Estrelas & Ouricos

What Estrelas & Ouricos does

Estrelas & Ouriços is an independent Portuguese publishing and media company founded in 2008 in Paço de Arcos that operates a multi-platform family activity guide targeting Portuguese households with children aged 0-12. The platform aggregates listings of leisure, cultural, and educational activities from across Portugal, including the Madeira and Azores archipelagos, and distributes them through a free monthly print magazine (Roteiro E&O), a website portal at estrelaseouricos.sapo.pt, an iOS/Android mobile application, two email newsletters (Famílias and Escolas), an annual conference series (Conferências E&O), a service directory (Diretório), a discount program (Desconto EO), and the Expressinho children's supplement published in partnership with Expresso newspaper. Content is structured across categories such as Passear (outdoor activities), Ver (shows and museums), Fazer (workshops and courses), Bebés, and Escolas, and is positioned as a non-subjective information hub that aggregates events without subjective quality judgments, distinguishing itself through comprehensive multi-format coverage and inclusion of multicultural content.

The company's technology stack pairs a website rebuilt in 2018 with the technology firm Monday, long-standing hosting through Portugal's Sapo portal, and an event-driven mobile application built on the mobishout platform. Distribution relies on a unique channel network: hundreds of Portuguese schools function as ambassadors distributing the free monthly magazine to families, supplemented by placement in cultural venues, libraries, pediatric clinics, and shopping areas. Operational scale is modest, with 13 named team members including Madalena Nunes Diogo (Diretora-geral), Sofia Carvalho (Diretora Executiva), Joana Leitão (Diretora-adjunta), and Elisabete Cortegano (Diretora de Marketing e Comunicação). The company holds Portuguese journalistic enterprise registration (Empresa Jornalística nº 223 768) and a registered trademark.

The business model rests on three revenue streams: brand advertising and sponsored content (with named sponsors including Chicco, Viagens El Corte Inglés, Nestlé Baby & me, and Vomikids), recurring subscription revenue from the print and digital Roteiro magazine delivered to paying subscribers, and affiliate/partner-discount revenue through the Desconto EO program. The core magazine is free for end consumers; monetization shifts to advertisers, subscribers, and directory listings. The company is privately held, founder-led, with no external investors or funding rounds documented in the source set.

Name

Estrelas & Ouricos

Legal name

Estrelas & Ouriços

Website

https://estrelaseouricos.sapo.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Estrelas & Ouriços is an independent Portuguese media company founded in 2008 that aggregates family activity listings for households with children aged 0-12 via a free monthly magazine, website, mobile app, and newsletters, monetizing through brand sponsorships, paid subscriptions, and partner-discount programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Family and parenting media

NAICS

Information (51)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Culture, Heritage & Arts Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Engagement & Take-Home Learning Materials (Home Packs, Parent Guides) (EDACAJAL), Family, Honeymoon & Romance Travel Agencies (THAKABAE)

Keywords

• Family activity directory
• Children's leisure guide
• Family media publishing
• Portuguese parenting magazine
• School distribution network

Headquarters

HQ city

Paço De Arcos

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising and brand sponsorships: The platform monetizes through advertising partnerships with brands targeting families with children. Notable sponsors include Chicco (baby products), Viagens El Corte Inglés (travel), Nestlé Baby & me, and others. Brands pay for visibility to the platform's family audience.
2. Subscription / Roteiro: The platform offers a subscription service (Assinaturas) for its printed and digital magazine (Roteiro), distributed weekly. Subscribers pay for the magazine delivery.
3. Affiliate / Partner promotions: The Desconto EO section features partner discounts and promotions, where companies offer special rates to Estrelas & Ouriços users, generating referral-style revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Estrelas & Ouriços is a Portuguese family-focused media company that aggregates, curates, and disseminates information about leisure, cultural, and educational activities for families with children aged 0-12. Its core offering is a multi-platform directory (website, mobile app, monthly print magazine, newsletters, and partner discount program) that helps families in Portugal discover and plan activities by location, age, price, and accessibility.

Product overview

Estrelas & Ouriços is a multi-platform family activity guide and media project targeting families with children aged 0-12. The portfolio consists of: a monthly free magazine distributed through schools and cultural venues; the main website portal at estrelaseouricos.sapo.pt aggregating activities across Portugal; two newsletters (Famílias and Escolas) for different audiences; a mobile application available on iOS and Android; annual conferences (Conferências E&O); a directory of family-related services; a discount program (Desconto EO); and the Expressinho children's supplement published in Expresso. The project also operates Estrelas & Ouriços na Comunidade, a social responsibility program supporting vulnerable children.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Revista E&O: Monthly magazine with suggestions for family activities
• Expressinho
• App Estrelas & Ouriços

Products and services

• Revista E&O (Estrelas & Ouriços Magazine) Monthly free print and digital magazine distributed via schools, cultural venues, libraries, and pediatric clinics across Portugal, providing curated suggestions for family activities, culture, and leisure.
• Estrelas & Ouriços Website Portal Main digital platform at estrelaseouricos.sapo.pt aggregating family activities, events, and programs across Portugal with location, age, price, and accessibility search filters.
• Nova App Estrelas & Ouriços Mobile application providing family activities at users' fingertips, available on Android and iOS systems.
• Conferências E&O Annual in-person conferences bringing together families, academics, and educators to discuss topics related to children and families.
• Diretório de Produtos e Serviços Searchable online directory listing service companies related to children, including party services, restaurants, bookstores, and family-oriented providers.
• Desconto EO Member discount program offering Estrelas & Ouriços users special rates on partner services, products, and activities.
• Expressinho Children's newspaper supplement produced for Expresso newspaper during the 2020 pandemic, including games and craft suggestions to stimulate reading and curiosity.

Quantifiable outcome

• Intenção de recomendação (recommendation intention) reached 9.42 out of 10 in 2024 Prémio Cinco Estrelas evaluation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sapo (Portal SAPO)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Sapo portal for website hosting and distribution. The project started with a website in partnership with Sapo in 2008, and the current website continues to be hosted at estrelaseouricos.sapo.pt.
• Monday (technology company)coreTechnology or IntegrationMonday developed the new website launched in 2018, making it more functional, faster, and modern.
• Ideias Com Peso (design atelier)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign atelier that helped with the editorial and graphic reformulation of the magazine in 2018.
• Expressinho / Revista do ExpressocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2020, Estrelas & Ouriços produced the Expressinho supplement for Expresso newspaper, creating the first newspaper for children, with the goal of stimulating reading taste and curiosity.
• IAC - Instituto de Apoio à CriançacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partnership for the 'Manifesto da Esperança' program (2026 edition), with IAC specialists contributing content on empathy, creativity, friendship, and emotional intelligence for children and families.
• Viagens El Corte InglésminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel sponsorship partnership for family travel content, including dedicated articles on family vacation destinations, accommodation suggestions, and travel tips.
• ChiccominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship partnership for baby product content, including articles on pacifiers, toys (Montessori line), and breastfeeding products, with Chicco brand prominently featured.
• Vomikids (Grupo Azevedo)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerProduct sponsorship for travel sickness content for children, featuring Vomikids supplement for families with children aged 6+.
• Hundreds of Portuguese schoolscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSchools serve as the primary distribution channel for the free monthly magazine and key community partners. They act as 'embaixadoras' (ambassadors) distributing thousands of magazines to families.
• Instituto Português de Oncologia (IPO)minorOthersPartner in the 'Estrelas & Ouriços na Comunidade' social responsibility program, supporting children in vulnerable situations due to health conditions.
• Casa de Acolhimento para Crianças Refugiadas (CACR)minorOthersPartner in the 'Estrelas & Ouriços na Comunidade' social responsibility program, supporting refugee children in vulnerable situations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kidadl: UK family activity ideas platform offering curated activity suggestions, parenting content, and printable resources for parents. Operates with a similar content-aggregation + multi-channel (web, app, newsletter) approach targeting families with young children.
• Day Out With The Kids: UK-based family activity directory and discovery platform that aggregates days out and attractions for families with children. Closely comparable to Estrelas & Ouriços in mission (curating family activities), audience (parents of 0-12s), and revenue model (advertising/sponsorship from family brands).
• Family Days Out: UK directory site listing family-friendly attractions, days out, and activities. Closely mirrors E&O's core directory function (searchable listings with location and activity filters) for a family audience.
• Mumsnet: UK parenting platform combining forums, reviews, and curated activity suggestions for parents. Comparable as a parenting media brand monetized through advertising with strong community-led distribution, similar to E&O's school-distribution model.

Broad incumbents

• Time Out: Global events, cultural activities, and things-to-do media brand with a Lisbon/Portugal presence (Time Out Mercado da Ribeira, Time Out Market). Operates a much larger portfolio but competes in the cultural-activity aggregation category E&O serves.
• BabyCenter: Global parenting content platform reaching expecting and new parents with activity, product, and lifestyle content. Comparable as a parent-targeted advertising-supported media brand, though it operates at much greater scale and breadth than E&O's 0-12 family activity niche.

Others

• Eventbrite: Global ticketing and event-discovery platform. Not a direct competitor but a complementary ecosystem participant—E&O could route ticket-buying traffic to Eventbrite or face competition if Eventbrite expands curated family content.

Regional players

• Revista Crescer: Brazilian parenting and family magazine from Editora Globo with content covering children, leisure, and family activities. Comparable in format (print + digital) and audience (parents of young children) but operates in a different Portuguese-speaking market.
• Pais & Filhos: Portuguese parenting magazine and website offering family content, product reviews, and activity suggestions. The most direct Iberian peer in terms of language, audience, and editorial positioning, serving as a potential competitor for Portuguese advertisers.

Emerging players

• Fever: Global experiences and events marketplace active in Lisbon and Porto, offering ticketed cultural and leisure activities. Represents a marketplace-style threat in the family-experiences category where E&O currently leads as a content/media brand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@EstrelasOuri%C3%A7os
• Facebookfacebook.com/estrelaseouricos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/estrelas-e-our%C3%AD%C3%A7os
• Instagraminstagram.com/estrelaseouricos

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Estrelas & Ouricos