Universidad Privada de Santa Cruz de la Sierra - UPSA

What Universidad Privada de Santa Cruz de la Sierra - UPSA does

Universidad Privada de Santa Cruz de la Sierra (UPSA) is a private non-profit university foundation established in 1984 by CAINCO, the Santa Cruz chamber of industry, commerce, services, and tourism. Operating from a single campus (Campus Verde) in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, the university delivers higher education across five faculties (Architecture, Design and Urbanism; Business Sciences; Legal and Social Sciences; Humanities, Communication and Arts; and Engineering), offering 19 undergraduate licentiate programs, 8 master's degrees, and more than 20 diploma and continuing education programs through its CENACE division.

Its core educational technology stack is built on UPSA Virtual, a Moodle-based learning management system supporting online and hybrid course delivery, complemented by UPSANet (intranet for academic administration), a digital library with electronic catalogs, and a mobile application for student services. The product portfolio also includes the IncubaUPSA business incubator, the ElevateU startup pitch competition, and the TecnoUPSA annual technology fair, which together form an entrepreneurship and innovation layer supporting students and recent graduates.

UPSA's revenue model is almost entirely tuition-based, with semester payments collected via bank transfer through multiple Bolivian banks. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; admissions are handled through a personalized quote process anchored on personal interviews, online applications, and WhatsApp outreach. The go-to-market motion is sales-led with strong community-led reinforcement: the university recruits directly at secondary schools (bachilleres), participates in orientation fairs, operates a Club de Líderes prospective-student community, and leverages its 11,000+ undergraduate alumni network plus the CAINCO business chamber for referrals. Customer segments include prospective baccalaureate graduates, working professionals pursuing postgraduate degrees, local employers recruiting through the Bolsa Laboral platform, and 120+ international university partners enabling student exchange and 17 double-degree pathways.

Name

Universidad Privada de Santa Cruz de la Sierra - UPSA

Legal name

Fundación Universidad Privada de Santa Cruz de la Sierra

Website

https://upsa.edu.bo

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

UPSA is a private non-profit university foundation in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, founded in 1984 by CAINCO, offering 19 undergraduate programs, 8 master's degrees, and continuing education across 5 faculties with 120+ international partner universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension) (EDAHALAB)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate professional education
• Continuing education programs
• Online learning platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Cruz De La Sierra

HQ country

Bolivia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: UPSA generates primary revenue from tuition fees charged to undergraduate and graduate students. Tuition is paid per semester and can be paid via bank transfers to accounts at Banco Nacional de Bolivia, Banco Mercantil Santa Cruz, Banco Económico, Banco Ganadero, and Banco de Crédito BCP.
2. Postgraduate Programs (Postgrado): Graduate programs (maestrías, doctorados, diplomados) offered through postgrado.upsa.edu.bo generate revenue from specialized tuition fees distinct from undergraduate programs.
3. CENACE - Continuing Education: The Center for Continuing Education (CENACE) offers certified minors, diploma programs, and continuing education courses generating revenue from adult learners and professionals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

UPSA is a private non-profit university delivering higher education across 5 faculties with 19 undergraduate (licenciatura) programs, 8 master's (maestría) programs, and 20+ diploma/continuing-education offerings via CENACE. Courses are delivered on the Campus Verde in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, through the Moodle-based UPSA Virtual LMS for hybrid/online learning, and supported by a digital library, international exchange, and double-degree pathways with European and Latin American universities.

Product overview

Universidad Privada de Santa Cruz de la Sierra (UPSA) is a private non-profit university offering a comprehensive educational ecosystem across 5 faculties with 18 undergraduate programs, 8 master's degrees, and continuing education through CENACE. The institution operates digital platforms including UPSA Virtual (Moodle-based LMS) for online learning, UPSA Net for academic administration, and a virtual library system. Student development is supported through IncubaUPSA (business incubator), ElevateU (startup competition), and TecnoUPSA (annual technology fair). The university has achieved international recognition including 1st place in MERCO rankings for education sector and maintains 17 double-degree programs with European and Latin American universities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CENACE – Educación Continua: Dirección de Educación Continua offering certified Minors and continuing education programs.
• IncubaUPSA
• UPSA Virtual
• ElevateU
• UPSA Net (Intra)

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs (Carreras de Pregrado)
• Postgrado UPSA - Graduate Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of graduates achieve quality employment before their first year after graduation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CAINCO (Cámara de Industria, Comercio, Servicios y Turismo de Santa Cruz)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1984CAINCO founded UPSA in 1984 and remains its primary institutional sponsor. The university is legally established as 'Fundación Universidad Privada de Santa Cruz de la Sierra' and maintains close ties with the business chamber for enterprise partnerships, student internships, and alumni connections.
• Universidad de Navarra (España)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDouble degree partner university offering 17 undergraduate programs the option to earn dual degrees with prestigious Spanish universities.
• Rennes School of Business (Francia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDouble degree partner providing French academic credentials to UPSA students across multiple undergraduate programs.
• Università degli Studi di Genova (Italia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian university partner for double degree programs, expanding UPSA's European academic network.
• Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (España)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish Catholic university offering double degree pathways for 17 UPSA undergraduate programs.
• Universidad de Montevideo (Uruguay)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUruguayan university partner for double degree programs, providing regional Latin American academic options.
• 120+ international universitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 120 partner universities in 32 countries across Europe, USA, Asia, and Latin America enabling student exchange, mobility programs, and academic collaboration. Includes institutions in Spain (Catalonia, Vigo, Basque Country, Valencia), Scotland (Strathclyde), Italy, Panama, Belgium, Brazil, Argentina, and USA.
• IAESTE (International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAESTE provides international internship opportunities for UPSA students in 80 countries, with 65 years of experience. Students can do paid internships from 4 weeks to one year in companies in the USA, Brazil, Canada, and European countries.
• Ciudad MundominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational internship organization providing paid internship programs for UPSA students in various countries, complementing IAESTE offerings.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• INCAE Business School: Top Central American business school with campuses in Costa Rica and Nicaragua; comparable for postgraduate and executive education quality, though smaller and more focused than UPSA's broader portfolio.
• Universidad Privada del Norte (UPN, Peru): Large Peruvian private university with multi-city presence; comparable Andean private higher education model with strong continuing education and online offerings, though operating in Peru rather than Bolivia.
• Universidad Galileo (Guatemala): Private Guatemalan university recognized for innovation and technology-focused programs; comparable regional private higher education institution, particularly for online learning and entrepreneurship focus.

Broad incumbents

• Universidad de los Andes (Colombia): Top-tier Colombian private university; a benchmark for premium positioning, international accreditations, and strong graduate employability in the Andean region.
• Tecnológico de Monterrey: Mexico's leading private university and one of Latin America's largest private higher education groups; a broad incumbent benchmark for premium private higher education branding, employability outcomes, and online scale.
• Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA): Bolivia's largest public university headquartered in La Paz; a broad incumbent that competes for the same student pool but at significantly lower tuition and much larger scale than UPSA.

Direct peers

• Universidad Franz Tamayo (UNIFRANZ): Private Bolivian university operating in La Paz, Cochabamba, El Alto and Santa Cruz; comparable private higher education competitor with strong postgraduate and continuing education focus.
• Universidad Privada del Valle (Univalle): Private Bolivian university with campuses in Cochabamba, La Paz and Santa Cruz; competes head-to-head with UPSA on undergraduate programs, particularly in health sciences and engineering.
• Universidad Privada Boliviana (UPB): Private Bolivian university headquartered in Cochabamba with multi-city presence; comparable private non-profit higher education institution targeting similar undergraduate and graduate segments in Bolivia.
• Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo (UCB): Bolivia's largest private Catholic university with campuses in La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Sucre and Tarija; directly competes with UPSA in Santa Cruz and offers the most comparable multi-city private university model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/UniversidadUPSA
• Facebookfacebook.com/boliviaupsa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universidad-privada-de-santa-cruz-de-la-sierra---upsa
• Instagraminstagram.com/upsabolivia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Universidad Privada de Santa Cruz de la Sierra - UPSA