Pôle PIXEL
Pôle PIXEL is a French non-profit association operating a 32,000m² cultural and creative industries hub in Villeurbanne, hosting 400+ film, audiovisual, video game, and digital arts professionals across studios, coworking spaces, and training programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersVilleurbanne, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Pôle PIXEL does
Pôle PIXEL is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) founded in July 2015 at the initiative of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma, operating a ~32,000m² cultural and creative industries hub in Villeurbanne (Lyon metropolitan area). The site is housed in a converted industrial flour mill (Grands Moulins de Strasbourg, originally inaugurated in 1901) and comprises three address clusters (N°24, N°26, N°36) hosting over 400 resident professionals from cinema, audiovisual, video games, web, communication, new media, and digital arts sectors. Its core offering spans four professional filming studios (Studio 24, Studio Lumière 1, Studio Lumière 2, Studio fond vert totaling over 2,000m²), the Lablab digital fabrication space (co-managed with AADN and Theoriz), the 350m² Hangar 61 logistics base, coworking and office rentals (Le Cube, Le Pixel Space, Les Bureaux de la Minoterie, Chez Waat), post-production services (Poly Son Lyon, Regular Kolor), and on-site equipment rental (Panavision, Transpalux, Pix Location).
Revenue is generated through four streams: annual membership fees (€60 TTC/year for individuals, €240 TTC/year for organizations); space and studio rental (Hangar 61 from 8.08€ HT/m²/month); Qualiopi-certified professional training courses (€840-€2,100 per participant, OPCO-financed, covering Unreal Engine 5, eco-production, trainer skills, and immersive technologies); and event hosting. Public-sector funding from Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Métropole de Lyon, Ville de Villeurbanne, Ministère de la Culture (DGMIC), the European Social Fund, and France 2030 underwrites a substantial share of operations, consistent with its non-profit public-interest mandate. GTM is community-led and event-driven, anchored by the "Parcours de PIXEL" professional accompaniment programs (Parcours Intensif 1-week and Parcours Incubation 9-month), monthly Pixel Break networking events, and Qualiopi-certified training. The pole is governed by a board of directors drawn from resident organizations including Festivals Connexion, AADN, Panavision, Transpalux, and partner universities (Lyon 3, Grenoble-Alpes/GRESEC), and is a founding member of the HACNUM national network for hybrid arts and digital cultures.
Pôle PIXEL firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pôle PIXEL
- Legal name
- Association Pôle PIXEL
- Website
- https://polepixel.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Pôle PIXEL is a French non-profit association operating a 32,000m² cultural and creative industries hub in Villeurbanne, hosting 400+ film, audiovisual, video game, and digital arts professionals across studios, coworking spaces, and training programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pôle PIXEL industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Creative Industries Hub / Film Production Infrastructure
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Studios, Stages & Location Services (Facilities, Location Scouting/Permits) (MPAAAMAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Set Operations & Facilities Support (Power, Generators, Site Services) (MPADAFAF)
Keywords
Where Pôle PIXEL is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Villeurbanne
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pôle PIXEL business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees provide access to professional accompaniment, networking events, reduced space rental rates, and participation in association governance. Two tiers: individual (60€ TTC/year for job seekers, interns, artists) and corporate (240€ TTC/year for associations, foundations, companies).
- Space Rental: Rental of professional filming studios (up to 1,000 capacity), coworking spaces, private offices (from 50m²), meeting rooms (up to 99 persons), event spaces, and the Hangar 61 logistics base. Tariffs for Hangar start at 8.08€ HT/m²/month.
- Professional Training: Short professional training courses funded by OPCO (professional training funds). Course fees range from 840€ to 2,100€ per participant. Topics include immersive technologies, eco-production, business skills, and technical film/audiovisual skills. Qualiopi certified training organization.
- Event Hosting: Hosting of professional events, screenings, exhibitions, and productions on the pole's various spaces, generating revenue from space reservations and potentially ticket sales.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Individual membership for job seekers, interns, intermittent workers, artists |
| Subscription | Annual | Corporate/organizational membership |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Eco-responsible Production Training (3 days) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Trainer Skills Development Training (4 days) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Unreal Engine Initiation (5 days) |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Hangar 61 Space Rental |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Pôle PIXEL product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pôle PIXEL operates a 32,000 m² cultural and creative industries hub providing four professional filming studios, coworking and office spaces, a 350 m² production logistics base, on-site equipment rental and post-production partners, Qualiopi-certified professional training (including Unreal Engine 5, ecoresponsible production, and trainer skills), and structured business incubation programs (Parcours Intensif 1-week and Parcours Incubation 9-month) for cinema, audiovisual, video game, web, and digital arts professionals in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Product overview
Pôle PIXEL is a 32,000m² cultural and creative industries hub in Villeurbanne, France, operated by a non-profit association (loi 1901) established in 2015. The offering consists of: (1) Physical production infrastructure including four filming studios (Studio 24, Studio Lumière 1, Studio Lumière 2, Studio fond vert) totaling over 2,000m², equipment rental services (Panavision, Transpalux), and post-production facilities (Poly Son Lyon, Regular Kolor); (2) Flexible workspace solutions ranging from dedicated offices (Les Bureaux de la Minoterie, Les grands ateliers du 36) to coworking spaces (Le Cowork du Cube, Le Pixel Space, Le Lablab, Chez Waat) and event/meeting venues (Salle de réunion du Cube); (3) Specialized logistics facilities (Le Hangar 61) serving as film production base camps; (4) Professional training programs covering immersive technologies (Unreal Engine, VR/AR), ecoresponsible production, and pedagogical skills, all certified Qualiopi; and (5) Entrepreneurship support including the Parcours Intensif (1-week intensive) and Parcours Incubation (9-month comprehensive) programs. Over 400 creative professionals operate from the site spanning film, audiovisual, video games, web, digital arts, and related sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Studio 24 Flagship filming studio of 902 m² (22m x 41m) with capacity for up to 700 people, used for film shoots, temporary exhibitions, and public events.
- Studio Lumière 1 Large production studio of 863 m² (22.86m x 37.76m) with black matte finish, accommodating up to 1,000 people, used for cinema, audiovisual, and live event productions.
- Studio Lumière 2 Medium-sized production studio of 380 m² (22.86m x 16.66m) with black matte finish, capacity up to 420 people, used for cinema, audiovisual, and event productions.
- Studio fond vert Green screen studio with 2-face cyclorama measuring 11m x 8m, managed by Indie Location, used for audiovisual productions requiring chroma key work.
- Le Hangar 61 350 m² production logistics base with enclosed storage boxes, private offices (10–50 m²), storage spaces (10–12 m²), and mixed parking for light vehicles and heavy trucks, used as a logistics base for film productions (e.g., Films Pelléas for 'La vie d'une femme'). Tariffs start at €8.08 HT/m²/month.
- Le Cowork du Cube Coworking space and individual offices in the Le Cube building, with Ethernet/WiFi internet, available 24/7, including meeting rooms and communal areas.
- Le Pixel Space Open workspace for starting or establishing web creation activities, including a communal dining area, targeted at creative entrepreneurs and freelancers in the web and communication sector.
- Les Bureaux de la Minoterie Private offices and meeting rooms ranging from 10 to 30 m² with internet connectivity, located in the heritage La Minoterie building.
- Salle de réunion du Cube Meeting and event rooms in Le Cube accommodating up to 99 people across 4 spaces totaling 200 m².
- Lablab Digital fabrication laboratory and artistic research/creation space featuring numerical command-controlled tools for 3D production, co-managed by AADN and Theoriz.
- Formation Initiation Unreal Engine 5-day (35 hours) Qualiopi-certified training covering Unreal Engine 5 for audiovisual production, including environment creation, lighting (Lumen, Megalights), materials/shaders, animation, and cinematic export via Sequencer. Fee €2,100 per participant, OPCO-financed.
- Formation Développer des compétences de formateur et de facilitateur
Quantifiable outcome
- 58% of trainees modify or will modify their practices after training
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Pôle PIXEL
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Pôle PIXEL technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Pôle PIXEL partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes CinémacoreAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma was the founding partner that initially managed and animated the site until 2015. The association was created at their initiative to federate residents and partners around shared associative dynamics. Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma is a co-producer of films shot at the pole and manages film commission services.
- France Travail Scène et ImagecorePartnership for professional accompaniment programs 'Parcours de PIXEL'. France Travail (formerly Pôle Emploi) Scène et Image provides support for job seekers and professionals in entertainment industries.
- HACNUM (Réseau national des arts hybrides et cultures numériques)majorPôle PIXEL is a founding member of HACNUM, a national network for hybrid arts and digital cultures. The network aims to accompany cultural sector transformations and catalyze territorial development for digital contemporary creation.
- AADNmajorAADN is a key partner managing the Lablab digital fabrication space and co-managing the PRA.L.I.N.E community of practice for hybrid arts. Board member of the association.
- Université Lyon 3 (Clinique Juridique)minorLegal clinic partnership providing free legal orientation and assistance for entrepreneurs in partnership with Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3.
- TheorizminorDigital arts company co-managing the Lablab artistic research and creation space at the pole.
- TNG / Les Subsistances / Planétarium de Vaulx-en-VelinminorPartners in the Communauté de Pratique Métropolitaine des Arts Hybrides et Cultures Numériques (PRA.L.I.N.E) hosted at the pole.
- PanavisionminorEquipment rental company located at the pole (N°1), providing filming equipment rental services to productions. Board member of association.
- TranspaluxminorEquipment rental company located at the pole, providing filming equipment to productions. Board member of association.
- Université Grenoble-Alpes / GRESECminorAcademic partner. GRESEC research lab represented on association board. Laurie Schmitt serves as Sub-treasurer.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pôle PIXEL competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Plaine Images: Tourcoing-based creative and audiovisual industries hub in Hauts-de-France offering studios, offices, and incubation. Operates a comparable tier-lieu model for film, animation, gaming, and immersive media, supported by regional government, making it the closest French analogue to Pôle PIXEL.
- Cité du Cinéma (Tritication Seine): Saint-Denis film studio complex originally built for cinema and now serving major French and international productions. Competes directly for major shoots needing large stage capacity and is the dominant French film hub, relevant for benchmarking scale and tenant mix.
- Studios de Bry-sur-Marne: Long-standing French film and TV production studios near Paris, hosting major television shows and films. Same core business (production space rental) and customer base (producers, broadcasters, streamers) as Pôle PIXEL's studios.
- Paris Images (AFC@CNC cluster): Cluster organization coordinating Île-de-France audiovisual production facilities and service providers. Engages the same producer and post-production customer base and pursues overlapping regional-cluster policy objectives.
Broad incumbents
- Station F: Largest startup campus in the world, located in Paris, with programs spanning creative, tech, and deep tech. Overlap with Pôle PIXEL's coworking and incubation offerings, but operates at vastly larger scale and broader scope.
- Euratechnologies: Lille-based tech and digital incubator cluster backed by Métropole Européenne de Lille. Comparable regional innovation hub model with coworking and incubation, but with a digital/tech focus rather than audiovisual specialization.
Regional players
- Cargo (Caen): Cultural and creative hub in Caen housed in a former industrial building, providing studios and event spaces. Closely parallels Pôle PIXEL's industrial-heritage repurposing model but is smaller in scale and primarily event-focused.
- Nantes Creative Factory: Creative industries hub in Nantes providing workspace, studios, and event programming for cultural and creative businesses. Shares Pôle PIXEL's tier-lieu positioning for creatives but operates in a different metropolitan geography without comparable broadcast-grade studio infrastructure.
Others
- HACNUM: National network for hybrid arts and digital cultures of which Pôle PIXEL is a founding member. Comparable adjacent ecosystem rather than competitor; relevant for benchmarking how digital-arts hubs collaborate across French regions.
- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma: Founding partner of Pôle PIXEL and regional film commission coordinating shoots across ARA. Not a competitor but a strategic partner/funder whose continued engagement underwrites Pôle PIXEL's regional legitimacy and producer access.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Pôle PIXEL social profiles
Digital presencePôle PIXEL compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Pôle PIXEL financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pôle PIXEL leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Pôle PIXEL funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pôle PIXEL M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pôle PIXEL
What does Pôle PIXEL do?
Pôle PIXEL operates a 32,000 m² cultural and creative industries hub providing four professional filming studios, coworking and office spaces, a 350 m² production logistics base, on-site equipment rental and post-production partners, Qualiopi-certified professional training (including Unreal Engine 5, ecoresponsible production, and trainer skills), and structured business incubation programs (Parcours Intensif 1-week and Parcours Incubation 9-month) for cinema, audiovisual, video game, web, and digital arts professionals in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Is Pôle PIXEL a public or private company?
Pôle PIXEL is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Pôle PIXEL founded?
Pôle PIXEL was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Pôle PIXEL based?
Pôle PIXEL is headquartered in Villeurbanne, France, in the Europe region.
How does Pôle PIXEL make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are space Rental, professional Training and event Hosting.
Who are Pôle PIXEL's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Plaine Images, Cité du Cinéma (Tritication Seine), Studios de Bry-sur-Marne and Paris Images (AFC@CNC cluster). Broad incumbents are Station F and Euratechnologies. Regional players are Cargo (Caen) and Nantes Creative Factory. Others are HACNUM and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma.
Does Pôle PIXEL have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pôle PIXEL.
What industry is Pôle PIXEL in?
Pôle PIXEL's product category is Creative Industries Hub / Film Production Infrastructure. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAAMAG, Studios, Stages & Location Services (Facilities, Location Scouting/Permits), with a secondary code of MPADAFAF, Set Operations & Facilities Support (Power, Generators, Site Services). Its NAICS code is 5121 and its SIC code is 7812.