EPAVE

What EPAVE does

EPAVE (Escola Profissional do Alto Ave) is a private vocational secondary education institution based in Póvoa de Lanhoso, Portugal, operating in the Vale do Ave region of northern Portugal. Founded in the early 1990s, the school offers professional technical courses leading to level-4 qualifications, with programs spanning electrician installation, electronics, sports, aesthetics, hairdressing, automotive mechatronics, and related disciplines. The institution operates under government authorization n° 37 issued pursuant to Decree-Law 71/99 and 4/98, and holds EQAVET (European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training) certification, signaling compliance with EU quality standards.

The business model is a B2C/B2B hybrid: students (and their families) are the primary paying/benefiting customers, while the institution coordinates curriculum with local employers for internships (FCT) and apprenticeships. Revenue is primarily derived from Portuguese government per-student subsidies, supplemented by EU program funding (notably Erasmus+ and the PRR — the Recovery and Resilience Plan) and modest tuition contributions. In 2022, EPAVE established CTE INOV.EPAVE, a Specialized Technology Center funded under the PRR, expanding its applied-technology and industry-collaboration capacity. The institution has deployed an eCommunity platform for student enrollment and launched six new professional courses for the 2026/2027 academic year, indicating ongoing operational modernization and curriculum expansion. Teaching staff are reported in the 11–50 range and the institution is privately held with no public funding rounds or M&A activity.

Name

EPAVE

Legal name

EPAVE - Escola Profissional do Alto Ave E. M.

Website

https://epave.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EPAVE is a Portuguese vocational secondary school in Póvoa de Lanhoso that trains students in technical fields such as electricians, electronics, sports, aesthetics, hairdressing, and automotive mechatronics, serving young learners and local employers in the Vale do Ave region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Póvoa De Lanhoso

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: As a government-authorized professional school (Autorização Prévia de Funcionamento nº 37), EPAVE operates as a public educational institution receiving government funding for operating professional courses under Decree-Laws 71/99 and 4/98 frameworks.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

EPAVE - Escola Profissional do Alto Ave is a government-authorized vocational professional school (Autorização Prévia de Funcionamento nº 37) that delivers level 4-5 professional courses (Cursos Profissionais) in northern Portugal's Vale do Ave region. The school offers six core technical programs spanning electrical installations, electronics/automation/computers, sports, aesthetics, hairdressing, and automotive mechatronics, complemented by the CTE INOV.EPAVE Specialized Technology Center and the Erasmus+ international mobility program. The school serves individual students and families seeking accredited vocational qualifications leading to employment or higher education.

Product overview

EPAVE (Escola Profissional do Alto Ave) is a vocational professional school operating as a single unified educational institution offering professional technical courses (Cursos Profissionais). The school provides six main professional programs: Curso Técnico de Instalações Elétricas, Curso Técnico de Eletrónica Automação e Computadores, Curso Técnico de Desporto, Curso Técnico de Esteticista, Curso Técnico de Cabeleireiro, and Curso Técnico de Mecatrónica Automóvel. These programs are complemented by the CTE INOV.EPAVE Centro Tecnológico Especializado focused on industrial training, and international mobility opportunities through the Erasmus+ program. The school serves students in the Vale do Ave region with over 30 years of experience in vocational education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Curso Técnico de Instalações Elétricas (Electrical Installations Technical Course) Professional technical course in electrical installations covering residential, commercial, and industrial electrical systems. Targeted at secondary-school students seeking level 4-5 vocational qualifications in the electrical trades.
• Curso Técnico de Eletrónica, Automação e Computadores (Electronics, Automation and Computers Technical Course) Professional technical course covering electronic systems, automation controls, and computing fundamentals. Targeted at students pursuing technician careers in electronics, industrial automation, and computer systems.
• Curso Técnico de Desporto (Sports Technical Course) Professional technical course covering physical training, sports sciences, and fitness instruction. Targeted at students seeking careers in sports instruction, fitness training, and physical education support.
• Curso Técnico de Esteticista (Aesthetics Technical Course) Professional technical course in aesthetics covering skincare, makeup, and beauty treatments. Targeted at students pursuing careers in the beauty and aesthetics industry.
• Curso Técnico de Cabeleireiro (Hairdressing Technical Course) Professional technical course in hairdressing covering hairstyling, coloring, and barbering techniques. Targeted at students pursuing careers in hairdressing and barbering.
• Curso Técnico de Mecatrónica Automóvel (Automotive Mechatronics Technical Course) Professional technical course in automotive mechatronics covering vehicle electronics, diagnostics, and mechanical systems. Targeted at students pursuing technician careers in the automotive industry.
• CTE INOV.EPAVE - Centro Tecnológico Especializado (Specialized Technology Center) Specialized Technology Center providing advanced technological education and training facilities focused on the industrial area. Established in 2022 under Portugal's Recovery and Resilience Plan to deliver enhanced industrial training capabilities to students.
• Erasmus+ Mobilities International mobility program enabling EPAVE students, teachers, and staff to participate in learning experiences across Europe. Targeted at enrolled students and staff seeking cross-border technical, cultural, and interpersonal competencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students gain practical skills and certifications for immediate employment in chosen technical fields
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ricardo Magalhães (Partner)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal business partner providing internship opportunities to students and hiring graduates. Partnership resulted in effective job placement for students. The partner collaborates with school coordinators to ensure relevant training and retention of talent.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/epavepro
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxQ7pLR4X-aW1S3d3i0Q6DQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/EPAVE.Esc.Profissional
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/epave-oficial
• Instagraminstagram.com/epaveoficial

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 EPAVE