What Academica does

Academica is a privately held Education Service Provider (ESP) founded in 1999 and headquartered in Miami, Florida, supporting a global network of public charter schools, digital learning communities, colleges, and non-profit educational organizations. The company operates as a back-office and operational backbone for school governing boards, delivering administrative services while schools retain autonomy over curriculum, staffing, and academic programs. Its network spans 165,000+ students across 220+ educational institutions in 16 countries, including multiple named charter school networks (Somerset, Pinecrest, Mater, Doral, International Studies, SLAM) and the privately chartered Doral College. The company is led by founder and president Fernando Zulueta and has accumulated 20 National Blue Ribbon Schools, the first Charter Management Organization district accreditation from SACS/AdvancEd (2012), and 20+ years of operating track record.

The company's core technology is Colēgia (deOS™), a proprietary Digital Education Operating System that enables Remote Live Instruction (RLI) and supports brick-and-mortar, virtual, and hybrid learning models. Built on Colēgia, Academica operates two digital brands: Academica Virtual Education (AVE) for domestic digital learning and Academica International Studies (AIS) for international digital learning, including a Dual Diploma Program serving students in 16 countries. The K-16 College Integration Model, partnered with Doral College, allows high school students to graduate with both a high school diploma and an Associate in Arts degree at no cost.

Academica's business model is a managed services / ESP contract structure with charter school governing boards, supplemented by recurring digital subscription revenue through AVE and AIS. The go-to-market is sales-led for ESP contracts and direct-to-consumer via a school finder tool for families. The company runs regional offices in Miami (HQ), Henderson (Nevada), and San Antonio (Texas), and produces content marketing through five podcasts and two blog series. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Academica

Legal name

Academica

Website

https://academica.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Academica is a private Education Service Provider founded in 1999 that delivers back-office and operational support to 220+ charter schools, digital learning communities, and colleges serving 165,000+ students across 16 countries, anchored on its proprietary Colēgia digital education platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami, Florida

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Education Service Provider (ESP) Contracts: Academica serves as an Education Service Provider for charter schools, providing back-office services and operational support. Schools govern their own academic programs, staffing, and curriculum while Academica handles administrative functions.
2. Digital Education Services: Academica Virtual Education (AVE) and Academica International Studies (AIS) provide digital learning content and services to students and educational institutions domestically and internationally.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Academica is an Education Service Provider (ESP) that delivers back-office, operational, administrative, and digital learning support to a global network of public charter schools, digital learning communities, colleges, and non-profit organizations. Its offerings are enabled by the proprietary Colēgia (deOS™) Digital Education Operating System, which powers Remote Live Instruction and supports both brick-and-mortar and virtual learning environments. The K-16 College Integration Model, delivered through Doral College, enables students to graduate with both a high school diploma and an Associate in Arts degree at no cost.

Product overview

Academica is an Education Service Provider (ESP) operating a multi-product portfolio centered on its proprietary Colēgia Digital Education Operating System (deOS™). The core platform enables Remote Live Instruction (RLI) for seamless brick-and-mortar, virtual, or flexible combined learning experiences. Supporting products include Academica Virtual Education (AVE) for domestic digital learning and Academica International Studies (AIS) for international education serving students in 16 countries. The K-16 College Integration Model, powered through partnership with Doral College, enables students to earn both a high school diploma and AA degree. Academica also produces educational content through five podcasts (What Happens Next, Charter School Superstars, Big Ideas in Education, Teach the Way They Learn, The Judy Marty Show) and two blog series (Classroom of the Future, Charter Schools 101). The company supports a network of 200+ charter schools, digital learning communities, private schools, and colleges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Colēgia: A Digital Education Operating System (deOS) that empowers educational organizations to connect their learning communities, delivering a secure digital platform and complementary suite of educational applications, content, and communications
• eOS
• Remote Live Instruction (RLI)
• Classroom of the Future
• College Integration Model

Products and services

• Colēgia (Digital Education Operating System, deOS™) Secure digital platform that empowers educational organizations to connect their learning communities through Remote Live Instruction (RLI), enabling brick-and-mortar, virtual, or flexible combined learning experiences for schools globally.
• Academica Virtual Education (AVE) Digital education platform providing content and services to students and educational institutions domestically, including blended learning courses, credit recovery, and professional development, powered by the proprietary Colēgia system.
• Academica International Studies (AIS) International branch offering Dual Diploma Program through a network of 180+ high-achieving brick-and-mortar schools worldwide, combining effective teaching practices with technology to deliver accredited courses aligned to state and national standards.
• College Integration Model (K-16) Provides students the opportunity to take Dual Enrollment and Advanced Placement classes while in high school at no cost; through partnership with Doral College, students can graduate with both a High School Diploma and an Associate in Arts (AA) degree.
• Doral College Private non-profit institution of higher learning based in Doral, Florida, partnering with Academica-supported high schools to offer onsite Dual Enrollment classes at no cost, enabling K-16 college integration.
• Education Service Provider (ESP) Services Back-office, operational, administrative, and support services delivered to public charter schools, including accreditation support, compliance assistance, and operational best-practice sharing, allowing schools to maintain autonomy over academic programs while receiving comprehensive operational support.

Quantifiable outcome

• 106 schools earned 'A' rating from Florida Department of Education (2024-2025)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Ambassador Armando Christian Perez (Pitbull)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013The SLAM (Sports Leadership, Arts & Management) network opened its first school with the support of Ambassador Armando Christian Perez, also known as 'Pitbull', a celebrity partner supporting the sports and arts charter school network.
• Doral CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012In partnership with Doral College, Academica-supported high schools offer onsite Dual Enrollment classes at no cost to students. This partnership enables high school students to graduate with both a High School Diploma and an Associate in Arts (AA) degree through the K-16 College Integration Model.
• City of Belle Isle, FloridaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Cornerstone Charter Academy was established in partnership with the City of Belle Isle, Florida, providing educational options for local families.
• City of HialeahcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008In partnership with the City of Hialeah, the City of Hialeah Educational Academy was established, expanding access to quality education in the Hialeah community.
• Spanish, French and Italian ConsulatescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004International Studies Charter High School was established in partnership with the Spanish, French and Italian consulates, creating a unique international educational program.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/academicaschools

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries9 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 Academica