TREE6CLOPE

What TREE6CLOPE does

Tree6clope is a French environmental non-profit association (Association loi 1901, reconnue d'intérêt général) founded in May 2016 in Biarritz by Laurent Donse, focused on combating cigarette butt pollution along the Aquitaine coastline. The association operates a community-led network model combining physical collection of cigarette butts, citizen awareness campaigns, school interventions, and member mobilization. Its core service is the collection and proper disposal of cigarette butts — historically through recycling (MéGo, 2016-2020) and currently via 100% energy recovery (valorisation énergétique in the Landes region) since 2021.

The association generates revenue through three streams: (i) membership dues from professional establishments (restaurants, hotels, cafés) and individual citizens, accounting for approximately 90% of funding; (ii) hardware sales of pocket ashtrays (€1 to members, €2 retail), beach ashtrays, table ashtrays, and waterproof storage bins; and (iii) donations via the Hello Asso platform, which provide donors with a 60% tax deduction. Members receive starter kits, awareness materials, access to the online member portal (Espace Adh\u00e9rent, built in partnership with Wild Code School Biarritz), and regular pickup services. The organization also partners with La Bo\u00eete \u00e0 Clopes to distribute interactive nudge ashtrays at preferential member pricing.

The association is led by founder/President Laurent Donse with a small salaried team of 3 (Cécile Tonnerre, Project Coordinator, joined 2020; Momal Zerouali, Collection Manager; Sara Alonso, Awareness Officer, joined 2022) supported by volunteers and interns. By 2023, the network reported over 600 members across the Aquitaine coastline. Tree6clope co-founded the CAP 0 M\u00e9got collective in August 2023 with 7 other anti-butt pollution associations to advocate for stronger national environmental policies, and is positioned to benefit from France's expanding REP (Responsabilité Élargie des Producteurs) framework for cigarette butts via the Alcome eco-organism. The organization has no disclosed external investors, no patents or trademarks, and no proprietary technology beyond its basic member portal.

Name

TREE6CLOPE

Legal name

Tree6clope

Website

https://tree6clope.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tree6clope is a French non-profit association founded in 2016 in Biarritz that organizes cigarette butt collection, awareness campaigns, and membership-based support kits along the Aquitaine coastline, serving hospitality businesses, individuals, schools, and local authorities through a 600+ member network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Biarritz

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: Financed at 90% by membership fees from professional and individual members. Members pay an annual subscription (customizable and accessible to all) in exchange for a starter kit, collection support, and access to the member portal.
2. Cigarette butt collector sales: Sale of pocket ashtrays, beach ashtrays, and table ashtrays to members at preferential rates. Pocket ashtrays sold at 1€ for members. Also collaborates with La Boîte à Clopes for larger ashtray sales.
3. Donations: Donations accepted via Hello Asso platform. Donors receive a tax receipt enabling up to 60% tax deduction.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Tree6clope is a French non-profit environmental association that operates a network-based cigarette butt collection service. It provides member establishments (restaurants, hotels, cafés) and individuals with collection equipment, awareness kits, and access to a member portal, while organizing regular pickups and sending collected butts to energy recovery. Members pay annual subscriptions and may purchase pocket, beach, and table ashtrays at preferential rates.

Product overview

Tree6clope is an environmental association (loi 1901) offering a network-based cigarette butt collection service for achieving 'Zero cigarette butt on the ground' territories. The core offering centers on the collection service with associated equipment (pocket ashtrays, beach ashtrays, table ashtrays, waterproof storage bins) sold to members, supplemented by awareness/sensitization services, an online member portal (Espace Adhérent), and organized collection events. The association partners with La Boîte à Clopes for interactive 'nudge' ashtrays. Collected cigarette butts are valorized through energy recovery (incineration) since 2021.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cigarette butt collection membership (Collecte de mégots) Annual membership that provides member establishments (restaurants, hotels, cafés) and individuals with a starter kit, ongoing collection equipment (posters, stickers, pocket ashtrays, storage bins), access to the online member portal, regular pickup services, impact reporting and collection certificates, and proper end-of-life treatment via energy recovery (incineration) since 2021.
• Pocket ashtrays (Cendriers de poche) Portable personal ashtrays sold to members (and at suggested retail to the public) for €1 to members / €2 SRP, covered by a lifetime guarantee with free exchange if damaged and recycling of the old unit.
• Beach ashtrays (Cendriers de plage) Portable ashtrays designed for beach use, sold to members at preferential rates as part of Tree6clope's portable ashtray product line, with lifetime guarantee.
• Table ashtrays (Cendriers de table) Table-top ashtrays sold to Tree6clope members at preferential rates for use at member establishments.
• Waterproof storage bins (Bacs de stockage étanches) Waterproof storage bins sold to professional members at preferential rates for safely collecting and storing cigarette butts on-site at establishments prior to scheduled pickup.
• Organized cleanup operations (Ramassages organisés) Organized cleanup events and collection operations for members, schools, and partner organizations, including logistical support, communication assistance, and on-site cigarette butt retrieval services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cigarette butts collected and properly disposed instead of ending up in oceans or soil
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dispositif Local d'Accompagnement (DLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal support mechanism that helped develop and structure the Tree6clope project in its early stages.
• France ActivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation supporting entrepreneurship and social enterprises, helped structure Tree6clope's development.
• ESTIA (École Supérieure des Technologies Industrielles Avancées)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering school that housed Tree6clope in its incubator, providing mentorship and resources for project development.
• EticoopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIncubator program by Crédit Agricole that helped develop Tree6clope's structure and operations.
• Wild Code School BiarritzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoding bootcamp that partnered with Tree6clope to develop the member portal web interface as a student project.
• La Boîte à ClopescoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of interactive vote ashtrays (nudge ashtrays). A closely collaborating operational partner that contributes to the association's capital. Tree6clope members receive preferential pricing on their products.
• Surfrider Foundation EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarine conservation organization. Tree6clope shares values and cooperates on ocean protection issues related to cigarette butt pollution.
• Colibris MovementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental movement Tree6clope adheres to, sharing values of sustainability and citizen action.
• CAP 0 Mégot CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocacy collective co-founded by Tree6clope in August 2023, uniting 7-8 anti-butt pollution associations nationally to share expertise, identify best practices, and advocate for stronger environmental policies.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CAP 0 M\u00e9go! Collective: National French collective co-founded by Tree6clope in August 2023, uniting 7-8 anti-butt pollution associations to share best practices and advocate for stronger policies. Members include associations like C\u00f4t\u00e9 M\u00e9gots and other regional players addressing the same problem set.
• Hubbub: UK-based environmental charity that pioneered the 'vote ashtray' (nudge ashtray) concept inspiring Tree6clope. Listed as a Tree6clope partner, Hubbub operates in the same niche of behavioral and infrastructure interventions for cigarette butt pollution.
• Surfrider Foundation Europe: Surfrider Foundation Europe is a nonprofit dedicated to ocean and beach protection. It directly overlaps with Tree6clope on cigarette butt pollution and marine litter, and is explicitly listed as a Tree6clope partner organization.
• Cleanwalk: French citizen-led waste cleanup movement organizing group plogging events across France. Operates a similar community-mobilization model around litter collection, including cigarette butts, and competes for the same engaged-citizen audience in France.

Others

• M\u00e9Go (Breton M\u00e9Go): Former French cigarette butt recycling partner of Tree6clope (2016-2020). Operates downstream in the same cigarette butt value chain as a processor; partnership ended due to financial and environmental considerations.
• SITCOM 40: French local waste management syndicate listed as an operational partner of Tree6clope. Functions in adjacent waste-management infrastructure rather than as a direct competitor, providing downstream treatment support.
• Alcome: French eco-organism created to manage the cigarette butt EPR scheme under the AGEC law. Alcome is a key potential funding source and policy counterpart for Tree6clope's collection operations, but is an industry-wide body rather than a direct competitor.
• Ecosia: Search engine and broader environmental organization funding tree-planting and cleanup projects globally. Thematically adjacent on environmental action, but operates at a vastly larger scale and a different model (search-engine funded vs. membership dues).
• La Bo\u00eete \u00e0 Clopes: French supplier of interactive 'nudge' ashtrays and a close operational partner that contributes to Tree6clope's capital. Functions as an equipment supplier/enabler in the same value chain rather than a competing collection organization.
• Zero Waste France: French nonprofit advocating for waste reduction and better waste policy. Overlaps thematically on cigarette butt waste streams and shares Tree6clope's policy advocacy orientation, but operates at the broader waste-system level rather than a single waste stream.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/re6clope
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tree6clope
• Instagraminstagram.com/tree6clope

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 TREE6CLOPE