Les Imaginations Fertiles

What Les Imaginations Fertiles does

Les Imaginations Fertiles is a French SCIC (Société Coopérative d'Intérêt Collectif) founded in 2013 and headquartered at 2 rue Raymond Lizop in the Bellefontaine district of Toulouse, where it operates Le FIL, a tier-lieu combining coworking offices (12–30 m²), a 155 m² event hall (up to 130 participants), and La Belle Fabrique, a digital fabrication workshop equipped with laser cutting, CNC, and woodworking tools. The organization applies design thinking, co-design, and service design methodologies to social innovation projects, and co-developed the proprietary MIAOU (Méthode Itérative d'Analyse Orientée Usages) framework with social science researchers at SCOOL and makers at Makers & Co. Since 2015 it has accompanied more than 60 tier-lieux across France and ~30 projects within Toulouse Métropole's Laboratoire des Usages public-innovation market between 2018 and 2023.

The company monetizes through four streams: tier-lieu space rental (subscription for offices and pay-as-you-go for events), professional services and consulting (design, facilitation, social design, living-lab facilitation, and tier-lieu conception) for public authorities, ESS organizations, healthcare structures, and private enterprises, a mutualized training catalog delivered with resident partners, and solidarity workshop programs (chantiers solidaires) co-animated with AMAE. Customer concentration sits primarily with public-sector buyers — Toulouse Métropole, ADEME Occitanie, CHU de Toulouse, RTE, DECOSET, ADEFPAT — alongside healthcare, education, and ESS clients. Distribution is field-led, anchored by weekly Tuesday open-door visits, public procurement, academic partnerships with Université Jean Jaurès and Toulouse School of Management, and a co-founded regional tier-lieu association (La Rosée).

The organization is independently owned by its socinaires (cooperative members) with €41,500 of variable capital, RCS Toulouse 533 971 792, no parent entity, and a headcount of roughly 13 employees. Governance was overhauled between 2021 and 2022 to broaden and professionalize the shareholder base, and the company is currently extending its footprint via the Fabcity collaboration with Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole and a recently announced partnership with CHU de Toulouse.

Name

Les Imaginations Fertiles

Legal name

SCIC Les Imaginations Fertiles

Website

https://imaginationsfertiles.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Les Imaginations Fertiles is a Toulouse-based SCIC cooperative operating the Le FIL tier-lieu and La Belle Fabrique workshop, providing design thinking, social design, and tier-lieu accompaniment services to public authorities, healthcare providers, and ESS organizations across France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Innovation Consulting

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

akta.pro primary industry

Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Circular Economy & Sustainable Products (Reuse, Repair, Upcycling) (BPAGALAF), Crafts & DIY (Paper, Fiber, Wood, Resin, DIY Projects) (EDAAAGAB)

Keywords

• Social innovation consulting
• Tiers-lieu coworking
• Service design facilitation
• Living lab services
• Participatory design training

Headquarters

HQ city

Toulouse

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Space Rental (Tiers-lieu / Coworking / Event Venue): Rental of workspace (offices 12–30 m²), coworking areas, and event halls (up to 130 people, 155 m²). The tier-lieu also offers outdoor spaces. Revenue generated through booking fees for meetings, seminars, collaborative events, and co-working.
2. Professional Services & Consulting: Design, facilitation, and consulting services for public entities (Toulouse Métropole, municipalities), ESS organizations, healthcare and social structures. Includes tier-lieu conception support, living lab facilitation, collaborative animation, and social design missions.
3. Training Catalog & Educational Programs: Mutualized training catalog covering Culture, Digital, Collective Intelligence, Education & Inclusion, Design, Transition & Territory, and Entrepreneurship. Offered by resident structures and partners at the tier-lieu.
4. Apprenticeship & Solidary Workshop Programs: Chantiers solidaires (solidarity work programs) with youth from prevention clubs, in partnership with AMAE. Fabrication and design projects producing objects for resale (reemployment materials, wooden objects).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Les Imaginations Fertiles operates Le FIL, a tiers-lieu (third place) in Toulouse combining coworking spaces, event venues, and a digital fabrication workshop called La Belle Fabrique. The cooperative delivers collaborative animation, training, and project accompaniment services for social innovation, using its proprietary MIAOU methodology to structure collective intelligence for organizations in the social and solidarity economy, healthcare mutuelles, public institutions, and private enterprises.

Product overview

Les Imaginations Fertiles operates as a SCIC (Société Coopérative d'Intérêt Collectif) offering a multi-service ecosystem centered around Le FIL, a tiers-lieu (third-place) combining coworking spaces, event venues, and collaborative work environments. The ecosystem includes La Belle Fabrique, a fully-equipped workshop for fabrication and prototyping, along with collaborative animation services, a shared training catalogue, and project accompaniment methodologies including the proprietary Méthode MIAOU. Services span space rental (offices 12-155 m²), design social consulting, living lab facilitation, and collective intelligence training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Le FIL tiers-lieu
• La Belle Fabrique
• Animation Collaborative
• Catalogue de Formations Mutualisé
• Location d'Espaces et Bureaux
• Méthode MIAOU
• Accompagnement de Projets et Design Social

Quantifiable outcome

• 60+ tier-lieux accompanied since 2015
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• ADEFPATcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Les Imaginations Fertiles partners with ADEFPAT to accompany rural municipalities in the emergence of tier-lieux. Projects include La Halle de Rieupeyroux, Caylus, Varen, and Saint-Géniez-d'Olt et d'Aubrac. The accompaniment covers positioning, usage design, economic modeling, and governance definition.
• ETICcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerETIC is the real estate partner of Les Imaginations Fertiles for the design and development of its tier-lieu premises at Bellefontaine (2019). ETIC works with the organization and Toulouse Métropole teams to conceive the future social innovation space.
• CHU de ToulousestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerLes Imaginations Fertiles has recently entered a partnership with CHU de Toulouse to drive a user-centered approach in hospital services, exploring how to improve patient pathways and services, notably through digital opportunities.
• Fondation Hospitalière pour la Recherche sur la Précarité et l'Exclusion SocialeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration alongside CREAI-ORS on climate warming effects on precarious, elderly, and excluded populations in Occitanie. A project still in progress.
• Café & CostrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerInclusive tier-lieu in Toulouse. Les Imaginations Fertiles has accompanied Café & Co through consulting and animation missions to support project structuring, clarify orientations, and facilitate stakeholder involvement around questions of openness, articulation of social and economic activities, and interactions between different publics.
• IN'ESS – Grand NarbonnestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerTier-lieu of Narbonne Agglo in a priority neighborhood. Les Imaginations Fertiles accompanied the structure through collective sessions and facilitation to evaluate the Contrat de Ville with local associations.
• Laboratoire des Usages de Toulouse MétropolecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLes Imaginations Fertiles is one of three groupments accompanying Toulouse Métropole in public innovation and public policy design since 2020. As part of this market, IF has conducted ~30 projects including citizen participation, urbanism, living lab, social innovation, and ESS territory projects.
• CREAI-ORSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in a project with the Fondation Hospitalière and Les Imaginations Fertiles on climate warming and its effects on vulnerable populations in Occitanie.
• ADEFPATcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerADEFPAT is a partner in rural tier-lieu accompaniment projects with Les Imaginations Fertiles.
• Makers & CocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMakers & Co is a Fablab/makerspace sharing the same premises as Les Imaginations Fertiles. Together with SCOOL and Les Imaginations Fertiles, it co-founded the MIAOU method. It provides rapid prototyping and digital fabrication capabilities (laser cutting, CNC, etc.) for user-centered innovation projects.
• SCOOLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCOOL is a team of social science researchers sharing premises with Les Imaginations Fertiles. Together with Makers & Co and Les Imaginations Fertiles, it co-founded the MIAOU method. SCOOL provides sociological analysis, observation, and field study capabilities.
• AMAE (Atelier de Menuiserie Associatif et Expérimental)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMAE is a partner in solidary construction projects and fabrication workshops at La Belle Fabrique. It specializes in pre-insertion carpentry work (CEPI) and co-animates workshops with youth from prevention clubs. AMAE also fabricated outdoor furniture for the tier-lieu.
• Association Vivre EnsembleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation working with youth (11–16 years old) in prevention, welcomed at Les Imaginations Fertiles for wood-working workshops and solidary construction projects.
• Idées CommunescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the animation of the Laboratoire des Usages of Toulouse Métropole alongside Les Imaginations Fertiles and Palanca. Idées Communes conducts the Open Métropole seminar and other collaborative projects.
• PalancaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the animation of the Laboratoire des Usages of Toulouse Métropole alongside Les Imaginations Fertiles and Idées Communes.
• DECOSETstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerLes Imaginations Fertiles, with partners MIAOU, SCOOL, and Makers & Co, accompanied DECOSET in transforming déchèteries through user-centered innovation. A 5-day residency was conducted at Plaisance-du-Touch déchèterie, followed by a hackathon.
• SUEZminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the DECOSET déchèterie innovation project, contributing to the 'club innovation' alongside DECOSET and CEATech.
• CEATechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the DECOSET déchèterie innovation project, part of the 'club innovation' alongside SUEZ.
• Montpellier Méditerranée MétropolestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerLes Imaginations Fertiles, together with RoseLab and Makers & Co, accompanies Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole in implementing its Fabcity initiative, using collaborative methods and design of service to create a network of shared fabrication actors.
• Réso – Résilience OccitanieminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHealthcare/social structure in Occitanie. Les Imaginations Fertiles animated a management seminar exploring new service development for children and adults with disabilities.
• La Belle FabriquecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe fabrication workshop within the tier-lieu, operated alongside AMAE. Offers formats including 'Jeudi je fais', open thematic workshops, and 'Un besoin, un chantier' for companies and structures. Equipped with woodworking tools, laser cutter, CNC, and plotter. Planned equipment includes planer-joiner, large-format laser cutter, and stationary sander.
• La Rosée (Regional Tiers-Lieu Association)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional association of tier-lieux in Occitanie, co-founded and supported by Les Imaginations Fertiles. La Rosée held its general assembly at the Château des Confluences in Pinsaguel with ~60 tier-lieux from across the region. The network adopted a collegiate governance model.
• Université Jean Jaurès ToulousestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerLes Imaginations Fertiles partners with the university for student project accompaniment programs. Five-session creative programs for Master MPN and DPM students covering Design Thinking, prototyping, and use of digital fabrication tools at La Belle Fabrique.
• Toulouse School of ManagementstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual workshops with Master GESS (Gestion des Établissements Sanitaires et Sociaux) and QSE (Qualité Sécurité Environnement) students, raising awareness of tier-lieu concepts, innovative economic models, and service design methods.
• ADEME OccitaniestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerLes Imaginations Fertiles was commissioned by ADEME and Météo France (via CRESS Occitanie) to animate 4 workshops on just ecological transition in Occitanie, covering agriculture, mobility, energy poverty/housing, and water access.
• Météo FranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-commissioner with ADEME for the study day 'Ensemble vers une transition écologique juste en Occitanie', hosted at Météo France premises near Les Imaginations Fertiles.
• Grand NarbonnestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in evaluating the Contrat de Ville participatively with local associations, through the Pole In'ess tier-lieu in a priority neighborhood of Narbonne.
• MPA Occitanie (Midi-Pyrénées Active)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLes Imaginations Fertiles designers accompanied MPA to design a service design workshop for the Réemploi in construction sector, part of the Life Waste To Build project with Toulouse Métropole.
• RoseLabstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Fabcity Montpellier project alongside Les Imaginations Fertiles and Makers & Co. RoseLab participates in the collaborative actor network for shared fabrication in Occitanie.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Yes We Camp: French association operating innovative urban third places and participatory residential programs. Highly comparable to Les Imaginations Fertiles as a non-profit tier-lieu operator with social innovation, co-design, and community-building missions across multiple French sites.
• La Myne: Tier-lieu based in Villeurbanne (Lyon metropolitan area) focused on social and ecological innovation, open to citizens and researchers. Directly comparable as a French third place combining coworking, fabrication, and social/environmental transition programming.
• Plateau Urbain: Paris-based cooperative developing temporary urban occupations and shared workspaces. Comparable cooperative structure and tier-lieu / urban innovation focus, with similar engagement of public partners and ESS ecosystem.
• Bellastock: French cooperative of architects working on circular construction, resource recovery, and participatory urbanism. Comparable as a SCIC-equivalent cooperative blending participatory design, fabrication, and territorial experimentation.
• Tuba Lyon: Lyon-based platform for urban and resource innovation, testing new uses of materials and spaces in metropolitan contexts. Comparable as a metropolitan-scale living lab / tier-lieu operating between public, private, and ESS actors.
• Atelier Universel: French design and architecture cooperative applying co-construction methods to public-interest projects. Comparable as a worker-cooperative delivering participatory design and service design for territorial and institutional clients.
• La Coopérative des Idées: French cooperative design studio using co-design and participatory methods with public and associative clients. Directly comparable as a cooperative structured around collective intelligence, design thinking, and service design.

Emerging players

• Les Designers Éthiques: French collective of designers committed to ethical, inclusive, and responsible design practices. Comparable thematic alignment in design-for-good, participatory methods, and ESS engagement, though smaller in scale and more advocacy-oriented.
• Makesense: International community supporting social entrepreneurs, with strong French footprint including innovation spaces and programs. Comparable thematic overlap in social innovation ecosystems, though its focus is more on entrepreneurship support than service design delivery.

Regional players

• Les Grands Voisins: Paris-based urban third place project combining hospitality, coworking, fabrication, and social programs on a former hospital site. Comparable as a high-profile tier-lieu in France mixing ESS, cultural, and inclusive missions, though operating in the Paris region rather than Occitanie.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LesImaginationsFertiles
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/les-imaginations-fertiles
• Instagraminstagram.com/les_imaginations_fertiles/?hl=fr

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 Les Imaginations Fertiles