Le Cercle de la Donnée

What Le Cercle de la Donnée does

Le Cercle de la Donnée is an independent French non-profit think tank (association loi 1901) founded on September 20, 2018, and headquartered in Paris. The organization brings together an interdisciplinary community of data professionals — including Chief Data Officers, jurists, software vendors, commercial directors, CISOs, IT directors, and healthcare professionals — to promote excellence, ethics, and sovereignty in the use of data beyond purely technological considerations. It serves data practitioners, public decision-makers, and educational institutions through a horizontal segmentation approach aimed at structuring a French and European data sector grounded in ethical frameworks and digital sovereignty.

The think tank does not develop or license technology products. Its core offerings consist of the 'Jeudis de la Donnée' (bimonthly community events), published research studies (including the 2018 founding Manifesto, the 2019 AI study, the 2022 Digital Sovereignty study co-published with Agora 41, and the 2024 environmental impact study), B-Smart TV tribunes, and a series of high-profile expert interviews featuring figures such as Yann LeCun and Guillaume Poupard. Distribution occurs freely via the organization's website, LinkedIn presence, email newsletter, and media partnerships.

The business model is non-commercial: as an association loi 1901, the organization is funded through membership fees and partner contributions rather than commercial revenue. The partnership ecosystem includes Agora 41 (an ANSSI-created reflection space), Adequacy (a French data management software firm serving more than 8,500 legal entities), Novaminds (data governance consulting), Whaller (secure collaborative platform), Cartesian Lab and Advox & Co (cybersecurity and influence communications under the Altum & Co group), and Intersection Conseil & Création (web design partner). Leadership comprises a Bureau with founding President Matthieu Bourgeois (technology law specialist), Vice-Presidents Nicolas Salles (Strategy), Jean Martinot (Jeudis de la Donnée), and Arnaud Tanguy (Partnerships), and Secretary General Carole Chartier-Djelaïbia.

Name

Le Cercle de la Donnée

Legal name

Le Cercle de la Donnée

Website

https://lecercledeladonnee.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Le Cercle de la Donnée is a Paris-based independent non-profit think tank founded in 2018 that convenes an interdisciplinary community of data professionals to advance data ethics, governance, and European digital sovereignty through events, research studies, and policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Rights, Privacy & Free Expression Advocacy (BPAGAFAL)

Keywords

• Data governance think tank
• Non-profit association
• Data ethics research
• Digital sovereignty
• Data policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees and partner contributions: As an association loi 1901 (non-profit organization), Le Cercle de la Donnée operates through membership contributions and partnerships with organizations that share its values. The organization does not appear to generate commercial revenue from products or services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Le Cercle de la Donnée is an independent, non-profit think tank (association loi 1901) that convenes an interdisciplinary community of data professionals—Chief Data Officers, jurists, CISOs, healthcare and cybersecurity experts—for knowledge sharing, ethics advocacy, and policy influence. It delivers this through bimonthly "Jeudis de la Donnée" events, co-published research studies (on AI, digital sovereignty, and the environmental footprint of data), televised tribunes on B-Smart TV, expert interviews, and public engagement with French and European decision-makers.

Product overview

Le Cercle de la Donnée is an independent think tank focused on data professionals, publications, and events. It is NOT a product company. The organization's offerings consist of: (1) The core think tank itself which facilitates knowledge sharing and professional networking; (2) 'Jeudis de la Donnée' - regular event sessions featuring expert presentations; (3) Research Studies including landmark publications on AI decision-making (2019), Digital Sovereignty (2022 with Agora 41), and Data's Footprint on Living Things (2024); (4) B-Smart Tribunes - media content covering regulatory and policy topics; (5) Expert interviews with industry leaders; and (6) The founding Manifesto. The organization does not develop, sell, or license technology products or software.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jeudis de la Donnée (Data Thursdays) Bimonthly community event series bringing together members of Le Cercle de la Donnée and invited experts for presentations and debates on data-related themes, including digital sovereignty, environmental impact of data, accessibility, healthcare data, and historical perspectives on data. Open to members and the wider professional community.
• Research Studies on Data Governance and Sovereignty Published studies presenting structured propositions on data-related policy and ethics topics, including AI decision-making (2019, 12 proposals), digital sovereignty (2022, 7 propositions, prefaced by Guillaume Poupard, Director General of ANSSI), and the environmental footprint of data (2024, 5 propositions). Targeted at public decision-makers, regulators, and data professionals.
• Tribunes on B-Smart TV Recurring televised commentaries aired on B-Smart business television in which Le Cercle de la Donnée members discuss data education, AI meta-competencies, the attention economy, European digital sovereignty, GDPR class actions, the Digital Package regulation, and the Data Act. Targeted at a broad business and policy audience.
• Paroles d'Expert (Expert Interviews) Published expert interviews on data, AI, and cybersecurity featuring senior figures such as Guillaume Poupard (Director of ANSSI) and Yann LeCun (2019 Turing Award winner), targeted at the think tank's professional community and the wider public.
• Manifeste pour l'émergence d'une filière de la Donnée Founding manifesto outlining the vision for a French and European data ecosystem, framing data as an economic and political issue, addressing its ethical dimensions, and calling for the professionalization of data-related roles.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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 core and minor.

• Agora 41coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgora 41 is an independent reflection space created in October 2018 by ANSSI (France's National Cybersecurity Agency). It brings together 41 personalities from diverse backgrounds including researchers, academics, executives, and students. The partnership focuses on multidisciplinary reflection about digital transformation and cybersecurity beyond technical aspects. Both organizations have co-published studies on digital sovereignty and the environmental impact of data.
• AdequacycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdequacy is a software solution specialized in personal data management, founded in 2016. With over 8,500 legal entities using its platform across public and private sectors, the solution is 100% internally developed and hosted in France. Adequacy has been a partner of Le Cercle de la Donnée since its creation in 2018, sharing the organization's values around data ethics and GDPR compliance.
• NovamindsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNovaminds is an innovative consulting firm and reference player in Data Governance, Compliance, Risk Management, and Cyber-Resilience. Founded in 2014, the company accompanies major financial sector establishments in mastering their transformations and associated risks. Novaminds shares Le Cercle de la Donnée's conviction about the importance of producing quality content to influence public debate.
• WhallerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhaller is a French social and collaborative platform that enables creation of secure social networks. Founded by Thomas Fauré, the platform emphasizes data protection, user privacy, and digital sobriety. Whaller provided its platform to enable members of Le Cercle de la Donnée to stay connected during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly through digitalization of 'Jeudis de la Donnée' events.
• Cartesian Lab (Altum & Co Group)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCartesian Lab is a cybersecurity company founded in late 2021 and incorporated in Paris as part of the Altum & Co group. The company specializes in identifying cyber risks, deploying security plans, and conducting security testing (pentests, red/blue/purple team exercises, incident response, digital forensics). Along with Axis & Co and Advox, they form the Altum & Co group focused on the information value chain.
• Advox & CominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvox & Co is an influence communication agency, highly digital and based on legitimate strategic information. It supports clients in complex situations including crises, competitive conflicts, M&A operations, and challenging tenders. Advox specializes in information and communication levers including media relations, content production, community management, monitoring, and fake news analysis. Part of the Altum & Co group alongside Cartesian Lab and Axis & Co.
• Intersection Conseil & CréationminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIntersection Conseil & Création is credited with the design and development of Le Cercle de la Donnée's website. They are a design and development partner responsible for the organization's web presence and digital identity.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ada Lovelace Institute: Independent research institute focused on the ethical and social implications of data, AI, and emerging technologies. It is a direct peer producing research that influences UK and EU data policy, comparable in output type and policy-advocacy orientation.
• Open Data Institute: UK-based non-profit focused on data ethics, data infrastructure, and trustworthy data stewardship. It is a direct peer in the data-governance think tank category and is comparable in mission around responsible data use and advocacy.
• Renaissance Numérique: Major French independent think tank dedicated to digital issues, including data ethics, AI, and digital rights. It is a direct peer operating in the same French-language data policy space with a similar community-led, advocacy-oriented model.
• Agora 41: Independent French multidisciplinary reflection space created by ANSSI in 2018, focused on digital transformation and cybersecurity beyond technical aspects. It is both a direct peer in France's data/digital policy ecosystem and Le Cercle de la Donnée's most important co-publication partner, making it the most comparable organization by mandate and audience.

Emerging players

• France Digitale: France's largest startup and investor association, increasingly active in European data and AI policy advocacy. It is an emerging peer as both organizations participate in French digital policy debates, though France Digitale's primary mission is startup/investor representation.
• Data for Good: French non-profit community of data scientists and engineers applying data skills to social and environmental challenges. It is an emerging peer that intersects with Le Cercle de la Donnée's data ethics and 'data footprint on living things' agendas, with strong community-led engagement.

Broad incumbents

• Institut Montaigne: One of France's leading independent policy think tanks, producing major reports on digital sovereignty, AI, and platform regulation. It is a broader incumbent that competes for the same regulatory and policy influence in the digital/data domain but covers a much wider policy portfolio.
• Future of Privacy Forum: US-based non-profit think tank that serves as a catalyst for privacy leadership and scholarship, producing influential research on data protection. It is a broader incumbent in the same data-rights/privacy advocacy category with a more global reach.

Regional players

• Internet Society France (ISOC France): French chapter of the global Internet Society, focused on an open, globally connected, and secure Internet. It is a regional peer addressing overlapping digital-rights and data-protection themes from a more infrastructure-oriented angle.
• AFCDP (Association Française des Correspondants à la protection des Données à caractère Personnel): French professional association for data protection officers (DPOs). It is a regional peer with overlapping membership (data governance professionals) but a narrower professional focus on GDPR compliance rather than data ethics broadly.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cercledonnee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Le Cercle de la Donnée