Le Labo de l'ESS

What Le Labo de l'ESS does

Le Labo de l'ESS is a French non-profit association (Association loi 1901) founded in 2010 and headquartered at 5 rue Las Cases in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, operating as the reference think tank for the social and solidarity economy (Économie Sociale et Solidaire, ESS) in France and Europe. With 21 employees, a Direction Committee, an Orientation Council, and a network of thematic referents, the organisation produces research publications, strategic notes, event proceedings, monographs, and briefing documents on ESS themes including just ecological transition, energy sobriety, territorial cooperation (PTCE), cooperative models (SCIC/SCOP), mutualisations, popular education, and AI's implications for the ESS sector. It also curates Le Mag' blog content, a Spotify-distributed podcast, a glossary of ESS terminology, and the recurring Masterclass Autonomia educational program.

The organisation is governed by a recently refreshed leadership team - Fatima Bellaredj as President (elected June 2025), Bastien Sibille as Vice-President, and Marie Vernier as Delegate General - and operates a multi-channel engagement model spanning website publications, newsletter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Bluesky, podcast, press releases, and in-person conferences and regional transition days. Its primary customer segments are ESS field operators and practitioners, local decision-makers and territorial collectivities, and ESS funders/investors; delivery occurs through free downloads, events, and the recurring Masterclass.

Revenue is generated principally through membership fees collected via the HelloAsso platform (subscription/recurring) and through institutional and corporate partnerships with actors such as Banque des Territoires, ADEME, the Ministère de l'Économie, CG Scop, Biocoop, MAIF, Crédit Coopératif, Aéma Groupe, Groupe Vyv, Up Coop, Enedis, and Novaxia. Le Labo de l'ESS has no parent company, no subsidiaries, no disclosed funding rounds, no patents, no certifications, and no deployed technology product; its core 'technology' is research methodology (field observation, documentary analysis, study-action, working groups) and a growing content distribution footprint rather than a software platform.

Name

Le Labo de l'ESS

Legal name

Le Labo de l'ESS

Website

https://lelabo-ess.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Le Labo de l'ESS is a Paris-based non-profit think tank founded in 2010 that produces research, publications, events, and the Masterclass Autonomia to inform policy and practice across France's social and solidarity economy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

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 (Adhésions): The organization generates revenue through membership fees from individuals, associations, and other ESS structures who support the think tank's mission. Members can join through the HelloAsso platform with annual membership tiers.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Le Labo de l'ESS is an independent French think tank that produces research publications, studies, monographs, and strategic notes on the social and solidarity economy (ESS), with thematic focus on just ecological transition, territorial cooperation (PTCE), mutualizations, cooperative models, work and employment, and AI. It complements its research with an online magazine (Le Mag'), a podcast on Spotify, public events, working groups, and the Masterclass Autonomia educational program, and is sustained by individual and organizational memberships managed through the HelloAsso platform.

Product overview

Le Labo de l'ESS is a think tank (associative research organization) dedicated to the social and solidarity economy (ESS) in France and Europe. The organization does not offer a software product or technology platform. Its offerings consist of: research publications and studies on ESS topics (transition écologique juste, mutualisations, territories, AI and ESS), the Le Mag' blog/magazine section featuring tribunes and initiatives, event organization including the Masterclass Autonomia, a podcast distributed via Spotify, a glossary of ESS terminology, press releases, and membership/support opportunities via HelloAsso. The organization serves as a documentation, analysis, and debate facilitation body rather than a product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adhésion au Labo de l'ESS (Membership)

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

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministère de l'économie, des finances et de la souveraineté industrielle et numériquecoreOthersFrench government ministry supporting ESS policy. Listed as institutional partner with logo placement on website footer.
• BiocoopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganic grocery cooperative network. Listed as partner supporting the think tank's work on ESS and sustainable consumption.
• NovaxiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReal estate investment company focused on urban transformation. Listed as partner on website footer.
• Que Vol'TerreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerESS actor in environmental transition. Listed as partner with logo on website footer.
• Groupe VyvminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMutual benefit group operating in health, social protection, and insurance. Listed as partner on website footer.
• Up CoopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative group specializing in employee benefits and meal vouchers. Listed as partner on website footer.
• Energie partagéeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCitizen energy network. Co-launched EnRciT financing tool with Labo de l'ESS involvement.
• CG ScopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConfédération Générale des SCOP et des SCIC (General Confederation of Cooperative Enterprises). Key partner for cooperative studies including SCIC socio-economic model research.
• Collectif pour une Transition CitoyenneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective for Citizen Transition. Partner organization for municipal 2026 elections analysis work.
• e-graineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerESS actor in popular education. Co-published study-action on popular education and ecological transition.
• La Fabrique des transitionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransition support organization. Co-published study-action on popular education and ecological transition.
• Institut pour la Recherche de la Caisse des DépôtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute of Caisse des Dépôts. Co-research partner in mutualizations study dossier.
• EnedisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerElectricity distribution network operator. Supporter of Labo de l'ESS study on self-consumption and energy transition.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Le Mouvement Associatif: National umbrella representing associative life in France, producing research, policy briefs, and advocacy on the place of associations in the economy. Comparable as a national reference body producing research and policy analysis for a related but adjacent non-profit stakeholder segment.
• France Active: National network financing and supporting ESS and social entrepreneurship in France, including research and impact studies. Comparable as a major, established ESS institution with overlapping research and policy advocacy functions, though more focused on financing than pure think-tank work.

Direct peers

• ESS France: National umbrella organization representing the French social and solidarity economy, producing studies, position papers, and policy advocacy on ESS. Highly comparable as a national reference body producing research and policy analysis for ESS practitioners, funders, and public authorities.
• Observatoire national de l'ESS: National observatory producing statistical analyses, indicators, and periodic reports on the French social and solidarity economy. Comparable as a research and data-publishing body serving ESS decision-makers, funders, and public authorities.
• Avise: French agency dedicated to the development of the social and solidarity economy, producing research, toolkits, and supporting ESS structures. Like Le Labo de l'ESS, Avise is a national reference body operating in the same ESS research-and-advisory space and serves overlapping practitioner and policymaker audiences.
• Fonda: French think tank dedicated to associative life and the social economy, publishing analyses, studies, and forward-looking notes on associations and civil society. Directly comparable as a think tank producing research on social-economy themes for practitioners and policymakers.

Emerging players

• Territoires Conseils: Public-interest advisory service supporting local authorities on economic and social policy, including ESS and ecological transition. Comparable as a research and advisory body serving French municipalities and territorial collectivities — one of the Labo's primary customer segments.
• Institut Godin: French research and training institute focused on social and solidarity economy and cooperative models. Comparable as a specialized ESS research body producing publications and analyses for the same practitioner and policymaker community.

Regional players

• Social Economy Europe: European-level umbrella representing the social economy at EU institutions, producing position papers and policy analyses. Comparable as a peer in the ESS research-and-advocacy space, but serves a pan-European constituency rather than a national one.
• RIPESS: Intercontinental network of organizations promoting the social and solidarity economy through research, advocacy, and practitioner exchange. Comparable as a peer operating in the same ESS research and policy-advocacy space but at a multi-continental rather than national scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/lelabo-ess.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4QG7us8gN1DrhaTr51flLA
• Facebookfacebook.com/lelaboess
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/think-tank-le-labo-de-l'ess

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Le Labo de l'ESS