Next-U

What Next-U does

NEXT-U is a privately held French higher education group operating a portfolio of four vertically specialized schools — ESCEN (e-commerce and digital management), Business Institute or BI (sectoral management), Atlas Institute (sustainable and adventure tourism), and Magnum Institute (international wine and spirits commercialization) — plus Bachelor-level programs. The group is anchored in three stated pillars: digital pedagogy, international exposure, and professionalization via alternating work-study (alternance) periods that pair academic coursework with operational employer placements. It runs four physical campuses in France (Paris as headquarters, plus Lille, Lyon, and Bordeaux) and sustains an international footprint through annual learning expeditions to eight global destinations spanning North America (Boston, Montréal, Toronto), Europe (Dublin, Lisbon, Barcelona), Asia (Singapore, Seoul), and beyond (Cape Town, Latin America).

The group's revenue model is direct-to-consumer tuition for degree and professional programs, supplemented by alternating work-study income flows tied to employer partnerships; pricing is not publicly disclosed and admissions likely quote on a program-by-program basis. The curriculum is described as digital-first, with online/on-demand modules and digital fluency treated as a cross-program common core. The group holds Qualiopi certification from the French Ministry of Education and the "Inventer les CFA de demain" apprenticeship innovation label, both gating access to French public vocational funding. Distribution is direct through campuses and a multilingual (French/English) website at next-u.eu; the alumni network is reported at 1,000+ graduates placed across cities from San Francisco to Hong Kong, including named placements at Schneider Electric, Crédit Agricole, The Good Company, and WYBe.

Material data gaps persist: company founding year, headcount, revenue, ownership structure, capital base, and management team are not disclosed in the available source material, and there is no evidence of external institutional investment or M&A activity.

Name

Next-U

Legal name

NEXT-U

Website

https://next-u.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NEXT-U is a privately held French higher education group operating four specialized schools (ESCEN, BI, Atlas Institute, Magnum Institute) across four French campuses plus eight international learning expedition destinations, delivering digital-first, alternance-based vocational and bachelor programs to career-focused students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Hybrid, Multi-Location & Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Thematic & Discipline-Specific Study Abroad Programs (e.g., STEM, Business, Arts) (EDAIAAAC), University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

Keywords

• Higher education programs
• Career-focused training
• Work-study education
• Digital learning programs
• International study programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bordeaux

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Educational Tuition Programs: Revenue generated from student enrollment in degree and professional programs across multiple campuses and schools, with programs including work-study (alternance) components that provide practical employer experience alongside academic learning.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Next-U Education Group is a French private higher education provider that delivers career-focused degree and professional programs through four specialized school brands — ESCEN (E-Commerce and Digital Management), BI / Bachelor Institute (specialized sectoral management), Atlas Institute (Sustainable and Adventure Tourism), and Magnum Institute (international wines and spirits marketing) — operating from four French campuses (Paris, Lille, Lyon, Bordeaux) and eight international learning expedition locations. Programs combine classroom learning with alternating work-study (alternance) periods to align graduate skills with employer requirements.

Product overview

Next-U is an educational group offering a collection of distinct schools and programs unified by three pillars: digital technology, international exposure, and professionalization. The group operates through five main sub-brands/schools: ESCEN (E-Commerce and Digital Management), Atlas Institute (Sustainable and Adventure Tourism), Magnum Institute (Wines and Spirits Marketing), Business Institute (Specialized Sectoral Management), and Bachelor programs. These schools operate from four campuses in France (Paris, Lille, Lyon, Bordeaux) and eight international locations (Boston, Dublin, Montréal, Toronto, Singapour, Lisbonne, Séoul, and Barcelone), providing students with both national education and international mobility opportunities through learning expeditions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ESCEN: E-Commerce and Digital Management school within the Next-U group
• Atlas Institute
• Magnum Institute
• BI (Bachelor Institute)

Products and services

• ESCEN School focused on E-Commerce and Digital Management, offering programs that prepare students for careers in online business and digital commerce management. Targets students seeking higher education grounded in digital-first commerce.
• Business Institute (BI) / Bachelor Institute School focused on specialized and sectoral management education, providing bachelor-level programs in management disciplines aligned with enterprise skill requirements. Targets students seeking undergraduate education in digital and international studies.
• Atlas Institute School focused on Sustainable and Adventure Tourism at the international level, preparing students for careers in global tourism management. Targets students interested in international sustainability and tourism sectors.
• Magnum Institute School specializing in the commercialization and international marketing of wines and spirits, offering specialized sectoral management education. Targets students seeking careers in the international wine and spirits industry.
• Bachelor Programs Bachelor-level degree programs offered under the Next-U group umbrella, providing undergraduate education in digital and international studies with alternating work-study components. Targets students seeking a recognized bachelor's degree combining theory and enterprise immersion.
• Learning Expedition Programs International learning expeditions offered to Next-U students across destinations in Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa, providing geographic mobility as part of the group's employability-focused international pillar. Targets enrolled Next-U students.

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• The Good CompanyminorOthersEmployer of NEXT-U graduate, representing the graduate employment network connecting students with enterprise opportunities.
• Schneider ElectricminorOthersEnterprise employer of NEXT-U graduate Samuel, representing the alumni employment network that demonstrates graduate career outcomes.
• Crédit AgricoleminorOthersBanking sector employer of NEXT-U graduate Julie-Anne, part of the graduate employment network demonstrating diverse career placements.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pôle Paris Alternance (PPA): French business school entirely dedicated to work-study (alternance) bachelor programs. Closely mirrors NEXT-U's alternance-driven model and target student demographic.
• ESCE International Business School: French international business school with multi-campus structure, international exposure focus, and work-study programs. Directly comparable to NEXT-U's international pillar.
• Vatel School of Hotel & Tourism Management: International hospitality and tourism management school with French roots, multi-country campuses, and sector specialization. Closely comparable to NEXT-U's Atlas Institute sustainable tourism focus.
• MyDigitalSchool: French network of digital/web/marketing schools with multiple campuses and work-study programs. Highly comparable to NEXT-U's ESCEN brand and its digital-first, multi-campus French model.
• ESG (ESGCI, ESGF, ESG Luxe): Network of specialized French business schools under Galileo Global Education covering finance, luxury, sport, and digital. Closely comparable to NEXT-U's portfolio of sector-specialized brands.

Broad incumbents

• Studialis (Galileo subsidiary): French higher education umbrella within Galileo operating multiple specialized schools. Comparable in operating multiple sub-brands across French cities.
• IONIS Education Group: French private higher education group operating ISG, EPITA, EPITECH, and other specialized schools. Comparable multi-brand French higher education structure with work-study programs.
• OMNES Education (INSEEC Group): Large French private higher education group operating INSEEC, ESCE, Sup de V, and other specialized schools. Comparable multi-brand, multi-campus French structure but at significantly greater scale.

Others

• Galileo Global Education: Major European private higher education group owning Paris School of Business, Strate, and others. Operates a similar portfolio-acquisition model acquiring specialized schools across disciplines.

Regional players

• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): Major US-based study abroad provider operating programs in multiple countries. Comparable as a multi-country study abroad/expedition provider but operates primarily in different geographies than NEXT-U.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/next-u-education

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 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 Next-U