Nespa

What Nespa does

NESPA (NESPA-BW asbl, full legal name: Nouvelle École Secondaire à Pédagogie Active en Brabant Wallon) is a private, non-profit (asbl) secondary school serving approximately 530 students across 24 classes in Genappe, Brabant Wallon, Belgium. Founded in 2015 as a parent initiative and opened in September 2018, it offers a full six-year secondary cycle (1st to 6th year) plus a DASPA program for newly arrived students. The school's core product is secondary education delivered through Freinet active pedagogy, which emphasizes student autonomy, cooperative learning, democratic governance (Agora system), interdisciplinary projects, workshops (ateliers), and experiential activities.

The underlying "technology" is pedagogical rather than digital: a Freinet-based active learning methodology implemented through small classes, student assemblies, and project-based work, with enrichment provided through partnerships (Croix Rouge, RTBF, BeCode, ULB, Amnesty International, Pro Vélo, COIB). There is no proprietary software, app, or AI product; the school's digital surface is limited to a WordPress website, Facebook page, and standard contact channels.

NESPA's business model is a recurring tuition-based subscription (tuition fees are not publicly disclosed) supplemented by public subsidies through its membership in the FELSI free non-denominational school network and integration into the Federation Wallonia-Brussels enrollment system (FASE numbers 95528/10531). The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer: families in the Brabant Wallon region enroll directly through open houses, information sessions, and personalized appointments. The customer segment is geographically defined — families in Brabant Wallon seeking an alternative to traditional secondary education, including DASPA-eligible newly arrived students.

Name

Nespa

Legal name

NESPA-BW asbl

Website

https://nespabw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Charter Schools (Single-Site) (EDAJACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in Education (EDADALAD)

Keywords

• Active learning education
• Secondary education
• Freinet pedagogy
• Alternative schooling
• Student-centered learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Genappe

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. School Tuition: Private secondary school generating revenue through tuition fees from enrolled students across 6 years plus DASPA program.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

NESPA is a private non-profit secondary school providing a six-year active-learning education (1st to 6th year) based on Freinet pedagogy for students in the Brabant Wallon region of Belgium. The school also operates the DASPA program, offering intensive French language reception and schooling for newly arrived students. Educational delivery centers on student autonomy, cooperative learning, democratic governance through the Agora, interdisciplinary projects, and experiential activities.

Product overview

NESPA is a secondary school offering a comprehensive six-year active learning program (1st to 6th secondary) based on Freinet pedagogy. The school operates as a unified educational service with a specialized DASPA program for newly arrived students. The institution emphasizes project-based learning, interdisciplinary weeks, student workshops (ateliers), democratic governance through the Agora system, and experiential activities including trips, sports days, and artistic projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Secondary Education Program (1st to 6th year) Six-year secondary education program (1st to 6th year) based on active pedagogy (pédagogie Freinet), offering courses across multiple disciplines including languages, sciences, arts, and physical education for families in Brabant Wallon seeking alternative secondary education.
• DASPA (Dispositif d'Accueil et de Scolarisation des Élèves Primo-Arrivants et Assimilés) Specialized reception and schooling program for newly arrived students and those in the assimilation process, providing intensive French language instruction and daily support within the NESPA community.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FELSI (Fédération Libre des Libres de l'Enseignement Non Confessionnel)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNESPA is part of the FELSI network of free non-denominational schools. The school connected with other FELSI schools in Brussels such as 'École Active' and 'De L'Autre Côté de l'École' during its founding phase to benefit from their experience in active learning pedagogy.
• Croix Rouge (Red Cross) GenappecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince January 2023, NESPA hosts a DASPA class (Dispositif d'Accueil et de Scolarisation des élèves Primo-Arrivants et Assimilés) for approximately 10 young residents of the new Red Cross center in Genappe, providing French language instruction and daily support.
• Centre Culturel de Genappe (Le 38)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the local cultural center on various projects including a radio workshop, with the Maison des Jeunes (youth center) also involved.
• BeCode CharleroiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 3rd year students to visit BeCode and learn about digital professions and cybersecurity, with focus on protecting personal data online.
• RTBFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents visit RTBF headquarters to learn about journalism and media production. RTBF journalists also participate in school workshops and projects.
• Pro VélominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPro Vélo provides cycling safety training for 3rd year students, including technical bike maintenance, group riding skills, and individual supervised outings.
• Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientists from ULB participate in school activities, including workshops and educational projects with students.
• Amnesty InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmnesty International provides educational animations for 3rd year Social Sciences students on migration topics, helping deconstruct stereotypes and prejudices about migration.
• COIB (Belgian Olympic Committee)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents visited the Belgian Olympic House and met Olympic athletes. COIB invited NESPA students to participate in Olympic Day celebrations.
• Action Media JeunesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThis organization provides parent education sessions on supporting young people in their social media usage, helping families navigate digital parenting challenges.
• Ferme de l'Abbaye de Villers-la-VilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitial location for the school's opening (2018-2020) at the farm of the Abbey of Villers-la-Ville before relocation to Genappe.
• Centre Bouddhiste Yeunten Ling (Huy)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner4th year students visited the Tibetan Buddhist center to learn about Buddhism principles and visit the temple, providing cultural and religious education.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Sudbury Valley School: Well-established US democratic/free school founded 1968, serving as an international reference for self-directed, student-governed learning. Comparable in pedagogical philosophy (autonomy, democratic governance) but operates at much larger scale and in a different regulatory environment.
• Summerhill School: The UK's most prominent democratic/free school, founded 1921. While internationally renowned and operating at much larger scale, it embodies the same democratic student-governance and self-directed learning principles that NESPA applies in its Brabant Wallon secondary context.

Direct peers

• École Decroly: Long-established Brussels active-pedagogy school (founded 1907) operating under the same free non-denominational tradition as NESPA. Serves as the historical reference point for active pedagogy in Belgium and the most established direct comparable in the same regional market.
• École Active: Brussels-based secondary school offering active pedagogy. Explicitly referenced in NESPA's founding history as one of the established active-learning schools the founding team consulted to learn from their experience. Same pedagogical tradition, same French-speaking Belgian free-school network.
• De l'Autre Côté de l'École: Brussels-based secondary school referenced in NESPA's founding history alongside École Active. Operates in the same active-pedagogy niche in the French-speaking Belgian school system, targeting families seeking alternative secondary education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/nespabw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nespa

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 Nespa