Dragones de Lavapiés

What Dragones de Lavapiés does

Dragones de Lavapiés is a non-profit community football club (Club Deportivo Elemental) founded in 2014 and headquartered in the Lavapiés neighborhood of central Madrid, at Embajadores 18 / Tribulete 12. It operates approximately 20+ teams spanning federated and municipal football, women's football (Dragonas), queer football and basketball, a senior refugee 11-a-side team, and a basketball program for youth at risk of gang involvement, serving nearly 600 athletes from approximately 50 nationalities along with coaches, volunteers, a board, and a young people's council. The club is explicitly anti-racist, feminist, and queer-affirming, using sport as a tool for social integration, anti-racism education, gender-based violence prevention, and refugee inclusion, supported by referral partnerships with CEAR, Cruz Roja, and Diagrama and by international networks including FARE, Common Goal, UEFA Foundation, and Football for the Goals.

The product surface consists of in-person football and basketball training, tournament participation (Donosti Cup, Homeless World Cup, Regata4Med, 17 Goles in Madrid/Freetown/Keurbabowndiity), plus ancillary initiatives: a weekly women's football podcast on YouTube, the RunChallenge Madrid and Paseando con Dragones outdoor programs, and the Mandela Project combining theatre and sport for violence prevention. The technology stack is non-proprietary: a WordPress-based main website, a separate e-commerce portal (portal.dragonesdelavapies.com), a Stripe-powered payments portal (pay.dragonesdelavapies.com), and standard social media (Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Bluesky). There is no AI/ML component, app, or unified software platform.

Revenue is generated through five streams: annual membership dues of €25 (granting voting rights), federated team registrations at €50 per player, merchandise sales (e.g., the "Iguales-Diferentes-Libres" t-shirt at €12), donations via bank transfer and Stripe, and project-specific grants and sponsorships from institutional funders (adidas Football Collective, UEFA Foundation/Common Goal Unity project funded by the European Migration Fund, Fundación La Caixa, FARE Network, Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Junta Municipal de Centro). Pricing is publicly disclosed on the website. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven: recruitment via word-of-mouth, neighborhood presence, open doors events, and social media, with participation in international tournaments and forums used to raise visibility and credibility. Leadership is currently anchored by president Dolores Galindo and vice president Ana Sánchez, who succeeded founder Jorge Bolaños Martínez in May 2021.

Name

Dragones de Lavapiés

Legal name

CDE Dragones de Lavapiés

Website

https://dragonesdelavapies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dragones de Lavapiés is a Madrid-based non-profit community football club founded in 2014, serving nearly 600 athletes from ~50 nationalities through ~20 teams including refugee, women's, and queer programs that use sport to advance anti-racism, feminism, and social inclusion in the Lavapiés neighborhood.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Fees: Annual membership fee of €25 granting voting rights, voice in assemblies, and information via email or mobile. Additional voluntary donations accepted.
2. Donations: Members and supporters can make donations via bank transfer to Openbank (ES90 0073 0100 5105 0305 8640) and La Caixa (ES22 21001582330200384029).
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of club merchandise including t-shirts (e.g., 'Iguales-Diferentes-Libres' at €12) through the club's online shop and Hola Coffee café.
4. Federated Team Registration: Registration fees for federated teams such as Infantil A, Cadete A, Juvenile, Senior A, Senior B for the 2026-2027 season, priced at €50.
5. Project Grants and Sponsorships: Funding from institutional partners including adidas (Football Collective), Fondo Europeo de Migración, Common Goal/UEFA Foundation, FARE Network, La Caixa Foundation, and others for specific social programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Dragones de Lavapiés is a community-rooted football club based in Madrid's Lavapiés neighborhood operating approximately 20+ football teams across municipal and federated league systems. The club offers training and competition for children, youth, adults, refugees, women, and LGBTQIA+ athletes, supplemented by social projects in anti-racism, gender equality, and violence prevention. Membership programs and merchandise sales monetize participation in the club's anti-racist, feminist, and queer-affirming mission.

Product overview

Dragones de Lavapiés is a grassroots community football club (Club Deportivo Elemental) based in the Lavapiés neighborhood of Madrid, Spain, operating as a multi-team football organization rather than a unified software product. The club's core offerings consist of approximately 20+ football teams organized across two main competitive streams: municipal league teams and federated teams (Equipos Federados). The product portfolio includes Equipos Federados (Infantil A, Cadete A, Juvenil, Senior A competing in RFFM leagues), Equipos Municipales (municipal league teams across multiple age groups), the Dragonas de Lavapiés women's football program, an Equipo Queer de Fútbol (inclusive LGBTQIA+ football established 2021), and an Equipo Senior de Refugiados (federated refugee integration team). Supporting services include a Podcast Dragonas de Lavapiés (weekly YouTube podcast on women's football), the Tienda online merchandise store (selling team reservations at €50 and branded t-shirts at €12), a Carnet de Socio membership program (€25/year with voting rights), and outdoor community programs RunChallenge Madrid and Paseando con Dragones. The various team programs feed into the club's overarching social mission of anti-racism, feminism, and queer inclusion, while the Tienda and membership monetize operations. There is no unified software platform; the club operates independent web properties for its main site, shop portal, and payment system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dragonas de Lavapiés: Women's football teams of Dragones de Lavapiés
• 17 Goles
• Mandela Project
• Black Lives Matter in Sport

Products and services

• Equipos Federados (Federated Football Teams) Federated football teams competing in official Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFFM) leagues, including Infantil A, Cadete A, Juvenil, Senior A, and Senior B divisions. Registration for 2026-2027 season priced at €50 per player.
• Equipos Municipales (Municipal Football Teams) Football teams competing in Madrid's municipal league system across multiple youth and senior divisions, serving as the community's primary grassroots football offering.
• Dragonas de Lavapiés (Women's Football Program) Women's football teams competing in female leagues, supported by Madrid municipality's 'Fútbol y género' project, including a senior women's team and youth divisions.
• Equipo Queer de Fútbol (LGBTQIA+ Football Team) Inclusive queer football team providing a safe sporting space for LGBTQIA+ players who felt excluded from mainstream football in Madrid.
• Equipo Senior de Refugiados (Refugee Football Team) Senior men's football team composed of refugees from Iraq, Mali, Venezuela, Western Sahara, Guinea, and Morocco, trained through partnerships with Diagrama, CEAR, and Cruz Roja, competing in municipal and federated leagues.
• Carnet de Socio (Annual Membership) Annual membership program at €25 per year granting voting rights, voice in assemblies, and information via email or mobile. Donations also accepted via Stripe and bank transfer (OpenBank and La Caixa).
• Tienda (Online Merchandise Shop) E-commerce portal selling club merchandise including the 'Camiseta Iguales-Diferentes-Libres' t-shirt at €12 and federated team reservation slots for the 2026-2027 season at €50.
• Paseando con Dragones (Walking Community Project) A walking and outdoor activity project combining nature excursions with community building, inspired by 19th-century hygienist movements and the Institución Libre de Enseñanza.
• RunChallenge Madrid A running challenge project as part of the club's broader community health and sports outreach programs.
• Podcast Dragonas de Lavapiés A weekly podcast on women's football and its integration into grassroots football, featuring professional women's football guests, published on YouTube.

Quantifiable outcome

• Grew from 5 girls among 80 children (2014) to over 100 girls among 350 footballers (2020)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

51 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Common GoalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2024Dragones is a member of Common Goal, led by Juan Mata, which channels football's energy toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Common Goal and the UEFA Foundation for Children jointly lead the Unity project in which Dragones participates.
• UEFA Foundation for ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2024Co-leader of the Unity project with Common Goal, providing funding from the European Migration, Integration and Asylum Fund. The project supports safe football spaces for refugees.
• Fútbol MáscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2024International organization using football to create social change. Collaborated with Dragones on the Unity project's Football and Refuge Day at Moscardó facilities.
• ACNUR (UNHCR)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2024The UN Refugee Agency collaborated with Dragones on the Unity project's Football and Refuge Day event at Moscardó facilities.
• Ateneo de MadridcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 October 2023Cultural institution hosting the Mandela Project's spoken word workshops with youth from Lavapiés. The Mandela Project involves theatre, art, and mentorship to address urban violence affecting young people.
• Hola CoffeecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 February 2023Local café in Lavapiés that shares the club's values of inclusion. Hola Coffee is a sponsor of the club and offers barista workshops to members, providing professional skills training. The partnership also involves selling club merchandise (tote bags) at the café and online.
• FARE NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Football Against Racism Europe. Dragones is a member of FARE Network, which fights discrimination in football. The club participates in FARE programs including Black Lives Matter in Sport workshops and the Integration of Refugees Through Sport project. Dragones attended the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva as FARE members.
• Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023The Spanish Football Federation collaborated with Dragones at the Casino de la Reina with the Dragonas and Dragones de Lavapiés and street football in Lavapiés. Also collaborated on the Unity project's Football and Refuge Day.
• Alto Comisionado contra la Pobreza InfantilminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Invited Dragones to speak at the Congress of Deputies on sport as a tool against child poverty. Part of the Alliance Against Child Poverty.
• Fundación Deporte JovenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Co-invited Dragones to the Congress of Deputies alongside the Alto Comisionado contra la Pobreza Infantil.
• La LigaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Dragones participated in La Liga's summer football camp where children were invited to a camp in Segovia. La Liga also participated in the FIRE project (Football for Inclusion of Refugees).
• Homeless World CupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Dragones represents Spain at the Homeless World Cup, the international tournament for people experiencing homelessness.
• Football for the GoalsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Dragones is a member of Football for the Goals, the UN initiative channeling football's energy toward the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Football Makes History (European Project)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023European project in which Dragones participates, creating educational materials about historical footballers and social change.
• La Casa EncendidacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Cultural center in Madrid that collaborated with adidas and Dragones on violence prevention activities including theatre, rap, freestyle, and breakdance workshops.
• CEAR (Comisión Española de Ayuda a Refugiado)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Refugee support organization that refers refugees to Dragones' football teams for integration through sport.
• Cruz Roja (Red Cross)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Refugee support organization that refers refugees to Dragones' football teams for integration through sport.
• DiagramaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Organization working on refugee integration that refers individuals to Dragones' football programs.
• FESBAL (Federación Española de Bancos de Alimentos)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Spanish Food Bank Federation with which Dragones collaborated during the COVID-19 pandemic to run a neighborhood food bank.
• IES Santa BárbaraminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Technical training institute with which Dragones established internship agreements for students.
• American University (Madrid)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023University with which Dragones established internship agreements for students.
• IES Santa BárbaraminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Technical training institute with which Dragones established internship agreements for students.
• Junta Municipal de Centro (Ayuntamiento de Madrid)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Madrid's Centro district municipal government that has supported the women's football project with a dedicated program.
• Save the Children SpainminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Child rights organization, part of the network of organizations publicly supporting Dragones' positions on the European Migration and Asylum Pact.
• CEAR (Comisión Española de Ayuda al Refugiado)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Refugee rights organization, part of the network of organizations publicly supporting Dragones' positions on the European Migration and Asylum Pact.
• Amnesty International SpainminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Human rights organization, part of the network of organizations publicly supporting Dragones' positions on the European Migration and Asylum Pact.
• Save a Girl, Save a GenerationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Organization fighting female genital mutilation, founded by Asha Ismail. Connected through the Unity project's Football and Refuge Day.
• Donosti CupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023One of the world's largest youth and junior football tournaments, held in San Sebastián. Invited Dragones for their community work during the pandemic and for their social programs.
• Regata4MedminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Mediterranean rowing event in Tangier in which Dragones participated as representatives of their neighborhood and Spain, building intercultural dialogue.
• Fundación del Athletic de Bilbao (ATERPE)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Athletic Club foundation's program for creating safe environments for children, referenced by Dragones as a model in their violence prevention work.
• Scort FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023International foundation that organized a table on sport and refugees at the Geneva Global Refugee Forum, featuring Dragones' president.
• Radicalization Awareness Network (RAN)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023European network connecting Dragones with Fryshuset experts in Sweden for the Mandela Project's youth violence prevention methodology.
• Move In (European Project)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023European project on violence prevention in which Dragones participated for three years as part of their training methodology.
• SCORE (European Project)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023European project in which Thaylor Lubanzadio Aldama serves as ambassador. LaLiga also participates. Dragones connected through this project during the Unity event.
• FUTURE (European Project)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023FUtbol como herramienTa para edUcaR a la infancia en comportamientos sostEnibles (FUTURE) — European project using football to teach children sustainable environmental behaviors, in which Dragones participates.
• Football Against Racism Europe (FARE) Integration of Refugees Through SportcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023FARE program pairing Dragones' Dragonas with Afghan women's football team led by Khalida Popal as part of refugee integration through sport. Both teams were mentored by Khalida.
• Embajada de República Dominicana en EspañaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023The Dominican Republic Embassy in Spain expressed interest in the Mandela Project and visited Dragones' headquarters.
• Embajada de Estados Unidos en EspañaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023The US Embassy in Spain helped launch English language classes for Dragones members through volunteer American teachers.
• RunChallenge MadridminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Dragones' own project combining running and community engagement, listed as one of the club's initiatives.
• Paseando con DragonesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Dragones' own walking/community project, listed as one of the club's initiatives.
• Museo Nacional de Antropología (MNA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Host of the annual V Torneo de Fútbol del Museo Nacional de Antropología, with 23 teams and over 300 players from across Madrid.
• La CervantinaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Cultural center that played a football match with Dragones to raise awareness about the Homeless World Cup and homelessness.
• Football for the GoalsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023UN initiative that connects football with Sustainable Development Goals. Dragones is a member and participated in events including World Football Day.
• B Corp Companies (Spain)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Collaborated with Spanish B Corp companies at an event, connecting sustainable business values with Dragones' social mission.
• 17 Goles Tournament NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023International football tournament created by Dragones, played in Madrid, Freetown (Sierra Leone), and Keurbabowndiity (Senegal), promoting the Sustainable Development Goals.
• InteredcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2022Gender violence prevention project with Dragones focused on female empowerment and male reflection on gender equality. Intered provided workshops at the football field for adolescents and specific training for coaches.
• Museo Reina SofíacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The Reina Sofía Museum supported Dragones' research 'Dragones X el Reina' on racism and discrimination. Also part of 'Museo Situado,' a network with Lavapiés neighborhood collectives. Awarded the club an artistic residency for 'Malestares Contemporáneos' research on childhood violence. Supported the Mandela Project.
• Fundación CarassominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Supported the Dragones X el Reina research project on racism and discrimination in football.
• Hablar en ArteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Collaborated with Dragones on the Dragones X el Reina research project and the Mandela Project investigating youth urban violence.
• Fryshuset (Sweden)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Swedish youth organization providing support, training, orientation, and psychological help to young people. Connected through the Radicalization Awareness Network (RAN). Experts from Fryshuset advised on the Mandela Project.
• NH Collection Madrid SueciaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Hotel that provided hospitality support for the Mandela Project's visiting Swedish artists and facilitators.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Common Goal: International football-for-SDGs movement co-founded by Juan Mata, of which Dragones is a member organization. Operates as an umbrella network and funding channel rather than a direct service provider; highly comparable mission but at a coordinating-platform layer above individual clubs.
• FC Barcelona Foundation: Foundation of FC Barcelona running sport-based social programs for children and youth at risk of social exclusion globally. Highly comparable in using football as a tool for inclusion, with substantially larger funding and brand reach.
• Fundación Real Madrid: Major Spanish football foundation operating social-sport schools in 80+ countries, including inclusion programs for refugees and at-risk youth. Overlaps thematically with Dragones' mission but operates at far greater scale and with significantly larger financial and media resources.
• FARE Network (Football Against Racism Europe): European network fighting discrimination in football; Dragones is a member and grant recipient. Comparable anti-racism and inclusion mission via football, but FARE functions as a coordinating body rather than running on-the-ground teams.

Regional players

• Fundación LaLiga: Spanish professional football league foundation running sport-based social programs including the FIRE project (Football for Inclusion of Refugees), in which Dragones has participated. Comparable Spanish scope and inclusion-themed football programs, but operating as a league-wide foundation rather than a single community-rooted club.

Direct peers

• streetfootballworld: Global network organization supporting 130+ community-based football-for-good organizations across 80+ countries. Operates in the same grassroots-sport-for-development category as Dragones and connects comparable peer organizations through funding and capacity-building programs.
• Fútbol Más: International NGO using football as a tool for social change in vulnerable communities across Latin America, Europe, and Africa. Direct partner on Dragones' Unity project Football and Refuge Day; comparable model combining sport, social programs, and refugee/inclusion work.
• Homeless World Cup Foundation: Global sports-for-development organization running the Homeless World Cup tournament for people experiencing homelessness and social exclusion. Dragones represents Spain at the tournament and shares the same sport-as-social-inclusion thesis at the grassroots level.
• Fundación Athletic Club (ATERPE): Foundation of Athletic Club Bilbao running ATERPE, a program for creating safe environments for children through sport. Explicitly cited by Dragones as a methodological model for violence prevention work and a comparable Spanish football-foundation structure.

Emerging players

• Save the Dream: International initiative using sport to drive social impact, education, and peace-building. Overlaps with Dragones' sport-for-good positioning and youth-inclusion mission, though focused on advocacy and awareness rather than on-the-ground team operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/dragoneslavapies.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdragonesdelavapies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dragones-de-lavapies
• Instagraminstagram.com/dragoneslavapies
• TikToktiktok.com/@dragoneslavapies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Dragones de Lavapiés