What GRAFIPOLIS (AFIIG) does

Grafipolis is a French vocational training center (Centre de Formation d'Apprentis) and non-profit association operating under AFIIG (Association pour la Formation dans l'Imprimerie et les Industries Graphiques). Founded in 1926 and headquartered at the Pôle des Arts Graphiques in Nantes, it specializes in training for the graphic-arts, printing, signmaking, finishing, and multimedia industries, alongside Quality-Safety-Environment (QSE) management programs delivered through its IEQT Nantes sub-brand. The institution offers a comprehensive diploma pathway from CAP through BAC+5, covering occupational roles such as offset printer, screen printer, prepress operator, signmaker, communication project manager, and QSE manager. It also runs continuing-education and short-course programs in Adobe Suite tools, color management, PDF normalization, WordPress, augmented reality, and Adobe Firefly AI.

The underlying "product" is classroom-based and workshop-based instruction combined with apprenticeship contracts (alternance) and AFEST (in-work training actions); the school does not sell software. Technology exposure is largely industry-standard rather than proprietary — students train on Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva, WordPress, and conventional printing/signmaking equipment. Delivery is increasingly hybrid, with selected courses available via distance learning. Grafipolis employs approximately 50 staff and serves individual apprentices, adult retraining candidates, job seekers, and — indirectly through apprenticeship tax and OPCO EP financing — graphic-industries employers in France.

The revenue model combines apprenticeship training contracts funded by OPCO EP (Opérateur de Compétences des Entreprises de Proximité) and regional authorities, the Taxe d'apprentissage (apprenticeship tax) collected from companies, and continuing-education fees (e.g., €1,300 net for a 3-day management course) often co-financed by OPCO EP. Go-to-market is event-driven: recruitment relies on career fairs, a monthly newsletter (La Lettre de Grafipolis), a multi-platform social presence, and the IEQT Nantes ecosystem. Customer concentration is low, with a distributed base of individual learners and many contributing employer companies intermediated through French public training-financing mechanisms.

Name

GRAFIPOLIS (AFIIG)

Legal name

Association pour la Formation dans l'Imprimerie et les Industries Graphiques (AFIIG)

Website

https://grafipolis.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Grafipolis is a French non-profit vocational training center (CFA) operating under AFIIG in Nantes, delivering apprenticeship and continuing-education programs in graphic arts, printing, signmaking, multimedia, and QSE management to apprentices, adult learners, and graphic-industry employers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Training and Apprenticeship Education

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Skilled Trades, Safety & Compliance Certification Prep (OSHA, HAZMAT, welding, electrical, HVAC) (EDANAIAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education & Training Providers (EDABALAI), EMS Training & Competency Development (EUAHAIAH), Project, Quality & Operations (PMP PDUs, Six Sigma, Quality CE) (EDAAALAM)

Keywords

• Vocational training services
• Graphic arts education
• Apprenticeship programs
• Printing industry training
• Continuing education

Headquarters

HQ city

Nantes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Apprenticeship training contracts: Revenue is generated through apprenticeship training contracts funded by OPCO EP (Opérateur de Compétences des Entreprises de Proximité) and regional authorities. The school also collects the Taxe d'apprentissage (apprenticeship tax) from companies to fund training.
2. Continuing education and professional development: Professional development and retraining courses for adults, with financing available through OPCO EP for job seekers and employees. Some courses have additional certification fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

GRAFIPOLIS (AFIIG) is a non-profit vocational training centre (CFA) in Nantes, France, delivering diploma-bearing apprenticeship programs from CAP to BAC+5 plus continuing education in graphic arts, printing, signage, finishing, multimedia, and Quality-Safety-Environment (QSE) management. Training combines classroom instruction, hands-on workshops on industry-standard equipment and software (Adobe Suite, WordPress, printing presses), and on-the-job learning via apprenticeship contracts funded by OPCO EP.

Product overview

GRAFIPOLIS is a vocational training center (CFA) offering diploma programs and continuing education in graphic trades and multimedia. The school provides a comprehensive portfolio of training programs ranging from CAP (vocational training certificates) to BAC+5 (Master level), covering areas such as graphic design, printing technologies, signage, prepress, digital media, and Quality-Safety-Environment (QSE) management. Programs include initial training through apprenticeship, continuing education for professionals, and short professionalization courses. The institution does not offer a software product; rather, it provides educational services including classroom instruction, practical workshops, and AFEST (Training Action in Work Situation) programs. Training covers industry-standard software tools including Adobe Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator), Canva, WordPress, and various printing technologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IEQT Nantes: Higher education institution for Quality, Safety, Environment management programs operating under Grafipolis

Products and services

• CAP Sérigraphie Industrielle (Industrial Screen Printing) CAP-level apprenticeship program training students in industrial screen printing techniques for youth (15-30) entering the graphic trades.
• CAP Signalétique et Décors Graphiques (Signage and Graphic Decor) CAP-level apprenticeship program covering signage design and graphic decoration production for youth entering the signage trade.
• BMA Arts Graphiques option Signalétique (Graphic Arts - Signage) Specialized apprenticeship diploma (BMA) training advanced signage artisans within graphic arts.
• BAC Pro Réalisation de Produits Imprimés et Plurimédia - productions graphiques Bac Pro apprenticeship program training students in graphic/multimedia production for entry-level roles as infographistes.
• BAC Pro Réalisation de Produits Imprimés et Plurimédia - productions imprimées Bac Pro apprenticeship training students as printers/imprimeurs producing printed materials.
• BAC Pro Façonnage de Produits Imprimés, Routage Bac Pro apprenticeship program preparing students in print finishing and mail routing/mailroom operations.
• TFP Médiapplicateur Professional title apprenticeship training students as media applicators for signage and graphic decoration installation.
• BTS Études de Réalisation d'un Projet de Communication - option A Plurimédia BTS-level apprenticeship preparing students for communication project realization careers in the multimedia sector.
• BTS Études de Réalisation d'un Projet de Communication - option B Imprimé BTS-level apprenticeship preparing students for communication project realization careers in print production.
• Bachelor Designer Graphique 360° BAC+3-level apprenticeship program providing end-to-end graphic design skills across print and web for bachelor graduates.
• BAC+3 Responsable Qualité, Sécurité, Environnement (QSE Manager) BAC+3-level apprenticeship program training Quality, Safety, and Environment (QSE) managers for industry roles.
• BAC+5 Manager des Risques Qualité, Sécurité-Sûreté, Environnement BAC+5-level apprenticeship program training senior risk managers in Quality, Safety, Security, and Environment.
• Continuing Education - Devenir Infographiste (Become an Infographiste) Retraining program for adults seeking to become infographistes (graphic/multimedia designers) using PAO/Adobe tools.
• Continuing Education - Devenir Imprimeur Offset Retraining program for adults to become offset printers in the graphic industries.
• Continuing Education - Devenir Responsable QSE Retraining program for adults to become Quality, Safety, and Environment managers.
• Short Course - Découverte de la chaîne graphique (Distance Learning) Discovery-level short professional development course on the graphic production chain delivered via distance learning.
• Short Course - Adobe InDesign Training Short course on Adobe InDesign for working professionals seeking PAO skills.
• Short Course - Adobe Photoshop Training Short course on Adobe Photoshop for working professionals.
• Short Course - Adobe Illustrator Training Short course on Adobe Illustrator for working professionals.
• Short Course - Adobe Firefly AI for Graphic Design Short course introducing Adobe Firefly artificial intelligence tools to graphic design professionals.
• Management Training - Gestion des activités de l'équipe 3-day (21-hour) short management training for team activity management, priced at €1,300 net of tax, aimed at working professionals in graphic and related industries.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95.5% recommendation rate among learners, trainees and partners in 2024

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered moderate and core.

• ImpriFrancemoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026ImpriFrance is a groupement (association) that organizes annual scholarship programs for young people entering the graphic industries and communication trades. The jury for the 2026 edition of ImpriFrance scholarships met on April 15, 2026, to evaluate candidates at various levels from bac pro to BTS, supported by their educational teams.
• FoDé OuestmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoDé Ouest partnered with Grafipolis to launch a new continuing education program aimed at welcoming job seekers and helping them discover the sector, acquire initial skills, and secure employment. This initiative is supported by OPCO EP.
• OPCO EPcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOPCO EP (Opérateur de Compétences des Entreprises de Proximité) provides financing for apprenticeships and professional training. Grafipolis works with OPCO EP to fund both apprenticeship programs and continuing education for job seekers and employees.
• AmigrafmoderateTechnology or IntegrationAmigraf collaborates with Grafipolis on AI training programs in graphic design, helping students and professionals appropriate artificial intelligence tools responsibly and professionally within the evolving communication graphics industry.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• LISAA (Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués): French private applied-arts school covering graphic design, animation, fashion, and interior design. Overlaps with Grafipolis's design-graphique and plurimédia BTS/Bachelor programs and competes for the same French creative-applicant pool.
• Compagnons du Devoir: Historic French apprenticeship network for skilled crafts (carpentry, masonry, metallurgy, etc.). Comparable as a French CFA running alternance programs for skilled trades, though it serves construction/industrial crafts rather than graphic trades.
• MJM Graphic Design: Private French graphic-design school network with campuses in Paris and other cities. Comparable to Grafipolis's design-graphique, web-designer, and PAO programs, and targets the same entry-level design learners.
• Brassart: French network of private schools offering BTS and Bachelor programs in graphic design, 3D, and digital arts. Comparable to Grafipolis's design, infographiste, and plurimédia tracks, and competes for the same post-bac design applicants across multiple French campuses.
• École Estienne: Paris-based French school dedicated to graphic arts, printing, packaging, and bookbinding. Direct peer: trains in the same printing, finishing, and graphic-production métiers as Grafipolis, and competes for the same pool of French graphic-industry apprentices and BAC/BTS candidates.

Broad incumbents

• Gobelins, l'école de l'image: Prestigious Paris-based school for image professions (animation, photography, video, interactive design). Comparable in delivering French graphic/multimedia training but with a broader creative scope and stronger animation/film focus than Grafipolis's print and QSE core.
• AFPA (Association nationale pour la formation professionnelle des adultes): France's largest adult vocational training provider, with public funding. Comparable as a vocational training operator in France but much broader in scope (construction, industry, services) and not specialized in graphic trades.
• CCI France (Chambres de Commerce et d'Industrie): Network of French Chambers of Commerce that operate numerous CFAs and apprenticeship programs. Comparable as an apprenticeship-training infrastructure in France, although it covers many trades, not just graphic arts.
• Greta (Groupement d'ETAblissements publics): French network of public continuing-education providers attached to lycées. Comparable in delivering continuing-education and adult retraining programs funded through OPCO mechanisms, including some graphic-industry short courses.

Regional players

• ECAL (École cantonale d'art de Lausanne): Highly ranked Swiss design and visual-arts school. Comparable in offering graphic-design and visual-communication education at BAC+ level, but Swiss-based and oriented to international design rather than French print/signmaking trades.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/grafipolis44
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUbvek0hw2bDfvUdVvpCWpw
• Facebookfacebook.com/grafipolisnantes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/grafipolisafiig
• Instagraminstagram.com/grafipolis_nantes/?hl=fr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 GRAFIPOLIS (AFIIG)