Colegio Gimnasio Fontana

What Colegio Gimnasio Fontana does

Colegio Gimnasio Fontana is a private for-profit K–12 institution founded in 1986 and based in Bogotá, Colombia, operating from a campus in the Guaymaral area designed by architect Rogelio Salmona and designated Cultural Heritage of the Nation. The school serves families with children from approximately 2.5 years old through high school, and distinguishes itself through the proprietary 'What If?' pedagogical methodology — the first such framework in Colombia to receive CIS International Accreditation — built on three pillars: creativity, sustainability, and happiness. Its service portfolio includes the Best Self program, the Centro del Ser interdisciplinary support team (psychologists, speech therapists, language teachers, occupational therapists, flexibility teachers), Talleres What If? workshops, a College Counseling Program for grades 8–11, and a PIAR Flexibilización/Talents Program for individualized learning. The school is also the only carbon-neutral certified institution in Colombia and operates a sustainable transportation option for students.

The school's revenue model is a subscription-based annual tuition structure, with pricing not publicly disclosed and a Becas y Beneficios (scholarships and benefits) program supporting access. Distribution is direct enrollment through the 'Aventura What If?' admissions funnel, complemented by admissions information sessions (charlas de admisiones), open days, and a virtual admissions process for international families. Marketing relies on content (blog, family testimonials), social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), and community referral. Leadership is anchored by Rectora Catalina Zuleta, with Stefanía Walteros Lara as Director of Admissions and Laura Carrillo Daza as Admissions Assistant; ownership is private and family-controlled, with no disclosed parent company, private equity backing, or institutional investor involvement. The school holds partnerships with CIS (accreditation), ICONTEC (quality certification), TOEFL (language assessment), PaPaz, and Great Place to Study, and has earned recognitions including 'Acreditados en Felicidad' and ICFES 'Nivel muy superior' (very superior) standardized test performance.

Name

Colegio Gimnasio Fontana

Legal name

Colegio Gimnasio Fontana

Website

https://gimnasiofontana.edu.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Colegio Gimnasio Fontana is a private K–12 school in Bogotá, Colombia, serving children aged 2.5–17 through a proprietary CIS-accredited 'What If?' pedagogical methodology emphasizing creativity, sustainability, and happiness. Revenue is generated via annual tuition with scholarships, and it operates from a heritage-designated single campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Co-Teaching & In-Class Instructional Support (Specialist Teachers) (EDAKABAA), Academic & Classroom Integration Support (Study Skills, Academic Norms, Integrity) (EDAIAKAG)

Keywords

• Private K-12 education
• Bilingual education
• Holistic education
• Socio-emotional learning
• International curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Bogotá

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Enrollment Fees: The school generates revenue through tuition payments from enrolled families. The school also offers scholarships and financial benefits for students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Colegio Gimnasio Fontana is a private bilingual K-12 school in Bogotá that delivers education from pre-kinder (age 2 years 6 months) through high school under its proprietary "What If?" methodology, certified by the Council of International Schools (CIS) as the first such model in Colombia. The school sells recurring annual tuition for full-time education built on three pedagogical pillars — creativity, sustainability, and happiness — supplemented by the Best Self program, the interdisciplinary Centro del Ser socio-emotional support service, a College Counseling Program for university preparation, individualized learning plans (PIAR), Talleres What If? workshops, and multilingual instruction. Revenue is generated through tuition and enrollment fees, with a Becas y Beneficios (scholarships and benefits) program offered to broaden access.

Product overview

Colegio Gimnasio Fontana is an educational institution offering a unified educational platform built around its proprietary 'What if?' pedagogical methodology, certified by the Council of International Schools (CIS). The portfolio consists of the What if? methodology as the core educational framework, supplemented by the Best Self program for happiness development, the Centro del Ser interdisciplinary support team, the Aventura What if? admission process, the Voices alumni community, What If? workshops, the College Counseling Program, and Flexibilización/Talent Program. The school serves students from approximately 2.5 years old through secondary education, emphasizing creativity, sustainability, and happiness as foundational pillars.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pre-K through Grade 11 Bilingual Education (Colegio Gimnasio Fontana enrollment)
• What If? Methodology (Modelo Pedagógico What If?)
• Best Self Program (Programa Best Self)
• Centro del Ser (Center of Being)
• College Counseling Program
• Programa de Flexibilización (PIAR) and Talents Program
• Talleres What If? (What If? Workshops)

Quantifiable outcome

• ICFES scores at 'Nivel muy superior' (Very Superior level)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Council of International Schools (CIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIS provides international accreditation for Gimnasio Fontana's proprietary 'What If?' pedagogical model, validating the school's educational standards globally.
• ICONTECcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICONTEC provides quality certification services to the school, ensuring national Colombian educational standards compliance.
• PaPazminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaPaz is a partner organization that supports the school's mission and values alignment.
• Great Place to StudyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertification organization that recognizes the school as a great learning environment.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Colegio Nueva Granada: American-style K-12 school in Bogotá with U.S. accreditation and college-prep focus. Direct peer given overlapping premium family segment, international accreditation profile, and university-prep outcomes analogous to Fontana's College Counseling Program.
• Colegio Mayor de los Andes: Premium private K-12 school in the Bogotá region emphasizing comprehensive child development and university preparation. Comparable to Gimnasio Fontana in serving upper-income Colombian families with tuition-based recurring revenue and similar differentiated pedagogy.
• Colegio Rochester: Bilingual private K-12 school in Bogotá with IB and American curriculum tracks. Direct peer given overlap in premium Bogotá market, international curriculum accreditation, and tuition-based recurring revenue.
• Brighton School: Private bilingual K-12 school in Bogotá with international orientation and emphasis on critical thinking. Comparable to Gimnasio Fontana in target customer, recurring tuition model, and pedagogical differentiation claims.
• Colegio San Bartolomé La Merced: Long-established Jesuit private K-12 school in Bogotá with strong academic reputation and values-based education. Comparable to Gimnasio Fontana on premium family segment, heritage brand, and recurring tuition revenue model.
• Colegio Helvetia: Swiss-Colombian bilingual K-12 school in Bogotá with IB curriculum and emphasis on holistic development. Comparable to Gimnasio Fontana on international accreditation, premium positioning, and integrated socio-emotional programming.
• Liceo Francés Louis Pasteur: French international K-12 school in Bogotá serving bilingual families and expat community. Comparable to Gimnasio Fontana on international accreditation, premium family segment, and tuition-based recurring revenue from a similarly structured single campus.
• Colegio San Carlos: One of Bogotá's most prestigious traditional private K-12 schools serving upper-income families. Comparable to Gimnasio Fontana in target customer (Bogotá elite families), tuition-based recurring revenue model, and emphasis on holistic, values-driven education.
• Colegio Anglo Colombiano: Premium bilingual K-12 school in Bogotá with strong international accreditation and university placement. Direct peer to Gimnasio Fontana given overlap in premium family segment, international orientation, and high tuition recurring revenue model.
• Northridge School: American international school in Bogotá serving expat and upper-income Colombian families through K-12. Comparable to Gimnasio Fontana on international family segment, premium tuition pricing, and recurring subscription-style revenue.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@GimnasioFontanaOficial
• Facebookes-la.facebook.com/gimnasiofontanabogota
• Instagraminstagram.com/gimnasio.fontana
• Xx.com/gimnasiofontana

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Colegio Gimnasio Fontana