Affes

What Affes does

Affes (Associação de Funcionários da Univates) is a non-profit employee association legally registered as 'Associação de Funcionários da Fundação Vale do Taquari de Educação e Desenvolvimento Social' and headquartered on the Univates university campus in Lajeado, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Founded on 4 September 1985 by 27 founding members (originally under the FATES name, later renamed to FUVATES), the association serves employees, interns, and professors of Univates, providing a defined set of mutual-aid benefits: social events (festas, viagens, feiras), partner discounts across a local business network spanning healthcare, fuel, retail, food & beverage, and personal services, sports complex access, annual gift programs (Páscoa, Natal), and institutional representation in Univates governance bodies (CONSUN, CPA, General Assembly).

The organization operates a basic web-based member portal (affes.com.br) requiring Univates credentials for access, used for event registration, news dissemination, and a photo gallery. It has no public API, no mobile app, and no documented AI/ML capabilities. The technology layer is administrative in nature rather than a product platform. Marketing is conducted through the website, an email newsletter ([email protected]), and an Instagram channel (@affes.univates), with member-driven referrals via the 'Campanha Traga +1' campaign.

The business model is a hybrid of recurring membership dues (collected via payroll deduction — desconto em folha), transaction fees from paid events, and indirect revenue from commercial partnerships. Members include Univates faculty, staff, and interns; the sole end-customer segment is the Univates community. The association is governed by a democratically elected board for two-year terms, with the current Gestão 2026/2027 led by President Luana Mützenberg Zirbe, and operates the AFFES SOCIAL solidarity program in partnership with ADOF (Associação de Docentes da Fuvates).

Name

Affes

Legal name

Associação de Funcionários da Fundação Vale do Taquari de Educação e Desenvolvimento Social

Website

https://affes.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Affes is a non-profit employee association serving Univates university employees, interns, and professors in Lajeado, Brazil, providing social events, partner discounts, sports facilities, and institutional representation funded via payroll-deducted membership dues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lajeado

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 dues / fee collection: AFFES collects fees from members, with some payments (e.g., event registrations, partner purchases) processed via payroll deduction (desconto em folha). This is the primary revenue mechanism sustaining the association's operations and benefits programs.
2. Event participation fees: Revenue generated from paid events such as Festa de Fim de Ano, Festa de Outono, viagens, and Feiras. Fees are collected via payroll deduction or direct payment.
3. Partnership commercial arrangements: Revenue is indirectly generated through commercial partnerships where member purchases at partner establishments (e.g., Grife Univates, gas stations, clinics) produce transaction volume that supports the partner network sustaining AFFES benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Affes is a non-profit employee association serving Univates university employees, interns, and professors. It provides member benefits such as social events, partner discounts, access to a sports complex, member gifts, and representation of member interests, funded through membership dues and event fees.

Product overview

Affes (Associação de Funcionários da Univates) is an employees' association that provides benefits and services to university staff members. The organization offers member benefits including: festive events (festas), commercial partnerships with local businesses (convênios), special occasion gifts (presentes), sports complex access (complexo esportivo), Easter fairs (feira de páscoa), parking discounts, rest rooms, social headquarters venue rental, employee representation, travel arrangements, and integration activities. The association does not offer technology products or software services; it is a non-profit mutual aid organization for university employees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Affes Membership Annual membership entitling Univates employees, interns, and professors to access association benefits, events, and representation services.
• Partner Discount Program Network of partner merchants offering discounts to Affes members on goods and services.
• Member Events Social, cultural, and recreational events organized for the Univates employee community.
• Sports Complex Access Member access to the association's sports complex for recreational and athletic activities.
• Employee Representation Representation of member interests and grievances to the Univates institution and broader stakeholders.
• Member Gifts Distribution of gifts to association members as part of the membership benefits package.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Gabi Rubim (Mary Kay)minorOthers · 18 March 2026Beauty and self-care professional who conducted a skincare and makeup workshop for AFFES members in celebration of International Women's Day.
• DoçurasminorOthers · 18 December 2020Confectionery company in downtown Lajeado (Rua Santos Filho, 254, Centro) offering 5% discount à vista or up to 2x on credit card for Christmas purchases.
• Saúde Univates (Laboratório de Análises Clínicas Univates)coreOthers · 25 June 2020Health partnership offering associated members discounted COVID-19 tests: Rapid test at R$99.90 (vs. R$120 for family) and PCR test at R$150 (vs. R$250 for family). Tests payable via payroll deduction in up to 3 installments.
• ADOF (Associação de Docentes da Fuvates)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Long-standing partnership with the university faculty association for joint social initiatives. Together they operate the social headquarters (Sede Social), run the AFFES SOCIAL solidarity program (food basket donations, Easter egg drives, COVID-19 relief), and co-host events including the annual Gala Dinner for Valentine's Day.
• Pietra Darde (Fotógrafa)minorOthers · 1 January 2016Photographer who captured official photos at the Festa das Cores 2026 event. Her work is featured in the official event gallery.
• Trupe Viajantes dos SonhosminorOthers · 1 January 2013Traveling theater troupe that performed 'La Kombita' — a show combining theater, music, and circus arts — for Univates staff and their children as a joint AFFES/ADOF event for Teacher's Day, Staff Day, and Children's Day.
• Clínica LiviusminorOthersHealthcare partner offering 20% discount on final value plus an exclusive gift (Pump Up at R$120 or Corrente Russa at R$150) for associated members on their first consultation. Located at Rua Cruzeiro do Sul, 206, Bairro Olarias, Lajeado/RS.
• Liberte – Clínica de Depilação a LaserminorOthersLaser hair removal clinic offering 10% discount on laser hair removal treatments. Located at Rua Dona Leopoldina, 55, Sala 108, Florestal, Lajeado/RS.
• Rede de Postos de Combustível TradiçãocoreOthersFuel station network with locations in Lajeado (Avenida Amazonas, 2650, Bairro Universitário) and Santa Clara do Sul (Rua Alberto Schabbach, 450, Centro). Members use the Rede Tradição app with their @univates email to access exclusive discounts on regular and additive gasoline.
• Exercitá FisioterapiaminorOthersPhysiotherapy clinic at Rua Alberto Torres, 452, Sala 210, Centro, Lajeado/RS, offering 22% discount on orthopedic and traumatological physiotherapy sessions.
• Salva Craft Beer PubminorOthersCraft beer pub located at BR 386, KM 362, offering 10% discount on all consumption and store purchases for associated members.
• Grife UnivatescoreOthersUnivates branded merchandise store in Prédio 09. Members can purchase items with payroll deduction at the à vista price.
• Detalhe FotografiaminorOthersPhotography studio in Lajeado offering 8% discount on photo sessions/events and 5% discount on photoproducts, photo prints, albums, frames, and general framing.
• Studio GloweminorOthersBeauty studio offering 10% discount on any studio procedure.
• IK PersonalizadosminorOthersPersonalized products provider offering 15% discount on any product or 20% discount on purchases above R$250.00.
• Pizzaria DuCaisminorOthersPizza restaurant offering 5% discount Monday through Thursday. Discount not cumulative with other promotions.
• Bocattinho – UnivatesminorOthersOn-campus restaurant where associated members who purchase 10 meal tickets receive one complimentary meal.
• Planeta Doce e Planeta SaudávelminorOthersConfectionery and healthy food store offering 5% discount on purchases above R$5.00.
• Cafeteria UnivatesminorOthersOn-campus cafeteria partner that collaborated on AFFES anniversary celebrations, providing complimentary cake slices to members.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Caju: Brazilian digital employee benefits platform offering a multi-category card (food, meal, culture, mobility). While a for-profit B2B platform rather than a membership association, it competes for the same 'employee benefits wallet-share' and is increasingly adopted by Brazilian universities and corporate employers.
• Swile: French-origin employee benefits platform that expanded into Brazil with a multi-purpose benefits card. Comparable to AFFES in addressing the same end-user need (employee perks and discounts) but with a technology-first, employer-billed model.
• Flash: Brazilian employee benefits startup offering flexible multi-category cards and a corporate billing layer. Targets the same employee-perk use case as AFFES's partnership network, but delivered through a unified digital experience.

Broad incumbents

• VR Benefícios: Largest traditional Brazilian employee benefits company (meal, food, culture cards). Represents the established incumbent model of employer-billed benefits that AFFES's partner-discount layer must coexist with — relevant as the dominant scaled competitor in the same value category.
• Alelo: Major Brazilian benefits and corporate payments company offering meal, food, gift, and fleet cards. Comparable to AFFES in addressing employee purchasing-power benefits, but operating at national scale via corporate employer contracts rather than a single institution.
• iFood Benefícios: Brazilian flexible benefits card offered by iFood, accepted across food, meal, and mobility categories. Competes for the same employee benefit-share as AFFES's partner network, with the backing of Brazil's largest food-delivery platform.
• Sodexo Brasil: Brazilian arm of the global Sodexo benefits and quality-of-life services group. Provides meal vouchers, gift cards, and well-being programs to corporate employees — overlapping with AFFES's quality-of-life and representation remit but at enterprise scale.

Direct peers

• ADOF (Associação de Docentes da FUVATES): The faculty association at the same Univates/FUVATES institution. ADOF is AFFES's closest functional peer: a parallel membership organization serving a different employee constituency (faculty vs. staff), operating the same Sede Social, co-hosting events, and running joint solidarity programs. Direct model and customer overlap.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/affes.univates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/affes

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 Affes