What Sésame Autisme does

Sésame Autisme (legal name: Fédération Française Sésame Autisme, or FFSA) is a French non-profit federation founded in 1963 as the oldest autism parent association in France, headquartered at 53 rue Clisson, 75013 Paris. It was recognized of public utility in 2003 and awarded the Gold Medal of the Académie de Médecine in 2004. The federation operates a nationwide network of approximately 32 regional member associations running roughly 100 specialized establishments and services — IME, SESSAD, ULIS school units, ESAT sheltered employment, FAM, MAS, SAVS, and SAMSAH — staffed by approximately 4,000 employees and providing approximately 3,000 places for children, adolescents, adults, and aging individuals with autism across the full care continuum from early intervention at 18 months through elderly care.

The organization derives revenue from a mix of public funding for its medico-social establishments (via French state authorities under the Plan Autisme framework), membership dues from families, donations accepted through multiple channels (HelloAsso online platform, SMS short-code 92221 via Orange/SFR/Bouygues/Free, and fixed-amount tiers of €25-€200 eligible for 66% French tax deduction), and a commercial publication. Its flagship commercial product is 'La revue Sésame', a quarterly periodical sold at €9 per individual issue or €35 per annual subscription covering autism research, public policy, and family/professional testimonials. It also partners with ASAC FAPES for the Sérénité Epargne Handicap savings contract serving disabled persons, and participates in Autisme Europe-level advocacy. The federation is governed by a parent movement, currently led by President Christine Meignien, with no disclosed private equity or external investor ownership.

Name

Sésame Autisme

Legal name

Fédération Française Sésame Autisme

Website

https://sesameautisme.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sésame Autisme is the oldest French autism parent federation (founded 1963, public utility since 2003), operating a network of ~32 regional associations, ~100 specialized establishments, and ~4,000 employees delivering the full autism care continuum across France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: Families and individuals become members through adhesion/membership fees to join the federation network and access services.
2. Magazine subscriptions and sales: Sale of 'La revue Sesame' magazine - a specialized publication covering autism topics. Individual issues sold at 9€ per edition, annual subscription at 35€.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted through multiple channels including online payments (via HelloAsso), SMS donations (send AUTISME to 92221 for 5€, DON10 for 10€, DON20 for 20€), and fixed-amount donation tiers (25€, 50€, 75€, 100€, 150€, 200€ with tax deductions of 66% up to 20% of taxable income).
4. Sérénité Epargne Handicap partnership: Partnership with ASAC FAPES offering savings contracts specifically designed for people with disabilities, generating referral or partnership revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sésame Autisme is a French nonprofit federation coordinating ~32 regional associations and ~100 specialized establishments that deliver autism support services across the full lifespan, from early intervention at 18 months to aging care, including diagnosis, education (ULIS, SESSAD, IME), employment (ESAT), and residential care (FAM, MAS). It also publishes "La revue Sésame," a periodical on autism research and policy sold at 9€ per issue or 35€ annually, and runs a structured tax-deductible donation program.

Product overview

Sésame Autisme operates as a federation offering a network of approximately 100 establishments and services for people with autism across France, spanning early intervention (from 18 months) through adulthood and aging. The organization's primary commercial product is the Sésame Review (La revue Sésame), a periodical publication sold both as individual issues (n°200–n°217) at €9 each and as an annual subscription at €35. The federation also sells tax-deductible donation products in fixed amounts. The establishment network includes early intervention services, school integration units, IMEs, ESATs, residential facilities (FAM, MAS), and supported living services (SAVS, SAMSAH), providing a comprehensive continuum of care for individuals with autism.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• La revue Sésame: Official federation magazine publication covering autism-related topics, policies, and research. Available for subscription at 35€ per year, with individual issues priced at 9€.
• Sésame Spot

Products and services

• La revue Sésame (Sésame Review Magazine)

Quantifiable outcome

• 60+ years of service to people with autism in France
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Association des Maires de FrancemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership with the Association des Maires de France (AMF) to promote inclusion of people with autism. The AMF and Fondation RTE awarded the 'Coup de cœur des Maires de France' to Sésame Autisme Languedoc Roussillon for the project's innovative approach to social and professional insertion of autistic people.
• Fondation RTEmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership with Fondation RTE (Réseau de Transport d'Électricité) for the 'Coup de cœur des Maires de France' award recognizing innovative projects. The foundation supports ecological, economic, and social transition projects in rural France, with Sésame Autisme Languedoc Roussillon winning for their restaurant project enabling autistic workers to integrate ordinary work environments.
• ASAC FAPESminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with ASAC FAPES offering the 'Sérénité Epargne Handicap' savings contract, specifically designed for people with disabilities. The contract is managed by Audience, an association of disabled savers and their families, providing savings adapted to their needs for supplemental income or emergency savings.
• Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom, FreeminorOthersTelecommunications partners enabling SMS donation service. Donors can send SMS messages to 92221 to make donations (5€ for AUTISME, 10€ for DON10, 20€ for DON20) with the amount charged to their mobile bill.
• Autisme EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership with Autisme Europe, relaying their action in France and participating in European advocacy for autism rights.
• Ministry of Health (Plan Autisme)coreOthersActive participation in the national autism policy development, notably in the framework of Plan Autisme 2013/2017 carried by the Ministry of Health.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Autism Speaks: Large US autism advocacy and research organization providing family services, advocacy and grants. Comparable parent-driven advocacy mission though more research- and policy-focused than Sésame's operational establishment model.
• National Autistic Society: The UK's leading autism charity, providing services, schools, advocacy and information for autistic people and families. Closest international peer in mission, federation structure and service breadth.

Direct peers

• Autisme France: France's other major national autism federation, also a parent-led association advocating for autism rights and operating support services. Direct competitor in French autism policy advocacy and family membership.
• APF France Handicap: Major French disability association providing establishment-based services and advocacy across motor and cognitive disabilities including autism. Overlaps with Sésame's medico-social establishment model and family support mission.
• APAJH: French association supporting children, adolescents and adults with disabilities including autism across establishment types. Comparable federated structure with regional associations delivering medico-social services in France.
• UNAPEI: Leading French federation of associations defending the rights of people with intellectual disabilities including autism, operating a network of medico-social establishments. Closest competitor in French disability/social services with overlapping IME, ESAT, and FAM/MAS operations.
• ADAPEI: Network of French departmental associations (ADAPEI) supporting people with intellectual disabilities including autism, operating medico-social establishments nationwide. Directly comparable federated structure and service portfolio to Sésame.

Others

• Fondation Orange: Corporate foundation funding disability and autism digital inclusion programs in France. Comparable funder of autism-related projects in the French market and potential partner/competitor for grant funding.

Emerging players

• France Asperger: French association dedicated to Asperger syndrome, providing support, advocacy and resources to autistic adults and families. Comparable mission focused on a narrower autism sub-population that Sésame's GEM groups also serve.

Regional players

• Autisme-Europe: European-level autism umbrella organization in which Sésame participates. Direct strategic partner and a comparable continental advocacy federation serving overlapping members.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Sésame-Autisme-Fédération-Française-1522423761331050
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/s%C3%A9same-autisme

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries10 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 Sésame Autisme