What Grupo SM does

Grupo SM is a privately held Iberian–Latin American educational publishing group headquartered in Boadilla Del Monte, Spain, operating across 10 countries (Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic). Founded in 1940 (with historical roots in the broader SM movement dating to 1817), the group builds and distributes comprehensive K-12 educational solutions — covering Early Childhood through Bachillerato (Baccalaureate) — including competency-based curriculum projects (Matices, Revuela, Savia), the Singapore Math-based Piensa Infinito, the GROP-derived emotional competencies program Look Inside, and award-winning children's and young-adult literature series (El Barco de Vapor, Gran Angular, Loran, Trotamundos). The technology stack centers on digital learning and school-management platforms — SM Aprendizaje for content delivery, SM Educamos for classroom management and family communication, and the SM Formación/@play teacher training hub — with text-based generative AI features (IA Lab) embedded in the Matices primary product.

The business model combines one-time textbook and materials sales, recurring subscriptions to digital platforms and reading programs, professional services for pedagogical advisory (especially to Catholic school networks under Escuelas Católicas), and direct-to-consumer e-commerce (Tienda SM, Pedidos Profesor). Customers include private, public, and Catholic K-12 institutions, individual teachers, families, and government education systems. Distribution is primarily direct via a commercial-advisor sales force supplemented by channel partners, book fairs, and own-store e-commerce. The group is supplemented by Fundación SM, a non-profit established in 1976 that funds educational equity, teacher training, research observatories (OES/OJI/ORE), and the prestigious Premios SM literary awards, providing reputational and community moats across Iberoamerica.

Name

Grupo SM

Legal name

Grupo SM

Website

https://grupo-sm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Grupo SM is a private Spanish-origin educational publishing group operating across 10 Iberoamerican countries, providing K-12 textbooks, digital learning platforms (SM Aprendizaje, SM Educamos), teacher training, and award-winning children's literature to schools, teachers, families, and government education systems.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Educational Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Other Publishers (51319), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Core Subject Textbooks (ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies) (EDAGAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Institutional & Custom Publishing (Coursepacks, Campus/Corporate Training) (MPAJABAL), Corporate Leadership & Management (EDAGANAA)

Keywords

• Educational publishing
• K-12 textbooks
• Digital learning platforms
• Children's literature
• Teacher professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Boadilla Del Monte

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Educational Textbook and Learning Materials Sales: Core revenue from publishing and selling textbooks, educational books, and learning materials across all K-12 levels (Infantil, Primaria, Secundaria, Bachillerato). Physical and digital textbooks sold to schools, teachers, and families.
2. Digital Platforms (SM Aprendizaje, SM Educamos): Subscription-based access to digital educational platforms providing online learning content, classroom management tools, and digital textbooks for schools and individual users.
3. Teacher Professional Development (SM Formación): Revenue from professional development courses and training programs for teachers through the SM Formación platform and institutional partnerships.
4. Children's and Young Adult Literature: Sale of children's and young adult literature books through the Tienda SM e-commerce platform, bookstores, and school book fairs. Includes award-winning series such as El Barco de Vapor and Gran Angular.
5. Classroom Resources and Supplementary Materials: Sales of vacation workbooks, review notebooks, dictionaries, manipulatives, classroom materials, and other supplementary educational resources for teachers and families.
6. Pedagogical Advisory Services: Pedagogical advisory services provided to schools, particularly Catholic school networks, including teacher training, educational project customization, and ongoing accompaniment services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Grupo SM is an Iberoamerican educational publishing group that produces and sells K-12 textbooks, digital learning platforms (SM Aprendizaje, SM Educamos), children's and young adult literature, teacher training programs, and pedagogical advisory services for schools across Latin America and Spain. The company operates through wholly-owned local entities in 10+ countries and offers competency-based curriculum projects aligned with national standards.

Product overview

Grupo SM is a pan-American educational publishing group with 80+ years of experience, operating as a multi-platform education company offering printed textbooks, digital platforms, and professional development services. The portfolio centers on comprehensive curriculum solutions (Matices, Revuela, Savia) for Early Childhood through Secondary education, complemented by literacy programs (El Barco de Vapor, Gran Angular, Literatura SM collections), emotional learning tools (Look Inside), and Singapore Math methodology (Piensa Infinito). Digital infrastructure includes SM Aprendizaje and SM Educamos platforms, with AI-enabled tools through Matices' AI Lab. The group also operates specialized imprints (PPC Editorial for religious education, Cruïlla for Catalan education) and supports the ecosystem through Fundación SM's research, awards, and teacher training initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Matices Comprehensive primary education project aligned with LOMLOE curriculum, covering all core subjects (Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies) from 1st to 6th grade. Features competency-based learning situations, interdisciplinary projects, AI Lab tools, and personalized learning itineraries.
• Look Inside Emotional competencies education program for Early Childhood and Primary education. Based on the GROP model from University of Barcelona, developing five fundamental emotional competencies through three key emotions per course, with materials for students, teachers, and family engagement.
• Piensa Infinito Primary mathematics project based on Singapore Math methodology, developed with Dr. Yeap Ban Har. Uses concrete-pictorial-abstract (CPA) approach with manipulatives, emphasizing problem-solving and mathematical thinking over memorization.
• SM Aprendizaje Digital learning platform providing educational content, interactive resources, and tools for teachers and students across all educational levels.
• SM Educamos Educational management and communication platform for schools, enabling coordination between teachers, students, and families.
• @play Online platform for teacher professionalization offering courses and training resources with 24/7 access.
• Plan Lector SM Reading plan program for schools covering Early Childhood through Baccalaureate, with recommended readings, teaching guides, and evaluation tools organized by educational level.
• Revuela Competency-based educational project for Primary and Secondary levels, structured around projects and global citizenship, covering Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Catholic Religion.
• Savia Comprehensive educational curriculum for Early Childhood education covering all developmental areas with project-based learning approach.
• Literatura SM Children's and young adult literature imprint featuring collections like El Barco de Vapor (orange series), Gran Angular, Loran, Trotamundos, Novela Teen, and other reading programs for all ages from 0 to 14+.
• PPC Editorial Religious education publisher under Grupo SM, producing materials for Catholic schools including religious education textbooks, pedagogical resources, and Biblioteca de Innovación Educativa collection.

Quantifiable outcome

• Matices project responds to LOMLOE competency requirements with learning situations and quarterly projects enabling interdisciplinary learning
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CEU UCH UniversidadcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFundación SM and CEU Universidad Cardenal Herrera (CEU UCH) in Valencia, Spain, inaugurated the 'Aula Seminario Juntos cuidamos la Educación' — a shared seminar space bridging university learning and professional reality. The initiative represents a strategic co-development of educational research and teacher training between the foundation and the university.
• Universidad de AlcalácoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSM and the Universidad de Alcalá have an agreement through which the university accredits and supports the 'Piensa Infinito' project with initial training, accompaniment, and follow-up in the implementation of the Singapore Mathematics methodology in schools. Dr. Yeap Ban Har, the methodology's leading expert, developed the project's books.
• Dr. Yeap Ban HarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Yeap Ban Har, one of the leading experts in Singapore Mathematics methodology training, developed the Piensa Infinito textbooks for SM. His expertise in the CPA approach (Concrete-Pictorical-Abstract) underpins the mathematics teaching methodology used across SM's pilot schools.
• Four Other Publishing Houses (Dominican Republic Alliance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSM and four other publishing houses signed an alliance in May 2025 to elevate the quality of education in the Dominican Republic. Five publishing houses jointly committed to addressing the multiple needs for quality and efficiency of educational institutions in the country. SM leads the alliance as a founding member.
• Hospital Universitari Dexeus (Grupo Quirónsalud)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCruïlla (through Fundación SM) collaborated with Hospital Universitari Dexeus to create the 'Biblioteca de los Sueños' — a reading space in the neonatal and pediatric ICU. Cruïlla donated children's books and literature selections to accompany children and families emotionally during hospitalization, supporting the hospital's humanization of care strategy.
• 20minutos NewspaperminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGrupo SM co-organized the 'Bienestar emocional en el aula' forum with 20minutos newspaper in May 2026. The forum brought together educational, psychological, and orientation experts to discuss mental health in education, generating earned media coverage and positioning SM as a thought leader in educational well-being.
• Escuelas Católicas (Catholic School Networks)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGrupo SM maintains an ongoing partnership with Catholic school networks across Latin America and Spain, providing comprehensive educational solutions including textbooks, pedagogical accompaniment programs ('En salida', 'Recrear la Escuela'), religious education materials (PPC, Vida nueva), and teacher training. SM serves as a preferred content partner for Catholic schools.
• Universidad de Barcelona - GROPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 'Look Inside' emotional competencies program is based on the emotional competencies model developed by the GROP (Grupo de Investigación y Orientación Psicopedagógica) at the Universidad de Barcelona. SM developed the program in collaboration with GROP's research framework for emotional education in schools.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Santillana (PRISA): PRISA-owned educational publishing group with the most direct overlap to Grupo SM: Spanish-language K-12 textbooks, children's literature, and digital platforms serving Spain and Latin America. Operates under imprints including Santillana, Richmond, and Loqueleo.
• Edelvives (Grupo Edelvives): Spanish educational publisher with strong Catholic school footprint, similar imprint structure (Edelvives, Algaida), and presence in Spain and Latin America. Direct competitor for textbook and religious education contracts.
• Grupo Anaya (Anaya Educación): Major Spanish K-12 textbook publisher competing directly with SM's Matices, Revuela, and Savia lines across Preescolar, Primaria, and Secundaria in Spain. Owned by Hachette Livre.
• Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: US K-12 publisher with HMH Into Reading, Into Math, and adaptive platforms; comparable competency-based curriculum structure to SM's Matices and similar integration of AI in teacher tools.
• Scholastic Corporation: Children's book publisher with K-12 educational content and book fairs. Direct comparison on the literature side (El Barco de Vapor vs. Harry Potter/Goosebumps) and on school-channel distribution.
• Editorial Vicens Vives: Spanish K-12 publisher with strong presence in Catalonia and Latin America, including digital platforms. Direct competitor in Spanish-speaking secondary education textbooks.

Broad incumbents

• Pearson Education: Global K-12 and higher education publisher with extensive digital learning platforms (Pearson English, Realize). Less Iberoamerican focus but competes for institutional contracts and represents the global scale benchmark.
• McGraw-Hill Education: US-headquartered K-12 and higher ed publisher with adaptive learning platforms (Aleks, Connect). Competes with Grupo SM's digital learning stack at the global level and for international school curricula.
• Cambridge University Press & Assessment: University press with growing K-12 and English language learning portfolio; comparable on validation-backed methodologies and teacher training, though more focused on international curricula and bilingual education.

Others

• PPC Editorial (Grupo SM subsidiary, formerly Editorial PPC): Listed as a subsidiary rather than true peer; included for context as a religious-education imprint within Grupo SM that competes externally with Casals, Claret, and other Catholic-focused educational publishers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/comunicacionsm
• Facebookfacebook.com/comunicacionsm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grupo-sm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries16 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 Grupo SM