Cooperating Volunteers

What Cooperating Volunteers does

Cooperating Volunteers, S.L. is a Barcelona-headquartered (L'Hospitalet de Llobregat) private limited company operating an international volunteer placement platform across 40+ countries on five continents. Founded around 2010, the company connects individual volunteers, university students, families, seniors, and corporate groups with community development projects in education, medical care, childcare, construction, environmental conservation, animal welfare, and women's empowerment. The company reports having served 22,515+ volunteers since inception, with offices in Barcelona and Madrid.

The core technology is a web-based volunteer placement platform built on WordPress (with qTranslate multilingual support), featuring an online application system, a participant self-service portal (panel.cooperatingvolunteers.com), and Google Analytics plus Zopim Chat integrations. The product portfolio centers on the Voluntariado Internacional core offering, supplemented by modular programs including university internship placements (Prácticas Universitarias with credit convalidation), an e-GAP Year structured program, and dedicated family, senior, and corporate volunteering tracks. In September 2023 the company launched Cooperating NGO, a wholly-owned subsidiary that channels economic support to local partner organizations for sustainable education and health projects.

The revenue model is multi-stream and transactional: per-placement program fees that vary by country and duration (e.g., Indonesia €820/2 weeks, Philippines €330/week, Cambodia €560/2 weeks, China €430/week), a mandatory three-tier registration fee (BASE €210, SMART €250, FLEXIBLE €310) with differentiated refund and flexibility terms, and intermediated travel-adjacent services including flights, visa processing (via the Honorary Consulate of Uganda), travel insurance (via Villamuza & Cea / Europ Assistance), and eSIM connectivity (via Airalo). Go-to-market is primarily direct-to-consumer through the website, augmented by event-driven recruitment (Saló de l'Ensenyament, university fairs), sales-led corporate CSR programs, and channel partnerships with retail travel agencies and universities. The company holds B Corp certification and operates an internal Sello Cooperating quality standard evaluating 7 variables per destination.

Name

Cooperating Volunteers

Legal name

Cooperating Volunteers, S.L.

Website

https://cooperatingvolunteers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cooperating Volunteers, S.L. is a Barcelona-based private company that places international volunteers into community development projects across 40+ countries, serving students, families, seniors, and corporate groups through a web-based booking platform and a wholly-owned Cooperating NGO subsidiary launched in 2023.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Volunteer Travel Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAIAGAM

In-Country Placement, Homestay & On-Ground Coordination Services

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/International Service Learning, Volunteering & Gap Year Programs

SECONDARYEDAIAGAD

Education & Teaching Volunteer Programs

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/International Service Learning, Volunteering & Gap Year Programs

SECONDARYEDAIAGAC

Public Health & Medical Volunteering Programs

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/International Service Learning, Volunteering & Gap Year Programs

SECONDARYEDAIAGAB

Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/International Service Learning, Volunteering & Gap Year Programs

SECONDARYEDAIAFAE

Unpaid/Volunteer-Linked Work Placement Programs

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/International Internships, Co-ops & Work Placement Programs

Keywords

• International volunteer programs
• Volunteer travel agency
• Community development volunteering
• Corporate volunteering services
• Gap year programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Mataró

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Volunteer Program Fees: Fees charged for participating in international volunteering programs at various destinations. Costs vary by country and program duration (e.g., Indonesia 820€ for 2 weeks, Philippines 330€/week, Cambodia 560€ for 2 weeks, China 430-410€/week).
2. Registration/Enrollment Fees: Three-tier registration structure: BASE (210€), SMART (250€), FLEXIBLE (310€). These cover program reservation and administrative costs.
3. Air Services: Flight services offered to volunteers, intermediated through the platform.
4. Visa Services: Visa processing services through Consulate of Uganda, intermediated service.
5. eSIM Services: Airalo eSIM cards sold through the platform for volunteer connectivity.
6. Travel Insurance: Mandatory travel insurance sold through the platform, intermediated by Villamuza & Cea brokerage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cooperating Volunteers places individual participants in international volunteering programs across 40+ countries on five continents, providing end-to-end support including airport pickup, accommodation, meals, 24/7 local coordination, orientation, and a completion certificate. The company also offers specialized tracks for university students (credit-bearing internships), families, seniors, and corporate groups, and intermediated services such as travel insurance, visas, eSIM, and flights.

Product overview

Cooperating Volunteers operates as an international volunteering travel agency connecting volunteers with community development projects across 40+ countries on five continents. The core offering is the Voluntariado Internacional platform, which organizes volunteer programs in education, medical care, childcare, construction, environmental conservation, and animal welfare. Supporting modules include university internship programs (Prácticas Universitarias), e-GAP year, family and senior volunteering programs, and corporate volunteering services. The company launched its own NGO (Cooperating NGO) in September 2023 to provide economic support to local partners. Additional services include the Sello Cooperating quality certification, volunteer certificates, and a participant portal for program management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Voluntariado Internacional (International Volunteering Programs) End-to-end international volunteer placement program connecting individuals with community development projects across 40+ countries on five continents, including airport pickup, accommodation, meals, 24/7 local support, orientation, and a completion certificate.
• Prácticas Universitarias (University Internships) Credit-bearing international internship placements for university students in medical, nursing, education, social work, psychology, physiotherapy, engineering, and architecture, delivered through partnerships with universities.
• e-GAP Year Structured gap year program combining volunteering placements with personal development and cultural immersion for young adults taking time between studies or career starts.
• Voluntariado Familiar (Family Volunteering) Family-oriented international volunteering programs that adapt destinations and projects to different ages, promoting solidarity, social responsibility, and family bonding.
• Voluntariado Senior (Senior Volunteering) Customizable international volunteering programs for older adults, with adaptable destinations and durations in education, social support, and community center assistance.
• Voluntariado Corporativo (Corporate Volunteering) Customized corporate international volunteering programs for team-building, employee engagement, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, with on-site coordination.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22,515+ volunteers served since 2010
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cooperating NGOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023Own NGO launched in September 2023 to build bridges between volunteer humanitarian action and community needs. Focuses on sustainable projects in education and health in developing countries.
• Local Organizations in Destination CountriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn each country, local organizations accompany volunteers throughout all stages of their experience, providing on-ground coordination and support.
• Various UniversitiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUniversity partnerships for credit convalidation, enabling students to earn academic credits while volunteering abroad. Specialties include medical, nursing, education, social work, psychology, physiotherapy, engineering, and architecture.
• Consulate Honorario of UgandaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVisa processing services for Uganda through the Consulate Honorifico de Uganda, intermediated by Cooperating Volunteers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IVHQ (International Volunteer HQ): Largest global volunteer placement platform offering affordable programs in 40+ countries across education, community, conservation, and healthcare. Directly comparable in destination breadth, volunteer categories, and DTC booking flow.
• Projects Abroad: Established international volunteer and internship provider with placements across 30+ countries in healthcare, teaching, conservation, and child care. Closely comparable service catalog and target demographics.
• GoEco: Eco-focused volunteer placement agency operating in 40+ countries, comparable in geographic scope and emphasis on community/conservation projects.
• GVI (Global Vision International): Volunteer and intern programs in 20+ countries with a strong sustainability/ESG positioning. Comparable offering mix including conservation, education, and structured gap-year programs.
• Maximo Nivel: Latin America-focused volunteer, internship, and Spanish-immersion provider; directly comparable in destinations (Costa Rica, Peru, Guatemala) and the credit-convalidation / university partnerships motion.
• Love Volunteers: International volunteer placement agency with programs in 30+ countries across healthcare, teaching, and community development. Comparable pricing tiers and self-serve booking model.

Regional players

• African Impact: Africa-focused volunteer operator with placements across multiple African countries. Comparable in destination overlap (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa) and community project focus.

Emerging players

• Volunteer World: Online marketplace aggregating volunteer programs globally; comparable as a discovery and booking platform, though operates as a marketplace rather than direct operator.
• InteGlobal: Provides international internship and volunteer placements with university partnerships, directly comparable in the university credit-convalidation sales motion.

Broad incumbents

• STA Travel / StudentUniverse: Broader student/youth travel distributor that historically bundled volunteer add-ons; relevant as a competitor for the student/gap-year customer and a potential distribution channel.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCz2eopTIwOCd8Y8U_Ex4knQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/cooperatingvolunteers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cooperating-volunteers
• Instagraminstagram.com/cooperatingvolunteers
• Xx.com/CopVolunteers

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Cooperating Volunteers