ABADÁ-Capoeira

What ABADÁ-Capoeira does

ABADÁ-Capoeira is a Brazilian non-profit civil association (Associação Brasileira de Apoio e Desenvolvimento da Arte Capoeira) founded in 1988 by Mestre Camisa (José Tadeu Carneiro Cardoso), dedicated to the structured teaching, professionalization, and international dissemination of capoeira. The organization operates a proprietary pedagogical methodology rooted in Mestre Bimba's traditional lineage but adapted through Mestre Camisa's modern pedagogical framework. It serves approximately 70,000 associated members across all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District and over 60 countries, spanning general-public capoeira enthusiasts, graduated members advancing toward instructor status, and families participating through the children's track (ages 2-17).

The core product surface comprises four components: a 17-level nature-based graduation system (from Initiate/Crua to Grão-Mestre) with colored cords symbolizing natural elements; a parallel children's graduation track; the CEMB (Centro Educacional Mestre Bimba), a 360 m² ecological training facility in Cachoeiras de Macacu, Rio de Janeiro, accommodating 60 guests and 100 tents; and the annual Zumbimba event held every November, which combines technical training, graduations, and cultural activities. Distribution operates through affiliated nuclei functioning as licensed-operator schools across more than 60 countries, with no disclosed enterprise customers and no digital platform beyond a website and social media presence.

ABADÁ-Capoeira generates revenue through recurring membership and association dues paid by its approximately 70,000 members. As a non-profit civil association under Brazilian law, the organization does not publicly disclose detailed financials and has no public ticker. Its go-to-market model is community-led and event-driven — relying on the hierarchical graduation system, the annual Zumbimba gathering, and grassroots word-of-mouth through affiliated schools rather than paid acquisition. The organization is led by founder Mestre Camisa (recognized with a Doutor Honoris Causa from the University of Uberlândia in 2010), supported by a named corps of Mestres, Mestrandos, and graduated instructors distributed across Brazil and internationally.

Name

ABADÁ-Capoeira

Legal name

Associação Brasileira de Apoio e Desenvolvimento da Arte Capoeira

Website

https://abadaworld.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ABADÁ-Capoeira is a Brazilian non-profit association founded in 1988 that teaches capoeira via a 17-level graduation system, serving approximately 70,000 members across all Brazilian states and 60+ countries through affiliated schools and the CEMB training center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cachoeiras de Macacu

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership and Association Fees: Abadá-Capoeira operates as a non-profit association (Associação Brasileira de Apoio e Desenvolvimento da Arte Capoeira) with members paying dues to be part of the organization. The organization has approximately 70,000 associated members across Brazil and internationally.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ABADÁ-Capoeira is a non-profit civil association that delivers structured capoeira instruction, instructor professionalization, and Brazilian cultural preservation through a global network of affiliated teaching nuclei. It provides a standardized 17-level cord graduation system, the CEMB residential training center for intensives, and the annual Zumbimba gathering for advanced training, graduation, and cultural exchange for roughly 70,000 associated members.

Product overview

ABADÁ-Capoeira is a non-profit cultural organization that operates as a unified system for promoting and teaching Capoeira. The organization consists of a main association body with representations in all Brazilian states and over 60 countries, the CEMB (Centro Educacional Mestre Bimba) educational center in Cachoeiras de Macacu, the annual Zumbimba cultural event, and a nature-based graduation system spanning 17 levels. Together, these components provide professional capoeira training, cultural preservation, community building, and certification pathways for approximately 70,000 members worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CEMB: Centro Educacional Mestre Bimba - An ecological education center in Cachoeiras de Macacu, Rio de Janeiro, used for capoeira training, courses, retreats, and nature activities.

Products and services

• CEMB (Centro Educacional Mestre Bimba) Educational and residential training center in Cachoeiras de Macacu, Rio de Janeiro, offering capoeira courses, seminars, trainings, ecological walks, camping (for 100 tents), and lodging (for 60 people), established by Mestre Camisa in homage to Mestre Bimba.
• Zumbimba Annual Gathering Annual November event combining technical capoeira training, festivals, seminars, ecological activities, and graduations, segmented by skill level across four weeks. Celebrates Dia Nacional da Consciência Negra and Mestre Bimba's birthday.
• Sistema de Graduação (Graduation System) Proprietary 17-level cord-based ranking system spanning from Initiate (Crua) to Grão-Mestre (White cord), standardizing capoeira progression and instructor certification across all ABADÁ-Capoeira nuclei worldwide.
• Sistema de Graduação Infantil (Children's Graduation System) Age-appropriate graduation system designed for children aged 2 to 17 years, with cord levels and requirements tailored to developmental stages.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Associação Filhos de Bimba (BA)minorOthersThe Association that instituted the Zumbimba celebration in 1991, originally in Bahia, before it was adopted by Abadá-Capoeira under Mestre Camisa's leadership in 1999.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Gracie University: Premier Brazilian-origin martial arts instruction organization, operating a global network of affiliated academies teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Comparable to ABADÁ as a Brazilian martial arts franchise model with codified curriculum, instructor certification, and international expansion through affiliated academies.
• Fundação Cultural Palmares: Brazilian federal foundation for promotion and preservation of Afro-Brazilian culture. Adjacent peer to ABADÁ in its cultural-preservation mission and Afro-Brazilian heritage mandate, with broader scope across all Afro-Brazilian cultural expressions beyond capoeira.
• Grupo Olodum: Internationally recognized Afro-Brazilian cultural organization from Salvador, Bahia, focused on percussion, cultural identity, and social inclusion. Comparable to ABADÁ as a Bahian-rooted Afro-Brazilian cultural brand with global reach and cultural-preservation mission.

Direct peers

• Associação Filhos de Bimba: Preserves the lineage of Mestre Bimba's original academy in Salvador, Bahia — the very institution where ABADÁ's founder trained. Direct cultural-pedagogical peer and historical partner, as it instituted the Zumbimba celebration that ABADÁ adopted in 1999.
• FICA (Federação Internacional de Capoeira): International capoeira federation organizing competitions, workshops, and events globally. Operates as a peer institutional layer to ABADÁ in structuring international capoeira practice, certifications, and community gatherings.
• Capoeira Palmares: Large international capoeira organization with affiliated academies across multiple continents. Comparable to ABADÁ in operating a hierarchical graduation system, affiliated-school network, and global community events.
• Cordão de Ouro: Major international capoeira organization founded by Mestre Suassuna, with affiliated academies in dozens of countries and a global competition/event circuit. Closely comparable to ABADÁ in global scale, methodology-driven instruction, and member community model.
• Grupo Senzala: One of the most iconic capoeira groups in Brazil, founded in Rio de Janeiro in 1965. Mestre Camisa was a member from 1973-1986 before founding his own organizations, making it the most direct historical and methodological peer of ABADÁ-Capoeira.

Others

• UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Programme: Intergovernmental program for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, of which capoeira is already inscribed (2014). Highly relevant peer/partner for ABADÁ given its role as a leading global institutional custodian of capoeira cultural transmission and protection.
• Alliance Française: Global non-profit cultural network promoting French language and culture across 130+ countries via affiliated local chapters. Structurally analogous to ABADÁ in operating a non-profit, community-led, internationally franchised cultural-instruction model with national chapters.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/abadaworld
• Instagraminstagram.com/abadaworld
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/abadacapoeirainstitucional

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 ABADÁ-Capoeira