Instituto das Apóstolas do Sagrado Coração de Jesus

What Instituto das Apóstolas do Sagrado Coração de Jesus does

The Instituto das Apóstolas do Sagrado Coração de Jesus (IASCJ) is a Catholic religious institute of pontifical right founded on May 30, 1894, in Viareggio, Italy, by Madre Clélia Merloni. Headquartered with its Brazilian Provincial Government in São Paulo and its General Government in Rome, the institute operates across 16 countries through education, healthcare, pastoral care, social assistance, and missionary work. Its principal beneficiaries include students at all educational levels, vulnerable populations (children, youth, the elderly, persons with disabilities), women in religious formation, and Catholic faithful communities served through its parishes and missions.

The institute's core operations are its educational holdings: Centro Universitário UNISAGRADO, a higher education institution in Bauru, São Paulo, and the Sagrado Rede de Educação network of K-12 Catholic schools (including Colégio São José, operating since 1926, and Colégio São Francisco, since 1955). Beyond education, the institute runs social projects such as the Centro de Convivência Madre Clélia in Juruti, Pará (serving children, adolescents, and youth) and the Centro Socioeducativo Irmã Adelaide. The institute also operates vocational animation services (SAV), a four-stage religious formation pipeline (pre-postulado, postulado, noviciado, juniorato), and the GFASC lay collaborator network, with digital outreach via the Conexão Apóstolas platform, podcast, and social media channels.

The institute is a non-profit religious congregation with no external investors or public listing. Revenue is generated from tuition at UNISAGRADO and the Sagrado schools, Brazilian federal/state/municipal government social-program contracts (Termos de Colaboração e Fomento), international donors (Socialwerk Brasilienhilfe of Germany, Italian Bishops' Conference), and corporate CSR contributions (Alcoa). No proprietary technology platform of commercial significance is operated; digital tools are limited to communications, content distribution (including the 2021 'Na Batida do Coração' album), and LGPD-compliant data handling. The institute does not publish consolidated financials.

Name

Instituto das Apóstolas do Sagrado Coração de Jesus

Legal name

Instituto das Apóstolas do Sagrado Coração de Jesus

Website

https://apostolas.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1894

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The Instituto das Apóstolas do Sagrado Coração de Jesus is a Catholic religious institute founded in 1894, operating across 16 countries. It provides higher education (UNISAGRADO), K-12 Catholic schools, social assistance, and pastoral care, headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious and Educational Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Religious Organizations (8131), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB), Faith-Based & Mission Service Programs (EDAIAGAI), Missionary Training Colleges & Schools (EDAHAKAF), Student Welfare, Pastoral Care & Safeguarding Services (EDAIAHAI), Global Health & School Health Partnerships (WASH, Nutrition, SRH) (EDADALAH)

Keywords

• Catholic education services
• Religious formation programs
• Social assistance services
• Pastoral and healthcare ministries
• Nonprofit charitable works

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Instituto das Apóstolas do Sagrado Coração de Jesus operates as a Catholic religious institute delivering Catholic education (K-12 through Sagrado Rede de Educação schools and higher education through UNISAGRADO university center), social assistance programs for vulnerable children, adolescents, elderly, and disabled persons, pastoral and healthcare ministries, religious formation pathways (pre-postulate through juniorate), vocational animation services (SAV), and ad extra missions across 16 countries. It does not sell commercial products; its offerings are mission-driven services funded through tuition, donations, and government social-program partnerships.

Product overview

The Instituto das Apóstolas do Sagrado Coração de Jesus operates a multi-faceted portfolio centered on Catholic education and social mission. Core offerings include UNISAGRADO (higher education university center) and the Sagrado - Rede de Educação network of Catholic schools. The Institute also provides social programs through the Projeto Cultura pela Paz and Centro de Convivência Madre Clélia, vocational animation services (SAV), and religious formation programs. The organization maintains educational institutions in multiple Brazilian cities including Bauru, São Paulo, and others, while extending mission work to 16 countries worldwide. Additional offerings include the Conexão Apóstolas digital platform and the musical album 'Na Batida do Coração' featuring original compositions inspired by the Institute's spirituality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sagrado - Rede de Educação: Network of educational institutions (schools) operated by the institute, including Colégio São José, Colégio São Francisco, and others in various Brazilian cities.
• Centro Universitário UNISAGRADO
• Conexão Apóstolas

Products and services

• Centro Universitário UNISAGRADO
• Sagrado Rede de Educação
• Centro de Convivência Madre Clélia
• Projeto Cultura pela Paz
• Centro Socioeducativo Irmã Adelaide
• Serviço de Animação Vocacional (SAV)
• Etapas de Formação Religiosa (Formation Stages)
• Álbum 'Na Batida do Coração'
• Conexão Apóstolas
• Programas Sociais (Social Programs)

Quantifiable outcome

• 233 students enrolled in first year at Colégio São José in Bauru (1926)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Socialwerk Brasilienhilfe (Germany)coreOthersGerman social organization that helped fund the Centro de Convivência Madre Clélia in Juruti/PA through international social project funding.
• CEI - Conferência Episcopal ItalianacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian Bishops' Conference that funded the construction of the sports court, craft room, kitchen, bathrooms, storage, and gardens at the Centro de Convivência Madre Clélia in Juruti/PA.
• Diocese of ÓbidoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Diocese of Óbidos oversees the Centro de Convivência Madre Clélia through the Beneficent Association Emaús, of which Dom Frei Bernardo Johannes Bahlmann (OFM) is President. Apostolic Sisters participate in the mission.
• ALCOAminorOthersPrivate company that provided support to the Centro de Convivência Madre Clélia in Juruti/PA as part of corporate social responsibility.
• Government Municipal (Juruti)coreOthersMunicipal government through the Secretariat of Social Assistance partnered with the Centro de Convivência Madre Clélia for social programs serving vulnerable populations.
• Brazilian Government (Federal/State)coreOthersThe Institute maintains government partnership agreements (Termos de Colaboração e Fomento) for social programs including: Programa de Estímulo ao Primeiro Emprego, Programa de Inclusão Produtiva, Serviço de Convivência e Fortalecimento de Vínculos, and Serviço de Proteção Especial para Pessoas com Deficiência, Idosas e suas Famílias.
• Sagrado Rede de EducaçãocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational network of Catholic schools operated by the Institute alongside UNISAGRADO, contributing to the 'Live Tributo ao Sagrado Coração de Jesus' event and joint formation activities.
• Paróquia Nossa Senhora da Saúde (Juruti)minorOthersLocal parish that partnered with the Centro de Convivência Madre Clélia in social outreach and community development activities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Fundação Fé e Alegria: Jesuit-affiliated international education network serving marginalized communities, including Brazil; comparable in faith-based educational mission targeting underserved populations.
• Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Brazil: International Catholic NGO with Brazil presence serving vulnerable populations; comparable to IASCJ's mission-ad-extrabudget operations in Africa and Latin America.

Direct peers

• Universidade Católica de Brasília (UCB): Catholic university in Brasília (where IASCJ maintains a contact office), operated by a religious congregation. Comparable in offering Catholic higher education alongside pastoral and social outreach in the same Brazilian market.
• Rede Sagrado (Colégio Sagrado Coração de Jesus – various): Network of Sacred Heart Catholic schools in Brazil operating under similar congregational models; directly comparable as faith-based K-12 networks offering parallel curricula and formation programs.
• Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR): Brazilian Catholic-affiliated university also operating K-12 schools and social programs in Curitiba (where IASCJ has its second Vicariate). Highly comparable as a faith-based, pontifical-right higher-education institution with similar mission mix.
• Companhia das Filhas da Caridade de São Vicente de Paulo: International Catholic women's religious congregation with parallel education, healthcare, and social-assistance ministries across multiple continents; comparable in scale, mission structure, and 16+ country footprint.
• Congregação das Irmãs de Santa Cruz (CSC): Pontifical-right women's religious congregation operating schools, universities, and social projects internationally; directly comparable structure to IASCJ's mix of education + social mission + vowed religious life.

Regional players

• Universidade São Francisco (USF): Brazilian Catholic-affiliated university in São Paulo state operated by a religious congregation (Sisters of the Holy Cross); competes regionally with UNISAGRADO for students in the same geographic catchment.

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Brasileira: Brazil's largest Catholic social-action network with federal/state government partnerships and social programs; a broader-incumbent comparator for IASCJ's social-assistance and human-promotion activities.
• Pastoral da Criança: Large Brazilian Catholic NGO providing social services to vulnerable children and families, funded via government partnerships similar to IASCJ's Centro de Convivência Madre Clélia and Centro Socioeducativo Irmã Adelaide.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/conexaoapostolas
• Facebookfacebook.com/iascj
• Instagraminstagram.com/iascj.br
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/instituto-das-apostolas-do-sagrado-coracao-de-jesus

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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