FONDATION AVRIL
Fondation Avril is a French public utility foundation (est. 2014) and reference shareholder of Avril Group. It finances rural development, agricultural transitions, and food security through grants, impact investments, and partnerships in France and 7 African countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What FONDATION AVRIL does
Fondation Avril is a French public utility foundation (Reconnue d'Utilité Publique) established in 2014 by farmers from the French oils and proteins sector. It operates as a shareholder foundation, serving as the reference shareholder of Avril Group — a major player in the oils and vegetable proteins sector — and receiving dividend income that is fully redeployed toward its general interest mission. The foundation supports rural development, agricultural transitions, and food security through a portfolio of grant programs, impact investments, and educational initiatives in France and Africa.
The foundation deploys its resources through three core mechanisms: (1) territorial calls for projects, notably the multi-edition 'Territoires à Agricultures Positives' (TAP) program series; (2) the Agri Impact fund, a €30 million impact investment vehicle launched in 2021 in partnership with Citizen Capital, financing farmer diversification projects in France with investments of €300K–€3M; and (3) direct partnerships with NGOs (Agrisud International, Entrepreneurs du Monde, Fert), agricultural organizations (SEMAE, CUMA, AFDI), and government bodies (Rwanda Agriculture Board). Its program portfolio spans international development projects across seven African countries (Rwanda, Côte d'Ivoire, Madagascar, Senegal, Morocco, Togo, Benin), educational programs (École de l'Alimentation, CASTER), social inclusion initiatives (Handi-CAP vers l'agriculture), and cultural programs (Concerts à la Ferme, Biennale Photoclimat).
The foundation operates with a lean team of approximately 12–16 professionals based in Paris, serving 60+ partners across 9 countries and has financed 120 projects totaling more than €10 million since 2015. As a non-profit entity, it does not sell products or services; instead, it channels resources through grants, impact investments, and technical accompaniment, with its underlying financial sustainability tied to the dividend stream from its Avril Group shareholding.
FONDATION AVRIL firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FONDATION AVRIL
- Legal name
- Fondation Avril
- Website
- https://fondationavril.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Fondation Avril is a French public utility foundation (est. 2014) and reference shareholder of Avril Group. It finances rural development, agricultural transitions, and food security through grants, impact investments, and partnerships in France and 7 African countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FONDATION AVRIL industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Development Foundation
- NAICS
- Other Financial Vehicles (52599)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- ESG/Sustainable Investment Advisory (FSAEAAAJ)
Keywords
Where FONDATION AVRIL is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
FONDATION AVRIL business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Dividend income from Avril Group shareholding: As the reference shareholder of Avril Group (major player in the oils and vegetable proteins sector), the foundation receives stable dividend income from its participation in Avril's capital. These resources are entirely mobilized for its general interest mission.
- Donations and project funding: The foundation receives donations and deploys funding to supported projects. The website features a donation option for supporters.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
FONDATION AVRIL product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fondation Avril is a French public-utility shareholder foundation that finances and co-builds general-interest projects in agricultural transitions, rural vitality, and sustainable food access in France and internationally (notably Africa). It functions as the reference shareholder of Avril Group and uses stable dividend income to deploy a portfolio of programs: territorial calls for projects (TAP), an impact investment fund (Agri Impact, €30M), educational and social-inclusion programs, and international development partnerships supporting legume, soybean, and cowpea value chains.
Product overview
Fondation Avril is a shareholder foundation recognized as being in the public interest, created in 2014 by farmers from the French oils and vegetable proteins sector. It is the reference shareholder of Avril Group and supports general interest projects in France and internationally. The foundation does not offer a single software product but rather a portfolio of programs and services including: grant programs (Territoires à Agricultures Positives - TAP), an impact investment fund (Agri Impact with 30M€ from Citizen Capital), educational programs (Ecole de l'alimentation, CASTER), social inclusion initiatives (Handi-CAP vers l'agriculture), cultural programs (Concerts à la ferme, Biennale Photoclimat), and international development projects across Africa (Rwanda, Côte d'Ivoire, Madagascar, Morocco, Senegal, Togo, Benin). The foundation acts as a partner and financier rather than a technology product provider, channeling resources toward sustainable agriculture, rural development, and food security.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Agri Impact: Investment fund launched in 2021 in partnership with Citizen Capital, endowed with €30 million to finance agricultural diversification projects (renewable energy, processing, short food circuits) in France.
- Territoires à Agricultures Positives (TAP)
- CASTER – Cultivons l'Alimentation Saine et durable en TERritoire
Quantifiable outcome
- +31% increase in household food consumption score (SANUVA project)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use FONDATION AVRIL
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
FONDATION AVRIL technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
FONDATION AVRIL partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Fondation de l'Institut AgrocorePartnership chair 'Legumes & Knowledge' launched September 2025 at Institut Agro Montpellier, aimed at knowledge and technology transfer between Africa and France to support legume cultivation development.
- Entrepreneurs du MondecorePartnership for FANSOTO project promoting nutrition-sensitive agriculture and women's economic empowerment in Casamance and Matam regions of Senegal.
- Agrisud InternationalcorePartnership for SANUVA project improving food and nutritional security of agricultural households in Vakinankaratra region, Madagascar. Implements LANN approach linking agriculture, natural resources management, and nutrition.
- SEMAEcorePartnership for sustainable soybean sector development in Côte d'Ivoire, supporting seed sector structuring. Part of cooperation agreement between Fondation Avril, Ivorian Ministry of Agriculture, and French Development Agency (AFD).
- Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB)corePartnership signed October 31, 2022 in Kigali to co-construct 'Plan Soja Rwanda 2030' for soybean sector development. Includes diagnostic, strategic planning, and implementation phases.
- FertcorePartnership for cowpea sector structuring in northern Côte d'Ivoire, deployed in Poro and Bagoué regions, supporting 22 village organizations and 956 producers.
- AFDI Hauts-de-FrancecorePartnership supporting UROPC-M (Union Régionale des Organisations de Producteurs de Céréales) in Maritime region of Togo for oilseed-protein crop development.
- CUMA BenincoreLong-standing partnership since 2018 supporting agricultural mechanization for soybean sector development. Includes EU delegation, Dordogne-Périgord department, and Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
- Fédération Française des Banques AlimentairescoreLong-term partnership supporting food aid mapping in rural 'white zones' and improving access to healthy food for vulnerable populations in rural areas.
- SolaalminorPartnership since 2015 supporting agricultural product donation facilitation to food aid associations.
- FOP (Fédération française des producteurs d'oléagineux et de protéagineux)corePart of agricultural ecosystem network, FOP represents French oilseed and protein crop producers and is linked to Avril Group origins.
- Terres UniviacoreInterprofessional organization for oils and vegetable proteins, part of the agricultural ecosystem mobilized by the foundation.
- Terres InoviacoreTechnical institute for professionals in the oilseed-protein sector, contributing expertise to foundation's agricultural projects.
- Avril GroupcoreMajor player in oils and vegetable proteins sector. Fondation Avril is reference shareholder. All founders of Avril come from the agricultural world.
- AgropolcoreAssociation for international cooperation and development of oilseed-protein sectors, involved in project implementation support.
- Open Agrifood InitiativescorePartnership for school food education project (Ecole de l'Alimentation) pilot in Centre-Val de Loire region, reaching 30 classes.
- Tous mes rêves chantentminorAssociation creating 'Concerts à la Ferme' (Concerts on the Farm), connecting classical music artists with farmers and rural communities.
- Terres InoviacoreLead partner for Cap Protéines Challenge innovation competition supporting vegetable protein development in France.
- SYMBIOSEminorPartnership for APILUZ project (2021-2023) supporting bee and pollinator biodiversity through alfalfa flower strips in Champagne region.
- Chambres d'Agriculture FrancecorePartner in TAP1 Massif Central program, providing agricultural expertise and network for territorial development projects.
- Région Grand EstcoreRegional government partner for TAP3 Grand Est program supporting agricultural and food transitions, with co-financing and citizen consultation components.
- Agence de l'eau Adour-GaronnecoreWater agency partner for TAP2 Adour-Garonne program, addressing water management in agricultural transitions.
- Journées Nationales de l'AgricultureminorPartnership for 'Coups de Cœur' labeling initiative supporting and promoting local agricultural initiatives during national agriculture days.
- Terres InnovantesminorPartnership for 'Graines d'Agriculteurs' competition supporting young farmer innovation and public engagement.
- Green WarriorsminorAssociation developing territorial organic agriculture model in Aube region; supported for experimental agricultural analysis and research chair.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
FONDATION AVRIL competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AgriCord: International alliance of farmer organizations ('agri-agencies') supporting producer organizations and value chains in developing countries. Directly comparable to Fondation Avril's international development programs in Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Madagascar, Rwanda and others.
- Fermes d'Avenir: French association supporting agroecological transition and farmer-led projects across French territories. Highly comparable to Fondation Avril's TAP and CASTER programs in mission, target beneficiaries (French farmers/rural actors), and project-grant delivery model.
- Fondation pour la Nature et l'Homme (FNH): Major French general-interest foundation (formerly Fondation Nicolas Hulot) working on ecological transition including sustainable agriculture and food systems. Closely comparable in scale, French foundation status, multi-year programs, and agriculture-environment intersection.
- Agrisud International: French NGO specialized in agricultural value-chain development and food security in the Global South. Directly comparable as an implementation partner and peer in international agricultural development programs (e.g., SANUVA/Madagascar, Ghassate/Morocco).
- Citizen Capital: AMF-licensed impact-investment manager (B Corp, €250M AUM) co-managing Fondation Avril's Agri Impact fund. Direct peer and partner in deploying impact capital toward French agricultural and food transitions.
- France Active: National impact-finance network operating investment funds for the social and solidarity economy, including agricultural and rural diversification. Highly comparable to Fondation Avril's Agri Impact fund in deploying patient capital toward ecological and social transitions in France.
Broad incumbents
- Fondation de France: Largest French philanthropic umbrella managing hundreds of thematic and donor-advised funds including in rural development and food. Comparable as a French utility foundation with multi-program structure, though significantly larger and broader in scope than Fondation Avril.
- Comité Catholique contre la Faim et pour le Développement (CCFD-Terre Solidaire): Major French development NGO funding agricultural value-chain and food-security projects across Africa, Latin America and Asia. Comparable in international agricultural development focus and partnership-based funding model, though with substantially larger overall budget.
- Mirova Natural Capital: Asset manager (subsidiary of Natixis) with dedicated natural-capital and sustainable-land-use investment strategies including agroforestry and sustainable agriculture. Comparable as a French institutional investor deploying capital toward agricultural transitions, though operating at materially larger AUM scale.
- Fondation Caritas France: Major French foundation of the Caritas network addressing poverty, food insecurity and inclusion, including rural and agricultural dimensions. Comparable in food-aid and vulnerable-populations programs (overlapping with Fondation Avril's Banque Alimentaires partnership and SANUVA/FANSOTO).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
FONDATION AVRIL social profiles
Digital presenceFONDATION AVRIL financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FONDATION AVRIL leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
FONDATION AVRIL funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FONDATION AVRIL M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about FONDATION AVRIL
What does FONDATION AVRIL do?
Fondation Avril is a French public-utility shareholder foundation that finances and co-builds general-interest projects in agricultural transitions, rural vitality, and sustainable food access in France and internationally (notably Africa). It functions as the reference shareholder of Avril Group and uses stable dividend income to deploy a portfolio of programs: territorial calls for projects (TAP), an impact investment fund (Agri Impact, €30M), educational and social-inclusion programs, and international development partnerships supporting legume, soybean, and cowpea value chains.
Is FONDATION AVRIL a public or private company?
FONDATION AVRIL is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was FONDATION AVRIL founded?
FONDATION AVRIL was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is FONDATION AVRIL based?
FONDATION AVRIL is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does FONDATION AVRIL make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Dividend income from Avril Group shareholding is the primary driver. The others are donations and project funding.
Who are FONDATION AVRIL's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AgriCord, Fermes d'Avenir, Fondation pour la Nature et l'Homme (FNH), Agrisud International, Citizen Capital and France Active. Broad incumbents are Fondation de France, Comité Catholique contre la Faim et pour le Développement (CCFD-Terre Solidaire), Mirova Natural Capital and Fondation Caritas France.
Does FONDATION AVRIL have an API?
No public API is recorded for FONDATION AVRIL.
What industry is FONDATION AVRIL in?
FONDATION AVRIL's product category is Agricultural Development Foundation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAALAG, Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure), with a secondary code of FSAEAAAJ, ESG/Sustainable Investment Advisory. Its NAICS code is 52599.