ISPA

What ISPA does

ISPA (Institut Supérieur de Plasturgie Appliquée) is a French non-profit educational association specializing in plasturgy, composite materials and the related circular-economy skill set, with its legal seat in Paris and primary campuses in Alençon and Lyon supplemented by partner sites across Strasbourg, Sens, Chalon-sur-Saône, Dijon, Ingersheim and Oyonnax. It operates under the Polyvia group, the professional syndicate of the French plastics and composites industry, which also houses Polyvia Formation (workforce training) and Polyvia Solutions; this positioning gives ISPA institutional backing and direct employer access within the sector. Its product portfolio is a vertically integrated Bac-to-Bac+6 pathway: foundational Bac Pro PC, TPP and TMC titles; the BTS EPC EuroPlastics et Composites (notably the only BTS in France with structured European mobility); one-year bachelor tracks in Recycling (RNCP 37773), Digital Processes and Composites (RNCP 41448); a three-year Bachelor Plasturgie; the PASS'INGÉ/PASS'INGÉ+ bridge to engineering schools; five engineering degrees co-delivered with INSA Lyon, INSA Strasbourg, ITECH Lyon, IMT Nord Europe and ECPM; the EMREC executive master in eco-design (RNCP 38021); and a Master Chimie parcours in plastic materials and eco-design. Teaching is built around industrial-scale plasturgy equipment (injection presses, extrusion lines) and the alternance (work-study) pedagogy, supported by a network of 500+ partner companies that host apprentices and recruit graduates.

The business model is a hybrid of consumer-paid tuition, public funding and employer fees. Students pay tuition on certain programs (PASS'INGÉ at €2,950, PASS'INGÉ+ at €7,815, EMREC at €6,950), while apprenticeship and professionalization contracts are funded by host companies and OPCO skills operators under France Compétences-published costs, with non-branch companies paying the difference. ISPA also captures apprenticeship tax (taxe d'apprentissage) via the SOLTÉA platform as a sector-habilitated establishment, runs a "Soutenir l'ISPA" patronage track, and channels international mobility through an Erasmus+ Charter for Higher Education. Its commercial GTM combines a direct-apply website, campus open days, orientation salons, partner-campus reselling, and a dedicated recruitment team that places apprentices in host companies; reported scale metrics include 6,000+ cumulative alumni (up to 2025), a 93% exam pass rate and 87% positive exit rate, a 100% EMREC success rate in 2024, an 83% positive exit rate for Bachelor Recyclage in 2024, and a 31-employee headcount.

The institution's strategic posture is one of organic expansion rather than M&A or capital-markets activity: no funding rounds, no acquisitions, no executive leadership changes, and no app/API/AI platform are disclosed in the input. Its defensibility rests on exclusive French specialization in plasturgy/composites, deep syndicate integration with Polyvia, RNCP-registered credentials that unlock public funding, and a 500-company apprenticeship network; its principal forward bets are the eco-design/recycling curriculum (Bachelor Recyclage, EMREC, ECPM specialty), the digital manufacturing track (Bachelor Numérique), and broader European mobility, positioning ISPA as a sectoral workforce utility for the French plasturgy and composites industry.

Name

ISPA

Legal name

ISPA (Institut Supérieur de Plasturgie Appliquée)

Website

https://groupe-ispa.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ISPA is a French non-profit educational association, operating under the Polyvia professional syndicate, that delivers a Bac-to-Bac+6 pathway in plasturgy, composites and eco-design across Alençon, Lyon and partner campuses, funded by tuition, OPCO work-study contracts and apprenticeship tax.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technical and Vocational Education (Plasturgy and Composites)

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Project, Process & Quality Certification Prep (PMP, PRINCE2, Lean Six Sigma, ITIL) (EDANAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

Keywords

• Plasturgy education
• Composite materials training
• Technical vocational school
• Industrial apprenticeship programs
• Polymer engineering school

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition fees (student-paid programs): Students in certain programs (e.g., PASS'INGÉ+ at 7,815 EUR, PASS'INGÉ at 2,950 EUR, EMREC at 6,950 EUR) pay tuition fees. For apprenticeship contracts, the training cost is covered by the company and France Compétences for branch members.
2. Apprenticeship tax (Taxe d'apprentissage): ISPA receives funds from companies through the French apprenticeship tax (SOLTéA platform) as a habilitated training establishment in the plastics sector.
3. Work-study contract funding: Training costs for apprenticeship and professionalization contracts are covered by companies and OPCO (skills operators), offsetting the need for student fees in many programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ISPA is a French higher-education institution (association déclarée) specialized in plasturgy and composite materials that delivers technical diplomas, certifications, and professional qualifications from Bac Pro through engineering level. Programs are delivered across campus locations including Lyon, Alençon, and partner sites, with strong emphasis on work-study (alternance) pedagogy combining classroom instruction with industry placements in plastics and composites manufacturing companies.

Product overview

ISPA (Institut Supérieur de Plasturgie Appliquée) is an educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of vocational and higher education programs in plasturgy, composites, and polymer materials science. The institution provides a unified educational platform spanning from Bac (secondary) to Bac+6 (master's) levels through multiple delivery formats including alternating training (apprenticeship), full-time study, and online learning. Programs are organized as interconnected pathways: technical certificates (Bac Pro, BTS) provide foundational skills; Bachelor programs offer specialized tracks in Recycling, Digital Processes, and Composites; engineering degrees (Bac+5) are delivered through partnerships with renowned French engineering schools (ITECH, INSA, IMT Nord Europe, ECPM); and the EMREC executive master provides advanced Bac+6 specialization in eco-design and circular economy. The portfolio is unified by its focus on practical industry skills, sustainable materials, and close ties with over 500 partner companies, serving sectors including automotive, medical, aerospace, and environmental industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bac Pro Plasturgie (initial training, Bac Pro level) Three-year vocational secondary diploma program in plasturgy for high-school graduates, delivered through classroom and workshop instruction covering plastics processing fundamentals.
• BTS Plasturgie (work-study, Bac+2 level) Two-year Higher Technical Diploma (BTS) in plastics processing delivered under the alternance model for students holding a Bac, leading to a nationally recognized technician-level qualification.
• Licences Professionnelles (work-study, Bac+3 level) One-year professional bachelor-level specializations in plastics and composites fields, aimed at BTS or DUT holders seeking applied, industry-oriented expertise through work-study contracts.
• Ingénieur·e Plasturgie et Matériaux Composites (work-study, Bac+5 level) Three-year engineering degree (Grade Master) specializing in plastics and composite materials engineering, delivered under the alternance work-study model and conferring the Diplôme d'Ingénieur recognized by the CTI and EUR-ACE.
• RNCP Certified Blocs de Compétences (skills blocks) Modular certified skill units aligned to the Répertoire National des Certifications Professionnelles (RNCP), allowing partial validation, capitalisation, and recognition of specific competencies within ISPA programs.
• Continuing Education / Formation Continue (adult learners) Continuing-education pathways aimed at working professionals and career changers seeking plastics/composites skills updating or reskilling, available at the Lyon campus.
• Apprenticeship (alternance) pathway Work-study training format combining company placement with academic instruction, funded through apprenticeship contracts (contrats d'apprentissage) supported by OPCO and France Compétences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% exam pass rate
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PolyviacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolyvia is the professional syndicate of the French plastics and composites industry. ISPA is one of three entities under the Polyvia umbrella (alongside Polyvia Formation and Polyvia Solutions). Polyvia provides institutional backing, industry connections, and access to a broad employer network for ISPA students.
• ITECH LyoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISPA partners with ITECH Lyon for the Ingénieur ITECH Lyon | Spécialité Plasturgie et Polymères program, delivering a 3-year engineering degree in plastics and polymers.
• INSA LyoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISPA partners with INSA Lyon for the Ingénieur INSA Lyon | Spécialité Génie Mécanique Procédés Polymères Avancés (GMPPA) program.
• INSA StrasbourgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISPA partners with INSA Strasbourg for the Ingénieur INSA Strasbourg | Spécialité Plasturgie program.
• IMT Nord EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormerly Mines Douai, IMT Nord Europe partners with ISPA for the Ingénieur IMT Nord Europe | Spécialité Matériaux, Plasturgie et Composites program. Nearly 300 engineering students have completed international placements through this partnership.
• ECPM (École de Chimie Polymères Matériaux)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPM (Strasbourg) partners with ISPA for the Ingénieur ECPM | Spécialité Écologie industrielle des matériaux polymères program.
• GRETA 89 (Sens)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Greta 89 consortium in Sens operates a partner campus at Lycée Janot-Curie, offering the Bachelor Recyclage program as part of ISPA's national campus network.
• Erasmus+ / European UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISPA holds an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education, enabling student mobility across Europe. Mobility programs include 6-8 week international internships for BTS EuroPlastics students and 2-3 month international projects for engineering students.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@groupe-ispa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/groupeispa
• Instagraminstagram.com/ispagroupe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 ISPA