Apep

What Apep does

APEP·IA (Asociación Profesional Española de Privacidad e Inteligencia Artificial, previously APEP) is a Spain-based nonprofit professional association founded to represent and develop the privacy and data protection profession. The association operates as the largest community of Data Protection Officers (DPOs) and privacy professionals in Spain, offering a unified portfolio of member services including specialized training courses (priced €750–€1,100), professional certifications (CIPDP via APEP·ALAP, ECPP, ACP), a searchable member directory of 121+ collaborating companies, and an annual international congress now in its 12th edition. Members adhere to a binding Ethical Code, and APEP·IA sits on the Consultative Council of the Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (AEPD), giving it a formal advisory voice over Spanish data protection policy.

The business model rests on three monetization vectors: recurring individual and corporate membership fees, paid specialized training delivered in-person and via streaming, and professional certification programs for DPOs (Junior and Expert levels), auditors, consultants, and security managers. Distribution is primarily self-serve via apepia.com and certificaciones.apep.es, with additional reach through CEDPO (the European DPO umbrella) for international events such as the CEDPO DPO Conference 2026. Marketing relies on organic channels, professional networks, the annual Congress, a podcast presence, and press/PR awards.

The organization is independent and member-governed (Junta Directiva), with no disclosed venture or private equity backing and no parent company. Headquartered at Palacio de Miraflores in Madrid, it operates exclusively in Spain in terms of membership enrollment but participates in European-level DPO advocacy. Revenue, headcount, and founding date are not publicly disclosed in the available source material, limiting quantitative analysis to inferred ranges.

Name

Apep

Legal name

Asociación Profesional Española de Privacidad e Inteligencia Artificial

Website

https://apep.es

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

APEP·IA is the largest nonprofit professional association of Data Protection Officers and privacy professionals in Spain, offering training, certification, a member directory, and annual congresses, with a formal seat on the AEPD Consultative Council.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Privacy Professional Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Consent, Preference & Compliance Management (Opt-in/Privacy Operations) (MPAAAIAM)

Keywords

• Privacy professional services
• Data protection training
• DPO certification programs
• Privacy compliance education
• Professional association services

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Membership Fees: Individual and corporate membership fees provide recurring revenue. Individual members include full members (profesionales de pleno derecho) and junior members (less than 2 years experience). Corporate members receive additional benefits including a special directory listing and ability to designate beneficiaries for APEP·IA services.
2. Professional Training Programs: Specialized training courses and educational programs delivered in-person and via streaming. Course offerings include Inteligencia Artificial y Protección de Datos, Auditoría de Protección de Datos, Movimientos nacionales e internacionales de datos, and Alfabetización general en materia de IA. Prices range from €750 to €1,100 (IVA incluído) with discounts for members.
3. Professional Certification: Certification programs including CIPDP (Certificación Internacional en Protección de Datos Personales), ECPP, and ACP certifications. Certifications available for DPO (Junior/Experto), Auditor, Consultor, and Security Manager roles. Can be obtained through training or experience/accreditation pathways.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

APEP·IA is a professional association that delivers specialized training courses (in-person and via streaming), professional certifications (CIPDP, ECPP, ACP) for DPOs, auditors, consultants, and security managers, and directory services connecting privacy professionals and companies. Revenue is generated through individual and corporate membership fees, paid training courses (€750–€1,100), and certification fees.

Product overview

APEP·IA is a professional association offering a unified portfolio of services for privacy and AI professionals in Spain. The core offerings include specialized training programs (Formación APEP·IA) covering AI and data protection, data protection auditing, and international data transfers; professional certification programs (CIPDP and ACP certifications) for DPOs, auditors, and consultants; and directory services connecting members with companies and certified professionals. The association also organizes the annual XII Congreso Internacional de Privacidad e Inteligencia Artificial and administers awards recognizing excellence in the field. The certifications platform (certificaciones.apep.es) and the member directory (directorio-asociados and directorio Empresas) provide additional member value and professional positioning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Certificación Internacional en Protección de Datos Personales (CIPDP) APEP·ALAP: International certification program in personal data protection offered jointly with APEP·ALAP

Products and services

• Formación APEP·IA

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (AEPD)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPEP·IA is a member of the Consultative Council of the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD), a key advisory body that plays a fundamental role in the development and interpretation of data protection public policies in Spain. This position establishes APEP·IA as a recognized interlocutor with the primary data protection regulator in Spain.
• CEDPO (CorporateDPO Europe)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPEP·IA participates as a member in CEDPO, the European association of Data Protection Officers. The association enables participation in the CEDPO DPO Conference 2026 in Brussels, connecting Spanish privacy professionals with their European counterparts.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IAPP (International Association of Privacy Professionals): IAPP is the largest global professional association for privacy professionals, offering certifications (CIPP/E, CIPM, etc.), training, and networking. It is the most direct comparator to APEP·IA, serving a similar member base at significantly greater international scale.

Broad incumbents

• ISACA: ISACA is a global professional association for IT governance, risk, cybersecurity, and privacy professionals offering certifications (CISA, CISM, CDPSE) and training. Comparable to APEP·IA in offering privacy-adjacent credentials and a member-driven governance model, but operating at much larger scale and broader scope.
• (ISC)²: (ISC)² is a major international nonprofit association for information security professionals, providing certifications (CISSP, CCSP, etc.) and member benefits. Comparable as a nonprofit professional association with a certification-led business model overlapping privacy and security domains.
• European Data Protection Board (EDPB): EDPB is the EU-level independent body composed of national data protection authorities that issues GDPR guidance. Although a regulator rather than an association, it shapes the policy environment APEP·IA operates in and frequently co-participates in the same professional forums and events.

Regional players

• ISMS Forum Spain: ISMS Forum is a Spanish professional association focused on information security management and data protection. It serves a closely overlapping Spanish member base of CISOs, DPOs, and compliance professionals, and is a natural regional peer within Spain.
• AFPD (Association Française des Correspondants à la protection des données): AFPD is a French association of data protection correspondents that provides training, networking, and advocacy for DPOs in France. It is structurally analogous to APEP·IA at a national level, making it a useful cross-border benchmark for European DPO association models.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/asociacionapep
• LinkedInes.linkedin.com/company/asociacionapep

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Apep