CESDE

What CESDE does

CESDE (Cesde S.A.S.) is a Colombian private technical education institution founded in 1972 and headquartered in Medellín, operating across 7 physical campuses in Medellín, Bello, Rionegro, Apartadó (Uraba), Bogotá, Cartagena, and La Pintada. The institution delivers "Técnico Laboral" (occupational labor) credentials across 5 schools—Tecnología y Administración, Industrias Creativas, Gastronomía y Turismo, Salud y Cuidado, and Agro—offering 19 technical programs in both a regular 3-semester format and a Fast-track 1-year intensive format. Its core student base is working adults and youth seeking employment-ready technical certification, with a flagship Cesde-Comfama scholarship channel providing 2,000+ subsidized placements per year and a reported 66% first-year employment connection rate for scholarship graduates.

The institution's technology stack is built on a Microsoft 365 educational ecosystem (Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, Office) layered with the proprietary Nuevosí academic information system for enrollment, grades, and records, the PayZen-integrated payment platform for tuition, the Diamante TR portal for certificate issuance, and the digital learning platform that bundles Platzi and Slang content for English and supplementary technical learning. Curriculum is co-designed with employers and embeds Microsoft 365, Platzi, Slang, English, and AI literacy into all programs. Revenue is generated primarily through per-semester tuition and enrollment fees (recurring), complemented by ancillary fees for certificates, diplomas, and corporate training (Grupos Empresariales). Recent strategic moves include expansion to Cartagena and La Pintada, the Ana Care partnership for caregiver training, scaling of the Comfama scholarship program with 1,000+ new slots for 2026, and the formal integration of AI, English, and digital platforms into the core curriculum, positioning CESDE as a vocational employment-to-education bridge in the Colombian labor market.

Name

CESDE

Legal name

Cesde S.A.S.

Website

https://cesde.edu.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CESDE (Cesde S.A.S.) is a Colombian private technical education institution founded in 1972 that delivers Técnico Laboral credentials across 19 programs and 5 schools, serving working adults and youth through 7 campuses in Colombia and a flagship scholarship partnership with Comfama.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Medellín

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Registration Fees: Technical labor program tuition charged per academic period. Pricing varies by program and modality (Fast-track intensive vs. Regular 3-semester programs).
2. Certificate and Document Services: Fees for study certificates ($7,900 COP), certification processes ($105,000 COP), diploma duplicates ($33,000 COP), and academic content programmatics ($7,900 COP per submodule)
3. Corporate Training (Grupos Empresariales): Customized training programs for companies seeking to develop their workforce through Cesde's technical programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CESDE is a Colombian private technical education institution offering Técnico Laboral (Technical Labor) programs across five schools: Tecnología y Administración, Industrias Creativas, Gastronomía y Turismo, Salud y Cuidado, and Agro. Programs are delivered in two modalities — three-semester Regular tracks and one-year accelerated Fast-track intensive tracks — across 7 campuses in Colombia, with a digital education platform integrating supplementary content from Platzi and Slang.

Product overview

CESDE is a Colombian technical education institution offering Técnico Laboral (Technical Labor) programs across five schools: Tecnología y Administración, Industrias Creativas, Gastronomía y Turismo, Salud y Cuidado, and Agro. The institution operates regular three-semester programs and accelerated one-year Fast-track intensive tracks. CESDE's digital ecosystem includes the Sistema Académico Nuevosí for academic management, a payment platform for enrollment and tuition, the Diamante TR certificate issuance system, and a digital education platform integrating Platzi and Slang. The institution also maintains a Centro de Empleo for graduate job placement and administers scholarship programs in partnership with Comfama. Students receive institutional Microsoft 365 accounts providing Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, and Office access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Técnicos Laborales Regulares (3-semester programs)

Quantifiable outcome

• 66% of scholarship students from the Cesde-Comfama partnership found employment within the first year after graduation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Ana CarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2026Strategic alliance to transform caregiver formation in Colombia. The partnership focuses on quality training that extends beyond the classroom to real-life application, addressing the growing need for professional caregivers in healthcare and home care sectors.
• Comfama (Caja de Compensación Familiar de Antioquia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 January 2026Flagship partnership delivering over 2,000 subsidized scholarships annually for technical labor training. The Cesde-Comfama scholarship program achieved a 66% employment connection rate for graduates during their first year after graduation. New cohorts with 1,000+ additional scholarships are available for 2026.
• PlatzisupportingTechnology or IntegrationEducational platform partnership providing supplementary online learning content to strengthen student competencies beyond the core technical curriculum.
• SlangsupportingTechnology or IntegrationEnglish language learning platform integrated into all technical programs, providing students with global communication skills aligned with their professional field.
• MicrosoftsupportingTechnology or IntegrationInstitutional email and collaboration tools provided through Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, and Office applications for all students and staff.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Platzi: Latin American online professional education platform focused on technology, business, and digital skills. Comparable as a supplementary learning partner to CESDE and a competing channel for the same self-directed student.
• Coderhouse: Latin American online bootcamp platform offering short, intensive tech and design programs. Competes with CESDE's Fast-track and Tecnología y Administración tracks for students seeking accelerated technical credentials.
• Crehana: Latin American online learning platform focused on creative and digital skills. Overlaps with CESDE's Industrias Creativas school as an alternative channel for the same creative-industry learners.
• Henry: Latin American coding academy offering intensive, employment-focused tech bootcamps. Competes with CESDE's technology programs on speed-to-employment and on outcomes-based positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Coursera: Global online education platform with university-issued certificates and career credentials. Competes with CESDE for working adults seeking flexible, recognized technical and professional certifications, particularly through its enterprise and Spanish-language offerings.

Direct peers

• Compensar: Colombian compensation fund operating its own education and training programs. Comparable to CESDE in offering technical/vocational formation linked to a caja de compensación subsidy model similar to the Comfama partnership.
• SENA (Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje): Colombia's dominant public vocational training institution offering free/subsidized technical labor programs nationwide. Directly competes with CESDE for the same working-adult and youth demographic across overlapping program categories.
• Politécnico Grancolombiano: Major Colombian private institution offering technical and professional programs, including labor和技术 formación. Overlaps with CESDE in the private vocational/technical segment and competes for similar students in major Colombian cities.
• Cafam: Bogotá-based compensation fund with an education division offering technical and continuing education programs. Mirrors the Comfama-CESDE subsidized vocational model and competes for the same caja-affiliated learners.

Regional players

• Universidad EAFIT: Private Medellín-based university offering continuing education and technical programs. Operates in CESDE's home geography with overlapping adult/professional education offerings, particularly for working adults in Antioquia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/encesde
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cesdeoficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/cesdeoficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cesde
• Instagraminstagram.com/cesdeoficial

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 CESDE