Fête de la Bretagne cultural celebrations held in US cities.

Product overview

Breizh Amerika is a volunteer-based non-profit organization strengthening cultural, economic, and creative links between Brittany, France and the United States. The organization operates a portfolio of cultural programs including the Breizh Amerika Collective (cross-cultural music initiative), an annual Startup Contest connecting Breton entrepreneurs with US ecosystem, the Breizh Amerika Session IPA craft beer (collaboration product), and annual Fête de la Bretagne celebrations. Additional offerings include community networking through BZH NY, a podcast, an online merchandise store, and the Interceltic Business Forum. The organization facilitates music tours, cultural exchanges, and diaspora engagement across 25+ cities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Breizh Amerika Collective: A cross-cultural music initiative bringing together innovative artists from Brittany and the United States to create original music, celebrate living traditions, and build lasting transatlantic connections.
• Breizh Amerika Session IPA
• Breizh Amerika Startup Contest

Products and services

• Breizh Amerika Collective Cross-cultural music initiative that brings together innovative artists from Brittany, France and the United States to create original music, celebrate living traditions, and build lasting transatlantic connections through collaborations, performances, and cultural exchanges.
• Breizh Amerika Session IPA A light (4% ABV) blonde craft beer brewed with American hops and malt from Brittany, sold through partner brewers and brewpubs; each beer sold supports Breton musical projects through the Breizh Amerika association.
• Breizh Amerika Startup Contest Annual entrepreneurship competition connecting young Breton companies with the American startup ecosystem through acceleration programs in New York, providing mentorship and investor access for US market entry.
• Fête de la Bretagne Celebrations Annual cultural celebrations of Breton heritage organized in the USA across multiple cities, featuring music, gastronomy, dance, and community gatherings for the Breton diaspora and American audiences.
• Breizh Amerika Merchandise Store Online store selling Breizh Amerika branded merchandise including t-shirts, sweatshirts, and caps to finance cultural events.
• Breizh Amerika Podcast Audio content featuring stories of Bretons in the USA and Americans based in Brittany, including profiles and cultural discussions.
• Interceltic Business Forum International economic forum creating bridges between Celtic nations and their diasporas through business programming organized by Breizh Amerika founder Charles Kergaravat.
• Diaspora Bretonne Network Network connecting Breton diaspora members and America enthusiasts through cultural and economic events across 25+ cities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50+ musicians and cultural artists have participated in exchanges
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered regional, core and minor.

• Lafayette TravelregionalGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Tourism organization partnering for Lafayette tourism tent at Festival Interceltique de Lorient 2026
• Interceltic Business ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026International business forum founded by Charles Kergaravat to foster economic cooperation between Celtic nations and their diasporas
• UL Lafayette (University of Louisiana at Lafayette)regionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership for tech innovation exchange; Klaxoon Teamwork Tour stop connected to university
• Lost Bayou RamblersregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Louisiana Grammy-winning Cajun music band collaborating with Breton artists through Breizh Amerika exchanges
• French Institute of MichiganregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partnership for hosting Breizh Amerika Collective concerts in Detroit during USA tours
• Old Town School of Folk Music (Chicago)regionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Major Chicago venue hosting Breizh Amerika Collective performances during annual USA tours
• Celtic Bayou Festival (Louisiana)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Annual partnership for Celtic music festival in Lafayette featuring Breton artists and Breizh Amerika programming
• Festival International de LouisianeregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Major Louisiana festival hosting Bagad Plougastell delegation and Breton cultural programming through Breizh Amerika
• Région BretagnecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Regional government partner supporting Breizh Amerika's cultural diplomacy initiatives between Brittany and the USA
• NUNU Arts and Culture Collective (Louisiana)regionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Arnaudville arts organization hosting Breizh Amerika Collective concerts and Breton music workshops
• Festival Interceltique de LorientcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Long-standing partnership with Europe's largest Celtic festival; Breizh Amerika Collective performs regularly; cross-promotion of Breton culture and transatlantic exchanges
• Irish Arts Center (NYC)regionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015NYC cultural center hosting Breton music collaborations and Breizh Amerika Collective performances
• Brasserie LancelotminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2015Breton brewery collaborating on Breizh Amerika IPA craft beer; proceeds support Breton musical projects
• Jim Deggy's Brewpub (Louisiana)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2015Lafayette brewpub hosting Breizh Amerika Collective concerts and IPA launch events

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Goethe-Institut: Germany's global cultural diplomacy network promoting German language and culture. Comparable function as a state-backed cultural diplomacy organization operating across the USA, though vastly larger and with institutional government funding rather than donation-dependent.
• Alliance Française: Global French-language and cultural promotion network with chapters across the USA. Highly comparable non-profit model promoting French/Francophone culture in America, though vastly larger in scale and scope than Breizh Amerika's Breton-specific focus.

Direct peers

• Festival International de Louisiane: Major Louisiana festival hosting Bagad Plougastell delegation through Breizh Amerika. Comparable cultural festival in Acadiana with similar French/Celtic heritage programming and transatlantic artist exchanges.
• Comhairle na Gaeilge: Irish-language and Celtic-culture umbrella organization. Comparable as a Celtic cultural preservation and promotion body addressing an endangered indigenous language (similar to UNESCO-classified Breton) with diaspora engagement.
• Festival Interceltique de Lorient: Europe's largest Celtic festival and Breizh Amerika's longest-standing core partner. Comparable as a cultural festival organizer that promotes Celtic heritage internationally, with similar programming around Breton music, dance, and diaspora engagement.
• Irish Arts Center: NYC cultural center hosting Breton music collaborations and Breizh Amerika Collective performances since 2015. Comparable as a Celtic cultural venue/educator promoting Irish diaspora heritage in America with similar music programming and partnership model.
• Celtic Connections: Glasgow-based annual Celtic music and culture festival featuring international artists. Directly comparable as a Celtic cultural festival with transatlantic artist programming, folk-music showcases, and diaspora/community engagement components.
• Old Town School of Folk Music: Major Chicago folk music venue and educator hosting Breizh Amerika Collective performances during USA tours. Comparable as a folk/roots music venue with educational programming, partnerships with international artists, and community-based cultural mission.
• Celtic Bayou Festival: Annual Celtic music festival in Lafayette, Louisiana featuring Breton artists via Breizh Amerika programming. Directly comparable niche cultural festival with similar Breton-Celtic heritage focus and Louisiana-Acadian audience.

Others

• BZH NY: Predecessor community organization founded in 2007 by Charles Kergaravat to federate the Breton community of New York. Closely related but distinct entity; the founding base from which Breizh Amerika expanded to a transatlantic scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/breizh-amerika

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Breizh Amerika