Fondation d'entreprise Free

What Fondation d'entreprise Free does

Fondation d'entreprise Free is the corporate foundation of Groupe iliad (parent of Free, Free Mobile, and Scaleway), established in 2006 and headquartered in Paris. It operates as a non-profit organization under French law (authorization N° 531 662 427), funded entirely by its parent company and governed by its own board of directors. The foundation pursues a three-pronged mission: (i) digital equality of chances for youth, (ii) open-source / "numérique ouvert" advocacy, and (iii) employee engagement across the Groupe iliad workforce. It does not sell products; instead it disburses grants to French associations, hosts free-software infrastructure, and co-designs training programs targeting NEET youth, digital inclusion, and social reinsertion.

The foundation runs its programs through annual calls for projects (typically €10,000–€20,000 per project, ~20 associations funded per year), the internal Cohésion program (€2,000 grants selected by employee volunteers), long-term strategic partnerships with delivery organizations such as Konexio, École 42, Ticket for Change, Fondation Mozaïk RH, Sport dans la Ville, and La Plateforme / TUMO Marseille, and emergency humanitarian donations (e.g., €50,000 to Télécoms Sans Frontières for Mayotte). Its technology stack is not proprietary; it leverages Scaleway infrastructure to host 11 free-software projects at no cost and operates an internal ambassador network of 11 collaborators from 6 iliad entities. Go-to-market motions are community-led, event-driven (hackathons, Piscine Discoveries, immersion days at Iliad HQ), and channel-partner dependent for last-mile delivery to beneficiaries.

Operational reach is France-only, with cumulative output of nearly 400 projects supported across 20 years, 1,500+ trainees through Les Plombiers du Numérique, 57 AI-trained participants, and 30+ mentees via the Propulsion program. The foundation reported 12 total employees (3 permanent staff plus an 11-person ambassador network drawn from the parent group's headcount). It is governed by Présidente Ombeline Bartin (named 2023), Déléguée Générale Lucile Poirier, and Chargée de mission Dorcas Mutope. Revenue, grants, and budget figures are not publicly disclosed; operating funding flows entirely from Groupe iliad.

Name

Fondation d'entreprise Free

Legal name

Fondation d'entreprise Free

Website

https://fondation-free.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Corporate foundation of Groupe iliad, established 2006 in Paris, funding French associations, hosting open-source projects on Scaleway infrastructure, and running digital-inclusion programs for NEET youth through partnerships with Konexio, École 42, and others.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corporate Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Federated Giving Organizations (e.g., United Way-type) (BPAGAKAG)

Keywords

• Corporate foundation grants
• Digital inclusion programs
• Open source hosting
• Youth mentorship
• Nonprofit association funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate foundation funding: Fondation Free is funded by the Free/iliad Group as a corporate foundation. It provides financial support to associations through calls for projects (approximately 20 associations per year) and direct partnerships. Programs include grants ranging from 10,000€ to 20,000€ per project for specific calls, 2,000€ per association in the Cohésion program, and one-time emergency donations like the 50,000€ to Télécoms Sans Frontières for Mayotte cyclone relief.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fondation d'entreprise Free is the corporate foundation of Groupe iliad, created in 2006 to promote digital inclusion and equality of chances in France. It provides financial grants (€10,000–€20,000 per project) to associations through annual calls for projects, free hosting of open source software on Scaleway infrastructure, donated computer equipment to nonprofits, mentorship programs for young job seekers, and skills sponsorship draw

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DigiFree Digital inclusion and skills training program for youth aged 18-25 from Seine-Saint-Denis priority neighborhoods, delivered in partnership with Konexio to support employment access through digital skills development.
• Explore ton Talent Digital skills training program for NEET youth aged 16-25 in Seine-Saint-Denis, delivered in partnership with Konexio as part of the foundation's digital inclusion engagement.
• Ticket Camp Île-de-France 6-month entrepreneurship support program for 20 young people aged 18-25 in Île-de-France, helping develop impact-driven projects linked to digital technology. Includes 4-day seminar at L'Hermitage, mentorship from Share it founders, and pitch ceremony at Iliad headquarters.
• Piscine Discovery IA 2-day immersive AI training program delivered at École 42 campus using peer-learning methodology, targeting association members and youth beneficiaries across two editions (first February 2025 with 19 participants, second November 2025 with 24 participants). Trained 57 participants, accompanied 35 associations, and dispensed over 1,000 hours of AI training.
• Propulsion Program Mentorship program partnering with Fondation Mozaïk RH to support young job seekers until they obtain their first job. Includes 2-day immersion at Iliad headquarters, mock interviews, and personalized coaching with 10 young people and 10 mentors per edition (over 30 young people mentored overall).
• Calls for Projects (Appels à projets) Annual themed calls for projects providing financial grants of €10,000 to €20,000 per project to associative structures in France. Recent calls addressed topics such as child protection online (over 100 associations responded in 2024) and free/open source technology (En commun, la tech libre).
• Cohésion Program Internal program allowing Groupe iliad collaborators to present associations they volunteer with for €2,000 grants, with 5-6 associations selected annually. Operates alongside solidarity breakfasts and award ceremonies.
• Free Open Source Hosting on Scaleway Free hosting of open source software projects on Scaleway cloud infrastructure. In 2023, 11 free software projects were hosted free of charge, including Wikimedia France and Open Food Facts.
• Computer Equipment Donations to Associations Donation of computer equipment (laptops) to nonprofit associations supporting digital inclusion, with collection boxes deployed in over 260 Free stores across France. Recipients include Kodiko, La Mie de Pain, Sport dans la Ville, Quotidio, and Wake up Café.
• Salary Rounding (Arrondi sur salaire) Program Micro-donation program allowing Groupe iliad collaborators to round down their salaries to support partner associations including e-Enfance (3018 hotline for child protection online), Emmaüs Défi, and Impala Avenir (Les Plombiers du Numérique insertion program).
• Les Plombiers du Numérique (via Impala Avenir partnership) Insertion program training young people aged 18-25 and RSA beneficiaries for data center technician roles. Has trained 1,500 people since creation, including 500 specifically in data center professions.
• TUMO Marseille Support Support for TUMO Marseille center for digital creation, targeting youth aged 12-18 with free personalized learning paths in 8 digital disciplines: animation, programming, video games, cinema, graphic design, robotics, music, and 3D modeling.
• Job dans la Ville Pathway Pathway program helping 2,500 young people with professional orientation, training, and employment access through sports, delivered in partnership with Sport dans la Ville. Free collaborators participate in solidarity football tournaments with association youth.
• Emergency Humanitarian Donations Emergency humanitarian grants to partners such as Télécoms Sans Frontières, including a €50,000 donation following Cyclone Chido in Mayotte to deploy emergency communication means for affected populations.
• Art en Immersion: Cultural Education at Hospital Project offering immersive cultural experiences (virtual reality, artistic creation, scientific discovery) to hospitalized children aged 6-20. Limoges selected as 2026 host city for Hôpital de la femme, de la mère et de l'enfant.
• Ambassador Network (Réseau d'Ambassadeurs) Network of 11 collaborators from 6 entities of Groupe iliad (Free, Free Mobile, Scaleway, Free Pro, Certicall, and others) who serve as ambassadors to maintain direct engagement with local associations and strengthen employee solidarity actions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 400 projects supported since 2006
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, historical and minor.

• Commission française pour l'UNESCO / Culture pour l'EnfancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2025Tripartite partnership launched December 9, 2025 for 'Art en immersion: l'Éducation artistique et culturelle à l'hôpital' project. Combines public, private, and associative actors to offer immersive cultural experiences (virtual reality, artistic creation, scientific discovery) to hospitalized children aged 6-20. Limoges selected as 2026 host city for Hôpital de la femme, de la mère et de l'enfant.
• Ticket for ChangecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Partnership for Ticket Camp entrepreneurship program, 6-month accompaniment for 20 young people aged 18-25 in Île-de-France. Program helps develop impact-driven projects linked to digital technology. Includes 4-day seminar at L'Hermitage, mentorship from Share it founders (Marie Bellocq and Guilhem Ménard), and pitch ceremony at Iliad headquarters.
• École 42coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 February 2025Partnership for Piscine Discovery AI training, first edition February 2025 with 19 association members, second edition November 2025 with 24 participants. 2-day immersive training at École 42 campus using peer-learning methodology. 57 participants trained, 35 associations accompanied, 1,000+ hours of AI training dispensed.
• Fondation Mozaïk RHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 October 2024Partnership renewed for third consecutive year (2024) for the Propulsion program. Free collaborators serve as mentors accompanying young job seekers until they obtain their first job. Includes 2-day immersion at Iliad headquarters, mock interviews, and personalized coaching. 10 young people + 10 mentors per edition.
• Share itmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Partnership for 'En commun, la tech libre' call for projects launched October 2024. Winners (Ecolhuma with EtreProf platform, and Wikimedia France for moderation tools) receive free tailored tech support from Share it and partners including project managers, developers, UX/UI designers from leading tech companies.
• KonexiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2024Partnership signed September 9, 2024 at Free headquarters with CEO Nicolas Thomas and Présidente Ombeline Bartin. Four axes: (1) design of solidarity training programs, (2) territorial extension to Nantes, (3) skills sponsorship, (4) hosting of learners (interns, apprentices, fixed-term contracts). Programs include DigiFree (80 young people in Seine-Saint-Denis) and Explore ton Talent (18 youth per cohort).
• TUMO Marseille / La PlateformecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2024Partnership with La Plateforme (association created by Cyril Zimmermann) to support TUMO Marseille center for digital creation. Free Pro and Certicall collaborators serve as main ambassadors. Program targets youth aged 12-18 with free personalized learning paths in 8 digital disciplines: animation, programming, video games, cinema, graphic design, robotics, music, and 3D modeling.
• Sport dans la VillehistoricalStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical partner since foundation's early years. Support for 'Job dans la Ville' pathway (since 2023) helping 2,500 young people with professional orientation, training, and employment access through sports. Free collaborators participate in solidarity football tournaments with association youth.
• e-EnfancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for arrondi sur salaire (salary rounding) program. Operates national 3018 hotline for child protection online. Application 3018 allows direct chat access, harassment assessment quiz, and digital evidence vault. Free collaborators donate via salary rounding to fund prevention campaigns.
• Emmaüs DéfimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for arrondi sur salaire program. Association fighting great precarity through collection and sale of second-hand objects. Micro-donations from Free collaborators support professional insertion antennas.
• Impala AvenirmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for arrondi sur salaire program. Runs Les Plombiers du Numérique insertion program training young people aged 18-25 and RSA beneficiaries for data center technician roles. 1,500 people trained since creation, 500 in data center professions specifically.
• Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmergency partnership following Cyclone Chido in Mayotte (January 2025). 50,000€ donation for deployment of emergency communication means. TSF provides free calls and open Wi-Fi to approximately 200 people daily. Collaborators can also support via arrondi sur salaire with company matching.
• Wikimedia FranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpen source association supported through hackathon (November 2025 with 45 participants from Free, Free Mobile, Scaleway, and École 42). One of 11 open source associations hosted free on Scaleway infrastructure. Goal to improve moderation tools for Wikipedia in French.
• Open Food FactsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpen source association supported through hackathon with La Plateforme (May 2026). Hosted free on Scaleway infrastructure. Focus on open data and food-related social impact projects.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Emmaüs Connect: French nonprofit (part of Emmaüs movement) focused on digital solidarity and equipment reuse. Overlaps strongly with Fondation Free's mobile phone collection program and digital inclusion mission for vulnerable populations.
• Article 1: French nonprofit focused on equal opportunity through education and youth employment. Comparable mission on youth professional insertion and mentorship, overlapping with Fondation Free's Propulsion and Ticket Camp programs.
• Konexio: French nonprofit specializing in digital inclusion for refugees and disadvantaged youth. Highly comparable mission (digital inclusion, NEET youth, professional insertion) and is itself a core operational partner of Fondation Free, providing on-the-ground delivery for DigiFree and Explore ton Talent.

Others

• Wikimedia France: French chapter of the Wikimedia Foundation and a beneficiary partner of Fondation Free (open source hosting, hackathons). Comparable as an open source / free knowledge community player that Fondation Free supports through in-kind hosting on Scaleway infrastructure.

Direct peers

• Fondation SFR: Corporate foundation of SFR (Altice France), another major French mobile operator. Comparable as a French telecom corporate foundation focusing on digital solidarity, youth insertion, and equipment donation programs to NGOs.
• Fondation Bouygues Telecom: Corporate foundation of Bouygues Telecom, the third major French mobile operator. Comparable in scope and structure as a French telecom-backed philanthropy focused on digital inclusion, solidarity, and youth programs delivered via NGO partners.
• Fondation Orange: Corporate foundation of Orange, France's other major telecom operator. Directly comparable as a large French telecom-backed foundation funding digital inclusion, education, and youth employment programs through grants and partnerships with NGOs.

Broad incumbents

• Fondation de France: France's largest philanthropic umbrella organization. Comparable as a large-scale French grantmaking entity operating calls for projects, scholarship programs, and multi-cause funding, though much broader in scope than Fondation Free.
• Fondation Vinci: Corporate foundation of the Vinci Group, a large French conglomerate. Comparable as a large French corporate foundation supporting youth insertion, education, and civic engagement, though focused on infrastructure-sector beneficiaries rather than digital.
• Fondation Bettencourt Schueller: Major French family foundation supporting culture, science, education, and solidarity. Comparable as a large-scale French grantmaking foundation with structured calls for projects, though operating across a much wider cause set than Fondation Free.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fondationfree
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fondation-free

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Fondation d'entreprise Free