What IFSA Formation does

IFSA Formation, commercially branded as IFSA & Nature, is a French private distance-learning school (Établissement privé d'enseignement à distance) formed in 2022 through the merger of IFSA and Natura-dis and operating as a specialized school within the Skill & You campus ecosystem. The company delivers professional training in two verticals: animal care (canine and feline breeding, animal health assistance, canine behaviorism, dog training, animal caretaking, and grooming) and nature/environment (floristry, landscape architecture and drafting, natural space management, and horticultural gardening). It runs 13 named course programs, several leading to state diplomas (CAP Fleuriste), RNCP-registered titles, or the ACACED regulatory certification required to legally handle cats and dogs in France.

The underlying platform is an e-learning system combining digital courses, exercises, evaluations, podcasts, and virtual workshops, delivered through a 24/7 student portal (Espace Elèves) and a separate professional portal (Espace Professionnel). Courses are supplemented by human coaching from named expert trainers (François Lasserre, Martine Poncet, Sylvie Chardon, Jean-Pierre Gourlaouen, Patrick Chanel) who provide assignment corrections, telephone appointments, and optional coaching. The technical stack is conventional for the sector — there are no disclosed AI/ML components, APIs, or proprietary models. The school is Qualiopi-certified (issued to parent Skill & You on April 27, 2021), including for apprenticeship pathways.

The business model is direct-to-consumer and self-serve: individuals enroll through the company website (ifsa-nature.fr) or via the French government's Mon Compte Formation CPF portal. Most courses are fully CPF-eligible, enabling learners to enroll at €0 out-of-pocket cost, with revenue recognized upon enrollment for programs ranging from short courses to 1–3 year training paths. Customer segments are horizontally defined and concentrate on individuals seeking either animal-care careers or nature/horticulture careers, including career changers and aspiring entrepreneurs needing formal credentials to operate legally. The school had 53 employees and an external reviewer score of 4.5/5 across 159 Avis Vérifiés reviews.

Name

IFSA Formation

Legal name

Ifsa & Nature

Website

https://ifsanimal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

IFSA Formation (branded IFSA & Nature) is a French private distance-learning school delivering vocational training in animal care and nature/environment sectors to individual learners, operating within the Skill & You campus and funded primarily through the CPF public training account.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Distance Learning Courses: IFSA & Nature generates revenue through enrollment fees for professional training courses in animal care, nature/environment, and floristry sectors. Courses are priced individually and can be fully funded through CPF (Compte Personnel de Formation). Revenue is recognized upon enrollment, with courses delivered over defined durations ranging from short programs to 1-3 year training paths.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IFSA & Nature is a private French distance learning school (Établissement privé d'enseignement à distance) that delivers 100% online professional training programs in two sectors: animal care (canine/feline breeding, animal health auxiliary, canine behaviorist, animal caretaker, dog training, grooming) and nature/environment (floristry CAP, landscape design, natural space management, botanical horticulture). Courses lead to RNCP-recognized titles, state diplomas (CAP), and professional certifications such as ACACED, with most eligible for full CPF (Compte Personnel de Formation) government funding.

Product overview

IFSA & Nature is a distance learning school within the Skill & You campus offering professional training in two main sectors: animal care (including canine/feline breeding, animal health assistance, canine behavioral consulting, animal caretaking, dog training, and grooming) and nature/horticulture (covering floristry, landscape architecture, natural space management, and botanical horticulture). The school delivers 100% distance learning with e-learning methodology combined with human coaching support. Training programs lead to RNCP-certified titles, state diplomas, or professional qualifications, with eligibility for CPF (Compte Personnel de Formation) funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certification ACACED chat et chien Certification training for cat and dog care and handling, qualifying students for official ACACED (Attestation de Connaissances pour les Animaux de Compagnie d'Espèces Domestiques) certification required in France to legally work with cats and dogs.
• Formation Eleveur canin et félin Professional training program for canine and feline breeding, covering breeding practices, animal welfare, and business management for aspiring professional breeders.
• Formation Auxiliaire de santé animale Training to become an animal health auxiliary, providing foundational veterinary support skills and animal care competencies for individuals seeking roles supporting veterinarians.
• Offre duo Auxiliaire de santé animale – Soigneur animalier Combined training package offering dual certification pathways for animal health auxiliary and animal caretaker roles in a single enrollment.
• Formation Comportementaliste canin Professional training for canine behavioral specialists, teaching behavior analysis, modification techniques, and client consultation skills.
• Soigneur animalier Training program to become an animal caretaker, covering animal husbandry, welfare management, and zoo or sanctuary operations.
• Formation Educateur canin Professional training for dog trainers, covering obedience training, technique instruction, and behavioral correction methods.
• Formation Toiletteur Professional grooming training covering grooming techniques, breed-specific styling, and pet care services.
• CAP Fleuriste Vocational diploma training for floristry (Certificat d'Aptitude Professionnelle Fleuriste), covering floral arrangement techniques, shop management, and artistic flower design. Required for operating a florist business in France.
• Formation Paysagiste Professional training for landscape architects covering garden design, outdoor space planning, and horticulture project management.
• Formation Dessinateur paysagiste Training for landscape designers focusing on technical drawing, design software, and landscape planning documentation.
• Gestionnaire d'espaces naturels Professional training for natural space managers, covering ecological conservation, land management, and environmental protection.
• Jardinier horticole – mention botanique Horticultural gardening training with botanical specialization, covering plant cultivation, nursery management, and botanical garden maintenance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86,000+ learners trained in 2024 across Skill & You campus
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Skill & You CampuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFSA & Nature is an integral school within the Skill & You campus, the self-described European pioneer in distance learning. As part of this ecosystem, the school benefits from shared pedagogical methodology, technology platform, administrative infrastructure, and brand recognition. Skill & You trained over 86,000 learners in 2024.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CEGOS: One of France's largest corporate training providers with a broad professional development portfolio including digital/remote offerings. Comparable as an established French training incumbent that overlaps with IFSA & Nature's professional learning segments, though oriented toward corporate buyers.
• Udemy: Global self-paced online course marketplace with thousands of consumer courses including pet care, gardening, and floristry. Comparable as a broad e-learning platform that can absorb self-directed learners from IFSA & Nature's hobbyist-adjacent segments.
• Coursera: Global online learning platform offering courses, certificates, and degrees in business, tech, and personal development with growing French market presence. Comparable as a large incumbent MOOC whose professional certificate stack could overlap with IFSA & Nature's career-oriented learners.

Direct peers

• OpenClassrooms: France's leading online vocational education platform offering diploma- and certification-bearing programs in tech, business, and design via distance learning. Highly comparable as a French e-learning operator monetizing subsidized (CPF-eligible) vocational training.
• CNFDI (Centre National de Formation à Distance): Long-established French distance learning establishment providing adult vocational training across many disciplines via correspondence and online formats. Comparable as a multi-discipline French distance learning school serving individual learners.
• ESECAD: Sibling school within the Skill & You group delivering distance learning programs in digital, marketing, and business specialties. Highly comparable as a sister école within the same campus, sharing technology, pedagogy, and Qualiopi/CPF positioning.
• Educatel: French distance learning establishment (also within the Skill & You ecosystem historically) offering multi-disciplinary adult vocational programs. Comparable as another French école privée d'enseignement à distance leveraging Qualiopi certification and CPF funding.
• Walter Learning: French online education company specialized in healthcare training (prépa infirmier, kiné, etc.) using a digital platform with human coaching. Comparable as a French e-learning player focused on a single professional vertical and funded-learner acquisition.
• Orsys: French professional training specialist covering IT, management, and digital topics via classroom and remote formats. Comparable as a French professional training operator serving individual CPF-funded learners across specialized B2B/personal development themes.

Regional players

• Dawan: France-based specialist IT and digital training provider with deep vertical focus and distance learning options; comparable as a French single-vertical vocational trainer competing for CPF-funded professional upskilling budgets, though IT-focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/ifsa-animal

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 IFSA Formation