Best Foundations Companies in France
The 120 best Foundations companies in France in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: Solidarites.
France's Foundations sector has 120 tracked organizations between them pulling $517M in disclosed funding, and if you want to know where the serious capital is sitting, this directory ranks them by exactly that. Solidarites leads the pack at $171M, followed closely by Alima at $137M and HI at $124M. Together those three alone account for more than 80% of the total pool. The most active funders shaping the field read like a geopolitical map: the European Union, USAID, the U.S. Department of State, HHS. No unicorns here, but the funding concentration is real and the institutional money is deliberate.
So what's moving the sector right now? Philanthropic attention is shifting in interesting ways globally, and I'd point you to the Gates Foundation's full exit from its Microsoft stake as a signal that even the largest endowments are rethinking how they hold and deploy assets. Closer to the grassroots end, intergenerational giving models are gaining visibility as foundations look beyond single-generation donor structures. France's foundations landscape sits right at that intersection: institutionally funded at the top, with a long tail of 120 organizations finding creative ways to stay relevant and funded.
Ranked: Best Foundations companies in France
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Stage | Employees | Tech stack | Web popularity | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solidarites Provider of humanitarian aid focusing on water access and disaster relief | $171M | 32 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | WordPressProton MailApple iCloud Mail+38 | Top 1M | — |
| 2 | ALIMA NGO focused on caring for vulnerable people during emergencies and recurrent crises | $137M | 17 mo ago | Funding Raised | 5 | WordPressMySQLPHP+35 | Top 5M | 1 job opening |
| 3 | HI Nonprofit organization that provides humanitarian aid and assistance to communities affected by poverty… | $124M | 36 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | ETSI Foundation focused on ICT-enabled systems, applications & services deployed across all sectors of industry… | $32M | 33 mo ago | Funding Raised | 386 | WordPressMySQLPHP+17 | Top 1M | 1 partnership |
| 5 | EURORDIS-Rare Diseases Europe Home - EURORDIS | $16M | 41 mo ago | Funding Raised | 120 | WordPressMySQLPHP+30 | Top 5M | 1 job opening · 1 partnership · 1 award |
| 6 | IRD A foundation focused on research & development sector | $16M | 50 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | WordPressMySQLPHP+22 | Top 1M | — |
| 7 | Culturespaces Provider of management of monuments, museums and art centers | $6M | 54 mo ago | Acquired | 400 | DrupalPHPSalesforce+15 | Top 5M | 1 expansion · 1 award |
| 8 | Strane Innovation Developer of sustainable solutions for environmental and societal challenges | $5M | 69 mo ago | Funding Raised | 19 | — | — | 1 internship |
| 9 | Samusocial International Nonprofit organization that provides emergency intervention and support services to marginalized groups, with… | $4M | 38 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | WordPress Block EditorElementorCart Functionality+28 | Top 10M | — |
| 10 | NOHA Foundation focused on humanitarian sector through education, research, and networking | $4M | 101 mo ago | Funding Raised | 1 | NginxTypekitFont Awesome+4 | Top 5M | — |
| 11 | Gifts for Change Foundation focused on collecting funds for associative projects | $1M | 73 mo ago | Seed | 19 | Cart FunctionalityWooCommerceWordPress+33 | Top 10M | — |
| 12 | REN21 Network providing renewable energy data and strategic intelligence | $736K | 65 mo ago | Funding Raised | 40 | WordPressPleskMySQL+31 | Top 5M | — |
| 13 | EmpowHer Empow'Her - Accompagner les femmes entrepreneures | $327K | 34 mo ago | Funding Raised | 86 | WordPress Block EditorWordPressMySQL+23 | Top 5M | — |
| 14 | EDRLab EDRLab – European Digital Reading Lab | $197K | 29 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | WordPressMySQLPHP+18 | Top 5M | — |
| 15 | CRESITT Industrie Technological center specializing in electronics, secured wireless embedded systems, and instrumentation | $142K | 40 mo ago | Funding Raised | 8 | — | — | 1 partnership |
| 16 | Ecologic Environmental services organization accredited by the government to manage the collection, recycling, and… | $109K | 92 mo ago | Funding Raised | 30 | Cart FunctionalityJoomlaPHP+16 | Top 5M | 3 partnerships |
Top 12 Foundations companies in France
#1
Funding Raised · Paris, Ile de France · founded 2009 · 5 employees$136.7Mraised▾
NGO focused on caring for vulnerable people during emergencies and recurrent crises
- Jan 2025Grant (prize money)$500K
- Jul 2023Grant (prize money)—
- May 2023Grant (prize money)$2.2M
- Apr 2023Grant (prize money)$2.2M
#2
Funding Raised · Clichy, Ile de France · founded 1980$170.6Mraised▾
Provider of humanitarian aid focusing on water access and disaster relief. This organization delivers emergency response to crises, combating waterborne diseases and food insecurity. They work to provide sustainable solutions for long-term aid, including water infrastructure development. The organization also engages in advocacy and awareness campaigns related to humanitarian issues. Their operations span numerous countries, adapting their approach to the specific needs of each region. They support communities through various initiatives, aiming to improve living conditions and resilience.
- Oct 2023Grant (prize money)$3.6M
- Jun 2023Grant (prize money)$1.1M
- May 2023Grant (prize money)$1.8M
- Apr 2023Grant (prize money)$932.6K
#3
Funding Raised · Lyon, Auvergne Rhone Alpes · founded 1982$123.7Mraised▾
HI is a humanitarian organization that provides aid and support to individuals and communities in areas of poverty, conflict, and disaster. The organization's mission is to alleviate suffering and promote inclusive and sustainable development. With a focus on impartiality and neutrality, HI works to provide lifesaving assistance and support to those in need.
- Jun 2023Grant (prize money)$429.7K
- Apr 2023Grant (prize money)$2.7M
- Nov 2022Grant (prize money)$1.6M
- Oct 2022Grant (prize money)$387.1K
#4
Funding Raised · Valbonne, Provence Alpes Cote d Azur · founded 1988 · 386 employees$32.2Mraised▾
ETSI is a not-for-profit organization that produces globally applicable standards for ICT-enabled systems, applications, and services deployed across all sectors of industry and society. They offer free downloads of their ICT standards and maintain an IPR database.
- Sep 2023Grant (prize money)$122.5K
- Apr 2023Grant (prize money)$272.1K
- Mar 2023Grant (prize money)$315.8K
- Jan 2023Grant (prize money)$214.5K
#5
Funding Raised · Paris · founded 1997 · 120 employees$16.5Mraised▾
EURORDIS - Rare Diseases Europe. We advocate for, empower and engage people living with a rare disease in Europe.
- Jan 2023Grant (prize money)$1.4M
- Mar 2022Grant (prize money)$1.1M
- Mar 2021Grant (prize money)$173K
- Jan 2021Grant (prize money)$1.3M
#6
Funding Raised · Marseille, Provence Alpes Cote d Azur · founded 1998$15.6Mraised▾
A foundation focused on research & development sector
- Apr 2022Grant (prize money)—
- Feb 2022Grant (prize money)$297.4K
- Dec 2021Grant (prize money)—
- Dec 2021Grant (prize money)—
#7
Funding Raised · Paris, Ile de France · founded 1998$4.3Mraised▾
Samusocial International is a non-profit organization focused on emergency intervention and social exclusion, providing medical, psycho-social, educational, and legal services to marginalized groups, particularly children and youth in street situations. With a presence in multiple countries, the organization aims to promote actions and disseminate knowledge on social exclusion, empowering individuals to overcome adversity. Its activities are centered around five main missions, with a network of 14 organizations worldwide.
- Apr 2023Grant (prize money)—
- Jan 2022Grant (prize money)$227.5K
- May 2020Grant (prize money)$40.3K
- Jan 2020Grant (prize money)$40.3K
#8
Funding Raised · France · founded 2016 · 84 employees$12Kraised▾
Network providing support and resources for women's rights and safety. It focuses on combating violence against women through financial, legal, and material support. The network aids impactful initiatives and projects. It also promotes economic empowerment and equality.
- Feb 2025Grant (prize money)$12K
#9
Acquired · Paris, Ile de France · founded 1990 · 400 employees$5.8Mraised▾
Provider of management of monuments, museums and art centers
- Dec 2021Grant (prize money)$2.1M
- Sep 2021Grant (prize money)$234.7K
- Sep 2021Grant (prize money)$235.2K
- Jul 2021Grant (prize money)$2.1M
#10
Funding Raised · Gif-sur-yvette, Centre · founded 2013 · 19 employees$4.9Mraised▾
Developer of sustainable solutions for environmental and societal challenges. It focuses on four key areas: circular economy applications in industry; water resource preservation and flood prevention; sustainable agriculture and biodiversity protection; and social innovation and cognitive sciences. Research and innovation activities support its operational work, creating and deploying large-scale impactful innovations. The organization develops solutions for transforming waste into circular products, reducing water consumption and reusing unconventional water sources, modeling and preventing runoff flooding, and promoting sustainable agriculture practices. Advanced research in cognitive sciences complements its other initiatives.
- Sep 2020Grant (prize money)$95.6K
- Jan 2020Grant (prize money)$334.6K
- Jan 2020Grant (prize money)$463.2K
- Jan 2020Grant (prize money)$95.6K
#11
Funding Raised · Paris · founded 2015$197.3Kraised▾
EDRLab – European Digital Reading Lab
- Jan 2024Grant (prize money)$109K
- Jan 2023Grant (prize money)$88.3K
#12
Funding Raised · Paris, Ile de France · founded 2013 · 86 employees$326.8Kraised▾
Encourager l'autonomisation conomique et sociale des femmes travers le monde en renforant leur capacit entreprendre..
- Jul 2023Grant (prize money)$236.7K
- Feb 2020Grant (prize money)$90.1K
Funding & investor landscape
Notable founders
Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage
Share of Foundations coverage by sub-theme.
Regulatory-risk over time rising
Funding & growth over time
funding rising · growth rising
Common questions
Rohit lives in the feed. He covers what's moving right now — the funding rounds, launches and shifts breaking across the trade press — and ties them back to where the sector is heading.