Associação Brasileira das Empresas de Software

What Associação Brasileira das Empresas de Software does

ABES (Associação Brasileira das Empresas de Software) is a non-profit trade association founded in September 1986 in São Paulo by 16 entrepreneurs to represent and develop Brazil's software industry. Headquartered at Av. Ibirapuera in the Moema district with 51-100 employees, the association serves a broad membership of Brazilian software companies ranging from early-stage startups to multinational technology firms, alongside government entities and the wider Brazilian society through its advocacy initiatives. Its core mission is to advocate for the sector in regulatory and tax policy, publish authoritative market data, deliver member services and certifications, and foster digital inclusion.

The association operates a portfolio of member-facing products and services rather than a single software platform. Key offerings include the annual Mercado Brasileiro de Software market study and interactive Estudo Interativo dashboard co-produced with IDC, the LGPD and Sustainability diagnostic tools developed with EY, the ABES Academy training platform, the Hub de Educação Tecnológica course aggregator, the flagship ABES SUMMIT event, and the Think Tank ABES research initiative. Member benefit programs bundle partner discounts (AWS Activate credits up to USD 100,000 and JetBrains 50% license discounts for startups) and operational services such as business certificates for public tenders. Underpinning the offering is a multi-channel go-to-market combining direct membership sales, owned digital channels (abes.org.br, ABES Informa newsletter, Datacast, LinkedIn, YouTube), sector events, and PR.

ABES is funded through a membership-fee-based revenue model under its 'Associe-se' program, supplemented by certification fees, training, events, and research publications. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The organization is governed by elected member leadership with no parent company, external venture capital backing, or disclosed funding rounds; it is categorized as a Brazilian non-profit legal entity under CNPJ 57.004.897/0001-49. Its long-running sub-brand Movimento Brasil, País Digital, launched in 2016, extends ABES's role beyond member services into a national civil society movement for inclusive digital transformation.

Name

Associação Brasileira das Empresas de Software

Legal name

Associação Brasileira das Empresas de Software

Website

https://abessoftware.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Associação Brasileira das Empresas de Software (ABES) is a 40-year-old non-profit trade association headquartered in São Paulo that represents Brazilian software companies. It delivers advocacy, market research with IDC, compliance diagnostics, training, and member-benefit programs including AWS and JetBrains discounts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ABES is a non-profit trade association that represents Brazil's software industry and delivers membership services including industry advocacy, market research studies produced with IDC, networking events (ABES SUMMIT), regulatory compliance tools (LGPD and sustainability diagnostics), training programs (ABES Academy), a partner benefits club (Clube de Benefícios), and public policy engagement on topics such as Tax Reform and AI regulation. Members gain access to business verticals (Smart Cities, Health), certidões for public tenders, and the Movimento Brasil, País Digital advocacy campaign.

Product overview

ABES (Associação Brasileira das Empresas de Software) is Brazil's leading industry association for software companies, not a product company per se. The association operates a portfolio of membership services, research publications, and professional tools. Key offerings include the Diagnóstico LGPD and Diagnóstico de Sustentabilidadediagnostic tools for member compliance assessment; the Mercado Brasileiro de Software annual market study with interactive data dashboard developed with IDC; ABES Academy and Hub de Educação Tecnológica for workforce development; the flagship ABES SUMMIT annual event; the THINK TANK ABES research initiative producing studies on innovation and enterprise transformation; the Movimento Brasil, País Digital advocacy movement; and membership programs including the Clube de Benefícios, Startup Internship Program, and Business Verticals networking groups. The association also provides legal support services, certidões for public tenders, and the Guia de Fomento à Inovação resource catalog.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Movimento Brasil, País Digital: A movement led by ABES created in 2016 to work towards building a digital and less unequal Brazil, promoting inclusive digital transformation policies and facilitating access to digital concepts for the Brazilian population.
• ABES Think Tank
• ABES Academy
• ABES SUMMIT

Products and services

• Diagnóstico LGPD Self-assessment tool developed jointly with EY to help member companies and the public verify compliance with Brazil's General Data Protection Law (LGPD) and receive recommendations for achieving regulatory compliance.
• Diagnóstico de Sustentabilidade Analysis tool for evaluating company performance from a sustainability and ESG perspective, helping businesses align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Mercado Brasileiro de Software (Panorama e Tendências) Annual market study and interactive data dashboard covering the Brazilian software market size, trends, and projections, produced in partnership with IDC.
• Estudo Interativo (Interactive Dashboard) Interactive data visualization platform presenting Brazilian software market statistics and trends via online dashboards.
• ABES Academy Educational and training platform offering technology courses and professional development programs for ABES members.
• ABES SUMMIT Annual flagship industry event bringing together software companies, technology leaders, and stakeholders for networking and knowledge exchange.
• THINK TANK ABES Knowledge and research initiative that publishes studies on technology innovation, governance, digital strategy and development for Brazil, including the annual Think Tank book.
• Movimento Brasil, País Digital Civil society movement launched in 2016 by ABES advocating for a more digital and less unequal Brazil, promoting inclusive digital transformation policies.
• Clube de Benefícios ABES Exclusive benefits program for ABES members offering discounts and advantages from partner companies including AWS and JetBrains.
• ABES Startup Internship Program Program supporting technology startups with internship opportunities, training, mentorship, and partner benefits such as AWS credits (up to USD 100,000) and JetBrains discounts (50% off commercial licenses).
• Plataforma RH Tech Platform supporting technology talent development by aggregating partner courses, fostering career management discussions, and promoting flexibility in work models.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AWS (Amazon Web Services)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAWS Activate program partnership providing ABES member startups with access to up to USD 100,000 in cloud credits. ABES facilitates awareness of the program but does not participate in credit allocation decisions.
• JetBrainscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerJetBrains offers 50% discount on commercial licenses for ABES Startup Internship Program companies up to 5 years old, valid for 1-10 subscriptions over 60 months, after positive validation of the order.
• IDC (International Data Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABES partners with IDC to produce annual market studies including Força de Trabalho (Workforce), Transformação Empresarial (Business Transformation), and Inovação Tecnológica (Technological Innovation) studies on the Brazilian software market.
• EY (Ernst & Young)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABES developed the LGPD Diagnostic tool in conjunction with EY, providing members and the public with self-assessment for compliance with Brazil's General Data Protection Law (LGPD).
• UN Global Compact - BrazilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABES participates in the Brazilian network of the UN Global Compact, contributing to sustainability initiatives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 9, 11, and 16.
• CGU (Controladoria-Geral da União)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABES participates in the Brazil Pact for Corporate Integrity (Pacto Brasil pela Integridade Empresarial) as both a participating entity and institutional supporter, engaging in government anti-corruption and integrity initiatives.
• CGU - Dia da Integridade EmpresarialminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerABES participates in debates on ethics and compliance at the Annual Corporate Integrity Day event promoted by the Federal Comptroller General (CGU) in Brasília.
• FGV (Fundação Getulio Vargas)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABES participated in the launch of an unprecedented FGV study showing potential for over 230,000 permanent jobs with digital infrastructure expansion in Brazil.
• ReUrbi and Observatório do Terceiro SetorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the 'Mobilização para Redução da Desigualdade' campaign supporting social inclusion projects through digital skills training using recycled IT equipment from participating companies.
• ILP (Instituto do Legislativo Paulista) and ABRIGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerABES participated in the third 2026 debate of the 'Iniciativas Inovadoras e Boas Práticas em RIG' cycle, discussing the RH Tech platform that unites technology and social inclusion.
• Zhejiang Province Delegation (China)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerABES received a Chinese business delegation from Zhejiang Province at InovaUSP to strengthen international technological cooperation and global connection strategy.
• AFRAC, Brasscom, Fenainfo, P&D BrasilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint advocacy with other ICT sector representative entities (AFRAC, Brasscom, Fenainfo, P&D Brasil) to address regulatory gaps in Tax Reform implementation that could impact the sector.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brasscom: Brazilian Association of Information and Communication Technology Companies. Direct peer representing overlapping software and ICT members, frequently co-advocating with ABES on tax reform and sector regulation.
• ASSESPRO: Brazilian Association of Software Companies — separate national-level trade body with overlapping software-company membership base and policy advocacy focus. Closest direct peer by mandate within Brazil.
• P&D Brasil: Brazilian association focused on R&D and innovation in the ICT sector. Direct peer co-advocating with ABES on innovation funding and tax reform topics relevant to software companies.
• Fenainfo: Brazilian federation of IT companies. Direct peer with similar trade-association mandate for the Brazilian IT sector and overlapping advocacy agenda on tax reform and regulatory policy.
• AFRAC: Brazilian association active in ICT sector representation. Direct peer participating alongside ABES in joint advocacy on regulatory and tax matters affecting the software industry.

Broad incumbents

• BSA | The Software Alliance: Global trade group representing the software industry with policy advocacy, market data, and compliance programs. Comparable as a software industry trade body, though operating globally and at a different governance scale than ABES.
• NASSCOM: India's premier trade body for the IT and software industry. Comparable trade association model — research, advocacy, events, and member services — operating at substantially larger scale in a major emerging-market software sector.

Regional players

• ITI (Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia da Informação): Brazilian National IT Institute operating under government authority. Peer in the sense of shaping Brazilian digital policy and standards relevant to software companies, though structured as a government body rather than a trade association.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/abessoftware
• Facebookfacebook.com/ABES.software
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/abes-software
• Instagraminstagram.com/abes_software

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Associação Brasileira das Empresas de Software