Les Petits Débrouillards Île-de-France

What Les Petits Débrouillards Île-de-France does

Les Petits Débrouillards Île-de-France is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) founded in 2000 as the regional Île-de-France branch of the national Les Petits Débrouillards movement, which has existed since 1986. Headquartered in Montreuil with six territorial antennas covering all eight départements of the Île-de-France region, the organization delivers popular science education ("éducation populaire") through hands-on experimental methodology centered on the principle 'Faire pour comprendre, comprendre pour agir.' It targets three principal audiences: children and youth (ages 8-25) via school workshops, extracurricular clubs, and university bridge programs; people in precarious housing situations through the multi-partner Programme Respirations; and educators, teachers, and researchers via professional training in scientific mediation, ecological transitions, and living-together themes.

The product portfolio comprises core animated programs (the Science Tour mobile laboratory trucks inspired by 'C'est pas Sorcier'; Cités Débrouillardes neighborhood deployment; périscolaire workshops; Club U university bridge; Form'actions youth mobilization; Cafés Sciences), pedagogical tools (Modulothèques modular exhibitions, Malles d'animation toolkits, paper exhibitions, experimental books, and digital platforms including Wikidebrouillard, Taxinomes, and Cote à Cote), thematic exhibitions (Transitions écologiques et sociales, Mission H, La Sexpo, biodiversity kit co-built with the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle), professional training, and participation in the EQUIPACT participatory-research consortium. Underlying technology is a participatory experimental scientific methodology, supported by a digital laboratory (USB microscopes, 3D printers, programmable M5 cards, sensors, robots) and a digital content infrastructure.

The business model is primarily grant-funded: government grants from the État (Ministries of Education and Ecological Transition), Région Île-de-France, three Académies (Paris, Versailles, Créteil), and CAF form the financial backbone, supplemented by donations (HelloAsso platform), free-tier memberships with suggested €15 contributions, pay-as-you-go donations for the Respirations program (€10–€100 tiers), and fee-based professional training. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: direct territorial deployment via six IDF antennas, partnerships with schools and social-housing operators, presence at national events (Fête de la Science since 1991, Fête de l'Humanité), and structured recruitment of volunteers and Service Civique participants (16-25, extended to 30 for disabilities) via a recurring formation initiale program.

Name

Les Petits Débrouillards Île-de-France

Legal name

Les Petits Débrouillards Île-de-France

Website

https://lespetitsdebrouillards-idf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Les Petits Débrouillards Île-de-France is a French non-profit association delivering popular science education through hands-on experimental workshops, mobile laboratories, and thematic exhibitions. It serves children, youth, schools, and precarious-housing families across the Île-de-France region via six territorial antennas and a network of 120 animators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreuil

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cotisations membres: Adhésion à l'association avec cotisation libre suggérée à 15 euros, donnant accès à la vie associative et aux orientations
2. Dons: Dons pour soutenir les actions de l'association, notamment le programme Respirations pour les publics en précarité. Reçu fiscal disponible via HelloAsso.
3. Subventions publiques: Financement de l'État, collectivités territoriales (Région, Départements, Villes) et agences nationales pour mener des actions pédagogiques
4. Formations professionnelles: Formation pour professionnels de l'éducation: animateurs, enseignants, chercheurs. Formations sur la médiation scientifique, les transitions écologiques, le vivre ensemble

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Les Petits Débrouillards Île-de-France is a non-profit popular education association that delivers hands-on scientific mediation workshops, exhibitions, and training programs primarily to children, youth, families, and schools across the Île-de-France region. Core services include mobile science labs (Science Tour), modular exhibitions, neighborhood residency programs (Cités Débrouillardes), professional training for educators, and volunteer engagement programs including Service Civique, all founded on the experimental scientific method pedagogy.

Product overview

Les Petits Débrouillards Île-de-France is a non-profit popular education association offering a comprehensive portfolio of scientific mediation products and services. The portfolio centers on hands-on science education through: core animated programs (Science Tour mobile labs, Cités Débrouillardes neighborhood programs, regular périscolaire workshops); pedagogical tools (Modulothèques modular exhibitions, paper exhibitions, animation malles, books, and digital tools including Wikidebrouillards, Taxinomes, and Cote à Cote); thematic exhibitions (Transitions écologiques, Mission H, La Sexpo, biodiversity kits); training programs (initial training for volunteers, professional development for educators); and youth engagement initiatives (Club U university bridge, Form'actions, Paroles de jeunes, Cafés Sciences). Major programs include the EQUIPACT participatory research project and the multi-partner Programme Respirations for precariously housed families. The organization also provides volunteer and Service Civique opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Science Tour: Mobile scientific laboratory (trucks inspired by 'C'est pas Sorcier') that travels across the Île-de-France region to engage publics with science activities.
• Cités Débrouillardes
• Sciences en Pyjama
• Club U
• Form'actions

Products and services

• Science Tour

Quantifiable outcome

• 36 146 bénéficiaires touchés en 2023 en Île-de-France
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature7 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministère de l'Éducation Nationale et de la JeunessecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartenariat avec le ministère pour développer des actions d'éducation scientifique dans les établissements scolaires
• Ministère de la Transition ÉcologiquecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration pour des actions de sensibilisation aux enjeux environnementaux et aux transitions écologiques
• Région Île-de-FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancement et soutien aux projets pédagogiques dans les territoires franciliens
• Académie de PariscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartenariats pour des interventions dans les établissements scolaires parisiens
• Académie de VersaillescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartenariats pour des interventions dans les établissements scolaires des Yvelines, Essonne, Hauts-de-Seine
• Académie de CréteilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartenariats pour des interventions dans les établissements scolaires de Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne, Seine-et-Marne
• Fédération des acteurs de la solidaritécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-portage du programme Respirations avec Les Petits Débrouillards et Cultures du Cœur depuis 2018
• Muséum national d'Histoire naturellecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-conception de la mallette pédagogique 'Biodiversité: les passerelles'
• Fondation Thuram Contre Le RacismecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-conception de la mallette pédagogique 'Être humain, vivre ensemble' pour l'éducation au vivre ensemble et contre les discriminations
• Université Paris-SaclayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartenariats universitaires pour des projets de recherche et d'accompagnement des jeunes
• Sorbonne UniversitéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartenariats universitaires pour des projets de recherche et d'accompagnement des jeunes
• Université Paris NanterreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartenariats universitaires pour des projets de recherche et d'accompagnement des jeunes
• Université Paris Est-Créteil Val de MarneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartenariats universitaires pour des projets de recherche et d'accompagnement des jeunes
• Université Sorbonne Paris NordminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartenariats universitaires pour des projets de recherche et d'accompagnement des jeunes
• Cergy Paris UniversitéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartenariats universitaires pour des projets de recherche et d'accompagnement des jeunes
• Université Gustave EiffelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartenariats universitaires pour des projets de recherche et d'accompagnement des jeunes
• Maison des Sciences de l'Homme Paris NordminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration pour des projets de recherche en sciences humaines et sociales
• AirparifcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartenaire technique pour le projet Paris Prend l'Air sur la qualité de l'air
• Comité d'organisation des Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques - Paris 2024minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartenariat pour des actions de médiation scientifique liées aux JO 2024
• LISISminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartenaire du projet EQUIPACT - consortium de recherche sur les transitions écologiques
• Tela BotanicaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartenaire du projet EQUIPACT pour les sciences participatives
• Museum d'histoire naturelle de ToulouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartenaire du projet EQUIPACT

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• La Main à la Pâte: Foundation associated with the Académie des Sciences promoting hands-on inquiry-based science teaching in primary and secondary schools. Comparable as a French scientific mediation/education provider targeting the same school ecosystem, with a stronger academic-curriculum focus.
• Cap Sciences: CCSTI based in Bordeaux (Nouvelle-Aquitaine) running exhibitions, ateliers, and educational programs on science and technology. Comparable to Les Petits Débrouillards IDF in operating model and target audiences, but with a regional focus outside Île-de-France.
• Cultures du Coeur: National network co-porting the Respirations program, focused on cultural and artistic access for vulnerable populations. Comparable as a non-profit partner in the same social inclusion program; not a science education specialist, but a direct operational peer in the Respirations consortium.
• Fédération des acteurs de la solidarité: National federation co-porting the Respirations program with Les Petits Débrouillards IDF. Comparable as a non-profit partner operating in social cohesion and precarious-housing populations, but with a national, federation-based structure rather than scientific mediation specialization.
• Les Petits Débrouillards (national network): Parent national movement of the Île-de-France entity, running the same scientific mediation model across 13 regions and 60 antennas. Closest peer because it shares brand, methodology, and products, but operates at national scale and may overlap with IDF on cross-territory projects.
• Espace des Sciences (Rennes): CCSTI in Brittany running a science center, exhibitions, and educational programming. Comparable in mission and product mix (exhibitions, ateliers, school programs) but with a different geographic base.
• Centre Sciences (CCSTI Orléans): Centre de Culture Scientifique, Technique et Industrielle operating regional scientific mediation activities in Centre-Val de Loire. Directly comparable as a French CCSTI running exhibitions, workshops, and training for the general public in the same mission space.

Broad incumbents

• La Ligue de l'Enseignement: France's largest popular education federation, with 2 million members and a broad agenda covering civic, cultural, and educational activities. Comparable as a major popular education association with extensive territorial reach, but operates across many themes beyond science.
• Universcience / Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie: France's flagship public science center and museum in Paris. Comparable as a scientific mediation venue with exhibitions, ateliers, and educational resources, but operates at significantly larger scale and as a public institution rather than a non-profit association.

Emerging players

• Wikidébrouillard: Open collaborative wiki of scientific experiment sheets operated by the Petits Débrouillards network. Comparable as a digital educational resource, but a tool rather than a peer organization; an emerging digital channel that intersects with the IDF entity's offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/petitsdeb
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC2SBOHNI_ZDWzcqaSQZV3xA
• Facebookfacebook.com/petitsdebsIDF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/les-petits-debrouillards-ile-de-france
• Instagraminstagram.com/les_ptits_debs_idf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 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 Petits Débrouillards Île-de-France