ecopole

What ecopole does

Écopôle (legal name: ECOPOLE CPIE Pays de Nantes) is a French non-profit association (association loi 1901) founded in 2000 and headquartered at 31 rue Louis Joxe, Nantes, operating under the CPIE (Centre Permanent d'Initiatives pour l'Environnement) label granted through URCPIE, the national CPIE federation. The organization functions as the designated network head (tête de réseau) for environmental and sustainable-development actors across the Nantes metropolitan area and Loire-Atlantique department, coordinating a membership of over 250 associations, businesses, local authorities, and individuals, governed by a 27-member board and supported by a 15-person staff team. Activity is organized across three operational poles: the Network Pole (animating the membership, shared agenda, communication channels, and resource center), the Education Pole (delivering seven themed metropolitan pedagogical programs covering air, mobility, food, biodiversity, waste, water, energy, and flood risk into schools), and the Projects and Territories Pole (developing territorial initiatives such as Allées de la nature, Zero Waste Territory, and sustainable food).

The service portfolio spans structured school-based environmental education programs; a documentation and pedagogical resource center; rotating scenography installations (currently the 6th edition "(S')ENTENDRE," April 2026 to March 2027); the Carnet de Balades digital walking-trail guide; participatory mapping tools (Allées de la Nature, Écoles Engagées); professional training modules on digital fabrication and documentation in partnership with PiNG; paid workshops (e.g., Fresque océan at €10, TetraPak engraving at €15, multi-day workshops at €300); and a recently formalized business biodiversity accompaniment offering. Distribution is delivered through direct on-site engagement at headquarters, off-site school programs, public events, and a HelloAsso-backed self-serve registration and membership platform. The technology base is a WordPress content portal; no AI/ML, proprietary software, or APIs are disclosed.

The revenue model combines Nantes Métropole public funding for educational programs, supplemental co-funding from the Loire-Atlantique Department, individual and organizational membership dues, paid workshop and event fees, training revenue from professional development sessions, and emerging paid services for businesses. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. Customer segments are diversified across schools, municipalities, member associations, businesses, and the general public, but financial dependence is concentrated on a small number of public-sector counterparties.

Name

ecopole

Legal name

ECOPOLE CPIE Pays de Nantes

Website

https://ecopole.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Écopôle (CPIE Pays de Nantes) is a French non-profit environmental association founded in 2000 that coordinates a network of 250+ environmental actors and delivers themed school-based environmental education programs across the Nantes metropolitan area and Loire-Atlantique department.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education Services

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

Keywords

• Environmental education services
• Environmental network coordination
• CPIE association
• Ecological transition programs
• Professional environmental training

Headquarters

HQ city

Nantes

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from individuals, associations, self-employed professionals, and businesses. Members receive access to the tiered space, training modules, shared agenda, resource center, and communication channels as benefits of membership.
2. Event Fees and Workshop Charges: Revenue from paid workshops and events, such as the Fresque océane at 10€ and the TetraPak engraving workshop at 15€.
3. Training and Professional Development Services: Professional training sessions on topics such as collective technical workshop facilitation, free tool-based monitoring, digital documentation, laser cutting, 3D printing, numerical embroidery, and electronic repair, offered in partnership with PiNG and other entities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Écopôle coordinates a regional environmental network of over 250 actors and delivers environmental education programs, training workshops, and community engagement services in the Nantes metropolitan area. It operates three interconnected poles (Network coordination, Education, Projects and Territories) and runs metropolitan pedagogical programs covering water, biodiversity, waste, energy, mobility, food, and flood risks for schools, alongside a documentation/resource center, rotating scenography exhibitions, and a shared tier-lieu workspace.

Product overview

Écopôle CPIE Pays de Nantes is an environmental network association operating in the Nantes metropolitan area. It offers a unified platform of environmental education and engagement services organized across three main poles: the Network Pole (Réseau) managing a network of over 250 actors; the Education Pole (Éducation) providing pedagogical programs and a resource center; and the Projects and Territories Pole (Projets et Territoires) developing sustainable operations. Key offerings include metropolitan educational programs (water, biodiversity, waste, energy, mobility, food), scenography exhibitions, the Carnet de Balades walking guide, the Allées de la Nature mapping initiative, professional training modules, and access to a shared workspace (Tiers-Lieu). The organization serves schools, associations, businesses, and individuals through information, sensitization, education, and mobilization for ecological transition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Programmes pédagogiques métropolitains (Metropolitan Educational Programs) Structured environmental education programs covering seven thematic areas (water, biodiversity, waste, energy, mobility, food, flood risks) delivered to school children across the Nantes metropolitan area, funded by Nantes Métropole.
• Entreprises et biodiversité — Offre d'accompagnement Accompaniment offer for businesses seeking to integrate biodiversity and environmental transition actions into their operations, including sensitization workshops.
• Allées de la nature (Nature Corridors) Participatory mapping initiative to highlight water, garden, and biodiversity projects in neighborhoods across the Nantes metropolitan area, with resident accompaniment and 'Quartiers libres pour la nature' component.
• Vers un territoire Zéro Déchet (Zero Waste Territory) Zero waste territory program including waste collection accompaniments (action citoyenne déchets), SERD events, and sensitization devices for citizens and schools.
• Vers une alimentation responsable (Sustainable Food) Program accompanying organizations and citizens toward sustainable food practices.
• Défis climat (Climate Challenges) Climate challenge program engaging citizens and organizations in ecological transition initiatives.
• À l'échelle des villes (At the City Scale) City-level accompaniment program supporting municipalities with environmental transition partnerships, including partnership content and accompanied city listings.
• Scénographies (Exhibition Design Program) Rotating physical and digital scenography exhibitions hosted at Écopôle's headquarters, with the 6th edition '(S')ENTENDRE' running April 2026 to March 2027 focused on popular ecology and collective initiatives.
• Centre de documentation et de ressources en environnement Environmental documentation and resource center providing educational materials, tools, exhibitions, and notes d'éclairage (briefing notes) accessible to network members for loan.
• Centre de ressources pédagogiques (Pedagogical Resource Center) Educational resource center providing documentation, tools, and pedagogical materials for environmental education, including the Programme air and Programme Mobilus.
• Formations (Professional Training Modules) Professional training modules in partnership with PiNG covering laser cutting, 3D printing, digital embroidery, electronics repair, digital documentation, collective workshop facilitation, and free tool-based monitoring.
• Carnet de Balades (Nature Walking Trail Guide) Digital guide to nature walking trails across the Nantes metropolitan area.
• Écoles Engagées (Engaged Schools) Participatory mapping initiative highlighting schools committed to ecological transition in Nantes Métropole.
• Tiers-Lieu d'Écopôle (Shared Workspace) Shared workspace available to network members for workshops, meetings, and equipment sharing at Écopôle headquarters (31 rue Louis Joxe, Nantes).
• Adhésion au réseau de l'environnement (Environmental Network Membership) Annual membership program granting individuals, associations, self-employed professionals, and businesses access to the tiered space, training modules, shared events agenda, resource center, and communication channels of the environmental network.

Quantifiable outcome

• Network of over 250 actors in the Nantes metropolitan area
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nantes MétropolecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNantes Métropole provides financial support for Écopôle's educational programs covering air, mobility, food, biodiversity, waste, water, and energy. Écopôle delivers structured environmental education programs funded by the metropolitan authority across schools in the territory.
• FAE (Fédération des Amis de l'Erdre)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAE is an implementing partner for the flood risk education program, contributing to animation sessions alongside Écopôle's other network members.
• EstuariumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstuarium, the heritage education center for the Loire estuary, participates as an implementing partner in the flood risk education program managed by Écopôle.
• CompostriminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompostri is a network member involved in the waste prevention education program, offering composting-related animations and activities.
• Ateliers Zéro DéchetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZero Waste workshops association is a member involved in the waste education program, providing hands-on zero waste workshops for schools.
• La Galerie du Zéro DéchetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Zero Waste Gallery hosts workshops and events related to the waste reduction program and is listed as a member resource.
• Les Alchimistes Loire-AtlantiqueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLes Alchimistes, an ESUS company collecting and composting food waste, partners in the waste and food education programs, providing site visits and sensitization activities.
• CLCV Loire-AtlantiqueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLCV (Consommation, Logement et Cadre de Vie) UD44 participates in the waste prevention education program, contributing consumer and environment protection expertise.
• Le Zeste en PlusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLe Zeste en Plus accompanies organizations and citizens toward sustainable food, and is a network member contributing to food and waste education programs.
• JardineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJardine association provides gardening and nature workshops for schools as part of the biodiversity and waste education programs.
• L'Atelier du FuroshikiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerL'Atelier du Furoshiki provides zero waste wrapping technique workshops as part of the waste reduction education program.
• AliséeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlisée association implements eco-mobility and energy education programs (Écomobilité, Défi Class'énergie) for schools in the Nantes metropolitan area.
• L'ÉchappéeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerL'Échappée, a naturalist and cycling entrepreneur, implements eco-mobility education programs combining nature discovery with bicycle instruction.
• Petits Débrouillards Grand OuestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPetits Débrouillards Grand Ouest provides scientific and environmental education animations for the energy education program, covering topics from energy basics to climate change.
• ACCOORDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACCOORD, a socio-cultural network, participates in the energy education program as an implementing partner for school-based activities.
• Bretagne VivanteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBretagne Vivante, a nature protection association, participates in the water education program and contributes to school-based natural environment activities.
• L'École BuissonnièreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerL'École Buissonnière provides biodiversity education activities through games, nature outings, and habitat observation for school programs.
• E2PN (Éducation Passion Pêche Nature)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerE2PN contributes water cycle and aquatic ecosystem education to the water education program through fishing-based activities and environmental discovery.
• Village Terre et VieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVillage Terre et Vie participates in the water education program as an implementing partner for school activities.
• Les Films du MasqueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLes Films du Masque contributes to the water education program as an implementing partner, providing artistic and media resources.
• Folle BrindilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFolle Brindille, a naturalist education association, participates in the water education program as well as broader biodiversity and environmental education activities.
• PiNG (Pingbase)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPiNG (Pingbase) is a key training partner offering professional development sessions on topics including laser cutting, 3D printing, digital embroidery, electronics repair, co-design, and digital documentation. These sessions are hosted or promoted through Écopôle's events platform.
• Atelier Zéro DéchetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtelier Zéro Déchet contributes to the energy education program as an implementing partner for school-based environmental education activities.
• Loire-Atlantique DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Loire-Atlantique Department hosts and funds the 'La Tournée du Climat et de la Biodiversité' exhibition at Hôtel du Département in Nantes (May-June 2026) and recruits mediators through Écopôle's job platform.
• URCPIE (Union des CPIE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerÉcopôle is affiliated with the national CPIE network (Union des CPIE), which provides the label and institutional framework. The URCPIE logo and affiliation are referenced on the association's communications.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ecopole.cpie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecopole-cpie-pays-de-nantes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 ecopole