BioPhonia
BioPhonia is a Corsica-based bioacoustics consultancy that uses passive acoustic monitoring, AI-driven analysis, and its proprietary DataPhonia software to deliver biodiversity monitoring, soundscape studies, and training to conservation NGOs, natural parks, and environmental managers in France.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersOletta, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What BioPhonia does
BioPhonia is a Corsica-based environmental consultancy founded in 2019 that applies bioacoustics and ecoacoustics methodologies to monitor terrestrial biodiversity for public, associative, and private actors. Its core offering combines passive acoustic monitoring in the field (autonomous recorders deployed across Alpine, Mediterranean, forest, and marine habitats) with automated analysis using convolutional neural networks, species-classification algorithms, and ecoacoustic indices, plus a proprietary software platform called DataPhonia for managing and valorizing acoustic datasets. The company is registered as Biophonia SAS in Bastia with €75,000 of share capital, is part of France's social and solidarity economy (Économie Sociale et Solidaire), and employs approximately 13 core team members, most with PhDs in bioacoustics, ecology, signal processing, or machine learning.
The business operates primarily through a consultative, sales-led motion targeting Natural Reserves, conservatories (e.g., Asters-CEN74), regional natural parks (Parc Naturel Régional de Corse, PNR du Haut-Jura), and conservation NGOs (Mountain Wilderness, Initiative PIM), with revenue generated from bespoke monitoring projects, a three-module training program in passive acoustics, and the DataPhonia platform. Customer engagement is structured around multi-year project contracts, often co-financed through EU programs such as FEDER, LIFE (Life GYPRESCUE), and Interreg (Biodiv'Alp). Marketing relies on field journals, scientific publications, school outreach, social media, and a monthly newsletter, with the company holding no identified external venture capital or institutional investment.
Operationally, BioPhonia's differentiators are rooted in its research-grade talent base, academic partnerships (ENES, CNRS Communications Acoustiques, Laboratoire Hubert Curien, Université Jean Monnet), and validated field protocols developed across diverse ecosystems. Its risks are tied to small scale, project-based revenue irregularity, grant-cycle dependency, and concentration in French and EU-funded conservation markets.
BioPhonia firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BioPhonia
- Legal name
- Biophonia SAS
- Website
- https://biophonia.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- BioPhonia is a Corsica-based bioacoustics consultancy that uses passive acoustic monitoring, AI-driven analysis, and its proprietary DataPhonia software to deliver biodiversity monitoring, soundscape studies, and training to conservation NGOs, natural parks, and environmental managers in France.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where BioPhonia is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oletta
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
BioPhonia business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Environmental Consulting Services: BioPhonia provides bioacoustics and ecoacoustics consulting services to public, private, and associative actors, offering species inventories, targeted monitoring, behavioral analysis, soundscape analysis, and noise pollution assessment. These are professional services with customized project-based engagements.
- Training Programs: Three-module progressive training covering passive acoustics introduction, acoustic data acquisition, and acoustic data analysis. Training can be taken as individual modules or combined into a complete learning path.
- DataPhonia Software Platform: DataPhonia is a proprietary solution for managing, organizing, storing, and valorizing acoustic data. It is available as a product/service offering after two years of development, winner of ILAB innovation competition.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Professional consulting and monitoring services |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
BioPhonia product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BioPhonia provides bioacoustics and ecoacoustics consulting services to public, private, and associative actors, including species inventories, targeted monitoring, behavioral analysis, soundscape analysis, and noise pollution assessment. The company deploys autonomous passive acoustic recorders and applies convolutional neural networks, ecoacoustic indices, and classification algorithms to deliver high-quality biodiversity data. It also offers a three-module progressive training program and the proprietary DataPhonia software platform for managing, organizing, storing, and valorizing acoustic data.
Product overview
BioPhonia operates as a bioacoustics and ecoacoustics consultancy that offers both professional services and a proprietary software product. Their core offering consists of DataPhonia (a software platform for acoustic data management, analysis, and valorization) supplemented by consulting services including species inventories, targeted monitoring, soundscape analyses, noise pollution assessment, and training programs. The company also engages in scientific outreach and public education about biodiversity through sound.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DataPhonia: A dedicated solution for managing, organizing, storing, and valorizing acoustic data related to environmental monitoring. Developed by BioPhonia, it offers user experience and features adapted for passive acoustic monitoring, built on the company's expertise in bioacoustics and ecoacoustics. Winner of the ILAB innovation competition.
Products and services
- Bioacoustics & Ecoacoustics Consulting Services Tailored consulting services providing high-quality biodiversity and environmental soundscape data for public, private, and associative actors. Includes species inventories, targeted population monitoring, behavioral analysis, soundscape analysis using ecoacoustic indices, and noise pollution assessment, delivered through passive acoustic monitoring and automated analysis algorithms. For environmental managers, conservation NGOs, infrastructure operators, and research institutions.
- DataPhonia Software Platform Proprietary software platform for managing, organizing, storing, and valorizing acoustic data related to environmental monitoring. Winner of the ILAB innovation competition, the platform offers user experience and features adapted for passive acoustic monitoring, built on BioPhonia's expertise in bioacoustics and ecoacoustics. Targets users who want to start or advance in passive acoustic data usage.
- Bioacoustics Training Programs Progressive three-module training program covering (1) introduction to passive acoustics, (2) acoustic data acquisition, and (3) acoustic data analysis. Modules can be taken individually or combined into a complete learning path. Designed for clients seeking to develop internal passive acoustic monitoring capabilities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 35 dB noise emergence above ambient levels detected in mountain wilderness areas (10x perceived volume increase)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use BioPhonia
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
BioPhonia technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature5 records
BioPhonia partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Parc Naturel Régional de CorsecorePNRC leads the Life GYPRESCUE (LIFE20 NAT/FR/001553) project to restore the bearded vulture population in Corsica. BioPhonia provides bioacoustic solutions to support young vulture feeding programs by designing acoustic signals to manage interspecific interactions at feeding stations. Actions supervised by DREAL with precise environmental authorizations.
- EAR (Écoacoustics Research Project)coreEAR develops ecoacoustics for biodiversity monitoring using innovative analysis methods such as automatic classifications. They describe animal communities in relation to biotic and abiotic factors and evaluate human disturbance effects. BioPhonia collaborates with EAR on soundscape analysis methodologies and community assessment.
- ENES (Équipe de Neuro-Éthologie Sensorielle, UJM Saint-Étienne)coreENES is the bioacoustics laboratory of Université Jean Monnet Saint-Étienne, working on 5 research axes to understand social and environmental factors affecting vocal behavior. They promote bioacoustics through Bioacoustics Winter School and International Master of Bioacoustics. Multiple BioPhonia team members have connections to this lab.
- Équipe Communications Acoustiques (CNRS)coreThe Communications Acoustiques team studies animal vocalization production, characteristics, and roles as key social elements structuring animal communities. They focus on behavioral evolution related to environment and biodiversity monitoring on land and at sea.
- Laboratoire Hubert Curien (UJM Saint-Étienne)coreThe Hubert Curien Laboratory at Université Jean Monnet Saint-Étienne is a reference in artificial intelligence, particularly machine learning and complex data analysis. They provide expertise in AI/ML for acoustic data processing and automated species detection.
- Inizià (Incubateur Territorial de Corse)coreInizià is the Territorial Incubator of Corsica dedicated to entrepreneurial innovation for island startups. BioPhonia followed an incubation program with daily customized support. A BioPhonia team member (Stéphanie Vanhove) previously supported startups at Inizià for 6 years before joining BioPhonia.
- RonalpiaminorRonalpia is an incubation program supporting social entrepreneurs in creating social enterprises. BioPhonia followed this program in 2020 as part of their development journey.
- Université Jean MonnetcoreUniversité Jean Monnet of Saint-Étienne hosted several BioPhonia members during their academic careers and provided support to the company. Multiple team members hold advanced degrees from this institution.
- Parc Naturel Régional du Haut-JuracoreBioPhonia produced 3 sound capsules 'La forêt du Risoux sur écoute' for the PNR Haut-Jura to highlight their soundscape research project, providing both scientific analysis and public engagement value.
- Radio Campus Besançon 102.4 FMminorRadio Campus Besançon co-produced 3 sound capsules with BioPhonia for the Parc Naturel Régional du Haut-Jura project, combining scientific content with radio production expertise.
- PePaSon (Collectif)minorPePaSon is a popular education association mixing interdisciplinary approaches to foster exchange about soundscapes. They federate a network of 'sound landscapers' and serve as a communication relay for environmental sound education.
- Initiative PIM (Petites Îles de Méditerranée)coreAssociation mandated BioPhonia to use passive acoustics to monitor threatened marine bird populations nesting on Gargalu island (Réserve Naturelle de Scandola, Corsica), specifically Scopoli's shearwater and storm petrels.
- Asters-CEN74 (Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels de Haute-Savoie)coreBioPhonia worked on acoustic connectivity of soundscape corridors for ecological corridors in Alpine valleys as part of the Biodiv'Alp Interreg project to protect Alpine biodiversity and ecosystems.
- Mountain WildernesscoreMountain Wilderness commissioned BioPhonia to conduct noise pollution analysis in the Belledonne massif as part of the WilderGIS project to map mountain wilderness areas.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BioPhonia competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- ENES — Université Jean Monnet Saint-Étienne Bioacoustics Lab: Academic bioacoustics research lab; long-time BioPhonia training partner and source of multiple team members. Comparable scientific community rather than direct commercial competitor; enables the pipeline of trained bioacousticians.
Direct peers
- Rainforest Connection: Nonprofit deploying acoustic monitoring devices and AI to protect ecosystems, primarily rainforests. Comparable vision and technology stack (autonomous recorders + ML classification), but focused on tropical forests and anti-poaching use cases versus BioPhonia's European terrestrial scope.
- Frontier Labs: Australian maker of autonomous bioacoustic recorders and analysis tools used by ecologists worldwide for species and soundscape monitoring. Directly comparable to BioPhonia in passive acoustic monitoring deployments for biodiversity research.
- Wildlife Acoustics: Commercial provider of passive acoustic monitoring hardware (SongMeter recorders) and accompanying software (Kaleidoscope Pro) for wildlife monitoring. Closely comparable to BioPhonia on the recording/analysis stack, though Wildlife Acoustics is primarily a product company while BioPhonia is services-plus-software.
- Open Acoustic Devices: Developer of the open-source AudioMoth acoustic recorder widely adopted in ecological monitoring. Comparable as an enabler and competitor in low-cost passive acoustic monitoring, especially for academic and conservation projects.
Emerging players
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology (BirdNET / K. Lisa Yang Center): Hosts BirdNET, a free AI model for bird species detection from audio, and operates one of the world's leading bioacoustics research centers. Comparable to BioPhonia in species-identification AI but distributed as free/open-source infrastructure, creating both a technology benchmark and a competitive threat.
Broad incumbents
- Biotope: Large French environmental consultancy covering biodiversity surveys, ecological engineering, and environmental impact assessments. Overlaps with BioPhonia in biodiversity monitoring services in France but operates at far greater scale and broader scope.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BioPhonia social profiles
Digital presenceBioPhonia financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BioPhonia leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
BioPhonia funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BioPhonia 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 BioPhonia
What does BioPhonia do?
BioPhonia provides bioacoustics and ecoacoustics consulting services to public, private, and associative actors, including species inventories, targeted monitoring, behavioral analysis, soundscape analysis, and noise pollution assessment. The company deploys autonomous passive acoustic recorders and applies convolutional neural networks, ecoacoustic indices, and classification algorithms to deliver high-quality biodiversity data. It also offers a three-module progressive training program and the proprietary DataPhonia software platform for managing, organizing, storing, and valorizing acoustic data.
Is BioPhonia a public or private company?
BioPhonia is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was BioPhonia founded?
BioPhonia was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is BioPhonia based?
BioPhonia is headquartered in Oletta, France, in the Europe region.
How does BioPhonia make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Environmental Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are training Programs and dataPhonia Software Platform.
Who are BioPhonia's main competitors?
ENES — Université Jean Monnet Saint-Étienne Bioacoustics Lab is listed as an others. Direct peers are Rainforest Connection, Frontier Labs, Wildlife Acoustics and Open Acoustic Devices. Cornell Lab of Ornithology (BirdNET / K. Lisa Yang Center) is listed as an emerging player. Biotope is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does BioPhonia have an API?
No public API is recorded for BioPhonia.