Universidade Federal de Itajubá

What Universidade Federal de Itajubá does

Universidade Federal de Itajubá (UNIFEI) is a Brazilian federal public university founded in 1913 as the Escola Federal de Engenharia de Itajubá, operating under the Ministry of Education (MEC). It delivers tuition-free undergraduate, graduate (stricto and lato sensu), and distance-learning programs across three campuses in Minas Gerais — the main Itajubá campus (Campus Professor José Rodrigues Seabra), the Itabira campus (Campus Theodomiro Carneiro Santiago, founded 2008), and the developing Pouso Alegre campus. UNIFEI is organized around nine institutes spanning mechanical engineering, production and management, systems engineering and IT, physics and chemistry, mathematics and computing, natural resources, electrical systems and energy, integrated engineering, pure and applied sciences, and technological sciences.

The university's research and technology footprint includes the CH2V Green Hydrogen Center (in partnership with GIZ), the BioInova Hub for biotechnology R&D and entrepreneurship, the RaiosOnline lightning-detection network (in cooperation with USP), and an institutional ecosystem of 17 junior enterprises, 6 innovation environments, and 24 academic technological-competition projects. Core operational platforms include SIGAA for academic activity management, Moodle for virtual learning, a unified SIG administrative system, and MOOC UNIFEI plus UNIFEI Online for open and accredited distance education. These platforms run alongside support foundations FAPEPE and FUPAI and the EMBRAPII SEPAER unit for industry-academia research projects.

UNIFEI is funded primarily through the Brazilian federal government via MEC budget allocations, with no tuition revenue. Additional funding flows from research grants (CNPq, CAPES, FAPEMIG), strategic industry partnerships (notably a R$60 million Vale convenio for Itabira campus infrastructure in 2025), and extension services through PROEX. The institution's customer base is highly distributed across undergraduate, graduate, distance-learning, and international exchange students, while its capital sources are concentrated on federal allocations and a small number of large industry partners. Recognition includes being named the most well-positioned Brazilian university in two of the seventeen UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Name

Universidade Federal de Itajubá

Legal name

Universidade Federal de Itajubá

Website

https://unifei.edu.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Universidade Federal de Itajubá (UNIFEI) is a Brazilian federal public university, founded in 1913, delivering tuition-free engineering, science, and technology programs across three Minas Gerais campuses and serving undergraduate, graduate, and distance-learning students through federal funding, research grants, and industry partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Academic & Classroom Integration Support (Study Skills, Academic Norms, Integrity) (EDAIAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Professional & Executive Short Courses (Non-Degree, International) (EDAIAIAH)

Keywords

• Public higher education
• Engineering university programs
• Graduate research degrees
• Distance learning courses
• University extension services

Headquarters

HQ city

Itajubá

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Government Funding: Public university funded primarily by the Brazilian federal government through the Ministry of Education (MEC). No tuition fees charged to students.
2. Research Grants: Funding from CNPq, CAPES, FAPEMIG and other research agencies for graduate programs and research projects.
3. Partnership Agreements: Strategic partnerships with companies like Vale providing R$60 million for campus infrastructure development.
4. Extension Services: Technological extension services and continuing education programs through PROEX.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

UNIFEI is a Brazilian federal public university providing tuition-free higher education in engineering, science, technology, and related fields. It offers undergraduate degrees (presencial and EaD), graduate stricto sensu and lato sensu programs, research and extension services, and innovation initiatives through hubs such as CH2V (Green Hydrogen) and BioInova. Operations are supported by academic management platforms (SIGAA, Moodle, SIG, MOOC) across campuses in Itajubá, Itabira, and Pouso Alegre.

Product overview

UNIFEI operates as a comprehensive higher education institution offering academic management platforms and educational services. The core product portfolio consists of SIGAA for integrated academic activity management, Moodle for virtual learning environments, and a unified SIG administrative system. Supporting platforms include MOOC UNIFEI for open online courses and UNIFEI Online for formal distance education programs. The institution recently announced BioInova Hub as a new biotechnology innovation initiative. These products collectively serve the university's mission of teaching, research, and community extension across multiple campuses in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Campus Professor José Rodrigues Seabra: Main campus in Itajubá, MG
• Campus Avançado de Itabira
• Campus Pouso Alegre

Products and services

• Undergraduate Programs (Graduação Presencial) On-campus bachelor's degree programs in engineering, computer science, natural sciences, mathematics, and humanities, offered tuition-free to students admitted via vestibular and SISU entrance exams.
• Distance Learning Undergraduate Programs (Graduação EaD) Accredited online and hybrid undergraduate degree programs delivered through the UNIFEI Online and NEaD (Núcleo de Educação a Distância) platforms, expanding access across Brazil.
• Graduate Programs (Pós-Graduação Stricto Sensu) Master's and doctoral research programs in engineering, science, and technology, with funding and scholarships from CNPq, CAPES, and FAPEMIG, conducted in UNIFEI's specialized research centers.
• Extension Services and Continuing Education (Pós-Graduação Lato Sensu / PROEX) Continuing education, specialization (lato sensu), and community extension programs covering cultura, empreendedorismo e inovação, and extensão tecnológica e empresarial, managed by the Pró-Reitoria de Extensão (PROEX).
• MOOC UNIFEI - Free Open Online Courses (Cursos Livres) Free open online course platform (Cursos Livres) offering professional development and continuing education to the broader community, hosted at mooc.unifei.edu.br.
• International Exchange Programs (DRI) Incoming and outgoing international student exchange and academic mobility programs managed by the Diretoria de Relações Internacionais (DRI), including international agreements and partnerships.
• University Libraries and Bibliographic Services University library services and bibliographic resources supporting teaching, research, and extension across all UNIFEI campuses.
• Subsidized University Restaurant (Restaurante Universitário - RU) Subsidized meal program at the university restaurant (RU) providing reduced-cost meals to UNIFEI students, with the first subsidy approved by CEPEAd in April 2024.
• Student Assistance Programs (Programas de Assistência Estudantil) Student support programs including financial aid, housing assistance, psychological services, and healthcare, managed by the Diretoria de Assuntos Estudantis (DAE) and Diretoria de Saúde e Qualidade de Vida (DSQ).
• SIGAA - Integrated Academic Management System Integrated academic management system used by UNIFEI for managing teaching, research, and extension activities, including course registration, grades, academic records, extension projects, and student services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Most well-positioned Brazilian university in 2 UN Sustainable Development Goals
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Sociedade Desportiva Yuracan Futebol ClubeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 October 2025Historic partnership to transform Itajubá into Soccer Valley - a strategic innovation and technology development hub for football. Includes Futstorm Participações in the Protocolo de Intenções.
• ValecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2025Partnership agreement worth R$60 million for construction of new buildings at the Itabira campus. Vale, the municipality of Itabira, and UNIFEI formalized a convenio ensuring investment from Vale for campus infrastructure development.
• GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2022Partnership for the Centro de Hidrogênio Verde (CH2V) - Green Hydrogen Center. German development agency supporting the establishment of hydrogen production and storage research infrastructure. Includes international speakers and collaboration.
• USP - Universidade de São PaulocoreTechnology or Integration · 1 November 2016Cooperation agreement for installation of lightning detection sensor as part of RaiosOnline network. Professor Dr. Marcelo de Paula Corrêa and Professor Dr. Carlos Morales coordinated the project. Sensor installed at IRN building.
• CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçöamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency providing funding and support for graduate programs, scientific research, and scholarship programs at UNIFEI.
• CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational research council providing funding for research projects, scholarships, and scientific development programs.
• FAPEMIG (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState research foundation providing regional funding for scientific research projects in Minas Gerais.
• Prefeitura Municipal de ItajubáminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partnership for regional development and community engagement initiatives.
• Prefeitura Municipal de ItabiraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partnership for campus development in Itabira.
• FAPEPE (Fundação de Apoio ao Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão de Itajubá)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport foundation assisting with research, teaching, and extension project management.
• FUPAI (Fundação de Pesquisa e Assessoramento à Indústria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch foundation providing industry partnerships and technology transfer support.
• EMBRAPII (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa e Inovação Industrial)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational industrial research association providing funding for industry-academia research projects through SEPAER unit at UNIFEI.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Universidade de São Paulo (USP): Brazil's flagship public research university, offering undergraduate and graduate programs in engineering and sciences with strong federal funding. Directly comparable as a federal/state public university competing for the same CNPq/CAPES research grants, faculty, and graduate students.
• Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP): Top-tier São Paulo state public university renowned for engineering, technology, and innovation. Directly comparable as a leading Brazilian public research university with strong industry partnerships, technology transfer offices, and innovation hubs similar to UNIFEI's PROEX structure.
• Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar): Brazilian federal public university with strong engineering and science programs, particularly in materials and computing. Comparable as a mid-sized federal research university competing for the same graduate students and federal research funding.
• Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC): Major Brazilian federal university recognized for engineering and technology programs. Comparable as a large federal public university with strong technology transfer programs and industry partnerships.
• Universidade de Brasília (UnB): Brazilian federal public university offering engineering, technology, and science programs. Comparable as a federal university competing for the same federal funding, graduate students, and industry research partnerships.
• Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ): Major Brazilian federal university with extensive engineering programs and research output. Directly comparable as a federally funded public university competing for graduate students, federal research grants, and large corporate partnerships in engineering.
• Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA): Brazilian federal engineering institution focused on aerospace, mechanical, and electrical engineering. Directly comparable as a specialized federal engineering university with strong industry ties and government-funded research infrastructure.
• Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG): Large Brazilian federal public university in Minas Gerais with strong engineering and science programs. Directly comparable as a federal university in the same state, sharing the same FAPEMIG funding pool and competing for the same regional industry partnerships.
• Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC): Newer Brazilian federal university with interdisciplinary engineering and science focus and multiple campuses. Comparable as a multi-campus federal university with strong emphasis on engineering, applied research, and industry partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio): Private Brazilian university with strong engineering and computer science programs. Comparable as a peer in the same engineering education market, though as a private institution it competes for students via tuition-based revenue rather than government funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/unifei_oficial
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC...UNIFEI
• Facebookfacebook.com/universidadefederaldeitajuba
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/unifei
• Instagraminstagram.com/unifei

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Universidade Federal de Itajubá