Heart Leadership University

Name

Heart Leadership University

Legal name

HEART LEADERSHIP UNIVERSITY

Website

https://heartleadershipuniversity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Leadership Education

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

C-Suite & Senior Executive Coaching (EDABANAA), Talent Management & Leadership Advisory (Succession, Performance, Culture) (BPACAJAH)

Keywords

• Executive leadership education
• Leadership transformation programs
• Humanistic leadership development
• Executive masterclasses workshops
• Nonprofit leadership research

Headquarters

HQ city

Reillanne

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Leadership Transformation Program Fees: Revenue from the 'Du Coeur aux Actes' (From Heart to Action) executive program, a multi-session leadership development curriculum for business leaders. The program operates in cohort-based promotions.
2. Masterclass and Workshop Fees: Revenue from specialized masterclasses on topics such as AI and leadership, crisis management, critical awareness, geopolitical foresight, and other executive education workshops.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As an 'association d'intérêt général' (non-profit organization of general interest), HLU receives donations from supporters. The Jean-Noël Thorel Foundation provided a structural multi-year donation of 4 million euros (2026-2028).
4. Book Prize and Event Sponsorships: Revenue or in-kind support from the annual Book Prize for Leaders ceremony and related events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Heart Leadership University is a French nonprofit association that delivers executive leadership development programs centered on "heart intelligence" (intuition, courage, empathy). Its flagship offering is the cohort-based "Parcours Du Coeur aux Actes" program, supplemented by Masterclasses, Workshops, research publications, case studies, self-assessment tests, and the annual Book Prize for Leaders. The organization serves leaders of French PME-ETI companies through in-person and virtual educational experiences.

Product overview

Heart Leadership University is an educational non-profit association operating a single unified product portfolio centered on the 'Parcours Du Coeur aux Actes' flagship program—a peer-based executive leadership transformation journey. This core program is supported by supplementary modules including Masterclasses, Workshops, Research Publications, Case Studies, and Self-Assessment Tests. The organization also operates community initiatives including the Book Prize for Leaders, web series content, and the NAOS Lab for Leadership partnership with HEC Paris. The organization does not operate a software platform but rather delivers in-person and virtual educational experiences for business leaders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Parcours Du Coeur aux Actes (From Heart to Action Program) A flagship cohort-based leadership transformation program for executives that develops heart intelligence competencies (intuition, courage, empathy) to lead with lucidity and altruism in the age of AI. Delivered in multi-session format for business leaders of French PME-ETI companies.
• Masterclasses Short-format expert-led sessions on specific leadership topics including Crisis Leadership, Critical Awareness, Anticipating Geopolitical Dynamics, Discerning AI Use, and Explore Your Uniqueness in the Age of AI. Available for direct registration.
• Workshops Interactive workshop sessions complementing the main program curriculum, delivering hands-on leadership development experiences for executives.
• NAOS Lab for Leadership Research and educational initiative at HEC Paris focused on thinking, teaching, and acting on the future of leadership. A joint initiative between HEC, Jean-Noël Thorel Foundation, and HLU, delivering research, educational content, and certificate programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5000+ leaders reached over 5 years through educational programs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

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

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• HEC ParisflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2026Multi-year partnership for the NAOS Lab for Leadership at HEC. The Jean-Noël Thorel Foundation provides €4 million structural donation (2026-2028) enabling HEC to deploy 'Think Teach Act' activities: research on leadership future, educational content, and certificate programs. HLU shares its expertise, content, and formats within the HEC ecosystem (students, faculty, alumni, partners) to accelerate evolution in leader selection and training.
• NAOS (Bioderma, Institut Esthederm, État Pur)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2026Jean-Noël Thorel as founder of NAOS is the primary donor and founding partner. The NAOS Lab for Leadership at HEC represents the flagship initiative of this partnership, focusing on researching and developing leadership approaches that preserve humanity in the 21st century and enable better leadership in an AI world.
• Réseau EntreprendreflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Two-year partnership agreement signed December 2025 to strengthen support for business leaders through humanistic leadership development. Includes four key areas: supporting leadership transformation integrating empathy, intuition, and courage; exclusive modules for Réseau Entreprendre programs; learning spaces for pioneering entrepreneurs. Programs conducted jointly since 2024 including action-research workshops on AI and leadership, and the HLU Book Prize.
• Blaise Pascal AdvisorsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with Blaise Pascal Advisors for the MasterClass on 'Discerning the Right Use of AI in Transformation.' Combines the expertise of Blaise Pascal Advisors in reason and analytics with HLU's human-centered approach to help leaders reconcile heart and reason in AI adoption.
• Serue IngénierieminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 November 2024Regional partnership for organizing executive breakfast events in Strasbourg. Jointly organized 'AI: ally or risk for leaders?' event in November with approximately 40 Strasbourg business leaders attending.
• CJD (Centre des Jeunes Dirigeants)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with the Center for Young Leaders to publish exploratory studies on AI risks for executives. Jointly published study on 'Indiscriminate use of AI by executives: between risks for the company and the impoverishment of sensitive human capabilities.' CJD participated in organizing events including the 'New risks and trade secrets' roundtable.
• Ecole des Mines Paris PSLminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Host partnership for the 'Courage & Resilience Breakfast' event held at Mines Paris – PSL. Provides venue and institutional credibility for executive networking events focused on leadership topics.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Emerging players

• CoachHub: CoachHub is a leading European digital-coaching platform offering scalable executive and leadership coaching to enterprises. Compares to HLU's coaching-embedded leadership transformation programs on the executive development use case, but with a technology platform and global delivery model HLU lacks.
• BetterUp: BetterUp is a global coaching and leadership-development platform combining AI-driven matching with human coaching for executives and teams. Competes for enterprise leadership-development budgets with a tech-enabled, scalable model that contrasts with HLU's in-person cohort-based, France-only approach.

Broad incumbents

• IMD Business School Executive Education: IMD runs flagship leadership, high-performance, and family-business programs for senior executives. Comparable in targeting C-suite and PME-ETI leaders with intensive transformation journeys, but with broader global positioning and deeper executive-coaching infrastructure.
• HEC Paris Executive Education: HEC Paris Executive Education is France's leading executive education provider and HLU's flagship partner (host of NAOS Lab for Leadership). It offers broad, credentialed leadership and management programs to a similar French executive audience, but as part of a much larger portfolio of degree, MBA, and executive offerings rather than HLU's niche heart-leadership focus.
• emlyon business school Executive Education: emlyon runs executive MBAs, custom corporate programs, and leadership development for European executives. Targets similar French PME-ETI and corporate audiences with a broader, credentialed portfolio and stronger digital-learning infrastructure.
• Sciences Po Executive Education: Sciences Po Executive Education provides custom and open-enrollment programs for senior French public- and private-sector leaders on governance, strategy, and policy. Comparable in addressing French senior decision-makers, with stronger policy and public-affairs positioning.
• INSEAD Executive Education: INSEAD's executive education division delivers senior leadership, transition, and custom programs globally. It competes for the same French and European executive audience with broader, credential-backed curricula and a stronger global brand than HLU.
• ESCP Business School Executive Education: ESCP delivers executive masters, MBAs, and open-enrollment leadership programs across European campuses. Targets similar French and European executive profiles with broader program portfolios and academic credentials HLU cannot offer.

Others

• Réseau Entreprendre: Réseau Entreprendre is a French nonprofit association supporting entrepreneurs via mentoring, financing, and peer networks — HLU's two-year strategic partner. Not a direct competitor but a closely adjacent ecosystem player sharing HLU's nonprofit structure, French leadership audience, and humanistic-values orientation.
• Centre des Jeunes Dirigeants (CJD): CJD is a French association of young business leaders focused on humanistic and responsible leadership. It is HLU's research and events partner (co-published study on indiscriminate AI use) and an adjacent peer operating in the same French SME/ETI executive-development space with overlapping values-driven leadership content.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/heart-leadership-university

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 Heart Leadership University