Improtéine

What Improtéine does

Improtéine Inc. is a privately held Canadian French-language improvisational comedy troupe headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, founded circa 2004 and incorporated in Ontario. The company produces 100% improvised live theatrical performances, humorous video content, and educational improvisation training. Its core live product is an interactive improv show driven by a maître de jeu (master of ceremonies), five performers, and a live musician, built entirely on audience suggestions without scripts. The troupe is segmented across four performance verticals: grand public (public ticketed shows, ~$15/ticket), scolaire (school shows and workshops for grades 4-12, including improvisation leagues), corporatif (customized corporate shows for conferences, team-building, and galas, with bilingual animation options), and event hosting/galas. Beyond live performance, Improtéine operates three additional service lines: (1) turnkey video production (concept, script, filming, editing) for government, broadcasters, and organizations, delivered via partners Klash Média and Productions Desroches; (2) recurring television productions including Improtéine expose (annual year-end review on Radio-Canada) and Hors Québec (TVA/TFO series on Francophone communities); and (3) an educational training video series, L'impro de 1 à Z, teaching improv techniques. Live performance bookings are managed through a dedicated channel partner, the 49e Parallèle agency.

The company has delivered over 1,000 shows to nearly 400,000 spectators across all Canadian provinces and territories over 20+ years, with milestone shows documented (#800 in February 2016, #900 in October 2017, #1,000 in June 2021 as a virtual performance). It is operated by six core members — Vincent Poirier, Olivier Nadon, Stéphane Guertin, Martin Laporte, Nadia Campbell, and musician Olivier Fiset — and has no external investors, no parent company, and no disclosed funding rounds. Revenue is generated through a mix of transaction-based ticket sales for public shows, quote-based professional services for corporate events and government video contracts, and licensing/royalty arrangements for its television productions. Notable customers include Radio-Canada, TFO, Réseau Ontario, CECCE, CSDCEO, the Gouvernement du Yukon, and the Commissariat aux services en français de l'Ontario.

Name

Improtéine

Legal name

Improtéine Inc.

Website

https://improteine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Improtéine is a privately held Ottawa-based French-language improvisational comedy troupe, founded in 2004, that produces 100% improvised live shows, humorous video content, and educational improv workshops for French-speaking communities, schools, corporations, and broadcasters across Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Entertainment Services

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Motion Picture and Video Production (512110)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Improv Comedy Performances (MPAGACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Improvisational Theatre (MPAGABAJ)

Keywords

• Improvisational theater performances
• Corporate event entertainment
• Improv comedy workshops
• Francophone cultural programming
• Creative video production

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Live Performance Tickets: Ticket sales for public performances at festivals, concert halls, and community venues. Includes school shows, corporate events, and private bookings.
2. Corporate Event Services: Customized corporate shows for conferences, meetings, training sessions, and team-building events. Includes bilingual animation services for galas, launches, and benefit evenings.
3. Video Production Services: Turnkey video production including concept creation, scriptwriting, filming, and editing. Produces humorous educational videos for television, government agencies, and organizations.
4. Educational Workshops: Improvisation workshops for schools (grades 4-12), teachers, and groups. Duration options include 1 hour, half-day, or full-day sessions.
5. Television Production: Hosts television shows including Hors Québec (TVA, TFO) and Improtéine expose (Radio-Canada year-end review).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Improtéine produces and performs 100% improvised comedy shows (live theatrical, musical, and humorous improv) for general public, schools, corporations, and event organizers across Canada. The troupe also offers turnkey video production services (corporate videos, TV shows, training videos) and improvisational theater workshops for students, teachers, and groups. Operates as a French-language entertainment brand headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario.

Product overview

Improtéine is a Canadian French-language improvisational theater and comedy group based in Ottawa, Ontario, offering live theatrical performances and multimedia content. The company's core offering consists of live improvisational comedy shows (grand public, scolaire, corporatif, animation) performed across Canada for over 20 years. Supporting the live shows, Improtéine provides video production services including corporate videos, training video series (L'impro de 1 à Z), and televised productions (Improtéine expose, Hors Québec). The company also offers improvisation workshops for educational institutions. The portfolio functions as a unified entertainment brand centered on theatrical improvisation, with video production and educational workshops as complementary service lines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Spectacles d'improvisation (Grand public) Live theatrical improvisational comedy shows performed for general audiences and families, featuring 100% improvised sketches, songs, and comedic scenarios driven by audience suggestions and a maître de jeu (master of ceremonies).
• Spectacles scolaires Improvisational comedy shows tailored for school audiences (grades 4-12), designed to engage students and introduce them to theatrical improvisation as part of educational programming across French-language school networks.
• Spectacles corporatifs Customized improvisational entertainment for corporate events, conferences, congresses, and professional gatherings, adaptable to organizational themes, training objectives, and team-building needs.
• Services d'animation Professional event hosting and animation services for galas, congresses, product launches, and benefit evenings, with optional bilingual (French-English) and humorous improvisation elements.
• Service de création de vidéos Full-service turnkey video production service including concept development, scriptwriting, filming, and editing, delivered as a complete package for businesses, organizations, television networks, and government agencies.
• Vidéos corporatives Corporate-focused humorous video content produced for government agencies, broadcasters, and organizations, often addressing policy or identity themes with comedic storytelling.
• L'impro de 1 à Z (vid\u00e9os de formation) Educational training video series teaching improvisational theater techniques, covering topics such as match rules, categories, penalties, character development, and storytelling.
• Improtéine expose Annual year-end review television show broadcast on Radio-Canada, summarizing the year's events and featuring comedic retrospectives of the group's activities.
• Hors Québec Television series on TVA and TFO that explores French-speaking communities across Canada, created and performed by Improtéine.
• Ateliers d'improvisation Improvisational theater workshops offered to schools and groups, available in various durations (1 hour, half-day, full day) for students in grades 4-12, teachers, and drama groups with any experience level.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1000+ performances delivered to nearly 400,000 spectators
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• 49e ParallèlecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial booking agency for Improtéine performances. Handles reservations for spectacles and other bookings. Contact: (819) 744-7266, [email protected].
• Klash MédiasecondaryTechnology or IntegrationVideo production collaborator for corporate videos. Handles cameras, cinematography, editing, sound design, and post-production for Improtéine video projects.
• Brasserie Tuque de BroueminorOthersCollaborated on Improtéine Pale Ale, special 20th anniversary beer launched January 2024.
• La Fabrique d'improvisation du Nord (FIN)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatch d'impro collaboration with FIN (La Fabrique d'improvisation du Nord) in Yukon for joint performances.
• Ligue d'impro francophone du NunavutsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatch d'impro collaboration with Nunavut's French improv league.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Zoofest: Montreal-based alternative comedy festival featuring improv, sketch, and live comedy acts. Comparable as a French-Canadian live-comedy venue that surfaces and showcases improv talent similar to Improtéine.
• Ligue nationale d'improvisation (LNI): Long-established Quebec professional improvisation league staging French-language improv matches. Highly comparable to Improtéine's match d'impro format, audience, and competitive positioning in the Canadian Francophone improv market.
• Théâtre du Rideau Vert: Long-running Montreal French-language theater company producing plays and other live performances. Comparable as a Canadian Francophone live-theater producing company targeting similar Francophone audiences with subscription and touring programming.
• Productions Folieville: Quebec-based French-language comedy production company producing live comedy shows and comedic content. Direct peer in target market, language, and live-comedy production model.

Broad incumbents

• Second City: Globally recognized improv institution with a Toronto presence offering improv shows, training centers, and corporate entertainment. Comparable in improv format and workshop offerings, though primarily English-language and much larger scale.
• Juste Pour Rire / Just for Laughs: Major Montreal-headquartered comedy enterprise operating the Just for Laughs festival, TV productions, and live comedy programming. Overlaps with Improtéine on French-language comedy, corporate entertainment, and broadcast content production.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Improteine
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@improteine
• Facebookfacebook.com/improteine
• Instagraminstagram.com/improteine

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 Improtéine