Certop, Centre d'Étude et de Recherche Travail Organisation Pouvoir

What Certop, Centre d'Étude et de Recherche Travail Organisation Pouvoir does

Certop, formally UTOPI (Unité de recherche Transitions, Organisations, Politiques, Inégalités, UMR 5311), is a French public research laboratory jointly operated by CNRS, Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès, Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, and Sciences Po Toulouse. Founded in 1994 and based in Toulouse with a staff of approximately 15, the laboratory conducts interdisciplinary social science research examining the interdependence of sanitary, environmental, productive, educational, and political transitions, which it argues are typically studied in isolation. The research is organized along three axes — ECLAT, IMPACT, and PIRATES — and adopts a "bottom-up" perspective analyzing transitions from local to international levels through social mobilizations, protest forms, and contemporary reconfigurations they trigger.

The laboratory produces academic outputs rather than commercial products: scientific publications, books, media contributions, seminars, colloquia, doctoral training, and ongoing funded research contracts. It does not sell goods or services in a market sense and has no disclosed pricing model. Funding flows through institutional channels from CNRS and the partner universities. The lab is led by Director Prisca Kergoat, supported by Deputy Directors Anne Dupuy (Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès) and Julien Weisbein (Sciences Po Toulouse). Distribution of research findings is conducted via academic publishers, institutional repositories, scientific events in Toulouse and online, and a website presence at utopi.cnrs.fr, supplemented by LinkedIn and Bluesky profiles.

The institution does not generate commercial revenue and operates entirely within the French public research framework, with no venture, private equity, or external commercial ownership. Its member structure spans researchers, doctoral students, support staff, young doctors, associates, and partners, indicating a community-oriented ecosystem rather than a customer base.

Name

Certop, Centre d'Étude et de Recherche Travail Organisation Pouvoir

Legal name

UTOPI - Unité de recherche Transitions, Organisations, Politiques, Inégalités (UMR 5311)

Website

https://certop.cnrs.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UTOPI (UMR 5311), formerly Certop, is a CNRS-affiliated French public research laboratory in Toulouse conducting interdisciplinary social science research on transitions, organizations, public policies, and inequalities, producing academic publications and training doctoral researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Research Administration & Compliance (Sponsored Programs, IRB/REB) (EDADAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK)

Keywords

• Social science research
• Interdisciplinary studies
• Public policy research
• Organizational analysis
• Academic research

Headquarters

HQ city

Toulouse

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

UTOPI (formerly Certop) is a CNRS-affiliated public research laboratory (UMR 5311) in Toulouse that conducts interdisciplinary social science research on the interdependencies between sanitary, environmental, productive, educational, and political transitions. It organizes its work around three research axes (ECLAT, IMPACT, PIRATES) covering work and organizations, public policies, and social mobilizations, and produces scientific publications, doctoral theses, seminars, and colloquia for the academic and policy community.

Product overview

The source data pertains to UTOPI (Unité de recherche Transitions, Organisations, Politiques, Inégalités), UMR 5311, a CNRS-affiliated research laboratory focused on interdisciplinary studies of transitions (sanitary, environmental, productive, educational, and political). The source does not contain information about Certop, Centre d'Étude et de Recherche Travail Organisation Pouvoir.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary institutional partner. Certop/UTOPI operates as UMR 5311 under CNRS oversight. CNRS provides institutional framework, funding, and administrative support for the research laboratory.
• Université Jean Jaurès de Toulouse (UT2J)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost university providing institutional affiliation and research infrastructure. The laboratory is part of the Toulouse university community.
• Université 3 de Toulouse (UT3)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university in the Toulouse region contributing to the institutional framework of the research laboratory.
• Sciences Po ToulousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSciences Po Toulouse is a co-host institution. One of the deputy directors (Julien Weisbein) is affiliated with Sciences Po Toulouse.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• OSC — Observatoire Sociologique du Changement: Sciences Po/CNRS research unit focused on social change, inequalities, and political behavior — broader incumbent with substantive thematic overlap with UTOPI's transitions and inequalities work.
• Centre Émile Bernheim — Université libre de Bruxelles: Interuniversity research center in management, economics, and social sciences with broader scope but overlapping interests in organizational analysis and policy research.

Direct peers

• Clersé — Centre Lillois d'Études et de Recherches Sociologiques et Économiques: CNRS UMR at Université de Lille integrating sociology and economics on work, employment, and inequalities — comparable scope to UTOPI's transitions and inequalities research.
• CSO — Centre de Sociologie des Organisations: Sciences Po/CNRS-affiliated research center studying organizations, public action, and policy — closely mirrors UTOPI's focus on organizations and public policies.
• Centre Émile Durkheim: CNRS UMR at Sciences Po Bordeaux researching political sociology, inequalities, and public action — shares UTOPI's focus on mobilizations, transitions, and policy analysis.
• CRESPPA — Centre de Recherches Sociologiques et Politiques de Paris: CNRS UMR in Paris combining sociology and political science research on mobilizations, inequalities, and labor — directly comparable to UTOPI's interdisciplinary transitions framing.
• LADYSS — Laboratoire Dynamiques Sociales et Recomposition des Espaces: CNRS UMR conducting interdisciplinary research on social dynamics, environment, and spatial inequalities — shares UTOPI's interest in environmental and educational transitions.
• LEST — Laboratoire d'Économie et de Sociologie du Travail: CNRS UMR in Aix-en-Provence focused on labor, work, and organizations — directly comparable research remit to UTOPI's ECLAT/IMPACT axes covering work, organizations, and transitions.
• CERAPS — Centre d'Études et de Recherches Administratives, Politiques et Sociales: CNRS UMR at Université de Lille conducting research on public policy, administration, and social mobilization — closely overlaps UTOPI's PIRATES axis and 'bottom-up' political analysis.
• CEPEL — Centre d'Études Politiques de l'Europe Latine: CNRS UMR at Université Montpellier studying politics, policy, and social change — comparable to UTOPI's public policy and political mobilizations research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-d-%C3%A9tude-et-de-recherche-travail-organisation-pouvoir

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Certop, Centre d'Étude et de Recherche Travail Organisation Pouvoir