What Agence Phare does

Agence Phare is a Paris-based, French private limited company (SAS) founded in 2014 that specializes in evidence-based evaluation of public policies and social programs. The firm mobilizes social science research methodologies - combining qualitative approaches such as semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and ethnographic observation with quantitative survey and statistical methods - to assess the effectiveness, impact, and operational design of policies and programs for government agencies, local authorities, and social economy organizations. Its service portfolio comprises five interconnected lines: public policy evaluation, social impact assessment, in-depth research studies, training programs on evaluation methodology, and consulting/project management assistance (Conseil et AMO).

The company has completed more than 100 evaluation missions across diverse policy domains including youth, education, healthcare, gender equality, social inclusion, agriculture, energy, regional development, and disability. Notable clients include French central government bodies (DITP, INJEP, ANCT, DGCS, CNAF, INCa, MASA, ADEME), major foundations (Fondation Break Poverty, Centre Hubertine Auclert, Fondation La France s'engage), and social economy organizations (Emmaüs France, Croix-Rouge française, Réseau Cocagne). Long-duration framework mandates - notably a 4-year DITP consortium agreement via partnership with Demos Helsinki and an 8-year impact measurement role for Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games legacy programs - anchor the firm's revenue base.

Agence Phare operates a sales-led B2B professional services model, acquiring clients through direct engagement with public institutions via competitive tendering and framework agreements. Pricing is contract-based and not publicly disclosed, with project scopes ranging from short-term assessments to multi-year programs. The firm is founder-led, bootstrapped (no external funding rounds), and maintains a small employee base in the 11-50 range, with no subsidiaries, no parent company, and operations confined to France. Its go-to-market relies on professional reputation, academic publications, conference participation at events such as the Journées Françaises de l'Évaluation and the Sommet de la mesure d'impact, and referrals within the French public administration and foundation ecosystem.

Name

Agence Phare

Legal name

SAS Agence Phare

Website

https://agencephare.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Agence Phare is a Paris-based consulting firm that conducts public policy evaluations and social impact assessments for French government agencies, local authorities, and foundations, using mixed qualitative and quantitative social science methods to support evidence-based decision-making.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Evaluation & Social Impact Consulting

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Donor Coordination, Monitoring & Evaluation (MEL) Programs (BPADABAN)

Keywords

• Public policy evaluation
• Social impact assessment
• Social science consulting
• Participatory evaluation
• Evaluation capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Sector Consulting Contracts: Revenue generated through contracts with government agencies, ministries, and public institutions for policy evaluation services. Projects range from short-term assessments to multi-year framework agreements.
2. Foundation and Association Contracts: Consulting revenue from foundations and social economy organizations for social impact evaluations and capacity building.
3. Training Services: Training workshops on social impact evaluation methodologies delivered to program laureates and organizational staff.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Agence Phare is a French social science-based studies, research, and consulting agency that delivers public policy evaluations, social impact assessments, applied research studies, training programs, and consulting/AMO services. It serves French government agencies, ministries, local authorities, foundations, and associations, combining rigorous qualitative and quantitative social science methods with participatory stakeholder engagement to support evidence-based public decision-making.

Product overview

Agence Phare is a specialized research and consulting firm offering five interconnected service lines: public policy evaluation (Évaluation de politiques publiques), social impact assessment (Évaluation d'impact social), research and studies (Études et recherche), training programs (Formations), and consulting/AMO services. The firm specializes in evaluation methodologies combining social science approaches with quantitative and qualitative methods to support evidence-based public decision-making.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Évaluation de politiques publiques (Public Policy Evaluation) Externalized and participatory public policy evaluation services for government agencies and public institutions, including co-construction approaches with stakeholders.
• Évaluation d'impact social (Social Impact Assessment) Social impact assessment for associations and social enterprises across diverse fields including youth, education, professional integration, healthcare, and gender equality.
• Études et recherche (Studies and Research) In-depth research studies for ministries, local authorities, and associations, using qualitative and quantitative methods to illuminate societal challenges.
• Formations (Training Programs) Training programs on social impact evaluation methodology, participatory approaches, and evaluation capacity building for ESS organizations and foundation laureates.
• Conseil et AMO (Consulting and Project Management Assistance) Consulting and project management assistance for public policy design, strategy development, and implementation support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Evaluated over 100 public policies and social programs across France since 2014
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 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

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Demos HelsinkicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2019Finnish think tank forming a consortium with Agence Phare for a 4-year framework agreement with DITP to accompany public administrations in experimentation and impact evaluation. Consortium also includes Vraiment Vraiment, Roland Berger, Le Chêne et le Roseau, TEPP, and Cécile Fanton d'Andon.
• Les Beaux JoursminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign consultancy partnered with Agence Phare for ESS policy support project with Conseil Départemental du Val-de-Marne.
• Les Petites RivièresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign partner contributing to ESS policy design initiative with Agence Phare for Val-de-Marne department.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ITINERE Conseil: French consultancy specialized in public policy evaluation and social impact assessment, serving governments, local authorities, and associative actors. Comparable to Agence Phare in size, methodology, and customer base, making it a direct French MEL/evaluation peer.
• Vraiment Vraiment: French social innovation and public-interest design consultancy that is part of the same DITP consortium as Agence Phare. Both firms serve French government agencies and ESS organizations with participatory, social-science-driven approaches, making them directly comparable boutique players.
• Technopolis Group: European policy evaluation and research-based consultancy that provides R&D and public policy impact assessments to governments, foundations, and international bodies. Directly comparable to Agence Phare given shared MEL, evaluation methodology, and public-sector focus.

Broad incumbents

• EY-Parthenon France: EY's strategy consulting arm, with a public sector and social impact practice serving French ministries and territorial authorities. Overlaps with Agence Phare on transformation and impact evaluation work, though it competes as part of a much larger professional services portfolio.
• BearingPoint: European-headquartered management and technology consultancy with a substantial public sector practice. Competes with Agence Phare for French government mandates involving transformation, experimentation, and impact evaluation, but at a far larger scale.
• McKinsey & Company (Public & Social Sector Practice): Global consultancy with a dedicated Public & Social Sector practice advising governments and foundations on policy effectiveness. Competes with Agence Phare on French public-sector mandates, but at a fundamentally different scale and price point.
• KPMG France: Big Four firm with a public sector and impact advisory practice serving French ministries, agencies, and the ESS sector. KPMG France overlaps with Agence Phare on policy evaluation and social impact mandates, though it operates a much broader portfolio.
• Roland Berger: Global strategy consultancy with a public sector and transformation practice. Roland Berger is part of the same DITP consortium as Agence Phare, illustrating how a large incumbent competes with, and partners alongside, boutiques on public-policy mandates.
• Ipsos Public Affairs: Global research firm with a dedicated Public Affairs practice delivering policy evaluation, citizen engagement, and impact studies. Comparable to Agence Phare in serving government clients with mixed-methods research, but at materially greater scale.
• BVA: French opinion and social research firm with a public-sector and social-innovation practice. Comparable to Agence Phare in delivering policy-relevant studies to French institutions and foundations, though at broader scale and with stronger commercial survey capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sas-agence-phare

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Agence Phare