APDPE - Asociación Profesional de Detectives Privados de España

What APDPE - Asociación Profesional de Detectives Privados de España does

APDPE (Asociación Profesional de Detectives Privados de España) is a Madrid-headquartered nonprofit professional association representing the Spanish private investigation sector. Founded in 1996 and formally constituted in 2001 from the merger of pre-existing regional associations, APDPE claims representation of 50% of Spain's licensed private detectives and 90% of detective agencies, with national coverage through 10 regional delegates across autonomous communities including Andalucía, Asturias, Baleares, Cantabria, Catalunya, Valencia, Euskadi, Extremadura, Murcia, and Navarra. The association operates with a small staff of approximately 10 employees and is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors (Junta Directiva), currently led by President Antonio Labrador (elected 2025).

The association's product surface consists of (i) membership in four tiers — Ejerciente (practicing), No ejerciente (non-practicing), Estudiante (student), and Internacional (international) — providing professional representation, legal defence, continuing education, and access to the Club APDPE benefits platform; (ii) core operational tools including a nationwide member directory (apdpe.net) and a job board (Bolsa de Trabajo); and (iii) the Club APDPE partner marketplace distributing third-party services: Plaud AI note-taking devices (€135.99–€151.99/unit), professional civil liability insurance (€48/year for self-employed members), corporate email and web hosting, and accredited forensic genetics services through Citogen. Technology is not built in-house; the website portal, member area, and partner platform are the principal digital assets.

APDPE's business model is subscription-recurring, anchored in annual membership dues across tiers, supplemented by transactional revenue or margin on Club APDPE partner offerings. Go-to-market is event-driven: online registration via apdpe.es, an annual rotating congress as the flagship engagement event, and institutional outreach through meetings with the Congress of Deputies, Ministry of Justice, Policía Nacional, and Guardia Civil. Internationally, APDPE is an active member of IKD (International Knowledge Network of Private Detectives), participating in annual conferences and Summer Schools and positioning itself as a voice in professional standards, including proposed minimum standards for AI use in private investigation. No external investment, parent company, or publicly disclosed financials apply given the nonprofit status (N.I.F. G83289918).

Name

APDPE - Asociación Profesional de Detectives Privados de España

Legal name

ASOCIACION PROFESIONAL DETECTIVES PRIVADOS DE ESPAÑA

Website

https://apdpe.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

APDPE is a Madrid-based nonprofit professional association representing approximately 50% of Spain's licensed private detectives and 90% of detective agencies, offering membership tiers, a member directory, job board, and Club APDPE partner benefits including insurance and AI tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: The association generates revenue primarily through annual membership fees from practicing detectives, non-practicing members, students, and international members. Different membership tiers exist with varying fee structures and access levels to Club APDPE benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

APDPE is a professional membership association for licensed private detectives in Spain, providing institutional representation, legal defense, and professional development. Members access the Club APDPE platform for exclusive benefits including liability insurance, AI note-taking tools, genetic analysis services, and corporate email/web hosting. The association also operates a nationwide member directory and job board to support professional collaboration.

Product overview

APDPE is a professional association website for private investigators in Spain, offering membership-based services and a Club platform with exclusive benefits. The core offering includes professional representation, networking through a member directory, and a job board. The Club APDPE platform provides add-on services including Plaud AI note-taking devices, civil liability insurance, corporate email/web services, and access to specialized services like genetic analysis. The organization focuses on institutional representation, professional development, and member services rather than a traditional software product portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Types Four membership categories (Ejerciente practicing investigator, No ejerciente non-practicing, Estudiante student, Internacional international) offering tailored benefits and access to Club APDPE services for private investigators.
• Club APDPE Members-only benefits platform providing exclusive deals, services, and collaborations for APDPE members, including access to insurance, AI tools, professional services, and corporate tools.
• Member Directory (Mapa de Asociados) Nationwide searchable directory of APDPE member investigators and agencies, enabling professional collaboration and networking across Spain.
• Job Board (Bolsa de Trabajo) Professional job board connecting private investigators for collaboration opportunities and career advancement within the APDPE network.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IKD (International Knowledge Network of Private Detectives)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025International organization of private detective associations. APDPE participates in annual conferences and Summer School, presenting proposals on AI standards and contributing to international professional standards development. Next conferences: Italy 2026, Switzerland 2027, Serbia 2028.
• ATA (Asociación de Trabajadores Autónomos)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing APDPE members with ATA (Association of Self-Employed Workers) membership benefits, showing commitment to supporting the future of self-employed professionals in the sector.
• ANRD (Romanian National Association of Private Detectives)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRomanian partner association that organized the IKD 2025 conference and Summer School in Bucharest, hosting APDPE and other international delegates.
• Google AnalyticsminorOthersThird-party analytics service used to compile statistics on web traffic and visit volume. Processing of user data by Google is subject to Google's own privacy policies.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• World Association of Detectives (WAD): Long-standing international trade association for private investigators and security professionals, offering membership, accreditation, and annual conferences — directly comparable to APDPE as a peer membership body serving the same professional category globally.
• ASIS International: The largest global association for security management professionals, offering certifications (CPP, PSP), advocacy, and member education — broader in scope than APDPE but overlapping on security-related professional development and institutional representation.

Direct peers

• Council of International Investigators (CII): International association of licensed private investigators with membership credentials, ethical standards, and annual conferences — directly comparable in membership model and international advocacy to APDPE.
• Association of Private Detectives of Ireland (APDI): Irish national professional body for licensed private investigators offering member accreditation, training, and a public register — a small-country structural peer to APDPE in mission, membership tiers, and regulatory advocacy.
• Association of British Investigators (ABI): UK national professional association for private investigators, offering member accreditation, training, and a Code of Practice — the closest country-level peer to APDPE in structure, member benefits, and advocacy role for licensed investigators.
• National Association of Legal Investigators (NALI): US-based professional association for legal investigators, providing certification, continuing education, and member directories — directly comparable in scope of professional development and membership services to APDPE.

Regional players

• IKD (International Knowledge Network of Private Detectives): International federation of national private detective associations (including APDPE as a member), organizing annual conferences and Summer Schools to develop cross-border professional standards — directly comparable as an umbrella counterpart to APDPE.
• FENASIME (Federación Nacional de Asociaciones de Seguridad y Métodos de Investigación): Spanish federation of private security and investigation associations, an umbrella Spanish counterpart with overlapping membership and regulatory interests in the same investigative profession APDPE represents.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apdpe

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 APDPE - Asociación Profesional de Detectives Privados de España