Zoein

What Zoein does

Zoein is a Geneva-based public utility foundation (Fondation Zoein, founded 2017) operating alongside a French sister entity (Association Zoein France, created 2019) to promote the Revenu de Transition Écologique (RTE), an income-support and cooperative-governance mechanism aimed at individuals undertaking ecological transition activities. The organization functions as a research-action foundation rather than a commercial enterprise: it does not sell products or services, does not develop proprietary technology beyond standard content and wiki infrastructure, and funds its activities through individual donations collected via raise-now/HelloAsso and institutional grants from partners such as the City of Marseille and the État de Genève.

Its activities are structured around three pillars — experimentation, research-action, and knowledge transmission — operationalized through approximately 7 territorial experiments in France, a Swiss Romandy network launched in 2022, an open-source community wiki, and a book collection (Nouvelles Terres, co-directed with Presses Universitaires de France). Beneficiary "customers" are primarily individuals in ecological career transition, supported through Coopératives de Transition Écologique (CTEs) that act as the local operational vehicles for the RTE; secondary beneficiaries include local authorities piloting the framework, academic researchers participating through Zoein's Scientific Council, and cooperative governance practitioners working with partners such as InsTerrCoop.

Zoein is led by founder Sophie Swaton (President), supported by a small executive team (Director Caroline Lejeune, Association Zoein France Director General Jean-Christophe Lipovac) and an 11-person staff, with an €-scale foundation budget and no disclosed equity funding. Its competitive position rests on institutional legitimacy (recognized as a foundation of public utility), reputational assets (Scientific Council including a Nobel laureate), and its role as the originator and animator of the RTE network, rather than on proprietary technology or data scale.

Name

Zoein

Legal name

Fondation Zoein

Website

https://zoein.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zoein is a Geneva-based public utility foundation (founded 2017) that promotes the Revenu de Transition Écologique (RTE) through a Paris sister association, supporting individuals in ecological career transition via cooperative structures and research-action across France and Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Foundation / Ecological Transition Research

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Ecological transition research
• Non-profit foundation services
• Sustainable livelihood programs
• Environmental policy research
• Transition income advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and charitable contributions: The foundation raises funds from individual donors and institutional supporters to fund its research-action activities, experimentation support for RTE, knowledge transmission projects, and publication of collective works. Donations are collected via its website (donate.raisenow.io) and via HelloAsso for the French association.
2. Institutional grants and partnerships: The foundation receives financial and technical support from institutional partners for specific projects, such as the City of Marseille's support for the RTE prefiguration study in Bouches-du-Rhône. The foundation also receives scientific and financial backing from partner organizations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Zoein is a public utility foundation that designs, researches, and pilots programs around the Ecological Transition Income (Revenu de Transition Écologique) concept. It accompanies individuals and communities in ecological career and lifestyle transitions through research-action projects, experimentation initiatives, and knowledge transmission activities. The foundation operates in Switzerland and France, supporting sustainable socio-economic transitions via pilot programs and policy advocacy.

Product overview

Zoein is a public utility foundation (Fondation Zoein, founded 2017 in Geneva) focused on ecological, social, energy, political, and spiritual transition. Rather than a technology company with commercial products, Zoein operates as a research and advocacy organization centered on the 'Revenu de Transition Écologique' (RTE) concept, which is an income support mechanism for ecological transition activities. Its activities span research-action across thematic poles (Territory and Governance, Formation and Civilization, Economy and New Models, Health and Ecology, Forests and Biodiversity, Water and Biosphere, Energy and Society, Technologies and Social Innovations, Spiritualities and Transitions, Arts and Imaginaries), support for territorial experiments of ecological transition cooperatives (CTEs) in France and Switzerland, knowledge transmission projects including the 'Sentiers des Savoirs' network for sharing ecological know-how, and publication of books through the 'Nouvelles Terres' collection with Presses Universitaires de France.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ecological Transition Income (RTE) Research-Action Programs Structured research-action programs investigating and piloting the Ecological Transition Income (RTE) model, targeting individuals and communities navigating ecological transitions in Switzerland and France.
• Transition Accompaniment Services Accompaniment services that support individuals undergoing ecological career and livelihood transitions, providing structured guidance through the change process.
• Experimentation Pilots Field experimentation projects that test and validate models of ecological transition support, producing practical insights and policy-relevant findings.
• Knowledge Transmission and Training Educational activities including training sessions, publications, and events that transmit research findings on ecological transition to citizens, policymakers, and partner institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7 territorial RTE experiments running across France and Switzerland by 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major, core, significant and supporting.

• État de GenèvemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025The État de Genève co-sponsors the 'La démocratie en danger!' conference cycle alongside Zoein and the Université de Genève. This institutional partnership signals recognition of Zoein's public utility role and provides funding and legitimacy for public events.
• Association Zoein FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Association Zoein France, created in 2019 with its seat in Paris, promotes the Revenu de Transition Écologique (RTE) in France. The Fondation Zoein supports it through a scientific and financial partnership, co-deploying the RTE network across French territories and sharing research-action methodologies.
• Presses Universitaires de France (PUF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZoein co-directs the 'Nouvelles Terres' collection with PUF, publishing works bridging philosophical, ecological, and social perspectives. Sophie Swaton co-directs this collection along with the 'Écologie en question' collection, making Zoein a knowledge production partner in academic publishing.
• Université de GenèvemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the 'La démocratie en danger!' conference cycle with Zoein and the État de Genève. The Université de Genève provides academic credibility, venues (UniDufour), and participates through its faculty (philosophy, environmental sciences).
• Institut des Territoires Coopératifs (InsTerrCoop)significantStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsTerrCoop collaborated with the Association Zoein France and French RTE collectives on a training day focused on cooperation within the RTE framework (April 2025). The institute provides methodological expertise in cooperative governance and territorial development.
• MacifsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMacif hosted the March 3, 2025 seminar of Association Zoein France in its Paris premises, providing physical space and institutional backing for the launch of the RTE common evaluation framework.
• Les Sentiers des Savoirs – SuissecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiated by Zoein in 2021 and formally established as an association in 2022, Les Sentiers des Savoirs – Suisse builds a network of 'passeurs de savoirs' (knowledge carriers) and walking trails transmitting ecological know-how. Zoein actively supports and coordinates this project, including a 2024-2025 pilot in the Swiss Jura Arc.
• Revue de la Pensée EcologiquesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDominique Bourg, President of Zoein's Scientific Council, is also director of publication of the Revue de la Pensée Ecologique, which is listed as a partner of the foundation. This connection facilitates academic dissemination of Zoein's research outputs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Institut Momentum: French research and advocacy institute focused on ecological transition and new socio-economic models. Comparable research-action methodology and target audience of policymakers and researchers.
• Réseau Action Climat France: French climate advocacy coalition coordinating civil society on climate and just-transition policy. Comparable in using networks of field actors and targeting French policymakers on ecological transition.
• The Shift Project: French think tank promoting post-carbon and just-transition economic models. Closely aligned intellectual agenda with Zoein's RTE work and similar use of research to influence French and European policy.
• Fondation Hulot: Major French environmental public-utility foundation focused on ecological transition advocacy and education. Highly comparable mission and French operational footprint, though larger in scale and focused on broader environmental campaigns rather than income mechanisms.
• France Nature Environnement: Largest French federation of environmental NGOs. Comparable in coordinating a territorial network of ecological actors and engaging civil society across France, though much broader in scope.
• Fondation pour la Nature et l'Homme (FNH): French foundation pursuing ecological transition through systemic research, advocacy, and field projects. Comparable in combining research-action with foundation structure and targeting socio-ecological transformation in France.

Broad incumbents

• IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): Switzerland-headquartered global environmental organization. Comparable Geneva-based environmental focus and engagement with ecological research, but at vastly greater international scale and policy reach.
• Fondation de France: France's largest grantmaking foundation, supporting environmental and social causes. Comparable public-utility foundation structure and reliance on donor funds, but much larger and broader in scope.
• European Climate Foundation: Large European foundation funding climate and ecological transition advocacy. Comparable environmental grantmaking mission, but operates at pan-European scale and at a substantially larger budget.

Others

• Ashoka France: Social entrepreneurship support organization backing innovative changemakers. Comparable in accompanying individual project carriers and emphasizing cooperative/social-economy solutions, but broader in thematic scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZM6yo74f2SbRDYTMdgRI3g
• Facebookfacebook.com/FondationZoein
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zoein
• Instagraminstagram.com/zoein_officiel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zoein