PayaSOSpital
PayaSOSpital is a Valencia-based non-profit association, founded in 1997, that delivers therapeutic clown interventions to hospitalized children in 12 public hospitals across the Comunidad Valenciana (Spain), serving 22,000+ patients annually through a team of 33 specialized clowns under coordinated arrangements with regional health authorities and diversified private and public funding.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersValencia, Spain
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What PayaSOSpital does
PayaSOSpital is a non-profit association (asociación sin ánimo de lucro) founded in 1997 in Valencia, Spain, by Sergio Claramunt Busó, delivering therapeutic clown interventions to hospitalized children across the Comunidad Valenciana. The organization operates through formal arrangements with 12 public hospitals in the provinces of Castellón, Valencia, and Alicante, deploying 33 professionally selected and continuously trained clowns who work in artist pairs following a methodology coordinated with medical staff via pre-performance briefings and governed by a Code of Deontological Practice. Specialized programs include the Nanás (Lullaby) program serving 4,000+ neonates annually across six NICUs, pre- and post-operative operating room accompaniment, the PAU home visit program (pioneering in Spain, integrating clowns into scheduled home medical visits for children), videoconference clown interventions for remote hospitalized children, and emerging programs for hospitalized adults and dependent elderly in socio-health centers.
The organization's core technology is its proprietary intervention methodology rather than a software platform: personalized, evidence-informed artistic performances adapted to each patient's medical and emotional situation, supported by a "Diario de Payasospital" content platform and a WooCommerce solidarity product store. Funding is diversified across six revenue streams in a roughly 65% private / 35% public mix: recurring individual memberships (from €10/month) and one-time donations, corporate CSR partnerships (Fundación Ibercaja, Caixa Bank, El Corte Inglés, Consum, and others), regional and national government grants (Generalitat Valenciana, Diputaciones, ayuntamientos, Ministerio de Derechos Sociales), solidarity merchandise (notably the annual calendar distributed through El Corte Inglés and 30+ schools, 14,000 copies at €5), clown training courses, and event-based fundraising including the annual Parque de las Sonrisas festival. The organization is declared of Public Utility by the Ministry of Interior (2001), accredited by Fundación Lealtad, and a founding member of the Federación Española de Payasos de Hospital.
In 2025, Payasospital reached 22,040 patients across 745 intervention days and 3,500+ hours of personalized performances, with cumulative beneficiaries exceeding 380,000 patients over 27 years of operation (first hospital visits commenced January 1999). Distribution is regional, with formal partnership networks across the Comunidad Valenciana public health system, and expansion signals indicate incremental growth via new service modalities (home visits, videoconference) and new population segments (adults, elderly dependents).
PayaSOSpital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PayaSOSpital
- Legal name
- Payasospital
- Website
- https://payasospital.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- PayaSOSpital is a Valencia-based non-profit association, founded in 1997, that delivers therapeutic clown interventions to hospitalized children in 12 public hospitals across the Comunidad Valenciana (Spain), serving 22,000+ patients annually through a team of 33 specialized clowns under coordinated arrangements with regional health authorities and diversified private and public funding.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PayaSOSpital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Therapeutic Hospital Clown Services
- NAICS
- Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)
- SIC
- Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Personal Care & ADL Assistance (bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility) (HLADAGAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Dressing & Undressing Assistance (HSABABAB)
Keywords
Where PayaSOSpital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Valencia
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
PayaSOSpital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations and Memberships: One-time and recurring donations from individuals who become socios (members). Donation options include €10 (monthly/quarterly/semi-annual/annual) with fiscal deduction benefits. Donors can deduct 80% of donations up to €250, 40% above €250, and 45% if donating equal or greater amounts for 3+ consecutive years (individuals), or 50% for juridical persons. The organization is declared of Public Utility by the Ministry of Interior and qualifies under Law 49/2002 on non-profit fiscal regime.
- Corporate Sponsorship and Partnerships: Funding from companies through corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, sponsorships, and patronage. Multiple sponsorship tiers including support from major entities such as Fundación Ibercaja (€5,000 contribution), Caixa Bank, El Corte Inglés, Consum, and others. Companies receive visibility and alignment with social mission.
- Government Grants and Public Funding: Subventions from public institutions including Generalitat Valenciana (Conselleria de Sanitat Universal i Salut Pública, Vicepresidència i Conselleria d'Igualtat i Polítiques Inclusives, Conselleria de Cultura), municipal governments (Valencia, Alicante, Castellón, Xirivella), and provincial councils (Diputació de València, Dip. Alicante, Dip. Castelló). Fund split: approximately 65% private funds, 35% public funds.
- Solidarity Product Sales: Sale of solidarity merchandise including clown noses (foam rubber), custom gift packs (nose + box + card for €3), t-shirts (children's €12, adults), solidarity calendars (€5), CDs (€9), plush toys (€10), and sound-making clown noses (€4). 100% of profits from product sales are directed to the organization's hospital mission. Products available via WooCommerce e-commerce platform with payment via credit card, bank transfer, PayPal, and Bizum.
- Clown Training Courses: Public and professional clown training courses offered annually for beginners and those with prior experience. Courses include titles such as 'El éxito del fracaso', 'Iniciación al clown', 'Slapstick', and 'El personaje cómico en el burlesco', priced and enrollable through the website store.
- Event-Based Fundraising: Fundraising through organized events including the annual 'Parque de las Sonrisas' family festival featuring attractions, workshops, live music, and clown performances. The festival is free to enter with paid bracelet for attractions. Additional events include Christmas galas and solidarity events at schools and community venues.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | One-time or recurring individual donations supporting pediatric clown hospital visits |
| Subscription | Annual | Per-interval membership options |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Fiscal deduction rates for donations |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Solidarity merchandise sold to fund hospital visits |
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | Corporate partnership with Fundación Ibercaja |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels10 records
PayaSOSpital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Payasospital is a non-profit association that delivers personalized therapeutic clown visits to hospitalized children, neonates, adults, and elderly dependents in 12 public hospitals and 2 socio-health centers across the Comunidad Valenciana (Spain). Its work is conducted by 33 professionally trained hospital clowns working in pairs, in coordination with medical staff under a formal Code of Deontological Practice. Complementary revenue offerings include solidarity merchandise, clown training courses, individual/corporate donation and membership programs, and event-based fundraising.
Product overview
Payasospital is a non-profit charitable organization (not a technology company) that provides therapeutic clown services to hospitalized children and vulnerable populations. The organization's core offering consists of personalized clown performances in 12 public hospitals across the Valencian Community, accompanied by a merchandise line (clown noses, solidarity calendars, t-shirts, CDs, plush toys) sold through their WooCommerce online store, clown training courses, a membership/donation program, and annual fundraising events like the Parque de las Sonrisas festival. The product portfolio centers on bringing joy and emotional well-being to hospitalized children rather than a technology platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hospital Clown Therapy Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 22,040 patients (19,722 minors, 2,181 adults, 137 elderly) plus 23,183 family members and 20,365 healthcare professionals benefited in 2025 through 745 intervention days and 3,500+ hours of performances
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use PayaSOSpital
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
PayaSOSpital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
PayaSOSpital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Clowns por la salud - Federación Española de Payasos de HospitalcorePayasospital is a founding member of Clowns por la salud (Spanish Federation of Hospital Clowns), which also maintains a studies database. Sergio Claramunt serves as President of the federation. The federation enables knowledge sharing, advocacy for hospital clown recognition as essential healthcare service, and coordination with international organizations.
- Le Rire Médecin (France)minorThe French hospital clown organization where founder Sergio Claramunt trained before establishing Payasospital in 1997. Serves as the organizational inspiration and training model for the methodology developed in Spain.
- El Corte IngléscoreMajor Spanish department store chain distributes Payasospital's Solidarity Calendar (14,000 copies annually at €5 each) across all stores in the Comunidad Valenciana. Key retail distribution partner for product fundraising.
- Asociación Española Contra el CáncerminorSpanish Cancer Association collaborating with Payasospital, particularly in oncology pediatric units where both organizations work to support patients and families.
- 12 Public Hospitals - Comunidad ValencianacoreFormal operating arrangements with 12 public hospitals: Hospital General Universitario de Castellón, Hospital Universitario de La Plana (Vila-real), Hospital de Sagunto, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe, Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, Hospital General de Valencia, Hospital Virgen de los Lirios (Alcoy), Hospital Universitario San Juan de Alicante, Hospital General Universitario Dr. Balmis (Alicante), Hospital General Universitario de Elche, Hospital de Dénia. 10 visited weekly, 2 visited periodically. Also visits Residencia Fortuny and Centro de Día Albors (elderly care).
Scale indicators18 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
PayaSOSpital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Theodora Foundation: Swiss-founded international hospital clown organization operating in 11+ countries. Delivers artist-pair visits to hospitalized children with rigorous training and healthcare-staff coordination, making it the closest international counterpart in scale and methodology to Payasospital.
- Humour Foundation: Australian charity running 'Clown Doctors' visits in pediatric hospitals and 'Elder Clowns' programs in aged care. Operates a multi-segment model (children + elderly) directly analogous to Payasospital's expansion into Residencia Fortuny and Centro de Día Albors.
- Red Noses Clowndoctors International: Austrian-headquartered hospital clown organization operating across Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Provides therapeutic clown visits to children and elderly in hospitals and care homes, with comparable training pipelines and deontological frameworks.
- Doctor Clown Italia: Italian hospital clown association active in pediatric wards across Italy, founded around the same time as Payasospital. Uses artist pairs and medical-staff briefings; comparable size, methodology, and reliance on donations and public grants.
- Hearts & Minds: UK charity delivering therapeutic clown visits (Clown Doctors) to hospitalized children, with programs for adults and elderly in care homes. Comparable in artist-training rigor, healthcare-integration model, and reliance on donations and grants.
- Le Rire Médecin: The French hospital clown organization where Payasospital's founder Sergio Claramunt trained. Operates the same therapeutic clown model in French hospitals, partnering with pediatric units and using artist pairs with pre-intervention medical briefings; effectively the original blueprint for Payasospital.
- Big Apple Circus - Clown Care Unit: US-based hospital clown program (originally founded 1986) sending professional clowns into pediatric hospitals. Pioneer of the hospital clown movement in North America and one of the canonical models Payasospital-style organizations reference.
- CliniClowns Netherlands: Dutch hospital clown organization running in-hospital visits, video-call interventions, and elderly care programs. Highly comparable given its hybrid in-person/remote model and broad funding base, mirroring Payasospital's service portfolio.
Emerging players
- Gesundheit! Institute: US charity founded by Patch Adams promoting humor therapy in hospitals and pediatric care. Conceptually aligned with Payasospital's mission but operates more as an advocacy and pilgrim-style model than as a daily in-hospital artist-pair program.
Regional players
- Pallapupas: Catalan hospital clown organization based in Barcelona, operating in hospitals across Catalonia. Mentioned in Payasospital's own team biography as a collaboration partner; comparable mission and methodology but operates in a different Spanish region.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PayaSOSpital social profiles
Digital presencePayaSOSpital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PayaSOSpital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
PayaSOSpital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PayaSOSpital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PayaSOSpital
What does PayaSOSpital do?
Payasospital is a non-profit association that delivers personalized therapeutic clown visits to hospitalized children, neonates, adults, and elderly dependents in 12 public hospitals and 2 socio-health centers across the Comunidad Valenciana (Spain). Its work is conducted by 33 professionally trained hospital clowns working in pairs, in coordination with medical staff under a formal Code of Deontological Practice. Complementary revenue offerings include solidarity merchandise, clown training courses, individual/corporate donation and membership programs, and event-based fundraising.
Is PayaSOSpital a public or private company?
PayaSOSpital is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was PayaSOSpital founded?
PayaSOSpital was founded in 1997. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is PayaSOSpital based?
PayaSOSpital is headquartered in Valencia, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does PayaSOSpital make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations and Memberships are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorship and Partnerships, government Grants and Public Funding, solidarity Product Sales, clown Training Courses and event-Based Fundraising.
Who are PayaSOSpital's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Theodora Foundation, Humour Foundation, Red Noses Clowndoctors International, Doctor Clown Italia, Hearts & Minds, Le Rire Médecin, Big Apple Circus - Clown Care Unit and CliniClowns Netherlands. Gesundheit! Institute is listed as an emerging player. Pallapupas is listed as a regional player.
Does PayaSOSpital have an API?
No public API is recorded for PayaSOSpital.
What industry is PayaSOSpital in?
PayaSOSpital's product category is Therapeutic Hospital Clown Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLADAGAA, Personal Care & ADL Assistance (bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility), with a secondary code of HSABABAB, Dressing & Undressing Assistance. Its NAICS code is 813212 and its SIC code is 8090.