Afa Crohn RCH France

What Afa Crohn RCH France does

Afa Crohn RCH France is a French non-profit patient association (association loi 1901) founded in 1982, originally as Association François Aupetit and rebranded in 2020 to its current name. It is the only national organization in France exclusively dedicated to supporting patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (collectively known as MICI — Maladies Inflammatoires Chroniques de l'Intestin) and their families. The association serves approximately 35,000 members and supporters, operates 40 regional antennas across France métropolitaine and DOM-TOM, and engages 320 active volunteers. Its mission spans patient support, disease education, rights advocacy, and research funding — having allocated over €8 million to fund 275 research projects to date.

The organization delivers a hybrid digital-physical service portfolio. Core digital assets include MICI Connect (a patient accompaniment platform), a discussion forum, AFA Web TV (video content library), e-ateliers (online thematic workshops), MICI Pass (pediatric-to-adult care transition program), and IBD Disk (a communication tool). Physical and community services include the MICI Tour mobile event series, World IBD Day campaigns, regional antenna activities, and hospital-based partnerships. An ethics committee governs the association's funding sources, with a cap limiting pharmaceutical industry contributions to 20% of budget to preserve independence.

Revenue is derived from four streams: individual donations and membership fees (minimum 50% of budget), public grants from French health institutions including Direction Générale de la Santé, CNAM, and Santé Publique France (maximum 20%), pharmaceutical laboratory partnerships (maximum 20%), and corporate fundraising events and private sponsors (minimum 10%). The go-to-market is community-led, relying on volunteer networks, healthcare institution partnerships, regional events, and multi-channel digital engagement including social media, newsletter, and webinar programming.

Name

Afa Crohn RCH France

Legal name

Afa Crohn RCH France

Website

https://afa.asso.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Afa Crohn RCH France is a French non-profit patient association, founded in 1982 and rebranded in 2020, that uniquely supports people with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis through 40 regional antennas, digital tools like MICI Connect, and €8M+ annual research funding, serving 35,000 members 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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Memberships: Primary revenue stream from individual donations and membership fees, representing 50% of budget (minimum). Members pay adhesion fees to access association services.
2. Public Funding: Support from government institutions including Direction Générale de la Santé, CNAM, INVS – Santé Publique France, and local councils. Maximum 20% of budget.
3. Pharmaceutical Industry Partnerships: Support from pharmaceutical laboratories and health groups, capped at maximum 20% of budget to maintain independence and ethical standards.
4. Fundraising Events and Private Partners: Revenue from fundraising operations, corporate partnerships, and private sponsors. Minimum 10% of budget, includes events like Crohn & Collect challenges, solidarity sports events, and tombola fundraisers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Afa Crohn RCH France is a non-profit patient association that supports and informs people with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (MICI) and their families, defends patient rights, and funds scientific research on inflammatory bowel disease. It delivers its mission through digital accompaniment (MICI Connect platform), educational resources, regional antenna networks, peer support groups, awareness campaigns, and research grants, operating across France with 40 regional antennas and 320 volunteers.

Product overview

Afa Crohn RCH France offers a unified suite of digital services and programs for patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The core offerings include MICI Connect (digital accompaniment platform), a discussion forum, AFA Web TV (video content), e-ateliers (online workshops), MICI Pass (transition care program), IBD Disk (communication tool), and a personal member space. The organization also provides a media library, educational resources, and various regional support services through its 40 antennas across France.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MICI Connect Digital accompaniment platform for people with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (MICI) and their loved ones, providing daily support resources and tools.
• Forum de discussion Secure online discussion forum for exchanging on topics of interest to patients with MICI.
• AFA Web TV Video platform featuring educational and informative content about MICI, treatments, research, and patient experiences.
• E-ateliers Online thematic workshops providing education and support for managing life with MICI, including topics on nutrition, well-being, and medical aspects.
• MICI Pass Program designed to improve care for young adults transitioning from pediatric to adult healthcare services.
• IBD Disk Tool to help patients communicate about their inflammatory bowel disease and its impact on daily life.
• Médiathèque Media library offering brochures, thematic sheets, literature, and educational resources about MICI.
• Espace personnel Personal member area providing access to services including membership card, emergency toilet card, personal data, and donation history.

Quantifiable outcome

• 275 research projects funded
• +3 more outcomes

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

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

• Direction Générale de la SantécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench government health authority providing institutional support and public health partnership for MICI awareness and patient support initiatives.
• CNAM (Caisse Nationale d'Assurance Maladie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench national health insurance fund supporting patient rights advocacy and healthcare access initiatives.
• Santé Publique France (INVS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench public health agency providing institutional partnership for disease awareness and prevention campaigns.
• Fondation GroupamamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership supporting annual solidarity events including hiking/rambling events (balades solidaires) across France to raise funds and awareness for MICI.
• EFCCA (European Federation of Crohn's & Ulcerative Colitis Associations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean umbrella organization connecting national IBD patient associations; Afa is the French representative with delegates serving as European representatives.
• France Assos SantécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational federation of patient associations in France, providing collective advocacy platform and healthcare policy representation.
• DanoneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner that has organized employee fundraising events and workplace giving campaigns to support MICI research.
• AXA Atout CœurminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate social responsibility program where AXA employees engage in solidarity actions supporting MICI awareness.
• Crédit AgricoleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional banking group organizing cycling challenges (Défi Vélo) to raise funds for MICI research.
• Becton Dickinson FranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedical technology company providing support for patient care and awareness activities.
• Altrad EndelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustrial services company that has organized employee challenge events supporting MICI causes.
• CEI 4 ventsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPrivate partner supporting fundraising events and visibility campaigns throughout the year.
• ContinentalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor participating in fundraising operations and private partner events.
• Ensemble pour Pierre-YvesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable foundation supporting the association's activities and events.
• Lions Club de Limoges CéladonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerService club providing financial support specifically for research initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Association France Parkinson: French patient association for Parkinson's disease, providing information, support, regional committees, and research funding. Structurally analogous single-disease French association loi 1901 with volunteer network and diversified funding.
• Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer: France's leading non-profit dedicated to a single chronic disease (cancer), running patient support, research funding, advocacy, and a national committee network. Operates an analogous association loi 1901 model with similar diversified funding streams in the same regulatory environment.
• AIDES: France's leading non-profit dedicated to HIV/AIDS, running patient support, prevention, testing, and advocacy with regional presence. Comparable as another major French association loi 1901 in a single chronic-disease vertical with diversified public/pharma/donation funding.
• France Alzheimer: French national association for Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, providing patient/family support, research funding, and advocacy. A structurally similar disease-specific French patient non-profit with regional antenna network and donation-led funding model.

Others

• EFCCA (European Federation of Crohn's & Ulcerative Colitis Associations): European umbrella federation of national IBD patient associations, of which Afa is the French member. Comparable as the supra-national coordinating body for the same disease community and target patient population Afa serves at the national level.
• France Assos Santé: National federation representing patient associations in France, of which Afa is a member. Provides collective policy representation and is a structural counterparty for healthcare advocacy — comparable as an ecosystem partner rather than a competitor.
• Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM): France's largest private funder of medical research across all diseases, raising donations and grants to fund investigator-led projects. Comparable to Afa on the research-funding axis of its mission, though operating across all pathologies rather than IBD alone.

Direct peers

• Crohn's & Colitis UK: The UK's national charity for Crohn's and colitis, delivering patient information, support services, research funding, and advocacy. Closest national-market analogue to Afa, with a comparable mission and revenue mix.
• Crohn's & Colitis Foundation: The leading US non-profit dedicated to Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, funding research, providing patient support, and running advocacy and education programs. Direct structural peer to Afa, operating the same patient-association mission model at greater US scale.

Broad incumbents

• SNFGE (Société Nationale Française de Gastro-Entérologie): The national professional society of French gastroenterologists, including those treating IBD. Comparable as an institutional stakeholder within the same clinical specialty ecosystem, though operating as a physician society rather than a patient association.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/afaCrohnRCH
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCTNFBFnbh07oQ3Y8cj9DD4w
• Facebookfacebook.com/afaCrohnRCH
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afa-crohn-rch
• Instagraminstagram.com/afacrohnrch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Afa Crohn RCH France