Upe 13

What Upe 13 does

Upe 13 (Union Pour les Entreprises des Bouches-du-Rhône) is a non-profit employers' union (syndicat patronal) established in 1969, registered as an association loi 1901 and headquartered in Marseille, France. It serves as the premier business community organization in the Bouches-du-Rhône department and is affiliated with MEDEF, France's largest employers' federation. The organization represents approximately 10,500 member companies (72% of which are SMEs with fewer than 20 employees), 110 professional federations, 40 business activity clusters, and operates through 2,500 designated representatives (mandataires) seated in labor institutions, social security bodies, and economic commissions.

The organization delivers member services through a portfolio that includes Ligne Conseil (unlimited legal consultation), Tables RH (HR professional networking), Expert Clubs (thematic working groups in HR, law, RSE, digital, commerce), the annual Forum des Entrepreneurs flagship event held at the Vélodrome stadium, and media programs including the "Parole d'Entrepreneurs" weekly radio partnership with Radio Star and "Podcast Elles" for female entrepreneurship. The Choice (formerly Make the Choice) is a youth entrepreneurship competition offering coaching and €5,000 grants. Service distribution is anchored by five territorial offices across Marseille, Aix-Métropole, Est Métropole, Ouest Métropole, and GMIF (Martigues), plus an online member portal.

Upe 13's revenue model is subscription-based on annual membership fees, tiered by company size and category, supplemented by event sponsorships and partnership contributions. As a non-profit under French law, the organization reinvests operating surplus into member services. Strategic partnerships with URSSAF PACA, Malakoff Humanis, Port de Marseille Fos, MEDEF Sud, UMF Marseille-Fos, and UIMM Alpes-Méditerranée extend its service delivery capabilities. The organization employs 94 staff and has undergone recent leadership transitions, with Jean-Christophe Amarantinis elected President and Catherine Vales named Director General in 2025.

Name

Upe 13

Legal name

Union Pour les Entreprises des Bouches du Rhône

Website

https://upe13.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Upe 13 is a non-profit employers' union in Marseille, France, representing 10,500 member companies and 110 professional federations in the Bouches-du-Rhône department. Affiliated with MEDEF, it delivers legal advisory, HR networking, expert clubs, and advocacy services through five territorial offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Marseille

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership contributions: Upe 13 generates revenue through annual membership fees from affiliated businesses, professional federations, and business groups. The organization provides services to members including legal advice, networking events, and representation in labor and economic institutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Upe 13 is a non-profit employers' union (syndicat patronal, Association loi 1901) that represents and supports around 10,500 member companies across the Bouches-du-Rhône department in France. Its core offering is the provision of business support services to its member companies, including legal advisory, HR and social-relations consulting, networking events, training, economic intelligence, and representation of employer interests via its 110 professional federations and 40 business clusters.

Product overview

Upe 13 (Union Pour les Entreprises des Bouches-du-Rhône) is a MEDEF-affiliated employer federation serving as the premier business community organization in the Bouches-du-Rhône department. The organization offers a unified platform of member services centered around its Ligne Conseil (legal advisory hotline), Tables RH (HR networking tables), and expert clubs. Key programs include The Choice youth entrepreneurship competition and the annual Forum des Entrepreneurs flagship event. The organization provides regular business animation through workshops, networking events, company visits, and podcasts (Parole d'Entrepreneurs, Podcast Elles), covering topics from legal compliance to RSE and territorial development. The service portfolio is structured around member support (legal, HR, business development), advocacy and engagement, and territorial animation across Marseille, Aix-Métropole, Est Métropole, and Ouest Métropole territories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4,000 legal consultations provided to member businesses annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and strategic.

• MEDEF (Mouvement Français des Entreprises)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPE13 is part of the MEDEF network, France's largest employers' organization. This affiliation provides UPE13 with national representation and access to broader employer advocacy resources.
• URSSAF PACAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agreement renewed in October 2024 for collaboration between UPE13 and URSSAF PACA (social security contributions collection agency). The partnership facilitates information exchange and support for businesses in their interactions with URSSAF.
• Malakoff HumanissupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMalakoff Humanis serves as partner for UPE13's HR Tables (Tables RH) events, providing expertise and support for HR-focused workshops and networking events for member companies.
• Port de Marseille FosstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for organizing aerospace industry events and networking activities. The Port of Marseille Fos and UPE13 work together on initiatives supporting the local business ecosystem.
• MEDEF SudstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional MEDEF chapter collaborating with UPE13 on economic events and business advocacy initiatives in the southern France region.
• UMF Marseille-FosstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnion Maritime et Fluviale (UMF) partnering with UPE13 on port-related business initiatives and the maritime business community.
• UIMM Alpes-MéditerranéesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnion des Industries et Métallurgies (UIMM) regional branch, collaborating on aerospace sector events and industrial business networking.
• Anne Poncet-Truc / Armonia conseil et formationsupportingOthersFacilitator for UPE13's inspiring workshops on topics such as CSR and sustainable business practices.
• Stéphane Huot / Magnitudes FormationsupportingOthersTraining provider facilitating workshops on professional development topics for UPE13 member events.
• Sandrine Touitou / MaxitalentssupportingOthersCoach and facilitator for collective intelligence workshops organized by UPE13.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CCI Marseille-Provence: Local Chamber of Commerce serving the same Marseille metropolitan territory. Like Upe 13, CCI offers member businesses representation, networking, training, and institutional advocacy, and competes for the same pool of Bouches-du-Rhône companies.
• CPME (Confédération des PME): National confederation focused on small and medium enterprises, directly competing for the same SME constituency (Upe 13's 72% core segment) with parallel legal advisory, HR support, and advocacy services at both national and local levels.
• MEDEF Sud: Regional MEDEF chapter for southern France that co-organizes economic events with Upe 13. Competes for the same regional advocacy mandate and overlapping corporate membership in PACA.

Broad incumbents

• MEDEF: France's largest national employers' federation, of which Upe 13 is a regional member. MEDEF operates as the umbrella organization that gives Upe 13 access to national advocacy, but MEDEF itself competes for direct affiliation with large enterprises in Bouches-du-Rhône.
• Fédération Française des Dirigeants d'Entreprise (FNDE ex-FNCE): National federation of business owners providing representation and peer exchange services to SME leaders. Competes with Upe 13 for the same SME segment but operates nationally rather than regionally.

Emerging players

• Confédération Nationale de la Boulangerie-Pâtisserie: National sectoral employers' federation for bakery/patisserie, a category included in Upe 13's federation members. Illustrates how specialized sectoral bodies can pull individual member companies away from a generalist employers' union.
• CMA Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (Chambre de Métiers et de l'Artisanat): Regional Chamber of Trades and Crafts serving artisans and very small businesses across PACA. Overlaps with Upe 13's SME base on legal advice, training, and representation, particularly for member companies in trades and craftsmanship.

Regional players

• UIMM Alpes-Méditerranée: Regional metals and manufacturing industry federation actively partnering with Upe 13 on aerospace events. A sector-specific federation that competes for industrial member companies in the same Bouches-du-Rhône territory.
• UPE 06 (Union Pour les Entreprises des Alpes-Maritimes): Sibling MEDEF-affiliated employers' union serving the Alpes-Maritimes department. Operates the same membership, legal advisory, and territorial advocacy model as Upe 13 but in the neighboring Côte d'Azur geography.

Others

• Banque Populaire Méditerranée: Regional banking partner featured alongside Upe 13 in entrepreneurship podcasts and member events. Not a peer in services but an ecosystem partner supporting the same Bouches-du-Rhône business community.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UPE13_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ENTREPRISES13
• Facebookfacebook.com/upe13
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/union-pour-les-entreprises-des-bouches-du-rh%C3%B4ne---upe-13
• Instagraminstagram.com/upe13.insta

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Upe 13