Dragons Abreast Australia

What Dragons Abreast Australia does

Dragons Abreast Australia is an Australian non-profit charitable organization established in 1998 that operates a national dragon boat paddling program for breast cancer survivors and their supporters. The organization runs multiple local chapters across Australia, including locations in Adelaide, Bendigo, and Redlands, where survivors can join paddling activities at no cost regardless of prior experience or fitness level. The core offering centers on dragon boat paddling as a low-impact physical activity intended to support post-treatment recovery, lymphatic function, and emotional wellbeing, framed as a domain-specialized therapeutic modality rather than a software or technology product.

The organization is funded entirely through donations and operated primarily by volunteers, with a small staff of approximately 8 employees. Its go-to-market approach is community-led and event-driven, acquiring members through local chapters and recurring regattas such as the Nipple on Ripples Regatta and the upcoming IBCPC Festival France 2026. Dragons Abreast Australia holds strategic affiliations including membership in the International Breast Cancer Paddling Commission (IBCPC), which enables international event participation and global brand alignment. Marketing is executed through organic social media, survivor-story content, events, and the organization's website.

There are no disclosed revenue figures, funding rounds, parent companies, institutional investors, or ownership structures. The organization does not develop software products, AI capabilities, patents, or certifications; its competitive differentiation is built on community, brand longevity, and event-driven participation in a niche therapeutic niche.

Name

Dragons Abreast Australia

Legal name

Dragons Abreast Australia

Website

https://dragonsabreast.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dragons Abreast Australia is a national non-profit charity, founded in 1998, that operates free dragon boat paddling programs for breast cancer survivors across multiple Australian local chapters, funded by donations and volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Survivorship Support Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB)

Keywords

• Breast cancer recovery
• Dragon boat paddling
• Survivor support programs
• Community wellness
• Charity fundraising

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: The organization operates as a national charity funded primarily through donations. Donations directly support breast cancer survivors through programs including boats, equipment, training, regattas, and ongoing support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Dragons Abreast Australia operates a national dragon boat paddling program for breast cancer survivors, delivered through local chapters across Australia. The program provides low-impact physical activity that supports post-treatment recovery, lymphatic function, and emotional wellbeing, while fostering peer community among survivors and their supporters. Activities are funded through donations and staffed largely by volunteers.

Product overview

Dragons Abreast Australia is a national charity offering a unified dragon boat paddling program for breast cancer survivors and their supporters. The core offering is inclusive group paddling activities that require no prior experience, providing physical rehabilitation benefits, social support, and community connection. The organization operates through local groups across Australia, all united under the Dragons Abreast Australia brand without separate product tiers or modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dragon Boat Paddling Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Breast cancer survivors report that Dragons Abreast might have saved their lives

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IBCPC (International Breast Cancer Paddling Commission)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIBCPC is the international governing body for breast cancer dragon boat paddling. Dragons Abreast Australia is a member, participating in international festivals and events including the IBCPC Festival France 2026.
• Choices HotelminorOthersChoices Hotel is listed as an alliance partner, likely providing accommodation or support for traveling members.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA): Australia's leading national breast cancer consumer organization representing people diagnosed with breast cancer. Comparable as a fellow Australian breast-cancer-focused nonprofit with overlapping survivor audience, donor base, and advocacy mission, though broader in scope beyond paddling.
• National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF): Australia's pre-eminent breast cancer research charity funding research and clinical trials. Comparable as a major Australian breast cancer nonprofit competing for the same donor pool and survivor mindshare, but oriented toward research rather than survivor programming.
• Dragon Boat Racing (IBCPC Member Organizations): International Breast Cancer Paddling Commission (IBCPC) and its global network of member organizations coordinate breast cancer paddling events worldwide. Comparable as the umbrella ecosystem in which Dragons Abreast participates, including shared regattas like the IBCPC Festival.
• McGrath Foundation: Prominent Australian breast cancer charity funding breast care nurses and survivor support. Comparable in mission and donor demographic, and represents the kind of high-visibility breast cancer nonprofit that Dragons Abreast must compete with for donor attention.

Direct peers

• Pink Paddle: UK-based breast cancer survivor dragon boat organization offering paddling programs and regattas for survivors. Directly comparable in mission and water-based therapeutic activity, with a similar community-led and volunteer-powered operating approach.
• Abreast In A Boat: The original Canadian dragon boat organization for breast cancer survivors, founded by Dr. Don McKenzie in 1996. Operates as the foundational model for the international breast cancer paddling movement that Dragons Abreast Australia is part of, with identical therapeutic paddling premise and survivor community structure.
• Dragons Abreast New Zealand: Closest geographic peer operating the same dragon boat paddling program for breast cancer survivors across New Zealand under the same brand concept. Nearly identical mission, chapter-based operating model, and IBCPC affiliation make it the most directly comparable organization.

Emerging players

• Look Good Feel Better (Australia): Charity program helping cancer survivors manage the appearance-related effects of treatment through workshops and community. Comparable as a fellow survivor-support nonprofit in Australia targeting the same beneficiary population with non-clinical recovery services.
• After Breast Cancer: Australian nonprofit supporting breast cancer survivors post-treatment with recovery-focused programming. Comparable as a mission-aligned peer addressing survivorship needs, and a potential partner or competitor for the same survivor wellness segment.

Others

• Australian Dragon Boat Federation: National governing body for dragon boat racing in Australia. Comparable as the broader sport infrastructure enabling Dragons Abreast's chapters, and a relevant ecosystem partner for regatta organization and access to equipment, training, and competitive events.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dragons-abreast-australia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Dragons Abreast Australia