Appc Faro

What Appc Faro does

Appc Faro (Associação Portuguesa de Paralisia Cerebral de Faro) is a Portuguese non-profit social solidarity institution (IPSS) founded in 1982 and headquartered in Faro, Algarve. It provides social rehabilitation and habilitation services to approximately 600 beneficiaries with cerebral palsy and other neurological conditions. The organization operates 10 distinct social service responses spanning physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and social support, delivered through a multidisciplinary team of 11 listed staff under the leadership of President Paulo Jorge de Almeida Gonçalves Teixeira. In 2019, it expanded its service portfolio with the CAVI (Centro de Apoio à Vida Independente), a dedicated independent living support center that is the only such facility in the Algarve region.

The organization's business model is structured as a publicly funded non-profit. Revenue is derived primarily from Portuguese state subsidies and EU Social Fund grants, supplemented by membership fees and private donations. Appc Faro holds EQUASS Excellence Level II certification, INR (Instituto Nacional para a Reabilitação) accreditation, and Public Utility status, which collectively enable access to public funding streams and validate service quality. The organization also participates in cooperative partnerships, including with COOPERATIVA TODOS OMUNDO. A Strategic Plan covering 2024-2026 guides its current operational direction.

As a non-profit social services entity, Appc Faro does not operate a technology-driven platform or commercial product. Its competitive moat is built on regulatory accreditations, four decades of institutional heritage, specialized clinical talent, and geographic monopoly on certain services like CAVI in the Algarve region. Growth is constrained by dependence on public funding cycles, and expansion is incremental rather than market-driven.

Name

Appc Faro

Legal name

Associação Portuguesa de Paralisia Cerebral de Faro

Website

https://appc-faro.org.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Appc Faro is a Portuguese non-profit founded in 1982 providing social rehabilitation and habilitation services to approximately 600 people with cerebral palsy and neurological conditions in the Algarve region through 10 specialized service programs funded primarily by government and EU grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability and Rehabilitation Social Services

NAICS

Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Educational Support Services (611710), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAKAFAG

Assistive Technology (AT) Access & AAC Access Support (OT-Led)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Occupational Therapy (OT) & Sensory Integration Services

SECONDARYEDACAFAL

Assistive Technology & AAC for Young Children

Education/Early Childhood Education/Early Intervention & Developmental Services (0–5)

SECONDARYEDAJAKAF

Assistive Technology (AT) & AAC Services

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Special Education Services

SECONDARYEDAKAIAB

AAC (Augmentative & Alternative Communication) Devices, Apps & Training

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Assistive Technology (AT) Assessment, Devices & Training

Keywords

• Disability social services
• Cerebral palsy rehabilitation
• Social inclusion programs
• Vocational rehabilitation services
• Residential care services

Headquarters

HQ city

Faro

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding and Social Security Subsidies: Social services co-funded by the Portuguese State and European Social Fund, including responses such as the Professional Rehabilitation Unit
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Donations from individuals and companies; tax benefits available under Portuguese law (Art. 62 and Art. 63 of EBF)
3. IRS/IRC Tax Designation (1%): Tax designation allowing 1% of IRS to revert to IPSS organizations; NIF: 509 656 226
4. Product Sales: Sale of merchandise including books, honey, accessories, clothing through the online store

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Appc Faro (Associação Portuguesa de Paralisia Cerebral de Faro) is a Portuguese non-profit social solidarity institution (IPSS) providing 10 distinct social responses for people with cerebral palsy and related neurological conditions, including independent living support, rehabilitation and ambulatory therapy, early childhood intervention, residential care, employment resources, and inclusion support in schools. Services are delivered directly to beneficiaries across the Algarve region, supplemented by an online merchandise store.

Product overview

Appc Faro (Associação Portuguesa de Paralisia Cerebral de Faro) is a private social solidarity institution (IPSS) offering a portfolio of 10 social services focused on rehabilitation, inclusion, and support for people with cerebral palsy and neurological conditions. The core services include: the CAVI (Independent Life Support Center) providing personal assistance; the CACI (Activities and Training Center for Inclusion) for adults; CAV (Life Support Center) for pregnant women; RAI (Autonomization Residence); IPI (Early Childhood Intervention); AMB (Rehabilitation/Ambulatory Center); LR (Residential Home); CPPA (Prescription Center for Support Products); CRE (Employment Resources Center); and CRI (Inclusion Resources Center). Additionally, the institution operates an online store selling therapeutic books, honey, accessories, and apparel. The organization does not develop technology products but provides social services focused on rehabilitation, habilitation, and social inclusion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CAVI - Centro de Apoio à Vida Independente Center for Independent Living providing specialized personal assistance services to people with disabilities or incapacity, based on the Independent Living Support Model (MAVI), facilitating full social inclusion through self-determination and autonomy.
• CACI - Centro de Atividades e Capacitação para a Inclusão Social response for people with disability or incapacity aged 18 and above who cannot meet employability conditions, providing occupational and therapeutic activities to promote quality of life and community participation.
• CAV - Centro de Apoio à Vida Social service supporting pregnant women or new mothers in emotional or social risk situations, the only one of its kind in the Algarve region, promoting responsible parenting.
• RAI - Residência de Autonomização e Inclusão Residential service providing temporary or permanent accommodation in community-based housing, promoting family environment and full social integration for 5 young adults with disabilities.
• IPI - Intervenção Precoce na Infância Early childhood intervention service providing integrated support for children aged 0-6 with developmental delays or disabilities, focusing on family-centered prevention and rehabilitation measures.
• AMB - Centro de Reabilitação / Ambulatório Rehabilitation center for children and youth aged 6+ with cerebral palsy and neurological conditions, providing multidisciplinary assessment and intervention including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, psychology, and social services.
• LR - Lar Residencial Residential home for 19 people with disabilities aged 16+ providing permanent accommodation and 1 temporary vacancy, covering basic daily living activities including hygiene, nutrition, mobility, and healthcare support.
• CPPA - Centro Prescritor de Produtos de Apoio Accredited prescription center for support products since 1995, providing consultation, evaluation, and process elaboration for assistive products through the SAPA system, promoting personal autonomy and social participation.
• CRE - Centro de Recursos para o Emprego Specialized employment rehabilitation service supporting job integration, maintenance, and reintegration for people with disabilities in Faro, Olhão, and São Brás de Alportel municipalities.
• CRI - Centro de Recursos para a Inclusão Inclusion resource center partnering with local school groups to maximize competencies of students with disabilities, promoting school success, training, and social inclusion.
• Loja Online (Online Store) Online store selling merchandise including books (therapeutic resources), honey products, accessories, sustainable products, and apparel to support the association's mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving approximately 600 beneficiaries across the Algarve district
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Serviço Local da Segurança Social de FarocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Social Security office providing regulatory oversight, funding authorization, and collaboration on social service delivery for the region
• Serviço Local da Segurança Social de OlhãocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Social Security office in Olhão providing collaboration on social services for beneficiaries in that municipality
• Universidade do Algarve (UALG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with ESEC (School of Education and Communication), FCSH (Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences - Psychology Department), and Technical Services for academic collaboration, research, and student internships
• ARS - Administração Regional de Saúde do AlgarvecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional health authority providing healthcare coordination and support for beneficiaries requiring medical services
• IEFP de FarocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic employment service referring beneficiaries to CRE (Centro de Recursos para o Emprego) for vocational rehabilitation and employment support
• Câmara Municipal de FarocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government providing support including land for headquarters building (1999), construction co-funding, and project financing (e.g., (Re)Habilitar+)
• Câmara Municipal de OlhãocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partner for community projects including Somos Arte workshops held in Olhão municipality spaces
• Câmara Municipal de LoulécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government providing funding for (Re)Habilitar+ therapeutic materials project
• Centro de Emprego de FarocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment center referring job seekers with disabilities to CRE for vocational rehabilitation services
• Fundação Wolf ValleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation partnering for Horse-Assisted Therapy (Terapia Assistida com Cavalos) project for riders with disabilities
• Centro Náutico da Praia de FarominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNautical center providing facilities and support for water-based activities for beneficiaries
• Centro Hípico PinetreesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEquestrian center providing facilities for horse-assisted therapy sessions
• Centre Trust MoncarapachominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacility hosting Colónia de Férias summer holiday program in Moncarapacho
• Agrupamentos de Escolas (9 school clusters)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with 9 school clusters in Faro and Olhão for CRI (Centro de Recursos para a Inclusão) providing educational inclusion support services
• Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro - Núcleo Regional do SulminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCancer prevention organization partnering for educational sessions on breast cancer awareness

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• APPACDM (Associação Portuguesa de Pais e Amigos do Cidadão Deficiente Mental): Largest Portuguese NGO serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the country. Operates a national network of over 200 services, overlapping with APPC Faro's CACI, LR, and IPI offerings but at much greater scale and broader disability scope.
• Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa: Large Portuguese IPSS operating residential, early intervention, rehabilitation, and social inclusion services across multiple municipalities. Comparable in service taxonomy but vastly larger and broader in mission than APPC Faro.
• Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian - Programa Paralisia Cerebral: Portuguese foundation that historically funded and operated specialized cerebral palsy services; comparable reference point for the APPC federation though now primarily a funder rather than direct operator.
• CERCI (Confederação Nacional de Cooperativas de Educação e Reabilitação de Cidadãos Inadaptados): National confederation of cooperatives providing education, rehabilitation, and residential services for people with intellectual disabilities. Comparable in service mix (CAVACI-equivalent, residential, employment support) but operates as a federated network with broader geographic coverage.

Direct peers

• APPC Lisboa (Associação Portuguesa de Paralisia Cerebral de Lisboa): Regional branch of the same national APPC federation serving the Lisbon district. Provides the same cerebral palsy-focused rehabilitation, residential, and inclusion services as APPC Faro, making it the most direct operational peer despite operating in a different geography.
• APPC Coimbra: Central Portugal branch of the APPC federation offering parallel habilitation, residential, and inclusion services for people with cerebral palsy, structured similarly to APPC Faro's 10-response portfolio.
• APPC Porto: Northern regional branch of the APPC federation, providing cerebral palsy rehabilitation, early intervention, and residential services. Operates the same service taxonomy as APPC Faro but in the Porto district.
• Centro de Reabilitação Profissional de Gaia (CRPG): Portuguese reference center for vocational/professional rehabilitation of people with disabilities, directly comparable to APPC Faro's CRE (Centro de Recursos para o Emprego) and URP services with IEFP-aligned programming.

Emerging players

• Associação Salvador: Portuguese non-profit focused on accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities, including mobility support and assistive products. Comparable in advocacy and beneficiary-support mission, with a younger, more donor-driven operating model than APPC Faro.

Regional players

• APCAS - Associação de Paralisia Cerebral de Angra do Heroísmo: Regional APPC-affiliated organization in the Azores providing cerebral palsy services. Same IPSS model and cerebral palsy focus as APPC Faro but in an insular, non-overlapping geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AppcFaro
• Instagraminstagram.com/appc_faro
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/appc-faro

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Appc Faro