Association TRACES

Name

Association TRACES

Legal name

Association TRACES

Website

https://groupe-traces.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Education and Community Outreach

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios) (EDAMADAC), Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI), Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)

Keywords

• Science mediation
• Digital inclusion
• Community makerspace
• STEAM education
• Citizen participation

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees (Adhésion): Individuals can become members of the association by paying annual membership dues, supporting the association's operations.
2. Donations (Dons): One-time or monthly donations from individuals, deductible from taxes in France.
3. Taxe d'Apprentissage (Apprenticeship Tax): French companies can allocate a portion of their apprenticeship tax (Solde de la Taxe d'Apprentissage) to TRACES, which has been habilitated as a beneficiary since 2022 via the SOLTéA platform.
4. Public funding and institutional grants: Funding from European Commission, French Ministry of Research, French Ministry of Culture, Région Île-de-France, and private foundations (Fondation Orange, Fondation BNP Paribas, Fondation de France, Fondation Singer-Polignac, etc.).
5. European project funding: Coordinated and managed through European projects focused on STEAM education, inclusion, and citizen participation.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Association TRACES operates free public programs that combine science communication, digital fabrication, and social inclusion. Its core offerings include the E-FABRIK' pathway (pairing youth and people with disabilities to co-design solutions using digital tools), the Rayon Science neighborhood makerspace (hands-on 3D printing, sewing, and creative workshops in Paris 20th), and science outreach events such as Cerveaux en Boutique (Brain Week) and the annual Grande Fête E-FABRIK'. Programs are delivered at no cost to participants and are funded by public grants, foundations, and individual contributions.

Product overview

Association TRACES operates as a reflection and action group focused on science communication and its relationship to society. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including E-FABRIK' (a creative digital inclusion project), Rayon Science (a neighborhood makerspace), Cerveaux en Boutique (a brain science outreach event), and the Grande Fête E-FABRIK' (an annual celebration). These initiatives work together to transform scientific culture into tools for citizen participation and social connection, combining digital fabrication, creative workshops, and public science events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• E-FABRIK': A project bringing together young people and people with disabilities in a creative community, focusing on digital literacy and social inclusion.
• Rayon Science
• Cerveaux en Boutique

Products and services

• E-FABRIK' A creative digital inclusion pathway bringing together youth and people with disabilities in a collaborative community where they imagine and fabricate concrete solutions around disability while acquiring digital literacy skills. Operates across multiple French territories and culminates in an annual showcase event.
• Rayon Science A free, open-access neighborhood makerspace in the Paris 20th arrondissement (97 m² at 20 rue d'Alsace Lorraine) offering hands-on workshops with 3D printing, sewing machines, sticker-making, and creative technical activities for local residents. Currently in its 8th season (2024-2025) with themed programming to encourage intergenerational and cross-association exchange.
• Cerveaux en Boutique A public science outreach event held during Brain Week (Semaine du Cerveau), organized in partnership with Université PSL, pairing neuroscience researchers with shopkeepers on Rue Mouffetard in Paris to present neuroscience topics to the general public through interactive in-store experiences. Currently in its 3rd edition (2023-2026).
• Grande Fête E-FABRIK' An annual public celebration event for the E-FABRIK' community, now in its 11th edition, where participants from across France showcase the projects they developed through the E-FABRIK' Challenge. Features discovery activities, mutual aid, and inclusion programming, held at the Césure venue in Paris.
• Qualiopi-certified training programs Training actions certified under Qualiopi (obtained in 2024) in the category 'Action de formation', offered by Association TRACES as part of its STEAM education and science mediation mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11 editions of Grande Fête E-FABRIK' (since 2015)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Université PSL (Paris Sciences et Lettres)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversité PSL collaborates with TRACES to organize the Cerveaux en Boutique event during Brain Week. PSL researchers participate in science-population exchanges in neighborhood commercial spaces.
• ESPCI-PSL (École Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESPCI-PSL researchers collaborate with TRACES for Cerveaux en Boutique and other science communication events. ESPCI scientists lead the Plasticité du Cerveau lab presentations.
• ENS-PSLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerÉcole Normale Supérieure researchers participate in TRACES events such as Cerveaux en Boutique, providing neuroscience and linguistics expertise.
• Césure (venue)minorOthersCésure provides venue hosting for the Grande Fête E-FABRIK' event in Paris.
• Universcience (Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniverscience partners with TRACES for public science events and field trips (e.g., Rayon Science visits to the Cité des Sciences).
• CRI (Centre de Recherche Interdisciplinaire)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRI collaborates with TRACES on interdisciplinary research and science education projects.
• Science OuverteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScience Ouverte is a partner organization working on open science and public engagement.
• ESTIM MédiationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerESTIM Mediation collaborates on science mediation projects with TRACES.
• La Débrouille CompagnieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLa Débrouille Compagnie partners with Rayon Science to deliver creative fabrication workshops (e.g., bread bag making, ocean pollution awareness).
• Les Passeurs de CuriositéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLes Passeurs de Curiosité co-develops creative activities with TRACES (e.g., ocean pollution week at Rayon Science).
• LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLPO partners with Rayon Science for ornithological walks and nature education activities.
• Centre Paris Anim Solidarité Angèle MercierminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe local cultural center co-hosts activities with Rayon Science, such as soap-making workshops.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Universcience: National public institution running the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie and Palais de la Découverte. Far larger established incumbent in French science-culture, with overlapping public-engagement mandate but a much broader portfolio of activities than TRACES' specialized community-maker focus.
• Musée des Arts et Métiers: Paris-based national museum of science, technology, and industry with education programming and maker-adjacent exhibitions. Broader incumbent in science/technology public engagement; less focused on community-driven digital fabrication but competes for the same ministry funding and audiences.

Direct peers

• Le Dôme: Normandy-based science centre operated by the CNRS combining a fab lab, public events, and STEAM programming. Direct overlap with TRACES' mix of digital fabrication (fab lab) and public-facing science mediation.
• Cap Sciences: CCSTI in Bordeaux offering public science exhibitions, maker activities, and STEM workshops. Comparable as a regional CCSTI delivering science-culture programming to general audiences through events and dedicated spaces.
• La Casemate: Centre de culture scientifique, technique et industrielle (CCSTI) based in Grenoble operating a public makerspace with 3D printing, electronics, and STEM workshops. Most direct functional peer to TRACES' Rayon Science, sharing both CCSTI mission and hands-on fab-lab delivery model.
• Espace des Sciences: CCSTI in Rennes providing science exhibitions, school programming, and public events across Brittany. Comparable as a regional CCSTI delivering science-culture and STEM public engagement, though without TRACES' specific disability-inclusion maker focus.
• Les Petits Débrouillards: National French association running hands-on science workshops for youth and underserved communities, with strong inclusion and public-engagement focus. Closely comparable mission (citizen science culture, inclusion, youth) and association-based operating model across multiple French regions.
• Science Ouverte: French association running open-science and inclusion-focused STEM activities for underserved youth in Île-de-France. Closely comparable association model, geography, and target audience (youth from priority neighborhoods) — direct programmatic overlap with E-FABRIK'.
• La Turbine.coop: Cooperative makerspace in Grenoble offering public access to digital fabrication tools (3D printing, electronics, textiles). Comparable to Rayon Science on the makerspace/fab-lab dimension, though operates as a cooperative rather than an association and lacks TRACES' inclusion mission.

Others

• Centre de Recherche Interdisciplinaire (CRI): PSL-affiliated interdisciplinary research and education center and active TRACES partner on STEAM/mediation projects. Comparable as a Paris-based ecosystem actor linking researchers with public audiences, though CRI is an academic structure rather than a public-facing community maker.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GroupeTraces
• Facebookfacebook.com/asso.traces
• Instagraminstagram.com/assotraces
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/groupe-traces

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Association TRACES