Ceres

What Ceres does

Ceres (legal name Ceres Prêmio, also operating as Ceres Previdência) is a Brazilian closed supplementary pension entity (Entidade Fechada de Previdência Complementar, EFPC) founded in 1979/1980 and headquartered in Brasília. It administers pension and retirement savings plans for employees of sponsoring companies, anchored by state-owned agricultural research institutions including Embrapa (its flagship sponsor), Epagri, Emater-MG, Epamig, Emater-DF, ABDI, and Cidasc. The product portfolio comprises the FlexCeres defined contribution plans (variants for each sponsor), the voluntary Família Ceres plan open to relatives up to the fourth degree of participants, and the legacy Plano Embrapa Básico (a defined benefit plan currently in saldamento). Supporting services include preferential participant loans, online simulation tools, digital forms, and an investment performance dashboard.

The underlying technology stack is a typical regulated pension administration platform: a participant-facing online portal (online.ceres.org.br), an investment performance dashboard, and a new ERP project replacing manual processes carried over from the COVID-19 period. The technology roadmap is oriented toward operational efficiency and digital participant service rather than product innovation or AI-enabled capabilities.

Ceres generates revenue through participant and sponsor contributions to its administered plans, with employer matching of up to 100% in FlexCeres and loan interest income from its participant loan book. As a non-profit EFPC, all surpluses are reverted to the plans; the entity holds over R$13 billion in assets under management and earns a 14.27% return in 2025 versus an 8.71% actuarial target. Distribution is exclusively through employer sponsorship agreements, direct participant digital portals, and an exclusive 2025 partnership with Banco do Brasil for benefit payments. Customer segments are primarily employees of sponsoring companies, with secondary segments of family members and a youth financial-education pipeline.

Name

Ceres

Legal name

Ceres Prêmio

Website

https://ceres.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Ceres (Ceres Previdência) is a Brazilian closed pension fund entity (EFPC) that administers supplementary retirement plans for employees of sponsoring agricultural research institutions, notably Embrapa, managing over R$13 billion in assets across FlexCeres and Família Ceres plans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brasília

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pension Contributions: Ceres generates revenue through contributions from plan participants (employees of sponsoring companies) and their employers. As a non-profit entity, all results are reverted to the plans. The primary revenue stream consists of ordinary contributions from participants and sponsors, as well as extraordinary contributions for deficit coverage in defined benefit plans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Ceres is a closed supplementary pension entity (EFPC) that administers defined-contribution and defined-benefit pension plans for employees of sponsoring companies such as Embrapa, Epagri, Emater-MG, and Epamig. It offers the FlexCeres plan for employees with employer matching up to 100%, the Família Ceres plan for relatives up to the fourth degree, and a participant loan product with rates reportedly up to 80% below market. Digital services include an online participant portal, simulation tools, an investment performance dashboard, and digital forms.

Product overview

Ceres is a closed supplementary pension entity (EFPC - Entidade Fechada de Previdência Complementar) offering pension and retirement planning products. The product portfolio consists of two main pension plans: FlexCeres (comprising Plano Embrapa-FlexCeres and Epagri-FlexCeres variants) for employees of sponsor companies with automatic enrollment features, and Família Ceres for individuals and family members. Supporting services include loan products with preferential rates, online simulation tools, digital forms, document management, and an investment performance dashboard. The entity manages over R$13 billion in assets across multiple sponsored plans including Embrapa, Emater-DF, ABDI, Emater-MG, Epamig, Epagri, and Cidasc.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FlexCeres: Pension plan designed for employees of sponsor companies with security, flexibility, exclusive conditions and loan options
• Família Ceres
• Plano Embrapa-FlexCeres
• Plano Embrapa Básico
• Epagri-FlexCeres
• Emater-MG and Epamig Plans

Products and services

• FlexCeres (Embrapa-FlexCeres and Epagri-FlexCeres) Defined-contribution pension plan designed for employees of sponsor companies (Embrapa, Epagri), offering security, flexibility, employer-matched contributions up to 100%, exclusive conditions, and loan options with preferential rates. Features automatic enrollment for new employees of sponsoring companies.
• Família Ceres Flexible pension plan open to family members and relatives up to the fourth degree of FlexCeres participants. Allows participants to choose how, when, and how much to invest, with simple portability and practical payment options for non-employees.
• Plano Embrapa Básico Defined-benefit pension plan for Embrapa employees, currently undergoing saldamento (liquidation) process, subject to court decision following SINPAF lawsuit. Represents a legacy plan structure distinct from the newer FlexCeres defined-contribution offering.
• Empréstimo (Participant Loan Service) Loan service available exclusively to plan participants, with interest rates reportedly up to 80% lower than market rates. Loan disbursements available with operational windows (e.g., resumed January 8, 2026 after a December 23, 2025 pause).
• Painel de Investimentos (Investment Dashboard) Online investment panel showing investment returns and performance metrics for all administered plans. Allows participants to track portfolio performance and plan-level investment results through the online portal.
• Simulador (Retirement Simulation Tool) Online simulation tool allowing users to calculate how much they can contribute and receive, or conversely, how much they need to contribute to achieve a desired retirement benefit, supporting retirement planning decisions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Investment returns of 14.27% in 2025 against a 8.71% actuarial target
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic, flagship and regulatory.

• Banco do BrasilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Exclusive banking partnership for benefit payments established in July 2025. Banco do Brasil processes all Ceres benefit payments, offering participants free salary accounts, exclusive discounts, fee waivers for up to 60 months, and special financing rates. The partnership reduces operational costs by approximately 90% on transfers between BB accounts compared to TED transactions.
• EpagristrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Partnership with Epagri (Agricultural and Fishing Research Institution of Santa Catarina) for the 'Poupadores do Futuro' project, bringing financial and pension education to students in over 130 municipalities across Santa Catarina's professional education centers.
• EmbrapaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmbrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) is the primary sponsor of Ceres pension plans, representing the largest number of participants. The partnership includes automatic enrollment for new employees and ongoing collaboration on plan governance through the Committee of Plans Consultative Committee and Technical Group.
• SINPAFstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerSINPAF (Sindicato Nacional dos Trabalhadores de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Agropecuário) represents participants of Embrapa plans and maintains ongoing dialogue with Ceres on governance matters, plan regulations, and participant rights. The relationship includes transparency initiatives and participation in the 14th National Congress.
• SESTregulatoryOthersSecretaria de Coordenação de Governança das Empresas Estatais (SEST) oversees state-owned enterprise sponsors including Embrapa, and must approve certain changes to pension plan regulations and contribution limits.
• PrevicregulatoryOthersSuperintendência Nacional de Previdência Complementar is the regulatory and supervisory authority for closed pension entities in Brazil. Previc approves plan regulations, oversees governance, and has recently approved changes to the Embrapa FlexCeres plan (Portaria PREVIC nº 363, May 2026).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Petros: Petros is one of Brazil's largest closed pension fund entities (EFPC), sponsored by Petrobras and its subsidiaries. It operates the same EFPC regulatory model as Ceres, administering defined contribution and defined benefit plans for employees of a single major sponsor, making its structure, governance, and participant dynamics directly comparable.
• Previ: Previ is the closed pension fund of Banco do Brasil employees and one of the largest EFPCs in Brazil. Given Ceres' exclusive Banco do Brasil partnership for benefit payments, Previ is structurally analogous in operating model (sponsor-based EFPC), asset scale, and product mix including defined benefit and Flex/Família-style plans.
• Funcef: Funcef is the closed pension fund for Caixa Econômica Federal employees, operating as an EFPC under Previc supervision. It is comparable to Ceres as a multi-plan, sponsor-anchored pension entity serving employees of a large Brazilian financial institution, with a similar defined benefit legacy and PGBL/VGBL product mix.
• Sistel: Sistel is a Brazilian EFPC originally tied to the telecommunications sector, now multi-sponsor. It is comparable to Ceres as a Previc-regulated closed pension entity managing legacy defined benefit plans alongside newer contribution-based plans for employees of sponsoring companies.
• Real Grandeza: Real Grandeza is a Brazilian EFPC associated with the Eletrobras/Furnas electricity sector. It shares the same closed pension fund structure, multi-sponsor composition, and Previc regulatory framework as Ceres, with comparable defined benefit and contribution plan administration.
• BB Previdência: BB Previdência is the closed pension fund entity associated with Banco do Brasil, operating under the same EFPC model as Ceres. Given Ceres' exclusive payments partnership with Banco do Brasil, BB Previdência is a directly comparable EFPC peer in terms of sponsor base, product structure, and regulatory environment.
• Capef: Capef is the closed pension fund of Caixa Econômica Federal employees in certain states, operating the EFPC model under Previc oversight. Its structure—managing defined benefit and contribution plans for a defined employee base—is directly comparable to Ceres' operations for sponsor company employees.
• Valia: Valia is the EFPC sponsored by BNDES and affiliated entities, operating under the same closed pension fund model supervised by Previc. Its product mix—combining defined benefit legacy plans with flexible contribution plans for active employees—is structurally analogous to Ceres' FlexCeres/Plano Básico portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Bradesco Vida e Previdência: Bradesco Vida e Previdência is the insurance arm of Bradesco offering PGBL/VGBL and other private pension products at retail. It competes with Ceres' Família Ceres offering in the open Brazilian pension market but operates as a broad commercial insurer rather than a sponsor-anchored EFPC.
• Itaú Vida e Previdência: Itaú Vida e Previdência is Itaú Unibanco's life insurance and private pension subsidiary, offering VGBL/PGBL products nationally. It overlaps with Família Ceres in the retail pension space but, unlike Ceres, operates as part of a large open-market financial conglomerate rather than as a closed EFPC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ceresprevidencia
• Facebookfacebook.com/RelacionamentoCeres
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ceresfundacao
• Instagraminstagram.com/ceresprevidencia

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Ceres