Clowns Z'hôpitaux

What Clowns Z'hôpitaux does

Clowns Z'hôpitaux is a French nonprofit association (loi 1901), founded in 2004 and recognized as 'd'intérêt général', that deploys professional clown artists into healthcare settings to provide psychosocial support to vulnerable populations. Its core service is in-person clown visits delivered in pairs by trained artists to three beneficiary groups: children in hospital pediatric wards, dependent elderly residents in EHPAD nursing homes, and adults and young people with disabilities in specialized facilities (MAS, IME, foyers). The association operates five regional antennas across Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg, Romans-sur-Isère, and Carcassonne, reaching 20 care establishments, performing approximately 296 interventions in 2025 (targeting 300+ annually), and serving more than 4,000 beneficiaries per year across five French regions.

The underlying 'technology' is a domain-specialized performing arts practice — improvisation, musicality, body expression, and object manipulation adapted to vulnerable populations — supported by a formal ethics charter, continuous training through the national FFACH federation and international HCIM conferences, and adherence to GDPR/RGPD-compliant donor data handling. The association is professionally organized with two co-artistic directors (Sandra Burtin, Sandrine Hugot), a 20-artist clown workforce, and an 11-person administrative team spanning fundraising, communications, HR, IT/web, and governance. There is no proprietary software platform; digital infrastructure is limited to standard donation processors (HelloAsso, RGive, MicroDON) and Google Analytics.

The revenue model is exclusively donation-based: 69% of intervention costs are funded by individual donors (eligible for a 66% French tax deduction), with the remainder sourced from corporate philanthropy (60% deduction), public subsidies (noted as declining), and event-driven fundraising. Key recurring corporate partners include association Max et Vincent (€5,500+/year since 2016) and Sourire d'Enfant (~€4,500 in 2023), supplemented by arrondi programs with MicroDON in Monoprix stores, school solidarity projects, an annual gala dinner, seasonal donation campaigns, and crowdfunding. Direct-to-consumer fundraising dominates the GTM motion, with corporate partnerships and school programs providing secondary pipelines.

Name

Clowns Z'hôpitaux

Legal name

Clowns Z'hôpitaux

Website

https://clown-hopital.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

French nonprofit association founded in 2004 that deploys 20 professional clown artists, working in pairs, to deliver weekly psychosocial visits in 20 hospitals, EHPADs, and disability facilities across five French regions, serving more than 4,000 children, elderly, and disabled beneficiaries annually through individual donations and corporate philanthropy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare support services

NAICS

All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (71399), Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (7139), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Entertainment Booking (Clowns, Characters, Princess Parties) (HSACAHAF)

Keywords

• Healthcare clowning services
• Pediatric psychosocial support
• Elderly care visits
• Disability entertainment programs
• Hospital art therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual donations: Primary revenue source with 69% of interventions funded through donations from individual donors. Tax deductible at 66% for individuals.
2. Corporate philanthropy and partnerships: Corporate donations and ongoing partnerships with companies and other associations. Tax deductible at 60% for businesses.
3. Public funding: Decreasing government aid as mentioned in 2026 summer campaign materials.
4. Event fundraising: Gala dinners and special events that raised 51,000 euros at the first gala in February 2024.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Clowns Z'hôpitaux is a nonprofit association that sends pairs of professional clown artists into healthcare facilities to deliver theatrical and psychosocial interventions. Its core service programs target three populations: hospitalized children in pediatric wards, dependent elderly residents in EHPADs, and people with disabilities in specialized facilities (MAS, IME). The 20-clown team conducts 300+ interventions per year across 5 regions of France, reaching 4,000+ beneficiaries annually.

Product overview

Clowns Z'hôpitaux is a French nonprofit association (loi 1901) that has operated since 2004 providing professional clown hospital visits. The organization's core offering is its intervention program where trained professional clowns visit healthcare facilities in pairs. The service portfolio includes dedicated programs for hospitalized children in pediatric wards, elderly residents in EHPAD nursing homes, and people with disabilities in specialized facilities (MAS, IME). Beyond direct care services, the organization operates school partnership programs for solidarity projects, corporate sponsorship initiatives including arrondi sur salaire and arrondi sur paiement mechanisms, individual donation programs with tax benefits, annual fundraising campaigns (summer and Christmas), crowdfunding initiatives, and an annual gala dinner. The organization maintains five regional antennas in Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg, Romans-sur-Isère, and Carcassonne, and participates in professional development through the FFACH federation and international HCIM conferences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hospitalized Children Intervention Program Clown visits specifically for children in pediatric hospital services, providing moments of joy, distraction, and emotional support during medical treatment. Clowns work in pairs using improvisation, musicality, and play techniques adapted to hospitalized children.
• Elderly Care (EHPAD) Program Clown visits to dependent elderly residents in EHPAD nursing homes, helping combat loneliness and bring moments of connection and joy. Programmed activities include musical interaction, sensory engagement, and emotional support for residents including those in Alzheimer units.
• Disability Care Facilities Program Clown visits to specialized establishments serving adults and young people with disabilities (MAS, IME, foster homes). Provides unique sensory and emotional experiences adapted to various disabilities and communication barriers.
• Professional Clown Hospital Visits (Core Service) Weekly visits by pairs of professional clowns to hospitals, EHPADs, and specialized facilities. Clowns are trained in healthcare clowning techniques (improvisation, musicality, body expression, object manipulation) and always work in pairs.
• School Partnership Program Solidarity projects for schools including sponsored runs, Christmas markets, bake sales, and kermesse events to raise funds and educate students about solidarity. Targets teachers, students, and educational institutions.
• Corporate Partnership & Sponsorship Program Corporate philanthropy programs including payroll giving (arrondi sur salaire), point-of-sale rounding (arrondi sur paiement), skills-based volunteering, and solidarity events. Targets companies seeking CSR impact and 60% tax deduction for business donations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,000+ beneficiaries per year across all populations served
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Max et Vincent (Alain and Béatrice Lemouzy)coreGTM or Marketing Partner10-year ongoing partnership since 2016. Finances clown visits in pediatric service of Hôpital Paris-Saclay (Orsay). Annual contribution of 5,500+ euros funding 11 interventions per year reaching 180+ children. Extended partnership for 3 additional years in 2026.
• Sourire d'EnfantcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOngoing support since 2013. 4,500 euro donation in 2023 to co-finance clown visits at Médipôle Lyon-Villeurbanne pediatric service, with partner Doolit.
• CNFDIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized first gala dinner on February 1, 2024 at Pavillon de Gravelle, gathering 170 participants to celebrate 20th anniversary.
• MicroDONcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArrondi en caisse (rounding donations) program for retail point-of-sale giving. Partnership since 2016 in multiple Monoprix stores in Paris and Hauts-de-Seine regions.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Le Rire Médecin: Founded in 1991, Le Rire Médecin is the largest and oldest healthcare clowning association in France, sending professional clowns in pairs into pediatric wards. Directly comparable mission, methodology (paired clowns), and target population (hospitalized children) as Clowns Z'hôpitaux.
• Dr. Clown (Réseau Doctor Clown): Canadian-founded healthcare clowning network with French-speaking operations delivering therapeutic clown visits in hospitals and care facilities. Comparable paired-clown intervention model and nonprofit funding structure serving similar vulnerable populations.
• Theodora Foundation: Swiss-based international nonprofit operating 'Giggle Doctors' visits to hospitalized children across multiple countries. Directly comparable mission, professional artist model, and hospital clowning methodology, with broader geographic scale than Clowns Z'hôpitaux.
• Association 321 Clowns: French nonprofit founded in 2002 by Caroline Simonds delivering professional clown interventions in hospitals and specialized establishments serving vulnerable children. Highly comparable nonprofit model, paired-clown methodology, and French operating geography.

Others

• Fédération Française des Associations de Clowns Hospitaliers (FFACH): National federation of French healthcare clowning associations of which Clowns Z'hôpitaux is an active member. Relevant as the umbrella body setting professional standards, ethics, and training frameworks that govern the company's clown practice.

Regional players

• CliniClowns (CliniClowns Nederland): Dutch healthcare clowning nonprofit serving hospitalized children, elderly in care homes, and people with disabilities — matching Clowns Z'hôpitaux' three-population scope — though operating in a different European market.
• Fondazione Theodora (Italy): Italian arm of the Theodora network sending 'Dottor Sogni' to hospitalized children in Italian hospitals. Comparable therapeutic-clown delivery model and pediatric care mission within a different national market, providing regional European context.
• Hearts & Minds: UK-based charity running 'Clowndoctor' visits in pediatric wards across Scotland and northern England. Comparable professional artist methodology and pediatric hospital focus, but operating in a different national market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/clownhopital
• Facebookfacebook.com/Clowns.Z.hopitaux
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clowns-z-hopitaux
• Instagraminstagram.com/clowns_zhopitaux

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Clowns Z'hôpitaux