Virada Sustentável

What Virada Sustentável does

Virada Sustentável is a Brazilian civil society organization founded in 2011 by André Palhano that operates what it describes as the largest sustainability festival in Latin America. The organization mobilizes hundreds of civil society organizations, government bodies, companies, cultural institutions, artists, and scientists to deliver free programming across three axes — Culture & Art, Knowledge, and Action & Impact — in public spaces including parks, plazas, museums, theaters, and schools. Across 25 editions in 14+ Brazilian cities spanning all five major regions of the country, the festival has built recurring presences in São Paulo (16 editions), Manaus (11), and Porto Alegre (9), and expanded into newer markets such as Belo Horizonte (2025) and Belém (Banzeiro da Esperança / COP30).

The organization's core products are programmatic rather than technological: the flagship Virada Sustentável Festival, the Fórum VS knowledge component, Conexões Virada (interactive participatory formats replacing traditional stages), Chamada Pública (open public call for proposals), the Boas Práticas sustainability manual for the events industry, and the Videocast Brasil 2030 video series. No proprietary technology platform, digital product, AI capability, or app is disclosed; the organization's infrastructure is its network, brand, and physical event production capability. Distribution runs through public-space events, cultural and educational venues, and digital content channels (Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, blog, newsletter, Flickr).

Virada Sustentável operates as a free public offering — all events are 100% free to attend — and is funded through corporate sponsorships (SABESP, C6Bank, Mastercard, Novelis, Scania), government and public-agency support, and strategic institutional partnerships (most notably the United Nations in Brazil/UNCT, along with Embrapa, Instituto Pólis, Instituto Zeca Pagodinho, and waste-collector cooperatives). The organization is headquartered in São Paulo, has 11-50 employees, and is structured as a private Brazilian civil society entity rather than a venture-backed company.

Name

Virada Sustentável

Legal name

Virada Sustentável

Website

https://viradasustentavel.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Virada Sustentável organizes the largest sustainability festival in Latin America, mobilizing hundreds of organizations to deliver free cultural, educational, and action-oriented programming across 14+ Brazilian cities, funded through corporate sponsorships and institutional partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Events and Civic Engagement

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Environmental & Sustainability Events (Earth Day, Clean-Up Festivals) (MPAGAEAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG), Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD), Environment, Climate & Sustainability Congresses (THAHAJAH)

Keywords

• Sustainability festivals
• Environmental events
• Civic engagement
• Cultural programming
• Public awareness campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Sponsorships and Partnerships: Revenue is generated through corporate sponsorships and partnerships with companies seeking to associate with sustainability messaging. Sponsors include SABESP, C6Bank, Mastercard, Novelis, and Scania. The organization also receives support from government agencies and international organizations.
2. Public Funding and Grants: The organization receives support from government bodies, public agencies, and potentially international development organizations such as the United Nations (UNCT Brazil).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Virada Sustentável organizes free, large-scale public sustainability festivals across multiple Brazilian cities, offering seminars, workshops, concerts, and cultural activities focused on environmental awareness and social impact. The organization operates an associated think tank and acts as a hub for sustainability content and civic mobilization in Latin America.

Product overview

Virada Sustentável is a sustainability festival and movement operating as a single unified event brand with multiple programmatic components. The core offering is the festival itself (the largest sustainability event in Latin America), supplemented by the Fórum VS for knowledge sharing, Conexões Virada Sustentável for immersive experiences, Chamada Pública for community engagement, a Best Practices Manual for knowledge dissemination, and Videocast Brasil 2030 for ongoing content. The organization operates across multiple Brazilian cities with varying edition frequencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Banzeiro da Esperança: Special edition of Virada Sustentável held in Belém, representing a unique regional expression of the festival focused on the Amazon region.
• Meu Pé de Árvore
• Videocast Brasil 2030
• Conexões Virada

Products and services

• Virada Sustentável Festival Free, large-scale public festival held across multiple Brazilian cities featuring seminars, workshops, concerts, and cultural activities focused on environmental sustainability and social impact; targeted at the general public.
• Virada Sustentável Think Tank / Formative Organization

Quantifiable outcome

• Neutralization of 100% of GHG emissions in all events
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, core, flagship and minor.

• SABESPmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSABESP (Companhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo) is a major sponsor of the Virada Sustentável São Paulo edition, supporting the event Forum. The company is a state-controlled water and sanitation utility that uses the partnership to associate with sustainability messaging and engage with environmental audiences.
• C6BankmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerC6Bank is a digital bank and sponsor of the Virada Sustentável 2024, specifically supporting the Amazônia das Crianças exhibition by photographer Araquém Alcântara on Avenida Paulista.
• MastercardmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMastercard is a co-sponsor of the Virada Sustentável 2024 Amazônia das Crianças exhibition, leveraging the partnership for sustainability brand positioning.
• NoveliscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNovelis is an aluminum rolling and recycling company that sponsors the Conexão Virada SP program, specifically the economy circular and sustainability tour. The company is a key partner in the circular economy educational content.
• ScaniacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerScania provides biomethane-powered buses for the Conexão Virada SP tours, supporting sustainable transportation during events. The partnership showcases Scania's renewable energy vehicles while reducing the event's carbon footprint.
• United Nations Brazil (UNCT)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe United Nations in Brazil (UNCT) is a strategic partner of Virada Sustentável, providing institutional support and helping to align the festival's programming with global sustainability frameworks including the SDGs.
• EmbrapamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmbrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) collaborates with Virada Sustentável on agricultural sustainability content, including the Quintais Produtivos project featured on the platform.
• Instituto Zeca PagodinhomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstituto Zeca Pagodinho, founded by singer Zeca Pagodinho, partners on community sustainability initiatives including the Horta Urbana Xerém I project for food security in Baixada Fluminense.
• Instituto PólismajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstituto Pólis partnered on the first public composting unit for Belém ahead of COP30, representing a legacy initiative for the Amazon region.
• Pavan SukhdevminorOthersPavan Sukhdev, internationally recognized economist and sustainability expert, participated in a special edition of the Virada Sustentável Forum 2024, sharing insights on ecosystem services and green economy.
• Meu Pé de ÁrvorecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMeu Pé de Árvore is a partner in the Floresta da Virada initiative, conducting native Amazon tree planting activities in collaboration with Virada Sustentável.
• Cooperatives of Waste Collectors (Catadores)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVirada Sustentável partners with waste collector cooperatives for selective collection and waste management at all events, ensuring proper residue handling and supporting the circular economy.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Earth Day Network: Long-running organizer of Earth Day events and environmental mobilization campaigns globally. Comparable to Virada as a mission-driven environmental events organization that aggregates NGOs, corporates, and citizens around a recurring flagship sustainability moment with free public programming.
• Climate Week NYC: Annual flagship climate and sustainability event convened by Climate Group, mobilizing businesses, governments, and civil society in New York. Closely comparable to Virada's model of using a major branded event window to convene sustainability stakeholders, secure corporate sponsorship, and align programming with global frameworks.
• Sustainatopia: Sustainability and impact-focused festival and conference held in Miami, blending panels, networking, and curated experiences for ESG-focused audiences. Directly comparable to Virada's hybrid knowledge-plus-experience format for sustainability-engaged citizens and corporate partners.
• Green Rio: Brazilian sustainability and green-economy business event held in Rio de Janeiro. Closely comparable domestic peer targeting the same Brazilian sustainability-engaged audience, corporate ESG sponsors, and civil society network that Virada mobilizes — though more B2B/business-oriented.
• Rock in Rio: One of the world's largest music festivals, founded and headquartered in Rio de Janeiro with operations in multiple countries. Directly comparable to Virada Sustentável as a Brazilian mega-festival organizer running multi-city, multi-stakeholder events at massive scale — but focused on music rather than sustainability.

Broad incumbents

• B Lab Global: Operator of the B Corp certification and a global network of purpose-driven businesses that convenes community events, summits, and campaigns. Comparable as a mission-driven convener that unites civil society, corporates, and citizens around sustainability/social impact, with comparable sponsor and partner ecosystems.
• SXSW Eco (formerly): Sustainability/impact track historically attached to SXSW in Austin. Comparable as a large-scale sustainability event brand activating corporate sponsors and engaged audiences, but operates as a sub-brand of a broader entertainment festival rather than a sustainability-only identity.
• VERGE Conference (GreenBiz Group): Leading US sustainability business conference convening corporates, policymakers, and innovators. Comparable to Virada's Forum VS component as a high-profile sustainability knowledge platform monetized through corporate sponsorship and institutional partnerships.

Emerging players

• The Do Lectures: Annual ideas-and-sustainability gathering in Wales bringing together activists, entrepreneurs, and thinkers. Comparable to Virada in its use of a curated, experience-led festival format to drive sustainability conversation, though at significantly smaller scale and geographic footprint.

Regional players

• Lollapalooza Brasil: Brazilian edition of the global Lollapalooza festival, a large-scale multi-day live event with a sustainability and social-impact program. Comparable as a Brazilian mega-festival operating at scale across multiple editions with corporate sponsorships, but centered on music rather than sustainability.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/virasustentavel
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@viradasustentavel?si=Rv65vfgcPKfPcXUm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/viradasustentavel
• Instagraminstagram.com/viradasustentavel
• Facebookfacebook.com/viradasustentavel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Virada Sustentável