IPÊ

What IPÊ does

IPÊ – Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas is a Brazilian non-profit ecological research institute founded in 1992 and headquartered in Nazaré Paulista, São Paulo, that delivers biodiversity conservation, ecological restoration, and environmental education services across four major Brazilian biomes — Amazônia, Mata Atlântica, Pantanal, and Cerrado. Its portfolio is organized around conservation programs (Projeto Reconecta canopy bridges, Semeando Água watershed restoration serving the Cantareira System for 9+ million people, INCAB Brazilian tapir conservation, Juntos pelo Pantanal integrated fire management), education services through the wholly-owned subsidiary ESCAS (Escola Superior de Conservação Ambiental e Sustentabilidade, offering master's, postgraduate, and short courses), and applied climate and agroecology initiatives (CECSA-Clima, Paisagens Climáticas). The institute's underlying operating technology is a field-research methodology combining biodiversity monitoring, participatory diagnosis workshops with local communities, and integrated fire management, supported by digital assets including the Flora Regional flora database and the Atlas Cantareira publication.

The institute operates as a private Brazilian civil non-profit organization (associação civil sem fins lucrativos) with no parent company, funded through a hybrid revenue model comprising individual and corporate donations, cause-marketing royalties (most notably a 22-year partnership with Havaianas in which 7% of net profit from themed sandals funds the institute), international grants from the Global Environment Facility (via FUNBIO) and BID, fees from ESCAS professional education, and e-commerce via Loja do IPÊ. Primary customer segments are federal and municipal government agencies (MMA, IBAMA, ICMBio, DNIT, Miranda and Alta Floresta municipalities), family farmers and indigenous communities in rural landscapes, environmental professionals and graduate students, corporate cause-marketing partners, and individual donors.

Name

IPÊ

Legal name

Ipê – Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas

Website

https://ipe.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

IPÊ is a Brazilian non-profit ecological research institute founded in 1992 that delivers biodiversity conservation, ecological restoration, and environmental education across the Amazon, Atlantic Forest, Pantanal, and Cerrado, serving government agencies, rural communities, students, and corporate cause-marketing partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nazaré Paulista

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, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropy: Individual and corporate donations for conservation projects, including adoption of species, tree planting campaigns, and general biodiversity protection funding.
2. Cause-Related Marketing: Partnerships with companies for cause marketing campaigns, such as the Havaianas-IPÊ sandal line where 7% of net profit is donated to the institute.
3. Professional Education Services: ESCAS - Escola Superior de Conservação Ambiental e Sustentabilidade offers master's programs, postgraduate courses, and short-term courses generating educational service revenue.
4. International Funding: Funding from international organizations including GEF (Global Environment Facility), multilateral development banks, and environmental foundations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IPÊ is a non-profit ecological research institute that designs, implements, and manages biodiversity conservation field projects across four Brazilian biomes (Amazônia, Mata Atlântica, Pantanal, Cerrado). Its core offerings include species and habitat conservation (e.g., tapir protection, canopy bridges for arboreal wildlife), ecological restoration (reforestation, watershed security), environmental education through its higher-education subsidiary ESCAS, and socio-environmental development programs with rural and indigenous communities. Funding comes from donations, international grants, corporate cause-marketing royalties, and educational service fees.

Product overview

IPÊ (Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas) is a non-profit ecological research institute founded in 1992, focused on biodiversity conservation in Brazil. The organization operates across four biomes: Amazon, Atlantic Forest, Pantanal, and Cerrado. IPÊ's portfolio consists of conservation projects (such as Projeto Reconecta for wildlife corridors, Semeando Água for water security, and INCAB for tapir conservation), educational programs through ESCAS (professional Master's and postgraduate courses), climate resilience initiatives like CECSA-Clima and Paisagens Climáticas, and cause-related marketing partnerships. The institute also operates e-commerce and publications, but does not offer technology products or software platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ESCAS - Escola Superior de Conservação Ambiental e Sustentabilidade Higher education institution providing a Professional Master's degree, postgraduate courses, and short-duration courses in conservation and sustainability for environmental professionals and graduate students.
• Projeto Reconecta Wildlife connectivity project that installs low-cost artificial canopy bridges over roads and highways to enable safe crossing of arboreal animals, reducing wildlife road mortality. Implemented in the Brazilian Amazon in partnership with DNIT, Energisa, and the Waimiri-Atroari indigenous community, with monitoring by the Smithsonian National Zoo.
• Semeando Água Program Watershed restoration program focused on reforestation of riparian areas and springs to strengthen water security for the Cantareira System supplying more than 9 million people in the São Paulo metropolitan region.
• CECSA-Clima (Centro de Educação e Cooperação Socioambiental para o Clima) Inter-institutional center delivering agroecology training, sociobiodiversity education, and climate change adaptation programs for rural communities in Espírito Santo (Pontões Capixabas region).
• Juntos pelo Pantanal Integrated fire management project supporting community fire brigades in the Pantanal biome for prevention and response, in partnership with IBAMA/Prevfogo, ICMBio, ECOA, and funded by GEF/FUNBIO and BID.
• INCAB - Iniciativa Nacional para a Conservação da Anta Brasileira National initiative for the conservation of the Brazilian tapir (anta brasileira), coordinated by IPÊ, focused on field research, population monitoring, and policy engagement for species recovery.
• Paisagens Climáticas Climate-resilience project designing ecological corridors and implementing sustainable productive systems in the Pontões Capixabas region of Espírito Santo.
• Havaianas-IPÊ Cause-Related Marketing Program Long-standing (since 2004) cause-marketing partnership producing themed flip-flop collections featuring Brazilian native species; 26 collections, 60 models, 56 native species depicted, with 7% of net profit donated to IPÊ for biodiversity conservation.
• Flora Regional (Online Flora Database) Online database and portal documenting regional Brazilian flora for research and reference use.
• Loja do IPÊ (Online Store) Online store selling biodiversity-themed merchandise whose proceeds support IPÊ's conservation work.

Quantifiable outcome

• 39 canopy bridges installed enabling safe wildlife crossings across highways
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• EnergisacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for electric grid adaptations to support canopy bridge installations in Alta Floresta municipality for the Reconecta project wildlife connectivity initiative.
• HavaianasflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-standing cause marketing partnership since 2004 producing themed flip-flops featuring Brazilian wildlife. 7% of net profit from sales donated to IPÊ. 26 collections released with 60 models depicting 56 native species.
• Ministério do Meio Ambiente e Mudança do Clima (MMA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal government ministry coordinating national conservation strategies. IPÊ contributes to EPANB development and implements MMA-funded projects including CECSA-Clima and Paisagens Climáticas.
• IBAMA / PrevfogocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on fire prevention and integrated fire management in protected areas. Joint brigadier training and fire management initiatives in Pantanal.
• ICMBio / CEMIFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation for integrated fire management and protected area support.
• Alta Floresta MunicipalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partnership for Alta Floresta Não Atropela program reducing wildlife roadkill and promoting urban landscape connectivity.
• ECOA - Ecologia e AçãocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner for Juntos pelo Pantanal project, with long history of community mobilization and brigade support in the region.
• Green YellowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Alta Floresta Não Atropela program supporting sustainable energy and conservation initiatives.
• Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership on wildlife conservation, particularly for the Reconecta project studying canopy bridge effectiveness.
• DNIT (Departamento Nacional de Infraestrutura de Transportes)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal transport agency partnership for implementing wildlife crossing infrastructure on federal highways including BR-174.
• Waimiri-Atroari Indigenous CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous community actively participating in Reconecta project, identifying priority locations, installing structures, and monitoring wildlife on their territory.
• UFAM (Universidade Federal do Amazonas)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for Reconecta project research and monitoring activities in the Amazon.
• UNEMAT (Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState university partnership providing student support and academic involvement in Alta Floresta projects.
• UFMT (Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal university partnership supporting Pantanal and Alta Floresta conservation research.
• Fundação Ecológica CristalinominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal foundation partner in Alta Floresta supporting biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
• TNC BrasilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on biodiversity policy discussions during COP16 and national biodiversity strategy development.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Conservation International Brasil: Conservation International's Brazil operations focus on biodiversity hotspots, sustainable development, and indigenous engagement. Directly comparable to IPÊ's conservation, restoration, and corporate sustainability partnership model.
• WWF-Brasil: WWF-Brasil is the Brazilian arm of a leading global biodiversity NGO. Directly comparable to IPÊ as a non-profit implementing conservation projects across multiple Brazilian biomes and partnering with government agencies, corporate sponsors, and international funders.
• Instituto Socioambiental: Brazilian non-profit focused on biodiversity, indigenous lands, and socio-environmental policy. Directly comparable to IPÊ as a Brazilian civil organization combining biodiversity research, indigenous engagement, and policy advocacy.
• Fundação Biodiversitas: Brazilian non-profit dedicated to threatened species and ecosystems, with projects across Brazilian biomes including the Pantanal and Cerrado. Comparable as a research-driven, grant-funded biodiversity NGO with government and corporate partnerships.
• Instituto Terra: Brazilian non-profit focused on Atlantic Forest restoration, native species reforestation, and sustainable rural livelihoods. Comparable to IPÊ in restoration scale (millions of trees planted), donor-driven funding model, and rural community engagement.
• The Nature Conservancy Brasil: TNC Brasil implements conservation, restoration and sustainable development projects across Brazilian biomes and is explicitly named as a collaborator with IPÊ at COP16 and on biodiversity policy. Closely aligned mission and operating model.
• Re:wild: Re:wild is a global conservation organization explicitly listed as a funding partner supporting IPÊ's Reconecta project. Comparable as a non-profit funding and co-developing species and ecosystem conservation initiatives across Latin America.
• SOS Mata Atlântica: Brazilian non-profit dedicated to conserving the Atlantic Forest biome, one of IPÊ's primary focus biomes. Comparable as a non-profit conservation organization with planting/reforestation campaigns, donor base, and corporate partnerships in Brazil.

Broad incumbents

• Fauna & Flora International: Global biodiversity NGO operating across the Americas with similar species-protection and habitat-connection programs. Comparable in non-profit structure, scientific research depth, and reliance on international grants and awards.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: Large global conservation NGO operating across multiple continents with field programs in the Amazon and Pantanal. Comparable business model of scientific research, protected-area management, and species conservation supported by major philanthropic and corporate funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/InstitutoIPE
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxsLeAueuL-eMIJy6qif9_g/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/ipe.instituto.pesquisas.ecologicas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ip%C3%AA---instituto-de-pesquisas-ecol%C3%B3gicas
• Instagraminstagram.com/institutoipe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IPÊ