What Odissea Cooperativa Sociale does

Odissea Cooperativa Sociale is a mixed A+B Italian social cooperative founded in 2007 in Capannori, Tuscany, that delivers reception, education, social inclusion, labor-integration, and linguistic-cultural mediation services to migrants, refugees, unaccompanied foreign minors (MSNA), and vulnerable women and children. The cooperative operates 33 reception facilities — including the SAI reception system, Casa Penelope for vulnerable women/mothers, and Casa Mentore for adolescent autonomy — and runs the Istituto Linguistico Interculturale Odissea (ILIO), an accredited CILS and DITALS certification center under partnership with Università per Stranieri di Siena. Service delivery relies on a multidisciplinary team of educators, psychologists, anthropologists, trainers, social workers, linguistic-cultural mediators, Italian L2 teachers, and legal experts in immigration law; the cooperative's proprietary methodologies include Ethno-clinical Mediation and a Vulnerability Assessment Framework developed under the FAMI WALO project. The organization holds ISO 9001:2015 certification (RINA, 2022), is a member of Consorzio Co&So, and wholly owns Impresa Sociale Terra di Tutti S.r.l. (founded 2019) for agricultural inclusion activities.

The business model is overwhelmingly public-sector-funded. Core revenue comes from contracts with 9 Tuscan municipalities and from EU and regional grants — primarily FAMI (Fondo Asilo Migrazione e Integrazione), POR FSE, and Formatemp/Ebitemp — under which the cooperative manages reception facilities, immigrant information desks (Sportelli Immigrati), social offices for citizenship income, and language mediation services. Services to beneficiaries are free; fee-paying streams are limited to ILIO Italian L2 courses (CILS certification preparation for individuals, groups, companies, embassies, and universities) and BOOM summer camp activities (€89/week with sibling discounts). Customer concentration is high: counterparties are public administrations and EU funding bodies, with no commercial enterprise customers disclosed. The cooperative employs 140 staff and has 52 soci (members), and currently manages 59 active projects across the Tuscany region.

Name

Odissea Cooperativa Sociale

Legal name

Odissea Società Cooperativa Sociale

Website

https://cooperativaodissea.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Odissea Cooperativa Sociale is a Tuscan social cooperative delivering reception, education, social inclusion, labor integration, and linguistic-cultural mediation services to migrants, refugees, unaccompanied minors, and vulnerable women across 9 municipalities, funded primarily through public-sector contracts and EU grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services (Reception, Integration, and Community Support)

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Social Assistance (624), Child and Youth Services (624110), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI), Refugee & Humanitarian Newcomer Orientation (Resettlement Support) (EDAAADAI)

Keywords

• Social cooperative services
• Migrant reception services
• Refugee integration programs
• Linguistic cultural mediation
• Italian language education

Headquarters

HQ city

Capannori

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Sector Contracts: Contracts with municipalities (Comuni) and public institutions for managing social services including reception facilities (CAS, SAI/SPRAR), immigrant information desks, social offices, and housing agencies. Services are largely free to beneficiaries.
2. European and Regional Project Funding: EU-funded projects through FAMI (Fondo Asilo Migrazione e Integrazione), POR FSE regional programs, and Formatemp/Ebitemp initiatives. Project-based funding for integration, training, and social inclusion activities.
3. Language Training Services: Italian L2 courses through ILIO including CILS certification exams, preparation courses, and language services for companies, embassies, and public institutions. Partial fee-based services.
4. Summer Activities and Youth Programs: Fee-based summer camps (BOOM activities) for children and adolescents, with weekly rates and sibling discounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Odissea Cooperativa Sociale is a social cooperative providing reception, integration, educational, and social inclusion services for migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, unaccompanied minors, and vulnerable women in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its offerings span five operational areas: reception and accommodation (CAS, SAI/SPRAR systems, Casa Penelope, Casa Mentore), educational services (Italian L2 courses, teacher training), social inclusion (ethnoclinical mediation, immigrant information desks, community events), labor market insertion (Road to Italy), and linguistic-cultural mediation (ILIO language institute with CILS/DITALS certification).

Product overview

Odissea Cooperativa Sociale is a mixed A+B social cooperative (established 2007) providing social services primarily focused on migration, integration, and community support across the Tuscany region. The organization's portfolio consists of distinct service lines organized under five operational areas: reception/accommodation (SAI reception system, Casa Penelope, Casa Mentore), educational services (Italian L2 language teaching through ILIO, teacher training), social inclusion (mediazione etnoclinica, immigrant information desks, community events), labor insertion support (Road to Italy, labor pathway programs), and linguistic-cultural mediation. These services are delivered through multi-disciplinary teams of educators, psychologists, anthropologists, social workers, linguistic mediators, and legal experts, operating across 9 municipalities with 33 reception facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ILIO - Istituto Linguistico Interculturale Odissea: Language institute offering Italian L2 courses, CILS certification exams, and linguistic-cultural mediation services. Established in 2018 as certified CILS and DITALS center with Università per Stranieri di Siena.
• Casa Penelope
• Casa Mentore
• Terra di Tutti S.r.l. Impresa Sociale

Products and services

• SAI – Sistema Accoglienza Integrazione Reception and integration system for migrants and refugees, managed in coordination with local municipalities, providing shelter, legal orientation, and social inclusion pathways.
• Istituto Linguistico Interculturale Odissea (ILIO) Language institute offering Italian L2 courses, CILS examination preparation and certification, and linguistic-cultural mediation services for foreign citizens, companies, embassies, and universities.
• Casa Penelope Low-threshold community housing facility (comunità di tipo familiare ex art. 22 l.r. 41/2005) hosting women alone or mothers with children in situations of housing, economic, and social vulnerability, managed by territorial social services in Tuscany.
• Casa Mentore Second-level residential apartment (ex art. 22 L.R. Toscana 41/2005) for adolescent autonomy, providing medium-intensity care support for up to 12 male adolescents aged 16 and older, including unaccompanied foreign minors (MSNA).
• Mediazione Etnoclinica (Ethnoclinical Mediation) Mediation service addressing stalled or conflicting situations within pathways managed by territorial services, using ethnopsychiatry-based methods to facilitate communication between actors of different cultural backgrounds, involving psychologists, anthropologists, and professional linguistic-cultural mediators.
• Sportelli Immigrati Multilingual information desks specialized in procedures for renewal and issuance of residence permits and immigration legal matters, aimed at overcoming cultural barriers and improving access to services for non-EU citizens.
• Progetto WALO FAMI-funded project focused on training and supporting personnel involved in services for vulnerable foreign minors, developing a comprehensive care model to improve the psycho-social well-being of foreign minors, their families, and the wider educational community.
• Road to Italy Training and active labor policy project financed by Formatemp and Ebitemp through Adecco Inclusion, oriented toward the support and training of refugees with the objective of socio-labor inclusion of holders of international, temporary, and special protection.

Quantifiable outcome

• 140 employees and 52 cooperative members serving 59 active projects across 33 reception facilities in 9 municipalities
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fondazione Casa LuccacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership for the Social Housing Agency service serving the municipalities of Lucca and Capannori.
• FAMI - Fondo Asilo Migrazione e IntegrazionecoreOthers · 1 January 2024EU funding program for the WALO project supporting vulnerable foreign minors. Multi-province initiative in Tuscany involving local authorities, schools, and public/private stakeholders.
• AVEC Project - Cooperazione GirasoleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Regional project on new family bonds with multi-disciplinary teams, Odissea hosting events at ILIO in Capannori.
• Consultorio Territoriale di GallicanominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration on SAI Donna project with healthcare professionals including gynecologists, psychologists, midwives, and social workers.
• Centro Antiviolenza Non ti scordar di teminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Anti-violence center partnership for SAI Donna project serving women in Mediavalle del Serchio area.
• Adecco InclusioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership for ROAD TO ITALY project providing language and professional training for refugees, with employment placement support through Adecco Inclusion channels.
• ANTIDOTE European Project ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021European project 'Alternative Narratives For Tolerance And Intercultural Dialogue To Overcome Stereotypes And Spread Equality' involving 13 countries. Odissea hosted the first meeting in Lucca.
• Laboratorio di Design per la Sostenibilità - Università di FirenzeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Academic partnership for ANTIDOTE project conferences, providing expertise on sustainability and social inclusion design.
• ANTIDOTEminorOthers · 1 January 2020First European project participation for Odissea, under 'Europa per i cittadini' program funded by EACEA, focused on intercultural dialogue and tolerance.
• Progetto Oltrefrontiera - CESDIminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Collaboration with CESDI association for linguistic-cultural mediation services at Livorno municipality and prisons (Livorno and Gorgona).
• Impresa Sociale Terra di Tutti S.r.l.minorOthers · 1 January 2019Social enterprise founded by Odissea for agricultural inclusion activities and work integration of disadvantaged persons.
• Università per Stranieri di SienacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Certification partnership for CILS (Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera) and DITALS exams. The cooperative is an authorized testing center and certified entity for Italian language proficiency assessments.
• Consorzio Co&SocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007The cooperative is a member of Consorzio Co&So, a consortium of social cooperatives in the Lucca area for shared services and collaborative projects.
• Municipalities (Comuni)coreOthersPartnerships with 9 municipalities including Capannori, Livorno, Lucca, Massarosa, Viareggio, Gallicano, Fabbriche di Vergemoli, Barga, and Altopascio for various social services.
• CaritasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration since 2010 on social mediation and inclusion activities within the Rom and Sinti camp in Lucca.
• CESVOT LuccaminorOthersRegional volunteer service center, with Odissea participating in events and initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Italiana: Italian Catholic charity and one of the largest nonprofit social service networks, already collaborating with Odissea on Rom/Sinti inclusion since 2010. Operates overlapping migrant support, shelter, and community-based services nationally.
• ARCI - Associazione Ricreativa e Culturale Italiana: Large Italian association network providing cultural mediation, anti-discrimination, migrant rights, and community inclusion programs nationally. Comparable in mission though more advocacy-oriented than Odissea's direct service model.
• Croce Rossa Italiana (Italian Red Cross): Major humanitarian organization providing migration reception, health, and emergency services across Italy. Competes for the same public tenders and EU-funded projects that anchor Odissea's contract base.
• Save the Children Italia: International NGO with major Italian operations focused on unaccompanied foreign minors (MSNA), child protection, and educational inclusion—directly overlapping Odissea's MSNA reception and Casa Mentore services.
• Coopselios Società Cooperativa Sociale: One of Italy's largest social cooperatives providing reception, eldercare, education, and disability services across multiple regions. Comparable multi-service cooperative model but at materially greater scale and geographic reach than Odissea.

Direct peers

• Consorzio Co&So Consorzio per la Cooperazione e la Solidarietà: Consortium of social cooperatives in the Lucca area where Odissea is a member. Operates the same cooperative-based service delivery model in overlapping geographic territory, sharing clients and projects.
• Cooperativa sociale Il Girasole / Gruppo Cooperativo Solidarietà (GCS): Italian social cooperative networks active in SPRAR/SAI reception, training, and labor insertion in northern/central regions. Comparable service mix to Odissea but operate in different geographies.
• CeIS Fondazione - Comunità Incontro per la Solidarietà: Italian social cooperative/solidarity foundation active in migration, addiction recovery, and social reintegration. Operates a similar mix of residential services, training, and labor insertion programs across Italian regions.
• Fondazione Casa Lucca: Local foundation partnering with Odissea since 2025 on the Social Housing Agency for Lucca and Capannori. Operates housing-focused social services in the same territory with overlapping beneficiary populations.

Others

• Università per Stranieri di Siena: Academic partner and certifying body for ILIO's CILS/DITALS services since 2018. Not a competitor but an enabling institution whose continued partnership underwrites Odissea's language certification business line.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Odissea-Cooperativa-Sociale-1647704992176504
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/odissea-cooperativa-sociale

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Odissea Cooperativa Sociale