Association docteur CLOWN

What Association docteur CLOWN does

Association Docteur CLOWN is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) founded on July 12, 1995 in Lyon by Mireille Imbaud and Lions Club Lyon Ouest, headquartered in Tassin-la-Demi-Lune and operating across the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Its core service is the deployment of 21 professional hospital clowns working in pairs (binôme system) to deliver improvised, child-pathology-adapted interventions in 45 pediatric services across the Rhône, Ain, Loire, and Isère departments, at a rate of approximately 120 interventions per month and reaching more than 17,000 hospitalized children per year. The methodology is codified through the Charte du Clown Hospitalier (a registered professional charter co-developed with medical, legal, and hospital administrative experts), and continuous training is delivered in pain management, palliative care, and neonatology. The association is a member of the Fédération Française des Associations de Clowns Hospitaliers (FFACH).

Beyond core clown visits, the portfolio includes the Conteurs du Soir (Evening Storytellers volunteer program), the Fonds de Dotation Docteur CLOWN (a dedicated endowment fund financing projects such as the IRM en jeu playful MRI simulator), the Club des Partenaires corporate subscription program (3-year commitments at a minimum €500/year, near 100 members), corporate mécénat and skills-based volunteering programs, school engagement campaigns, and solidarity project creation for individuals and companies. All hospital interventions are delivered free of charge to healthcare facilities.

Revenue is generated entirely from philanthropic sources: individual donations (60% tax-deductible in France), corporate mécénat (financial sponsorship, in-kind giving, skills-based volunteering, cause-marketing), the recurring Club des Partenaires program, legacy/bequest giving, merchandise sales (red noses and branded goods), and event-based fundraising (annual gala dinners, concerts, sporting events). The organization reports that 78% of funds are directed to clown management and interventions, with a stated annual operating budget requirement of approximately €700,000 and an average cost of €844 per duo clown intervention day. The association holds general-interest (reconnue d'intérêt général) status, is GDPR-compliant, and is governed by a bureau and conseil d'administration under president Nadia Alibay.

Name

Association docteur CLOWN

Legal name

Association Docteur CLOWN

Website

https://docteurclown.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Association Docteur CLOWN is a French non-profit founded in 1995 that deploys 21 professional hospital clowns in pairs across 45 pediatric services in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, reaching over 17,000 hospitalized children annually through donation-funded interventions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Hospital Support Services

NAICS

Offices of Other Health Practitioners (6213)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Pediatric Rehabilitation & Developmental Therapy Centers (PT/OT/SLP) (HLAFAJAL)

Keywords

• Hospital clown services
• Pediatric patient support
• Nonprofit healthcare programs
• Child life services
• Hospital volunteering programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Tassin-la-Demi-Lune

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time or recurring donations from individuals, fully tax-deductible (60% in France). Funds all hospital clown interventions at no cost to healthcare facilities.
2. Club des Partenaires Membership: Three-year commitment from corporate partners with minimum annual donations starting at €500, tax-deductible at 60%. Includes 3-4 annual events and partnership benefits.
3. Corporate Sponsorship & Mécénat: Financial sponsorship, skills-based volunteering, in-kind donations, and cause-marketing partnerships. Includes event sponsorship, communication space donations, and shared-product programs.
4. Goodies and Merchandise: Sale of branded items (red noses, merchandise) to support operations.
5. Legacy Giving: Bequests, donations, and life insurance beneficiary designations to ensure long-term sustainability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Association Docteur CLOWN deploys 21 professional hospital clowns who work in pairs to deliver improvised performances in 45 pediatric services across the Rhône, Ain, Loire, and Isère departments, visiting more than 17,000 hospitalized children annually. All interventions are provided free of charge to healthcare facilities and are funded entirely through individual donations, corporate partnerships, and event revenues.

Product overview

Association Docteur CLOWN operates as a nonprofit service organization offering professional hospital clown visits as its core offering. The portfolio includes 21 professional hospital clowns who conduct approximately 120 monthly interventions across 45 pediatric services in 4 French departments (Rhône, Ain, Loire, Isère), visiting over 17,000 hospitalized children annually. Additional services include the Evening Storytellers volunteer program, a Partner Club for corporate sponsors, school engagement initiatives, and a dedicated endowment fund that finances special projects like the playful MRI simulator. The organization is structured around human-powered care services rather than a technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hospital Clown Visits (Interventions de clowns hospitaliers) Professional hospital clowns visit children in pediatric departments, performing in pairs with improvisations adapted to each child's pathology, emotional state, and care environment to provide distraction during procedures and emotional support.
• Evening Storytellers (Conteurs du Soir) Trained volunteer storytellers visit children at bedtime in hospital to read fairy tales and comforting stories, easing the difficult moment of separation from parents and helping children fall asleep.
• Fonds de Dotation Docteur CLOWN (Endowment Fund) An endowment fund that finances special projects benefiting hospitalized children in the Rhône-Alpes region, including the playful MRI simulator and additional pediatric service interventions.
• Club des Partenaires (Partner Club) A three-year corporate partnership program offering companies a structured way to financially support the association starting from €500/year, including visibility, networking events, and employee engagement opportunities.
• Corporate Philanthropy Programs (Mécénat) Structured corporate giving programs including 60% tax-deductible financial donations, skills-based volunteering (communication, accounting, logistics, web assistance), in-kind donations, and shared-value product partnerships.

Quantifiable outcome

• 17,000+ children receive joy and distraction annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Club des PartenairescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partners committing to 3-year partnerships with minimum €500/year donations to support hospital clown interventions. Near 100 companies participate, meeting 3-4 times annually for networking and cause-related events.
• Fédération Française des Associations de Clowns Hospitaliers (FFACH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational federation of hospital clown associations, promoting experience sharing, professional recognition, and annual professional meetings for member organizations.
• EKLYA Business SchoolminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStudents organize annual 'Nez Rouge' street campaign raising approximately €7,000 through red nose sales in Lyon and Saint-Étienne.
• Renault TrucksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmployees organized months-long fundraising activities including cake sales, chess tournaments, and sporting challenges, raising €30,000 for the association.
• Fiducial AstériaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner hosting annual gala dinners with 550+ attendees for fundraising events.
• C-GastronomieminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCatering partner for annual gala events and professional gatherings.
• Cirque Image (David and Anastasiya Massot)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCircus performers providing entertainment performances at annual gala events.
• École Vatel LyonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHospitality school whose students volunteer at association events, providing service support at galas.
• Lions Club Lyon OuestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner who co-created the association in 1995 with Mireille Imbaud. Historical supporter of the organization's mission.
• Orchestre Symphonique ConfluencesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSymphonic orchestra partnering for 'Comme ça vous chante!' participatory karaoke event at Radiant-Bellevue.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Le Rire Médecin: Founded in 1991 in France, Le Rire Médecin is the most established French hospital clown association, deploying professional clowns in pediatric wards. It is a direct functional peer delivering therapeutic clown visits to hospitalized children, sharing the FFACH federation and a comparable donation-funded nonprofit model.
• Theodora Children's Charity: Swiss-founded international organization that sends professional artists (including 'Giggle Doctors') into children's hospitals to ease anxiety during treatment. It is a direct peer offering hospital-based performing-arts interventions for pediatric patients across multiple countries.
• Red Noses International: Austria-headquartered non-profit running 'clown doctor' programs in hospitals across Central/Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Directly comparable mission (therapeutic clowning for hospitalized children) and nonprofit donation-funded model.
• Hearts & Minds: UK charity (formerly Hearts & Minds) operating 'Clowndoctor' and 'Beads of Courage' programs delivering professional artist visits to hospitalized children. Direct peer in therapeutic hospital clowning with similar pediatric hospital partnerships.
• Humour Foundation: Australian charity running the 'Clown Doctors' program, sending professional performers into children's hospitals and aged-care facilities. Direct peer in therapeutic hospital entertainment for pediatric patients with a comparable donation-funded non-profit structure.
• Association Les Clowns de l'Espoir: French non-profit association operating hospital clown visits for hospitalized children. Direct peer with the same mission, FFACH federation membership, and pediatric hospital engagement model.

Emerging players

• Fondation des Clowns: French foundation supporting hospital clown initiatives. Overlapping mission with Docteur CLOWN, focused on raising funds and awareness for clown-in-hospital programs; functions as an adjacent funder and ecosystem participant.

Others

• Fédération Française des Associations de Clowns Hospitaliers (FFACH): National federation of French hospital clown associations of which Docteur CLOWN is a member. Not a direct competitor but an ecosystem/industry-body participant that shapes professional standards and inter-association cooperation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGMRhWupjz3Og8aUEuxkpyQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Association-docteur-CLOWN-195613660549806
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/42893458
• Instagraminstagram.com/docteurclown/?hl=fr

Compliance2 records

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 Association docteur CLOWN