Fondation Les Perce-Neige

What Fondation Les Perce-Neige does

Fondation Les Perce-Neige is a Swiss non-profit foundation under Swiss law, founded in 1959 as a parent association and formally constituted in 1967, headquartered in Les Hauts-Geneveys, canton of Neuchâtel. It operates 45 sites across the canton and serves approximately 560 children in specialized schools and 450 adults in other domains, employing roughly 770 collaborators (582+ FTE) plus 69 apprentices and 37 permanent trainees. The foundation's mission is to provide lifelong care, education, vocational training, housing, and professional integration for people with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and polyhandicap, organized across three age-based sectors: Enfance & Adolescence (0-18/20), Adulte (18/20-55+), and Senior (55+), with additional specialized structures such as the Maison de Vie DEFI in Boudry and the Maison de Vie et de Santé in Val-de-Travers.

The foundation operates a diversified social-enterprise model. Revenue streams include cantonal and federal government subsidies (AI, OES, SAHA), donations, workshop subcontracting services to regional enterprises in watchmaking, cosmetics, printing, and food industries, artisan product sales through the boutique Au c cédille and the K-LUMET ecological fire starter, the CroissanT'Express bakery, and professional integration services (ISPIE and integrated workshops). Trade-marked products include K-LUMET and sub-brands such as CréaDesign, Art Culinaire, and Revista. The foundation holds ISO 9001, Q-Institutions handicap, FSC, and NVT certifications, and in 2024 acquired NRJ Sàrl, a transport company, expanding internal logistics capacity. Distribution is via direct retail stores, e-commerce, enterprise subcontracting, and seasonal Christmas markets, all within a single-country (Switzerland) operating geography.

Name

Fondation Les Perce-Neige

Legal name

Fondation Les Perce-Neige

Website

https://perce-neige.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Fondation Les Perce-Neige is a Swiss non-profit foundation operating 45 sites across the canton of Neuchâtel, providing lifelong specialized education, vocational training, housing, and professional integration services for approximately 1,010 children, adults, and seniors with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and polyhandicap.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability and Social Care Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (623210)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialized Assisted Living for Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities (Adult) (HLADABAJ), Down Syndrome & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Childcare (HSAAAIAC)

Keywords

• Disability care services
• Specialized education
• Vocational integration
• Sheltered workshops
• Social care services

Headquarters

HQ city

Les Hauts-Geneveys

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Workshop and subcontracting services: Workshop services providing subcontracting work including conditioning, assembly, finishing, and carpentry to regional companies in watchmaking, cosmetics, printing, and food industries.
2. Artisan product sales: Sale of handcrafted products through the boutique 'Au c cédille', during Christmas markets, and at other points of sale in the canton. Products include candles, soaps, wooden toys, cards, decorative items, and ecological fire starters (K-LUMET®).
3. Bakery operations: Operation of 'Le CroissanT'Express' bakery producing and selling bread, pastries, croissants, and custom orders for events.
4. Donations and charitable contributions: Donations from individuals and organizations to support foundation activities for people with mental disabilities, polyhandicap, and autism spectrum disorders. Donations are used exclusively for financing activities and structures.
5. ISPIE - Individual Socio-Professional Integration in Enterprise: Integration of people with disabilities into regular enterprises through convention-based partnerships with private and public sector companies.
6. Integrated workshops in enterprises: Teams of people with disabilities integrated into partner enterprises, providing supplementary workforce with professional accompaniment.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Fondation Les Perce-Neige is a Swiss non-profit foundation that provides comprehensive social, educational, and care services across the lifespan for people with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and polyhandicap. It operates specialized schools, vocational training programs, sheltered workshops, housing facilities, and professional integration services across 45 sites in the canton of Neuchâtel. The foundation also runs revenue-generating social enterprises including a bakery (Le CroissanT'Express), a retail boutique (Au c cèdille), ecological fire-starter production (K-LUMET), and subcontracting services to regional companies.

Product overview

Fondation Les Perce-Neige operates as a comprehensive social services organization providing specialized support across three life stages: Enfance & Adolescence (ages 0-18/20), Adulte (ages 18/20-55+), and Senior (55+). The foundation operates specialized schools, vocational workshops, employment integration programs, and residential facilities throughout the canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Core service sectors include specialized education, ambulatory support, vocational training, housing, and residential care. The vocational workshops division provides artisanal production (candles, soaps, carpentry, culinary), subcontracting services (packaging, assembly, finishing, carpentry), and professional integration programs (ISPIE and integrated workshops). Specialized offerings include the ecological K-LUMET fire starter product, the CroissanT'Express bakery, the Au c cédille boutique, CréaDesign artisanal workshop, Art Culinary preserves, and the Revista multimedia studio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Le CroissanT'Express: Bakery producing breads, pastries, croissants, and various baked goods for sale
• K-LUMET
• Au c cédille
• CréaDesign
• Art Culinaire
• Revista
• ISPIE
• Ateliers intégrés

Named customers6 records

Segments4 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

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, important and minor.

• Insieme NeuchâtelcoreOthersAssociation of parents of mentally disabled persons. Key parent advocacy and support organization in the canton.
• Autisme NeuchâtelcoreOthersOrganization focused on autism support and awareness in the canton of Neuchâtel.
• Office de l'Enseignement Spécialisé (OES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCantonal office for specialized education, part of the Department of Education and Finance (DFFI). Primary governmental partner for childhood education services.
• Service d'Accompagnement et d'Hébergement de l'Adulte (SAHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCantonal service for adult accompaniment and housing, part of the Department of Economy and Social Cohesion (DECS). Primary governmental partner for adult services.
• Réseau Hospitalier Neuchâtelois (RHNE)importantStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeuchâtel hospital network. Healthcare partner for beneficiaries requiring medical services.
• Centre neuchâtelois de psychiatrie (CNP)importantStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeuchâtel psychiatric center. Mental health partner for beneficiaries requiring psychiatric care.
• Haute école de travail social, HETS-FR, FribourgminorOthersUniversity of applied sciences for social work in Fribourg. Student placements and professional training.
• Haute école de travail social et de la santé, EESP, LausanneminorOthersUniversity of applied sciences for social work and health in Lausanne (HES-SO). Student placements.
• Haute école de travail social, Genève, HETSminorOthersUniversity of applied sciences for social work in Geneva. Student placements.
• Ecole Pierre-CoulleryminorOthersVocational school (CIFOM). Student placements for vocational training.
• ARPIH, Ecole supérieureminorOthersHigher education institution. Professional training partner.
• Association Cerebral NeuchâtelimportantOthersCerebral palsy association in Neuchâtel. Peer support and advocacy organization.
• ANMEAimportantOthersNeuchâtel Association of Homes for Children, Adolescents, and Adults. Network of specialized institutions.
• OrTra Neuchâtel santé-socialminorOthersOrganization for vocational education and training in health and social sector in Neuchâtel.
• ProcapimportantOthersSwiss organization for people with disabilities. Advocacy and consulting services.
• Pro InfirmisimportantOthersSwiss organization for people with physical and mental disabilities. Consulting and support services.
• Forum Handicap NeuchâtelimportantOthersRegional disability forum coordinating initiatives and advocacy in the canton.
• Association Arc-en-JeuminorOthersCultural association promoting inclusive arts and play activities.
• FRAGILE SuisseminorOthersSwiss organization for people with brain injuries (cérébro-lésés). Support services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stiftung Brändi: Major Swiss social enterprise (Lucerne) operating sheltered workshops, vocational training, and residential services for people with intellectual disabilities — the closest direct analogue to Perce-Neige's workshop-plus-residential model in Switzerland.
• Melwood: US non-profit providing lifespan disability services (education, vocational training, residential, senior care) and commercial contracting, directly comparable to Perce-Neige's full-continuum lifespan offering.
• SourceAmerica: US non-profit that sources subcontracting work for sheltered workshop providers serving people with disabilities — analogous to Perce-Neige's regional subcontracting and conditioning services to watchmaking, cosmetics, and food clients.
• Goodwill Industries International: Global social enterprise that runs vocational training, sheltered employment, and retail operations (thrift stores) to fund mission services for people with barriers to employment — structurally similar to Perce-Neige's workshop-plus-boutique model.
• Specialisterne: Denmark-founded social enterprise focused on employment for people with autism and intellectual disabilities, directly comparable to Perce-Neige's ISPIE and integrated workshops programs and Revista multimedia unit.

Broad incumbents

• INSOS Schweiz: Swiss umbrella association representing social enterprises serving people with disabilities — a sector peer whose members operate nearly identical workshop, housing, and employment-integration service lines.
• Caritas Schweiz: Large Swiss social-services organization offering a broader portfolio (poverty relief, migration, aging) but with overlapping disability and social-inclusion activities in the same Swiss regulatory environment.

Others

• Pro Infirmis: Swiss disability organization listed as a partner of Perce-Neige; provides consulting and advocacy rather than direct care, but operates in the same Swiss IDD ecosystem and referral flow.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FondationLesPerceNeige
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fondation-les-perce-neige

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Fondation Les Perce-Neige