Watt For Change
Watt For Change is a French non-profit endowment fund created in 2016 by Groupe VALOREM that combats energy poverty in France and supports renewable energy access in Africa through grant funding, the Watt Solidaire rooftop-leasing subsidiary, and institutional partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersBègles, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Watt For Change does
Watt For Change is a French non-profit endowment fund (fonds de dotation) created in 2016 by Groupe VALOREM, an independent French renewable energy operator with nearly 30 years of activity. The organization promotes a solidarity-based energy transition across two parallel fronts: combating energy poverty in metropolitan France and supporting renewable energy access in rural communities across Africa. It functions primarily as a grant-making and project-accompaniment vehicle, selecting partner associations through competitive calls for projects, providing multi-year financial support (€150k-€210k per association over three years), and contributing technical expertise drawn from Groupe VALOREM's renewable energy operations.
Its core programmatic offerings include the flagship Appel à projets précarité énergétique (joint with Mirova Foundation, €1.5M over 2023-2026 supporting 8 French associations and 1,000+ households) and the international Programme d'accès aux énergies vertes, funding solar pumping, biodigesters, improved cookstoves, eco-charcoal, and low-carbon eco-construction in countries including Benin, Mauritania, Madagascar, and Senegal. Watt Solidaire, a wholly-owned subsidiary established in 2022, deploys an innovative financing model: it rents a household's rooftop for 20 years, installs photovoltaic panels, sells the electricity to EDF OA under the obligation d'achat framework, and pays the landlord a lump sum equal to 20 years of rent upfront, which is then used to cover the remaining cost of energy renovation works. In 2024, Fondation Watt For Change was created under the Fondation Innovation et Transitions as a separate foundation vehicle to enable cooperation with French public actors, most notably the Agence Française de Développement (AFD).
The revenue model is donation- and grant-based rather than commercial. It blends five streams: individual donations (eligible for 66% French income tax reduction), corporate sponsorship / mécénat (eligible for 60% corporate tax reduction, capped at 0.5% of annual revenue or €20,000), Watt Solidaire rooftop-leasing income (sold to EDF OA), participatory financing campaigns hosted on the Lendosphere platform (example: €45,000 campaign), and institutional partnership funding from foundations and public agencies (Mirova Foundation, AFD). The customer base spans low-income French households facing energy poverty, non-profit associations implementing projects, rural African communities lacking energy access, corporate sponsors seeking CSR impact, and individual donors. Core operations are run by approximately 8 staff members in Bègles, supplemented by more than 120 volunteers from Groupe VALOREM contributing skills-based expertise in renewable energy engineering, finance, and legal matters.
Watt For Change firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Watt For Change
- Legal name
- Fonds de dotation Watt For Change
- Website
- https://wattforchange.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Watt For Change is a French non-profit endowment fund created in 2016 by Groupe VALOREM that combats energy poverty in France and supports renewable energy access in Africa through grant funding, the Watt Solidaire rooftop-leasing subsidiary, and institutional partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Watt For Change industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Renewable Energy Endowment Fund
- NAICS
- Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Forestry, Land Use & REDD+ Programs (BPADALAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Distributed Generation (DG) Solar & Small Wind (EUAMAJAD), Renewable Energy & Energy Transition Funds (FSANAJAB)
Keywords
Where Watt For Change is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bègles
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Watt For Change business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute to Watt For Change projects. Donors receive 66% tax deduction on contributions, making donations highly attractive. Example: €100 donation costs €34 after tax reduction.
- Corporate Sponsorship (Mécénat): Companies support Watt For Change through financial sponsorship, in-kind donations, or skills-based volunteering. Corporate donors receive 60% income tax reduction (capped at 0.5% of annual revenue or €20,000).
- Watt Solidaire Rooftop Leasing: Watt Solidaire (100% subsidiary) rents rooftops for 20 years, installs photovoltaic panels, sells electricity to EDF OA (obligation d'achat), and pays landlords upfront to cover renovation costs.
- Participatory Financing: Crowdfunding campaigns through Lendosphere platform raise funds for Watt Solidaire projects. Example: €45,000 campaign for two renovation projects via rewarded lending.
- Foundation Partnership Funding: Partnerships with public actors (AFD) and foundations (Mirova Foundation) provide multi-year funding for international projects. Example: €860k triennial partnership with AFD (2024-2026) for SCALE UP program.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Individual donations with 66% tax reduction |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Corporate sponsorship with 60% tax reduction |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Watt Solidaire rooftop rental for 20 years |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Watt For Change product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Watt For Change is an endowment fund that develops, finances, and accompanies projects promoting a solidarity-based energy transition in France and internationally. Its activities span grant funding and project accompaniment for French associations combating energy poverty, international renewable energy access programs in West Africa and Madagascar, and the Watt Solidaire program that uses rooftop solar leasing to cover remaining renovation costs for low-income households.
Product overview
Watt For Change is an endowment fund of the VALOREM Group that operates as a charitable foundation promoting supportive energy transition. The organization functions as a unified foundation with distinct programs rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its main offerings include the core Watt For Change endowment fund that develops and finances projects combating energy poverty and promoting renewable energy access; Watt Solidaire, a subsidiary tool that helps modest households finance energy renovation through rooftop solar panel installation and rental schemes; and the Fondation Watt For Change (created 2024), which serves as the vehicle for cooperating with public actors. Programs span international energy access projects (solar pumping, improved cookstoves, biodigesters, solar platforms) and French energy poverty alleviation (energy renovation support, home improvement, household identification). The organization does not offer technology products but rather grant funding, financing tools, and project accompaniment services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Watt Solidaire: A tool of Watt For Change that helps modest households cover remaining energy renovation costs by installing photovoltaic solar panels on their rooftops.
Products and services
- Watt Solidaire 20-year rooftop solar leasing service for energy-poor households in France. Watt Solidaire rents the rooftop, installs photovoltaic panels, sells all electricity to EDF OA under the obligation d'achat tariff, and pays the landlord a lump sum equal to 20 years of rental upfront to cover the remaining costs of energy renovation.
- Appel à projets précarité énergétique (France) Joint call for projects with Mirova Foundation to support associations accompanying modest households through energy renovation in France. The 2023-2026 program allocates €1.5 million over three years to 8 associations supporting 1,000+ households.
- Programme d'accès aux énergies vertes dans le monde International grant and accompaniment program supporting associations that implement renewable energy access projects in West Africa and Madagascar, including solar pumping, improved cookstoves, biogas digesters, solar economic platforms, and Nubian vault eco-construction.
- Fondation Watt For Change Foundation vehicle created under Fondation Innovation et Transitions enabling Watt For Change to cooperate with public actors and channel multi-year institutional funding, notably the €860k SCALE UP program with AFD (2024-2026).
- Individual donation program
Quantifiable outcome
- 1,000+ households supported in energy renovation (2023-2026 program)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Watt For Change
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Watt For Change technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Watt For Change partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.
- Agence Française de Développement (AFD)flagshipAFD implements France's development and international solidarity policy. Partnership signed February 10, 2025 funds SCALE UP program (€860k, 2024-2026) supporting three French associations in Benin, Mauritania, and Madagascar with renewable energy access projects.
- BePowerminorEnergy performance specialist for individuals. Sometimes encounters people in energy poverty and refers them to Watt Solidaire solution.
- Fondation Innovation et TransitionscoreFoundation under which Watt For Change Foundation was created in late 2024. Enables Watt For Change to cooperate with public actors while pursuing the same mission of solidarity-based ecological transition.
- LendosphereminorCrowdfunding platform (monparcvalorem.com) hosting Watt Solidaire participatory financing campaigns. Example: €45,000 campaign for two renovation projects via rewarded lending.
- Watson Farley & WilliamsminorInternational law firm invested in energy transition supports Watt For Change with multi-year financial and skills sponsorship. Collaborators participate in project selection committees and developed legal guide with GERES.
- Mirova FoundationflagshipMirova Foundation supports general interest projects with high environmental/social impact potential. Partnership since 2021 includes two joint calls for projects: 2021 (€300,000 for 7 projects) and 2023 (€1.5 million over 3 years for 8 associations). Joint programs tackle energy poverty in France and renewable access worldwide.
- Cabinet ECTAREminorECTARE is a technical engineering and consulting firm for development and environment. One of Watt For Change's first sponsors, providing ongoing support.
- VALOREM GroupcoreVALOREM Group is the parent company that created Watt For Change in 2016. More than 120 VALOREM employees contribute through skills-based volunteering, participating in project selection, monitoring, legal/financial advice, and photovoltaic sizing. VALOREM provides ongoing operational and strategic support.
- VALEMOcoreVALEMO, founded in 2011, is a VALOREM Group subsidiary specialized in operation, maintenance and management of renewable energy parks. Contributes skills-based sponsorship since 2017.
- VALREAcoreVALREA, founded in 2007, is a VALOREM Group subsidiary specialized in engineering and construction of renewable energy production facilities (wind farms, solar plants, HTB stations). Provides technical expertise to Watt For Change projects.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Watt For Change competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Fondation de France: France's largest grantmaking network foundation, with dedicated energy/climate and social cohesion programmes. Operates a much broader portfolio than Watt For Change but is the principal incumbent channelling individual and corporate philanthropy in France.
- Energy Cities: European network of cities driving the energy transition locally, with programmes on energy poverty and community energy. Comparable on the municipal energy poverty mandate but operates as a member network rather than a grantmaking foundation.
- European Climate Foundation: Major international philanthropic funder of climate action across Europe, including just transition and energy poverty workstreams. A larger incumbent operating at a different scale but with overlapping climate/energy transition goals.
Emerging players
- Barefoot College: International NGO deploying solar energy and clean cooking solutions in rural communities across Africa and Asia. Comparable as a non-profit delivery organisation for off-grid solar and clean cookstoves, the same end-beneficiary categories served by Watt For Change's international projects.
Direct peers
- Fondation Innovation et Transitions: Umbrella foundation under which the Fondation Watt For Change was created in 2024. Directly comparable as a host/operating foundation for energy transition causes and the institutional parent of Watt For Change's public-facing foundation vehicle.
- Mirova Foundation: Philanthropic foundation of Mirova focused on environmental and social transition, co-funding calls for projects with Watt For Change on energy poverty and renewable energy access. Most directly comparable as a French impact foundation with shared funding cycles and beneficiary associations.
- Fondation Abbé Pierre: Major French foundation tackling inadequate housing and energy poverty through advocacy, programme funding, and direct support to households. Direct peer for the France energy poverty programme and comparable donor base.
- GERES: Specialised NGO working on energy access, energy efficiency, and renewable energy in France and developing countries. Active partner of Watt For Change (laureate) and most directly comparable as an implementation-focused renewable energy/energy poverty organisation.
- Fondation pour la Nature et l'Homme (FNH, ex-Nicolas Hulot): French environmental foundation funding ecological transition, energy renovation, and citizen mobilisation. Comparable in mission (ecological transition with social equity) and in operating as a programme-funding foundation in France.
Others
- Agence Française de Développement (AFD): France's bilateral development finance institution funding energy access and climate projects in developing countries. Not a foundation peer, but the principal public-sector counterpart co-funding Watt For Change's SCALE UP programme in Africa.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Watt For Change social profiles
Digital presenceWatt For Change financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Watt For Change leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Watt For Change subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Watt For Change funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Watt For Change 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 Watt For Change
What does Watt For Change do?
Watt For Change is an endowment fund that develops, finances, and accompanies projects promoting a solidarity-based energy transition in France and internationally. Its activities span grant funding and project accompaniment for French associations combating energy poverty, international renewable energy access programs in West Africa and Madagascar, and the Watt Solidaire program that uses rooftop solar leasing to cover remaining renovation costs for low-income households.
Is Watt For Change a public or private company?
Watt For Change is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Watt For Change founded?
Watt For Change was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Watt For Change based?
Watt For Change is headquartered in Bègles, France, in the Europe region.
How does Watt For Change make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorship (Mécénat), watt Solidaire Rooftop Leasing, participatory Financing and foundation Partnership Funding.
Who are Watt For Change's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Fondation de France, Energy Cities and European Climate Foundation. Barefoot College is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Fondation Innovation et Transitions, Mirova Foundation, Fondation Abbé Pierre, GERES and Fondation pour la Nature et l'Homme (FNH, ex-Nicolas Hulot). Agence Française de Développement (AFD) is listed as an others.
Does Watt For Change have an API?
No public API is recorded for Watt For Change.
What industry is Watt For Change in?
Watt For Change's product category is Renewable Energy Endowment Fund. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADALAF, Forestry, Land Use & REDD+ Programs, with a secondary code of EUAMAJAD, Distributed Generation (DG) Solar & Small Wind. Its NAICS code is 81321 and its SIC code is 8300.