Rich'Ess

What Rich'Ess does

Rich'ESS (legal name: Réseau Interactif des Champs de l'Economie Sociale et Solidaire du Pays de Saint-Brieuc) is a French non-profit association (association loi 1901), founded in 2011 and headquartered in Trégueux, Côtes d'Armor, Brittany. It functions as the territorial ESS (Économie Sociale et Solidaire) development pole for the Pays de Saint-Brieuc, animating a network of 95 member organizations across sectors including digital mediation, agriculture, woodworking, equine education, and cultural activities. Its core service is network facilitation and member support rather than software delivery: it offers flash advice sessions, networking events ('P'tits Déjs'), collective training, and the biennial Innov'Deiz social innovation event.

The organization runs a structured entrepreneur accompaniment pipeline spanning IDEATEUR (5-day idea-to-project program), Prékub (3-day consolidation program at €60/€30 solidarity), and the TAg22 12-month incubator. It also delivers the Coopératives Jeunesse de Services youth program (11 young participants in 2022 generated €4,350 HT turnover), the Le Révélateur territorial study methodology, and the Territoire Ambassadeur de l'ESS program for local public officials. Internationally, it has executed multiple Erasmus+ projects, including the BMC 3D methodology co-developed with Polish partner ESWIP (€60,000 EU funding, 2022–2024) and the CultureVerte eco-responsibility project with Polish cultural institutions.

Rich'ESS operates with 1–10 employees under Director Patrice Hénaff and co-presidents Marie-Laure Charles and Michel Baldasseroni. Revenue is generated through three streams: annual membership subscriptions, pay-as-you-go training/accompaniment fees with solidarity pricing for job seekers, and institutional funding from the French State, Brittany Region, Saint-Brieuc Armor Agglomération, and partners such as Malakoff Humanis. In April 2026, Rich'ESS became part of the ESS Armor territorial grouping alongside ESS'PRance and ADESS Ouest Côtes d'Armor, with shared direction and administrative functions while retaining local presence and association status.

Name

Rich'Ess

Legal name

Rich'ESS - Réseau Interactif des Champs de l'Economie Sociale et Solidaire du Pays de Saint-Brieuc

Website

https://richess.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rich'ESS is a French non-profit association, founded in 2011, that animates the Social and Solidarity Economy (ESS) network for the Pays de Saint-Brieuc territory, serving 95 member organizations through collective training, entrepreneur accompaniment programs (IDEATEUR, Prékub, TAg22), and territorial studies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tréguex

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Adherents pay membership fees to join the Rich'ESS network and benefit from services including networking, training, and support
2. Training and accompaniment programs: Revenue from training programs like IDEATEUR and other collective training sessions offered to members and prospective entrepreneurs
3. Public funding and institutional support: Support from government bodies including the State, Brittany Region, and Saint-Brieuc Armor Agglomération for ESS development activities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rich'Ess is a non-profit association that functions as the territorial network for the Social and Solidarity Economy (ESS) in the Pays de Saint-Brieuc region of Brittany, France. It provides accompaniment, training, networking, and territorial study services to ESS entrepreneurs, established ESS organizations, public institutions, and citizens through programs such as IDEATEUR, Prékub, TAg22 incubator, CJS civic service, Le Révélateur methodology, and Innov'Deiz.

Product overview

Rich'Ess operates as a non-profit association and network hub for the Social and Solidarity Economy (ESS) in Pays de Saint-Brieuc, France. Rather than a traditional product company, Rich'Ess provides a portfolio of services including entrepreneurial accompaniment programs (IDEATEUR, Prékub, Incubator TAg22), network animation for member organizations, territorial studies through 'Le Révélateur' methodology, and international cooperation via Erasmus+ projects. The organization functions as an ecosystem enabler rather than a software product provider.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IDEATEUR ESS ideation program supporting individuals in the early-stage conceptualization of social and solidarity economy projects, aimed at project leaders and aspiring social entrepreneurs in the Pays de Saint-Brieuc territory.
• Prékub Pre-incubation program that prepares aspiring ESS project leaders to move from idea to structured project, bridging ideation and formal incubation. Targeted at individuals preparing to launch a cooperative, association, or social enterprise in the region.
• TAg22 ESS business incubator hosting ESS project leaders and emerging structures (associations, cooperatives, social enterprises) in the Côtes-d'Armor department, providing structured incubation services.
• CJS (Service Civique) Youth civic service program engaging young volunteers in ESS organizations and associative projects within the territory.
• Le Révélateur Proprietary territorial study methodology used to diagnose the local ESS ecosystem, identify territorial needs, and support the emergence of new projects in a given area.
• Innov'Deiz Innovation support program backing innovative ESS initiatives within the Pays de Saint-Brieuc.

Quantifiable outcome

• 140 participants gathered at Innov'Deiz 2024
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.

• ESS ArmorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026ESS Armor is a territorial grouping created in 2025, uniting Rich'ESS, ESS'PRance, and ADESS Ouest Côtes d'Armor. Since April 2026, all employees are employed by ESS Armor while maintaining proximity presence on each territory. Shared functions include direction and administrative management, with shared expertise in areas including Mer & ESS, Habitat, QVCT, economic cooperation, and social innovation.
• Malakoff HumaniscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Partnership for the Labo Habitat project focused on innovative housing forms in Côtes-d'Armor. Malakoff Humanis provides financial support for a social innovation laboratory addressing housing challenges, including creation of a guide on new housing forms and experimental projects for vacant housing rehabilitation targeting vulnerable populations.
• Fabrique A InitiativesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023National network to which Rich'ESS belongs, supporting social innovation and collective entrepreneurship initiatives through shared methodologies and best practices.
• TAg22 Network (Bretagne)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Regional network of ESS poles propelling collective entrepreneurship in Brittany. Includes Rich'ESS, ESS'PRance, ADESS Ouest Côtes d'Armor, Adesk Cob, and Adess Centre Bretagne. Receives support from State, Brittany Region, and Saint-Brieuc Armor Agglomération. Coordinates shared accompaniment programs including IDEATEUR and Incubator.
• Saint-Brieuc Armor AgglomérationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Local government partner supporting ESS development through the 'Territoire Ambassadeur de l'ESS' program. Rich'ESS accompanies elected officials and technicians in skills development on ESS topics through training sessions, animation, and inspiring visits.
• Biocoop la GambilleminorOthers · 1 December 2022Local organic cooperative through which Rich'ESS purchased products for Ukrainian refugee aid collection. Biocoop la Gambille served as the supplier for essential products in the La Fabrique du Bien humanitarian initiative.
• Laboratoire ClaripharmminorOthers · 1 December 2022Partner providing hygiene products for the La Fabrique du Bien Ukrainian refugee aid initiative, specifically contributing products to address menstrual precarity among Ukrainian refugees and Polish citizens.
• Polish Cultural Institutions (Erasmus+ #CultureVerte)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022Partnership with three Polish cultural institutions on eco-responsible practices in cultural organizations. Project ran from September 2022 to November 2023, with Rich'ESS and 18 French cultural actors participating in exchanges with Polish partners to develop eco-responsibility in cultural activities.
• ESWIP (Poland)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2022French-Polish cooperation partnership through Erasmus+ projects including BMC 3D (Business Model Canvas 3 Dimensions). Rich'ESS coordinates with its Polish counterpart ESWIP on social entrepreneurship support methodologies, sharing French collective accompaniment approaches with Polish partners and learning their individual rapid-launch methods.
• Radio Activ' (101.9 FM)moderateGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Media partnership with local radio station for the 'Midi à l'Ouest' show, featuring monthly ESS initiatives, project holders, and member structures since 2021. Rich'ESS and its members appear monthly to share ESS news and member testimonials.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Avise: National agency in France supporting the development of social enterprises and the ESS. Comparable to Rich'ESS in mission (ESS accompaniment, methodology development, network animation) but at national scale and with broader scope rather than a single-territory focus.
• France Active: National network financing and supporting socially engaged entrepreneurs, including via regional 'Fonds de confiance' and accompaniment. Comparable as a French ESS support infrastructure player, but operates at national scale with financial instruments rather than territorial animation.
• CRESS Bretagne: Regional chamber of the Social and Solidarity Economy for Brittany, the umbrella body representing ESS actors at regional level. Comparable to Rich'ESS as a Brittany-based ESS ecosystem player, but operates at the regional coordination level rather than at a single territory level.
• Coop FR: French federation of cooperative enterprises, representing and supporting cooperative entrepreneurship — closely aligned with Rich'ESS's CJS (Coopératives Jeunesse de Services) and collective enterprise mission, but at the national federation level.

Regional players

• ADESS Pays de Brest: ESS pole serving Pays de Brest under the same TAg22 regional coordination. Comparable in function and mission but covers a different Breton territory, hence regional peer classification.

Direct peers

• ADESS Centre Bretagne: Bretagne-central ESS pole and member of the TAg22 network of five Breton ESS poles coordinating shared accompaniment programs. Directly comparable as a regional ESS network hub using the same Rich'ESS-style methodology.
• ESS'PRance: ESS development pole for the Pays de Ploërmel / Centre-Bretagne area and co-founder of the ESS Armor territorial grouping alongside Rich'ESS. Operates the same accompaniment programs (IDEATEUR, TAg22) and is therefore the closest structural and operational peer.
• BGE Bretagne: Brittany branch of the national BGE network (Boutiques de Gestion) offering business creation accompaniment to entrepreneurs, including social entrepreneurs. Comparable in function (territorial entrepreneurship support, training programs) and territory (Brittany) though more generalist in scope than Rich'ESS's ESS-exclusive focus.
• ADESS Ouest Côtes d'Armor: Western Côtes d'Armor ESS pole, also part of the ESS Armor grouping with Rich'ESS. Delivers the same TAg22 incubator, IDEATEUR and Prékub programs under the shared regional coordination framework, making it a directly comparable peer in scope and methodology.

Others

• France Travail (Pôle emploi) ESS partnerships: National employment agency running the 'IDÉE' program and other ESS entrepreneurship partnerships with local actors like Rich'ESS. Comparable as an institutional partner enabling ESS entrepreneurship programs, but not a competitive peer — listed here for ecosystem context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQGGs-0QP9BiuqwGvzsiuNg
• Facebookfacebook.com/RichESS-463571737041137
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rich-ess
• Instagraminstagram.com/rich_ess_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Rich'Ess