ALZEA

What ALZEA does

ALZEA is a French non-profit association (Association loi 1901) founded in 2000 by Christine Drevet and headquartered in the Lyon metropolitan area (Dardilly), operating for over 20 years as a specialized international internship placement service. The organization's core activity is matching students and young professionals to internships abroad and in France, with guaranteed placement ('Stage Garanti'), administrative handling (conventions de stage, visas, DREETS procedures), accommodation assistance, pre-departure preparation, and 24/7 on-site support. Service delivery is anchored by a network of 15+ named local correspondents across 15+ countries (South Africa, Latin America, Cambodia, South Korea, Spain, Indonesia, Ireland, Malta, Peru, UK, Kenya, Cameroon, India, Thailand, Philippines) and a curated base of 200+ French hospitality establishments spanning Relais & Châteaux, Michelin-starred properties, Marriott and Best Western.

The product portfolio is organized into four main lines: (1) outbound student internships (Stage étudiant à l'étranger) across 10+ destinations; (2) outbound high-school packages (ALZEA Explore Lycée) for 16-18 year-olds in South Africa, Malta, Ireland and the UK; (3) inbound placements for foreign students in French hospitality and gastronomy (Stage en France); and (4) the Jeunes Pro / PVT working-holiday program placing foreign graduates into CDD contracts of up to 12 months at French hotels and restaurants. Pricing for outbound programs is structured into five regional packs (SUN VIBES €890, EXOTIC SOUTH €990, CELTIC SPIRIT €1,090, KOREA GATEWAY €1,490, SOLIDARITY UK on quote), with lycée-tier packages ranging €1,690-€2,600 and Erasmus+/regional mobility grants available to subsidize fees. The underlying technology stack is modest and entirely third-party: a WordPress website with Elementor, Stripe checkout for payment collection, Intercom Messenger for live chat, Mixpanel for behavioral analytics, CloudFlare for CDN/security, and LinkedIn/Instagram for organic demand generation.

The business model is a hybrid B2C / B2B2C, non-profit fee-for-service structure: consumers (students and their families) pay program fees, while educational institutions and hospitality employers act as referral channels and, in the case of Erasmus+ partner schools, as co-financing entities. Demand is generated through school partnerships, information sessions, alumni word-of-mouth, and a small digital presence (LinkedIn, Instagram, newsletters). The association is led by 4 named core staff (Florence Lebois as Présidente and legal representative, Myriam Kaufmann heading France programs, Florence Jackl heading international programs, Inés Maquedano on administrative coordination) and reinvests all resources into its youth-mobility mission; no external equity funding, acquisitions or institutional investors are disclosed.

Name

ALZEA

Legal name

Association Alzea

Website

https://alzea.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ALZEA is a French non-profit association that places higher-education, high-school, and working-holiday students into international internships across 15+ countries, providing guaranteed placement, visa support, and 24/7 correspondent-led assistance to individuals and partner schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Student Mobility and Internship Placement Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Professional Organizations (81392), All Other Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services (561599)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Provider-Run International Internship Programs (Multi-Country/Multi-Industry) (EDAIAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

University-Sponsored International Internships & Co-op Placements (EDAIAFAB), On-Site Mentoring, Supervision & Program Management Services (EDAIAFAM), Career & Employability Integration Support (Work Culture, Networking, Job Readiness) (EDAIAKAH), Internship Housing & Accommodation Services (EDAIAFAJ)

Keywords

• International internship programs
• Student mobility services
• Hospitality internship placement
• Youth work abroad programs
• Educational travel coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Irigny

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Student Program Fees: ALZEA charges students a fee for its international internship placement and accompaniment services. As a non-profit association under French law (association loi 1901), all resources are reinvested to support young people and their international projects. Pricing is structured in packs ranging from €890 to €1,490+ depending on destination, with special rates for students from partner schools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ALZEA is a French non-profit association that organizes and supports international internships for students and young professionals across 15+ countries. The core service covers end-to-end placement: eligibility screening and interview, destination matching, administrative procedures (visa, insurance, convention de stage), accommodation assistance, pre-departure preparation, on-the-ground welcome and follow-up by local correspondents, and 24/7 hotline support during the stay. The association places students in international internships abroad and places foreign students and young professionals in French hospitality establishments under partnership arrangements.

Product overview

ALZEA is a non-profit association based in Lyon, France, operating for 20 years as an international internship placement service. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs: (1) Stage étudiant à l'étranger for higher education students abroad across 10+ destinations, (2) Stage lycée for high school students via ALZEA Explore Lycée packages, (3) Stage en France for foreign students in hospitality/restaurant establishments, and (4) Programme Jeunes Pro/PVT for working holiday visa employment in France. The company structures pricing into regional packs (SUN VIBES, EXOTIC SOUTH, CELTIC SPIRIT, KOREA GATEWAY, SOLIDARITY UK) and provides institutional partnership programs with Erasmus+ financing options. Core value proposition includes guaranteed placement, local correspondent support in each destination, and 24/7 hotline assistance throughout the experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stage étudiant à l'étranger (Student Internship Abroad)

Quantifiable outcome

• Stage Garanti: once a project is validated, ALZEA commits to finding a placement conforming to the student's expectations and level within the possibilities of the destination country.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 200+ French Hospitality Establishments (hotels and restaurants)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALZEA has established relationships with over 200 French hotels and restaurants including Relais & Châteaux, Michelin-starred establishments, Marriott, Best Western, Maîtres Restaurateurs, and independent French auberges. These establishments provide guaranteed internship and employment placements for ALZEA participants in France, covering roles in reception, housekeeping, sommellerie, cuisine, pâtisserie, and service en salle.
• Educational Institution Partners (Ankuran Education, CEFAM, College de Paris, The Rise Hub, ESG, ESPL, IDRAC, ARAM, Study Experience, Isifa, CY Cergy Paris Université, Année Lumière, Take me abroad, Campus Globers)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorALZEA partners with over 15 French and international schools and universities that refer students to ALZEA's international internship programs. Partnership types include institutional co-financing, Erasmus+ integration, 'mobility facilitated' referral arrangements, and co-designed custom group programs (Learning Expeditions, combined language+internship stays).
• CCIFA (Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie Franco-Argentine)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerALZEA is a member of CCIFA, the Franco-Argentine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which supports its activities in Argentina and strengthens its network of Argentine partner companies for student placements.
• English Path (South Africa)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced in a student testimonial as the language school in South Africa providing English courses alongside the internship program. Nicky, ALZEA's local correspondent in Cape Town, coordinates with English Path to arrange language training for students during their placement.
• Magister (South Africa)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced in student testimonials as the local organization in South Africa (led by Nicky) that arranges placements, accommodation, and social activities for ALZEA participants. Magister works closely with Nicky as the ALZEA correspondent to deliver comprehensive on-the-ground support.
• Local International Correspondents (15+ individuals across 15+ countries)coreOthersALZEA's international network consists of 15+ local correspondents (Nicky in South Africa, Laura in Latin America, Julien in Cambodia, Ye Hoon in South Korea, Maria & Gaia in Spain, Florensia in Indonesia, David and Kathy in Ireland, Serge in Malta, Yves in Peru, Exode in Cameroon, Eli in Kenya, Gargik in India, Lynn in Thailand, Mary in Philippines). Each correspondent welcomes students, assists with accommodation, provides ongoing support, and operates a 24/7 hotline.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IES Abroad: Non-profit study abroad provider offering semester/year programs and internships across 35+ cities. Directly comparable to ALZEA's international internship and study placement model with on-site support, though larger and more academic-focused.
• The Intern Group: Global internship program provider offering placements in multiple cities with built-in accommodation and on-site support. Comparable to ALZEA on end-to-end international internship services for student/young professional segment.
• Global Experiences: Provider of international internship programs for university students offering placements in multiple destinations with housing and in-country support. Closely comparable to ALZEA's core student-internship placement service and fee structure.
• CRCC Asia: Provider of international internship programs with placements across multiple destinations including East and Southeast Asia. Comparable in cross-border student placement focus; ALZEA matches on multi-country scope and student-led sales cycle.
• Absolute Internship: London-based provider of international internship placements for university students across multiple destinations. Most directly comparable peer to ALZEA in terms of multi-country student internship placement and fee-based model.
• Connect-123: Boutique international internship provider placing university students and graduates in host companies abroad. Comparable to ALZEA on small-scale, high-touch, fee-based internship placement model.

Others

• Erasmus Student Network (ESN): European non-profit student organisation supporting Erasmus+ mobility with local chapters and integration services across 40+ countries. Comparable to ALZEA's integration/host-support layer for international students, though not a direct fee-based competitor.

Broad incumbents

• AFS Intercultural Programs: Long-established international non-profit providing intercultural exchange programs including study abroad and volunteering. Comparable as a mission-driven, association-structured peer delivering student mobility with on-site support globally.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): Largest US-headquartered non-profit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization. Directly comparable to ALZEA as a non-profit placing students internationally with on-site support, but operating at materially larger scale across more destinations and program types.

Regional players

• WEP (World Education Program): Italy-based non-profit organizing international high school and student exchange and internship programs across Europe and beyond. Comparable to ALZEA as a European non-profit focusing on student mobility, though more high-school focused and Italy-rooted.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alzea-france
• Instagraminstagram.com/alzeaworldinpractice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 ALZEA