cheFare

What cheFare does

cheFare (legal name: Associazione Culturale cheFare) is an Italian non-profit cultural transformation agency founded in 2012 and domiciled in Milan, with a second operational office in Turin. The organization was established by seven founders and operates as an Ente del Terzo Settore (ETS), generating revenue through project-based fees from foundations (notably Fondazione Cariplo and Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo), public administrations (Comune di Milano, Comune di Cagliari, Città Metropolitana di Milano), cultural institutions (Triennale Milano, Sistema Bibliotecario di Milano), and 5x1000 civic donations. Its service portfolio spans eight interconnected areas: cultural project design, strategic support/accompaniment, territorial co-design, training and courses, qualitative/quantitative research, communication campaigns, books and publications, and festivals and live events. Supporting these services is a content platform of daily articles contributed by over 500-700 authors and a podcast network including Moltitudini, I nuovi centri culturali (with Rai Play Sound), Voci d'Archivio, and I Ching.

Name

cheFare

Legal name

Associazione Culturale cheFare

Website

https://che-fare.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Short description

cheFare is an Italian non-profit cultural transformation agency founded in 2012 that provides strategic accompaniment, project design, training, research, and publications to cultural organizations, public administrations, foundations, and communities across Italy and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Project-based cultural consulting and strategic support: cheFare develops collaborative cultural projects, strategic support programs, and training courses alongside cultural organizations, public administrations, and institutions. Revenue is generated through project fees, accompaniment programs, and contracted research and communication services.
2. 5x1000 donations (social balance / civic funding): As an ETS (non-profit cultural association), cheFare receives 5x1000 civic donations directed to its fiscal code 97706570153.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

cheFare is a cultural transformation agency that designs and delivers collaborative cultural projects alongside communities, cultural organizations, public administrations, and institutions. It provides strategic accompaniment, territorial co-design, training, research, and communication services, and publishes books, articles, and podcasts through its editorial platform and a network of over 700 contributors.

Product overview

cheFare is a cultural transformation agency that operates as a multi-service organization rather than a unified software product. The core offering consists of eight interconnected service areas: Cultural Project Design, Strategic Support, Territorial Co-design, Training, Research, Communication, Publications, and Events/Festivals. Supporting these services are content products including an articles platform (featuring 700+ contributors), podcast production, and various publication series. The agency also manages specific project initiatives such as Civicity (design week residency), BeiLuoghi (urban regeneration), Archivio Meraviglioso (archive digitization), and 100 IDEE (youth empowerment). The services work together as an integrated approach to cultural transformation, with projects often combining multiple service areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cultural Project Design Development of cultural projects with international institutions, local organizations, public administrations and publishers, including artist residencies, participatory artworks, collaborative publications, and live events.
• Strategic Support and Accompaniment Formalized processes that reconstruct organizational history, capture present state, and build navigation tools for organizations to become and remain sustainable over time. Targeted at cultural organizations, foundations, and third-sector entities.
• Territorial Co-design Facilitation of planning, production and management of cultural and social actions aimed at activating and circulating collective intelligence of territories through structured co-design processes with public bodies and communities.
• Training Courses and Workshops Formation programs, labs and workshops focused on cultural project design covering project analysis and writing, funding systems, sustainability, audience relationships, and communication management, offered in collaboration with universities and business schools.
• Research Services Qualitative and quantitative research on emerging phenomena in culture and social sectors, conducted through surveys, focus groups, interviews, and data elaboration for organizations, institutions, and foundations.
• Communication and Campaigns Design and implementation of communication projects and campaigns for social and cultural initiatives, balancing digital and onlife channels.
• Books and Publications Publishing of books, magazines, article series and podcasts exploring key aspects of cultural debate, including storytelling paths and participatory narratives, in partnership with major Italian publishers.
• Festivals and Live Events Curated live events with writers, artists, researchers, activists and policymakers in formats including festivals (Rosetta, Molto Presto, Goccia Fest), roundtables, traveling series, and book presentations across Italy.
• Articles Platform Online editorial platform publishing daily content from over 700 authors including researchers, artists, and policymakers on cultural transformation in Italy and worldwide.
• Podcast Production Audio content production including Moltitudini (Arci circles), I nuovi centri culturali (Rai partnership), Voci d'Archivio (Archivio Meraviglioso), and I Ching (urban lectures).
• Civicity Residency Program Multi-year residency program examining the social and environmental impact of design events on host cities, hosting two designers from the Netherlands in Milan annually in collaboration with Het Nieuwe Instituut and Collective Works.
• BeiLuoghi Competence Center Competence center for culture-led urban regeneration promoted by Fondazione Cariplo in collaboration with Fondazione Housing Sociale, supporting 6 territorial regeneration projects in Lombardy with cheFare providing strategic support.
• Biblioteca Amore Mio Social Balance Project Social balance report project for Milan's library system (Sistema Bibliotecario di Milano), gathering voices, stories and data to capture the public value and community impact of the library network.

Quantifiable outcome

• €350,000 awarded to 5 projects from 1,800+ proposals; 180,000+ votes cast in Premio cheFare competitions
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

41 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Fondazione CariplocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor funding and strategic partner for multiple projects including BeiLuoghi (competence center for culture-led urban regeneration), Civic Media Art, and Archivio Meraviglioso. Fondazione Cariplo collaborates with cheFare on long-term cultural planning and urban regeneration programs across Lombardy.
• Fondazione Compagnia di San PaolocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner for active participation projects including Summer School on participation for public administrations, Winter School on participatory local development policies, Parole di partecipazione attiva publication, and support for organizations through the Next Generation You program.
• Het Nieuwe InstituutcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch cultural institution collaborating with cheFare on Civicity — Redesigning Design Weeks, a multi-year residency program examining the social and environmental impact of design events on host cities. Two designers from the Netherlands are hosted in Milan annually.
• Triennale MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading cultural institution in Milan partnering on events including Molto Presto (conference on new cultural centers), I Ching public program, and the Progettualità sociale e politiche seminar.
• Arci NazionalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Italian cultural association collaborating on multiple projects including Moltitudini podcast (with Storielibere.fm), FestA! festival manifesto, and research on community cultural spaces.
• Embassy and Consulate General of the Netherlands in ItalyflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPromotes the Civicity residency program (Redesigning Design Weeks) in collaboration with Het Nieuwe Instituut and cheFare. Supports international cultural exchange on sustainable design events.
• Wikimedia ItaliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Archivio Meraviglioso project for the digitization of the Istituto dei Ciechi di Milano archive. Wikimedia provides open-knowledge platform expertise and community engagement for the archival digitization process.
• Rai Play SoundGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership with Rai's Non Solo Performing Arts program to report on new cultural centers across Italy throughout 2021, co-producing the I nuovi centri culturali podcast.
• BASE MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural venue in Milan partnering on events, discussions, and cultural programming related to collaborative culture and urban transformation.
• Con i BambiniminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird-sector funding body supporting youth-focused cultural projects and programs.
• Interreg Italia SvizzeraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-border cooperation program between Italy and Switzerland supporting collaborative cultural projects across the border region.
• LegambienteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Italian environmental association collaborating on cultural and environmental sustainability projects.
• Città Metropolitana di MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetropolitan government of Milan partnering on youth programs (100 IDEE), journalism workshops (Link), and urban cultural initiatives.
• Comune di MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipality of Milan partnering on youth empowerment program 100 IDEE and other urban cultural transformation projects.
• Storielibere.fmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital storytelling platform co-producing the Moltitudini podcast with Arci and cheFare, documenting stories from ARCI cultural circles across Italy.
• Fondazione Housing SocialecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with Fondazione Cariplo on the BeiLuoghi competence center for culture-led urban regeneration in Lombardy.
• Codici Ricerca e InterventocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch and intervention organization collaborating on Link journalism workshops and Emersioni magazine focused on labor exploitation and social issues.
• Istituto Italiano di FotografiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhotography institute in Milan collaborating on cultural projects and visual arts programming.
• Fondazione Pro HelvetiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss cultural foundation supporting international cultural exchange projects involving Swiss and Italian cultural actors.
• Archivio di Stato di MilanocoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerState Archives of Milan collaborating on the Archivio Meraviglioso digitization project with the Istituto dei Ciechi di Milano.
• Mimesis EdizioniminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian publisher publishing multiple cheFare-authored and curated books and chapters on cultural transformation, participation, and social innovation.
• TreccaniminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Italian cultural and publishing institution listed as a partner for cultural projects and dissemination.
• Università di Bergamo (Dipartimento di Lingue)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for cultural research collaborations and knowledge dissemination.
• RCS Academy Business SchoolminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness school in Milan where cheFare team members (Federica Vittori, Alice Previtali) teach cultural project design courses.
• Icei (Istituto Cooperazione Economica Internazionale)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational economic cooperation institute partnering on development and cultural projects.
• Cooperativa Sociale SimpatriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial cooperative partnered on social and cultural initiatives, including strategic accompaniment.
• AmalgamaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural association from Turin, partnered for cultural projects and supported by cheFare through the Next Generation You strategic accompaniment program.
• Via BalteaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity hub in Turin (Barriera di Milano) managed by Sumisura s.c., partnered on cultural projects.
• Zero5minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial cooperative focused on cultural and social projects, listed as a partner organization.
• ICASminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDigitization laboratory partnering on the Archivio Meraviglioso project for digitization of the Istituto dei Ciechi di Milano archive.
• Ink ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural space in Bergamo receiving strategic support from cheFare, part of the ARCI ecosystem.
• Fondazione di Comunità di MilanominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity foundation in Milan supporting Civicity 2026 residency program with co-funding.
• Irecoop Alto Adige SüdtirolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative training institute in South Tyrol collaborating on the Casa Sant'Angela feasibility study for a community space in Trento.
• a|cubeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilan-based creative and cultural organization listed as a partner.
• Regione PugliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPuglia regional government listed as a partner organization.
• Comune di AlessandriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipality of Alessandria partnered on the Confluenze project for collaborative practices between private social sector and public administration.
• Canton ValleseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss canton bordering Italy, partnered on cross-border cultural cooperation projects.
• Magazzino sul PominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural venue in Turin producing the Le parole della notte research project and hosting events.
• Alce NerominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganic brand supporting cultural projects including Civic Media Art publication activities.
• Collective WorksflagshipImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDutch design studio curating the Civicity residency program (Redesigning Design Weeks), selecting and guiding designers-in-residence in Milan.
• Ecate CulturacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural organization receiving strategic accompaniment from cheFare and collaborating on BTTF Human Made Festival in Milan's Adriano district.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fondazione Fitzcarraldo: Turin-based Italian foundation conducting cultural research, training, and policy advice for cultural organizations and public administrations — the closest domestic analogue to cheFare's strategic accompaniment and research model.
• Julie's Bicycle: UK non-profit that consults, trains, and produces research for cultural and creative organizations on sustainability and organizational transformation — directly comparable to cheFare's blend of advisory, training, and sector research.
• Trans Europe Halles: Network that supports the transformation and capacity-building of cultural centers across Europe — comparable to cheFare's work with new cultural centers, libraries, and community hubs.
• Culture Action Europe: Brussels-based European cultural advocacy and policy organization supporting artists and cultural operators through research, training, and convening — peers to cheFare's policy-facing and capacity-building function.
• Kennisland: Dutch independent knowledge organization developing learning, research, and innovation programs for cultural and social sectors — closely parallel to cheFare's methodology of connecting institutions, communities, and innovation.

Broad incumbents

• European Cultural Foundation: Amsterdam-based foundation funding and convening cultural transformation projects across Europe — operates a much larger grant-making and pan-European agenda that overlaps with cheFare's cultural and participatory focus.
• NESTA: UK innovation foundation running research, programs, and investment for social and cultural innovation — broader scope than cheFare but runs analogous cultural-transformation and place-based regeneration programs.

Regional players

• A Slice of Reality (Codici Ricerca e Intervento): Italian research-and-intervention cooperative collaborating with cheFare on journalism workshops and social-issue investigations — adjacent peer in cultural research and social transformation in Italy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/QuindicheFare
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chefare
• Instagraminstagram.com/quindi_chefare

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

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 cheFare