Cap Formation

What Cap Formation does

Cap Formation is a vocational training organization headquartered in Saint-Herblain, Pays de la Loire, France, operating dual-status as both a Centre de Formation Continue (Continuing Professional Training Center) and a Centre de Formation des Apprentis (Apprenticeship Training Center / CFA). Founded around 1970 and active for over 50 years, it employs approximately 109 staff across three physical centers in Saint-Herblain, Nantes, and Mayenne, delivering more than 30 training programs organized into four domains: business support occupations (e.g., Secrétaire Assistant, Comptable, Gestionnaire de Paie, TOSA), hospitality and catering (Commis de Cuisine, Employé Polyvalent, Serveur, with a working application restaurant called L'@telier du 6), transversal skills and career security (CléA, CléA Numérique, MCCP, FLE, AKTO Compétences Clés), and professional mobility (Bilan de Compétences, Prépa Clés Avenir, driving license training, Plateforme Mobilité). Customer segments span job seekers, employed workers seeking upskilling, young apprentices, non-native French speakers, people with disabilities, and seniors over 50.

The business model is public-funding-driven rather than market-driven. Revenue streams consist of training fees financed by France Travail (Pôle Emploi), the Pays de la Loire Regional Council (including the PACTE régional 2023-2026 framework co-funded by the European Social Fund), 11 OPCOs (AKTO, AFDAS, Uniformation, OPCO Santé, OCAPIAT, OPCO Mobilités, OPCO2i, Constructys, OPCO Atlas, OPCO EP), Agefiph (for the Inclu'Pro disability program), the Département de Loire-Atlantique (for mobility and driving license training for RSA/AJ beneficiaries and QPV youth), CPF individual training accounts, apprenticeship contracts, and professionalization contracts. Unit pricing ranges from €15–€30/hour for foundation courses to €950/day for intra-enterprise AKTO collectives and €1,600 net for a Bilan de Compétences. GTM is channel-led: institutional prescribers (France Travail, Mission Locale, CAP Emploi, PLIE) refer candidates, OPCOs direct and finance enrolments, and the organization supplements with organic social (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) and a content-marketing website. The technology stack is conventional e-learning infrastructure (Pass Rousseau for driving school, Codes Rousseau for theory prep, Elementor for web content) with no proprietary platform or AI components.

The entity is owned by Transports HPE – SASU (SIRET 48366545100025) and operates as a private training organization (despite a "non-profit" firmographic label) with no disclosed funding rounds, no M&A activity, no leadership changes, and no patents. Qualiopi certification by the French Ministry of Vocational Training is the central regulatory credential enabling access to public funding. Geographic scope is limited to the Pays de la Loire region, and AI/ML capabilities are absent from the disclosed stack, making the organization's competitive moat dependent on regulatory certification, regional institutional relationships, and the embedded OPCO referral network rather than technology differentiation.

Name

Cap Formation

Legal name

Transports HPE – SASU

Website

https://capformation.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Cap Formation is a 50-year-old Pays de la Loire vocational training organization operating as both a continuing training center and apprenticeship CFA, delivering 30+ programs across business support, hospitality, transversal skills, and mobility to job seekers, employees, apprentices, and vulnerable populations, financed primarily by France Travail, OPCOs, and the Regional Council.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-Herblain

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. OPCO-financed training: Training financed through Opérateurs de Compétences (OPCOs) which cover industry-specific professional training costs for employees and job seekers. Multiple OPCOs support Cap Formation including AKTO, AFDAS, Uniformation, OPCO Santé, OCAPIAT, OPCO Mobilités, OPCO2i, Constructys, OPCO Atlas, and OPCO EP.
2. Regional Council financing: Training funded by the Pays de la Loire Regional Council for job seekers, including programs like PACTE régional 2023-2026 and PRÉPA CLÉS AVENIR financed by the region and European Social Fund.
3. Compte Personnel de Formation (CPF): Individual training accounts used by employees and job seekers to finance professional certifications and skill development programs.
4. France Travail financing: Training funded by France Travail (formerly Pôle Emploi) for registered job seekers, including remuneration and financial assistance.
5. Agefiph partnership: Funding for Inclu'Pro program supporting people with disabilities, provided through Agefiph partnership.
6. Apprenticeship contracts: Training through apprenticeship (Contrat d'Apprentissage) combining theoretical education in training center with practical work experience in partner companies.
7. Professionalization contracts: Training through professionalization contracts (Contrat de Professionnalisation) for employees and job seekers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cap Formation operates a vocational training organization delivering both continuing professional education (formation continue) and apprenticeship (alternance) programs across three centers in Pays de la Loire, France. It offers 30+ recognized training programs including professional titles (Titres Professionnels), foundational skills certifications (CléA, TOSA), language training (FLE), career assessments (Bilan de Compétences), mobility support (driving license, Plateforme Mobilité), and a training application restaurant (L'@telier du 6).

Product overview

Cap Formation is a dual-purpose vocational training organization operating as both a Centre de Formation Continue (Continuing Professional Training) and a Centre de Formation des Apprentis (Apprenticeship Training Center/CFA). The organization offers a portfolio of over 30 training programs organized across four main domains: (1) Business Support Occupations (Assistant Commercial, Comptable, Gestionnaire de Paie, Secrétaire, TOSA Certification), (2) Hospitality and Restaurant Trades (Commis de Cuisine, Employé Polyvalent, Serveur), (3) Cross-cutting Competencies & Career Security (CléA, CléA Numérique, MCCP, FLE Language Training, Compétences Clés AKTO), and (4) Professional Mobility (Bilan de Compétences, Prépa Clés Avenir, Code de la Route, Plateforme Mobilité). Training is delivered through both continuing education and apprenticeship/alternation pathways across three centers in Saint-Herblain, Nantes, and Mayenne (Pays de la Loire region).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Assistant(e) Commercial(e) - Titre Professionnel Professional certification training preparing individuals for commercial assistant roles, targeting job seekers and employees seeking qualification in business support occupations.
• Comptable Assistant(e) - Titre Professionnel Professional certification training for accounting assistant roles, targeting job seekers and employees in the business support domain.
• Gestionnaire de Paie - Titre Professionnel Professional certification training for payroll manager roles, targeting job seekers and employees seeking qualification in payroll administration.
• Secrétaire Comptable - Titre Professionnel Professional certification training combining secretarial and accounting skills, targeting job seekers and employees in business support.
• Gestionnaire Comptable et Fiscal - Titre Professionnel Professional certification training for accounting and tax manager roles, targeting job seekers and employees seeking advanced accounting qualifications.
• TOSA Certification Bureautique (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) Digital skills certification for office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), targeting job seekers and employees seeking validated digital competencies.
• Modules Comptabilité - Paie - Gestion Commerciale Modular training programs covering accounting, payroll, and commercial management skills for business support professionals.
• Commis de Cuisine - Titre Professionnel Professional certification training for kitchen assistant roles, targeting job seekers and employees in the hospitality and catering industry.
• Employé Polyvalent de Restauration - Titre Professionnel Professional certification training for multi-skilled restaurant employee roles, targeting job seekers and employees in the hospitality industry.
• Serveur en Restauration - Titre Professionnel Professional certification training for restaurant server roles, targeting job seekers and employees in the hospitality and catering industry.
• Certification CléA (Evaluation Initiale et Finale) National foundational skills certification managed by Certif'Pro (COPANEF), validating fundamental professional competencies through initial and final evaluations.
• CléA Numérique Digital skills certification program validating essential digital workplace competencies for job seekers and employees.
• MCCP - Maîtrise des Compétences Clés de la Propreté Industry-specific certification for cleaning sector foundational skills, targeting workers in the cleaning industry seeking professional qualification.
• Action Collective Compétences Clés – AKTO Collective workplace skills training program financed by AKTO OPCO, targeting employees in hospitality, cleaning, woodwork, wholesale, and waste management sectors.
• Action Socio-Linguistique Complémentaire du CIR Français à Visée Professionnelle – Niveau A1 Complementary socio-linguistic training at A1 level for non-native French speakers pursuing professional integration.
• Français Langue Etrangère (FLE) à visée d'insertion professionnelle French as a Foreign Language training aimed at professional integration, targeting non-native French speakers, migrants, and newcomers.
• Formation socle de compétences et de connaissances professionnelles (CléA) Foundational professional skills training program (CléA formation) preparing candidates for the CléA certification.
• Prépa Clés Avenir Professional orientation program helping job seekers prepare for employment pathways, financed by the Pays de la Loire Region.
• Formation au Code de la Route et à la Conduite Driver's license training program (theory and practice), targeting job seekers needing mobility for employment access; partially financed by Departmental Council and Nantes Métropole.
• Bilan de Compétences Career assessment service for individuals seeking career transition, skills inventory, and professional development planning.
• Plateforme Mobilité Geographic mobility support service assisting job seekers with transportation solutions for accessing employment opportunities.
• PRÉPA Clés Avenir FLE Sectoriel Hôtellerie/Restauration Sector-specific Prépa Clés Avenir program combining French language training with hospitality and restaurant industry orientation for non-native speakers.
• Prépa Clés Avenir Séniors Prépa Clés Avenir program tailored for workers over 50 facing employment challenges, supporting career transition and skills enhancement.
• Restaurant d'application L'@telier du 6 Application training restaurant facility operated by Cap Formation, providing practical work experience for hospitality trainees in real-world service conditions.

Quantifiable outcome

• High trainee satisfaction rate

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AKTO (Opérateur de Compétences)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAKTO is one of 11 OPCOs that finance and direct training for workers in sectors including hospitality, cleaning, woodwork, wholesale, and waste management. They fund Cap Formation's Action Collective Compétences Clés program.
• AFDAScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAFDAS OPCO supports cultural, communication, and leisure sectors. Provides training financing for employees in these industries.
• UniformationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUniformation OPCO supports social economy, sports, and associative sectors.
• OPCO SantécoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOPCO Santé finances training for healthcare sector workers.
• OCAPIATcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOCAPIAT OPCO supports agriculture, food, and environment sectors.
• OPCO MobilitéscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOPCO Mobilités supports transport and logistics sector workers.
• OPCO2icoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOPCO2i supports industrial sectors and innovation.
• ConstructyscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConstructys OPCO supports construction and building sector workers.
• OPCO AtlascoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOPCO Atlas supports trade and distribution sectors.
• OPCO EPcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOPCO EP supports employment and integration sectors.
• France Travail (formerly Pôle Emploi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational employment service that refers job seekers to Cap Formation's training programs and provides financing for training and living allowances.
• Mission LocalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth employment service that refers young people to Cap Formation's programs, particularly PREPA CLÉS AVENIR and other integration pathways.
• AgefiphcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgefiph funds the Inclu'Pro program supporting people with disabilities in their professional integration and job retention, in partnership with Cap Formation.
• Région Pays de la LoirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional council that finances training for job seekers through programs including PACTE régional 2023-2026 and PRÉPA CLÉS AVENIR, co-funded with European Social Fund.
• Département de Loire-AtlantiquecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDepartmental council that supports the Plateforme Mobilité initiative and financing for driving license training for RSA beneficiaries and QPV youth.
• CAP Emploi 53coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialized employment service for people with disabilities in Mayenne department.
• DREETS Pays de la LoirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional directorate that oversees professional training and employment policies, providing regulatory oversight and program support.
• PLIE (Plan Local pour l'Insertion et l'Emploi)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal employment integration networks that refer disadvantaged job seekers to Cap Formation's programs.
• TOSAcoreOthersTOSA certifies digital skills for office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Cap Formation offers TOSA certification for office automation skills.
• Certificat CléA / COPANEFcoreOthersNational professional skills certification managed by Certif'Pro, validating fundamental professional competencies. Cap Formation is an authorized preparation center.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• AFTRAL: AFTRAL is a major French CFA and continuing training provider specializing in transport, logistics, and mobility training with strong OPCO Mobilités relationships. It directly parallels Cap Formation's professional mobility and Plateforme Mobilité offerings and competes for the same logistics-sector OPCO funding.
• INHNI: INHNI is the French CFA for hygiene, cleanliness, and propreté trades, delivering the MCCP (Maîtrise des Compétences Clés de la Propreté) certification that Cap Formation also offers. It is a direct peer on industry-specific transversal-skills certifications financed through OPCO EP and similar channels.
• Compagnons du Devoir: Compagnons du Devoir is a historic French apprenticeship organization offering alternating training across multiple trades with deep regional roots. It is structurally similar to Cap Formation in operating a CFA model with traditional trade credentials, though focused on a different trade mix.
• École de la Deuxième Chance (E2C): E2C is a French network of CFA-like training centers dedicated to NEET youth (16-25) far from employment, financed by regional councils and France Travail. Cap Formation's Prépa Clés Avenir youth pathway directly overlaps E2C's mission, funnels, and funding sources.

Regional players

• AFORP: AFORP is a French CFA/formation continue network primarily serving Île-de-France with industrial and management apprenticeships. It is comparable to Cap Formation's CFA model and Titre Professionnel portfolio, though geographically distinct.
• IRFA Sud (and regional private CFA peers): IRFA Sud is a privately run French CFA offering multi-sector Titre Professionnel and alternance programs in another region. It is a like-for-like private peer to Cap Formation in business model and OPCO-funded program mix, useful as a comparable for unit economics.

Broad incumbents

• AFPA: AFPA is France's largest national vocational training operator, offering Titre Professionnel programs, alternance, and continuing education across the entire country. It is the dominant scale peer to Cap Formation's regional CFA/formation continue model and competes for the same OPCO- and CPF-funded trainee pool.
• GRETA (Réseau National): GRETA is the public network of continuing-education units attached to French lycées, delivering Titre Professionnel and skills programs financed by OPCOs and regional authorities. It is the closest direct public-sector analog to Cap Formation's dual CFA/formation continue model and competes regionally in Pays de la Loire.
• CNAM (Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers): CNAM delivers continuing professional education and certification programs across France, including digital skills and professional title certifications comparable to those Cap Formation offers (TOSA, CléA, Titre Professionnel). It competes for adult CPF-funded learners in the same categories.
• CCI Formation (CCI France): CCI Formation delivers business, digital, and management vocational training through the Chamber of Commerce network, including Titre Professionnels for assistant commercial, comptable, and gestionnaire de paie roles that directly overlap Cap Formation's business-support portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CAPFormationNantes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/capformation
• Instagraminstagram.com/cap_formation

Compliance1 record

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 Cap Formation