Instituto Semear
Instituto Semear is a Brazilian non-profit founded in 2010 that supports low-income university students through scholarships, volunteer mentorship, and professional networking, funded by individual donors and corporate partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersSão Paulo, Brazil
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Instituto Semear does
Instituto Semear (legal name Instituto Semeadores de Jovens Talentos) is a Brazilian non-profit civil association (associação civil sem fins lucrativos), registered under CNPJ 16.938.394/0001-63 and headquartered in São José dos Campos, São Paulo. Founded in 2010, the organization supports low-income university students in Brazil through a three-pillar model: Bolsa-Auxílio (monthly financial scholarships), Programa de Mentoria (one-on-one volunteer mentorship), and Rede de Contatos (professional networking). Programs are delivered primarily through the annual Trilha da Autoliderança (Self-Leadership Trail), a year-long cohort-based curriculum with ~200 participants per cycle, complemented by pre-university outreach (Semear nas Escolas), alumni continuation (Projeto Delta), professional development (PlantYou), and an annual Feira de Empregabilidade.
The organization does not sell products or services to beneficiaries; all programs are free to qualifying recipients. Funding is generated entirely through donations from individual donors, corporate partners (including Itaú, Globo, Motorola, Embraer, Unilever, Morgan Stanley, 99, Kearney, and others), and campaign contributions (notably the GiftAid-powered Presente Solidário initiative that redirects celebration gift budgets into scholarships). Distribution relies on a combination of a self-serve online selection platform, social media (Instagram, TikTok), corporate partner referrals, and a content/blog layer, with in-person program delivery concentrated in São Paulo. Governance is provided by President Bruna Tsarbopoulos, and the organization is staffed by 101–250 personnel with audited annual reports approved without restriction since inception.
Instituto Semear firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Instituto Semear
- Legal name
- Instituto Semeadores de Jovens Talentos
- Website
- https://isemear.org.br
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Instituto Semear is a Brazilian non-profit founded in 2010 that supports low-income university students through scholarships, volunteer mentorship, and professional networking, funded by individual donors and corporate partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Instituto Semear industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Support Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Behavioral/SEL-Integrated Academic Tutoring (Self-regulation, anxiety-informed study support) (EDANAFAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Health, Wellness & Self-Care Skills (Sleep, Nutrition, Habits) (EDAMAIAJ), Career & Employability Integration Support (Work Culture, Networking, Job Readiness) (EDAIAKAH)
Keywords
Where Instituto Semear is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- São Paulo
- HQ country
- Brazil
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Instituto Semear business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations from Individual Donors: Individual donors contribute financially to support the scholarship program. The organization promotes monthly giving and one-time donations through its website and WhatsApp contact.
- Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporate partners (Itaú, 99, Globo, Motorola, Embraer, Unilever, and others) fund the organization as part of their corporate social responsibility and ESG commitments.
- Presente Solidário Campaign: A campaign that encourages individuals to request donations to the institute in lieu of traditional gifts for celebrations (birthdays, weddings, graduations), generating revenue through redirected gifting.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Instituto Semear product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Instituto Semear is a Brazilian non-profit organization that supports low-income university students through a three-pillar model: a monthly Bolsa-Auxílio (cash scholarship), a structured Mentoria (mentorship) program, and a Rede de Contatos (professional networking) program. The organization operates the Trilha da Autoliderança development track and complementary initiatives such as PlantYou, Presente Solidário, Semear nas Escolas, Projeto Delta, and a Feira de Empregabilidade job fair to promote retention, employability, and socio-economic mobility among beneficiaries.
Product overview
Instituto Semear operates a unified ecosystem of programs centered on the Trilha da Autoliderança—a comprehensive year-long development pathway combining three core pillars: Bolsa-Auxílio (financial scholarship), Programa de Mentoria (monthly mentorship), and Rede de Contatos (professional networking). The ecosystem extends through complementary programs including PlantYou for professional development, Projeto Delta for alumni continuation, Semear nas Escolas for early identification, Presente Solidário for alternative fundraising (via GiftAid), and the annual Feira de Empregabilidade for job placement. Together these programs form a pipeline from school outreach through university completion and career entry, designed to produce multiplier leaders from low-income backgrounds.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Trilha da Autoliderança
Quantifiable outcome
- 82% of program graduates secure employment
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Instituto Semear
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Instituto Semear technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Instituto Semear partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- LeaderXcoreLeaderX is a global community of leaders, executives, and innovators focused on collaboration as a driver of transformation. The partnership aims to democratize access to decision-making spaces, stimulate diversity in leadership, boost careers of talented youth, and connect companies, professionals, and social causes. The collaboration includes events, encounters, and joint projects.
- GiftAidcoreGiftAid is the technology partner powering the Presente Solidário campaign, handling campaign creation, customized donation pages, and ongoing support. The partnership enables individuals to redirect gift money to the institute in lieu of physical presents for celebrations.
- Associação BeltaminorAssociação Belta partnered with the institute to enable international exchange opportunities for Jovens-Semente, contributing to the PlantYou program that supports professional and personal development.
- Quality EnglishminorQuality English is a partner supporting the exchange program that enabled Jovens-Semente to study abroad, contributing to language learning and international exposure.
- Indique Uma PretaminorThe Indique Uma Preta program is referenced as a referral channel through which Sara Almeida was introduced to the institute's administrative team selection process.
- Sport Club Corinthians PaulistaminorThe institute held one of its Trilha da Autoliderança training sessions (Corpo Vivo Workshop) at the headquarters of Sport Club Corinthians Paulista in 2025, providing a unique experience for Jovens-Semente.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Instituto Semear competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CIEE: Brazil's largest student-employer integration organization, running internship and youth-employment programs — comparable in the employability/networking pillar and shared corporate partner ecosystem, but at much larger scale.
- Instituto Unibanco: Brazilian non-profit focused on youth education and transition-to-work programs, frequently partnering with the same corporate funders (e.g., Itaú) as Instituto Semear; directly comparable mission and beneficiary profile.
- Instituto Ayrton Senna: Large Brazilian non-profit investing in education and youth development across public schools and universities; overlaps in mission, target demographic, and corporate partnership model.
- Fundação Estudar: Brazilian non-profit that selects and supports high-potential young people with scholarships, mentoring, and a leadership network — same multi-pillar architecture as Instituto Semear and overlapping mentor/donor pools among major Brazilian corporations.
- Fundação Lemann: One of Brazil's largest education-focused philanthropies, funding scholarships, leadership development, and public education reform; comparable in mission, donor base, and target demographic of high-potential low-income youth.
Regional players
- Casa do Zezinho: Long-running São Paulo-area non-profit serving low-income youth with education, arts, and citizenship programs; comparable target population and regional base but broader age range than Instituto Semear's university focus.
Emerging players
- Per Scholas: US non-profit providing tuition-free tech training and career support for low-income adults, with a comparable model combining financial support, mentoring, and direct employer connections for workforce entry.
Broad incumbents
- Year Up: Large US-based workforce development non-profit combining training, mentorship, and corporate internships for young adults from low-income backgrounds — a structurally similar integrated three-pillar model at significantly larger scale.
- Junior Achievement Brasil: Brazilian arm of the global Junior Achievement network delivering youth workforce-readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy education at much broader scale; comparable beneficiary outcomes but broader and more school-based.
Others
- Movimento Todos pela Educação: Brazilian civil-society movement focused on education quality and policy advocacy; comparable corporate and institutional partner ecosystem and target beneficiary, but operates through advocacy rather than direct service delivery.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Instituto Semear social profiles
Digital presenceInstituto Semear financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Instituto Semear leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Instituto Semear funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Instituto Semear 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 Instituto Semear
What does Instituto Semear do?
Instituto Semear is a Brazilian non-profit organization that supports low-income university students through a three-pillar model: a monthly Bolsa-Auxílio (cash scholarship), a structured Mentoria (mentorship) program, and a Rede de Contatos (professional networking) program. The organization operates the Trilha da Autoliderança development track and complementary initiatives such as PlantYou, Presente Solidário, Semear nas Escolas, Projeto Delta, and a Feira de Empregabilidade job fair to promote retention, employability, and socio-economic mobility among beneficiaries.
Is Instituto Semear a public or private company?
Instituto Semear is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Instituto Semear founded?
Instituto Semear was founded in 2010. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Instituto Semear based?
Instituto Semear is headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil, in the Latin America region.
How does Instituto Semear make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations from Individual Donors are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships and presente Solidário Campaign.
Who are Instituto Semear's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CIEE, Instituto Unibanco, Instituto Ayrton Senna, Fundação Estudar and Fundação Lemann. Casa do Zezinho is listed as a regional player. Per Scholas is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Year Up and Junior Achievement Brasil. Movimento Todos pela Educação is listed as an others.
Does Instituto Semear have an API?
No public API is recorded for Instituto Semear.
What industry is Instituto Semear in?
Instituto Semear's product category is Education Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDANAFAK, Behavioral/SEL-Integrated Academic Tutoring (Self-regulation, anxiety-informed study support), with a secondary code of EDAMAIAJ, Health, Wellness & Self-Care Skills (Sleep, Nutrition, Habits). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.