What Cidades Invisíveis does

Instituto Cidades Invisíveis is a Brazilian nonprofit social enterprise founded in 2012 in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, that operates the Programa Bonsai — a methodology combining education, sports, art, culture, income generation, and psychosocial support for youth and adults in socially vulnerable Brazilian communities. The organization runs four program units across Florianópolis (SC), Vidigal in Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Vila Prudente in São Paulo (SP), and Morro do Preventório in Niterói (RJ), and reports reaching 140,000+ people over 14 years of operation, alongside 60 murals produced through the Galeria de Arte do Mocotó open-air art gallery project.

The commercial backbone is a direct-to-consumer social-commerce operation on a Shopify-powered online store (cidadesinvisiveis.com.br), selling apparel (t-shirts, denim jackets, kimonos, pants, shorts) and accessories (ecobags, thermal mugs) at unit prices ranging from R$70 to R$799.90, with free shipping above R$300 in South and Southeast Brazil. Production includes circular-economy items (Coleção Jeans CI) made from repurposed denim by community-trained seamstresses through the Costura Perifa program, plus co-developed collections with Temple of Runner (Athletic Club), Tairú (CANAH hemp sneakers), Puro Verde, Aposss, and artist Carlos Bobi. The underlying technology stack is narrow: Shopify handles site, payments, orders, and customer accounts; no public APIs, SDKs, or AI components are present.

Revenue mechanics span three streams: (1) one-time e-commerce product sales whose proceeds fund social programs, (2) recurring individual donations through the Colabore platform, and (3) paid speaking engagements by founder Samuel dos Santos delivered to corporate and institutional clients (Ministério Público de SC, Tribunal de Contas de SC, Summit Cidades, Construsummit, ESG Brazil) on social responsibility, social entrepreneurship, ESG, and fashion-with-impact topics. The organization also maintains roughly 18 corporate sponsors and supporting partners (Menzoil, Tailor Partners, Zigurate, Habitare, Veedha, Nexxera, IBR Engenharia, Leve Saúde, Select Soluções, B&B Hotels, KOI Comunicação, among others). With ~10 employees and no disclosed financials, the entity operates as a private nonprofit Instituto without shareholders or external venture funding, led by founder Samuel dos Santos as the principal public figure and Roberta Guillen handling partnership inquiries.

Name

Cidades Invisíveis

Legal name

Instituto Cidades Invisíveis

Website

https://cidadesinvisiveis.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cidades Invisíveis is a Brazilian nonprofit founded in 2012 in Florianópolis that operates the Programa Bonsai social-development methodology across four community units, funding it via a Shopify e-commerce apparel/accessories store, individual donations, and paid speaking engagements by founder Samuel dos Santos.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Fashion Apparel

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Fair Trade & Ethical Supply Chains (Certification, Traceability, Producer Support) (BPAGALAL)

Keywords

• Social fashion apparel
• Community development programs
• Recycled denim products
• Nonprofit social programs
• Artisan apparel production

Headquarters

HQ city

Florianópolis

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. E-commerce product sales: Sale of apparel and accessories (t-shirts, jeans, jackets, accessories) through their online store. All proceeds support social projects and programs.
2. Donations and voluntary contributions: Individual donations and voluntary contributions through their Colabore platform, supporting the organization's social programs.
3. Speaking engagements: Paid speaking engagements by Samuel dos Santos on topics including social responsibility, social entrepreneurship, fashion and social impact, and community leadership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cidades Invisíveis is a nonprofit social fashion organization that designs, manufactures, and sells apparel and accessories (t-shirts, denim jackets, pants, kimonos, ecobags, sneakers, thermal mugs) through its Shopify online store, with all proceeds funding the Programa Bonsai community programs. The organization also operates paid speaking engagements and corporate partnership programs that support its social mission of education, sports, art, and income generation in vulnerable Brazilian communities.

Product overview

Cidades Invisiveis operates a social commerce platform built on Shopify, selling clothing, accessories, and collaborative products with proceeds funding social programs. The product portfolio includes branded collections (Colecao Floripa, Colecao Jeans CI, Colecao Athletic Club, Colecao Human Power, Colecao Amor Nessa Cidade), individual apparel items (t-shirts, jackets, pants, shorts), accessories (ecobags, caps, scarves, thermal cups, beach towels), and collaborative products with partner brands (Tairu sneakers, Puro Verde, Aposss, N1). The organization also offers speaking engagements and maintains social programs including the Programa Bonsai (operating in Florianopolis, Rio de Janeiro, Niteroi, and Sao Paulo) and the Galeria de Arte do Moto (an open-air art gallery with 60 murals).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Programa Bonsai: Social development methodology focused on education, sports, art, culture, income generation, and psychosocial attention for vulnerable communities. Operates in multiple locations including Floripa, Vidigal, Preventório, and Vila Prudente.
• Galeria de Arte do Mocotó

Products and services

• Coleção Floripa Social fashion collection inspired by Florianópolis, celebrating local roots, belonging, and movement, with pieces honoring stories from the territory and sold through the Cidades Invisíveis online store.
• Coleção Jeans CI Upcycled denim collection of jackets, skirts, and bags made from repurposed jeans, produced by students of the sewing course at Cidades Invisíveis headquarters.
• Coleção Athletic Club Sportswear collection created in partnership with Temple of Runner, designed for casual athletes and comfort lovers with contemporary design and a message of seeing beyond one's own horizon.
• Coleção Human Power Collection produced by women from the Monte Cristo community in Florianópolis, made from 100% high-quality cotton with artisanal craftsmanship supporting local economic development.
• Coleção Amor Nessa Cidade Collaboration collection with Aposss featuring pieces that spread love and inspire transformation, designed to embrace identity and generate social impact.
• Camisetas T-shirt category including artistic prints, embroidered pieces, and collaborations with artists such as Prado Neto and Carlos Bobi, priced at R$ 90 to R$ 199.90.
• Calças e bermudas Pants and shorts category including sweatpants, bermudas, and shorts in various styles and collaborations, priced at R$ 80 to R$ 100.
• Acessórios Accessories including ecobags (R$ 169.90-239.90), caps, scarves, thermal cups (R$ 367), and beach towels.
• Tênis Collab Cidades Invisíveis + Tairú Limited edition sneakers produced with 100% hemp upper, hand-customized by local artists Mousse and Lappa, featuring multiple artistic designs including Flower Bird, Bulldog, Fire Waves, Masks, Abstract, and Love Web.
• Camiseta Contém Vida Collaboration t-shirt with Puro Verde featuring art by Danka Umbert with symbols of Florianópolis including the green kingfisher bird, Laelia purpurata orchid, indigenous woman, and grape bunch, sold to celebrate art and social impact.
• Ecobag Tropical Carnival-inspired ecobag collaboration between N1 and Cidades Invisíveis, with proceeds supporting social projects.
• Palestras (Speaking Engagements) Paid speaking engagements delivered by founder Samuel dos Santos to corporate, government, and event audiences on topics including social responsibility, fundamental rights through art, fashion and social impact, social entrepreneurship, sustainability, ESG, leadership, motivation, and community engagement. Budget inquiries are handled via WhatsApp.

Quantifiable outcome

• 140,000+ people impacted through social programs over 14 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• MenzoilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsoring company supporting Cidades Invisíveis social programs.
• Tailor PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsoring company supporting Cidades Invisíveis social programs.
• ZigurateminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEngineering firm and sponsoring company supporting Cidades Invisíveis.
• HabitareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsoring company supporting Cidades Invisíveis social programs.
• VeedhaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsoring company supporting Cidades Invisíveis social programs.
• NexxeraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGrupo Nexxees company sponsoring Cidades Invisíveis.
• IBR EngenhariaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEngineering firm and sponsoring company.
• Leve SaúdeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealth company sponsoring Cidades Invisíveis.
• Select SoluçõesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting company for Cidades Invisíveis programs.
• Temple of RunnercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Athletic Club collection, creating sports apparel combining style, comfort, and social purpose.
• TairúcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on CANAH hemp sneakers, an edition limited where each pair was hand-customized by local artists Mousse and Lappa.
• Prefeitura de FlorianópoliscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMunicipal government sponsor of Galeria de Arte do Mocotó project through Secretaria de Cultura, Esporte e Lazer and Fundação Franklin Cascaes.
• Puro VerdeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Camiseta Contém Vida product celebrating art and social impact with symbols of Florianopolis.
• AposssminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 'Amor Nessa Cidade' collection spreading love through fashion.
• Carlos BobiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternationally recognized street artist creating exclusive Camiseta Territórios 2024 design. Known for Meeting of Favela (MOF) project.
• H2 ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting company for Cidades Invisíveis.
• CaucasominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting company for Cidades Invisíveis.
• Paris do BrasilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting company for Cidades Invisíveis.
• KOI ComunicaçãominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunication agency supporting Cidades Invisíveis.
• B&B HotelsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHotel chain supporting Cidades Invisíveis as partner.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• TOMS: Global social-impact fashion brand built on a cause-linked purchase model — the archetype that Cidades Invisíveis' purchase-funds-programs model resembles, at much smaller scale.
• Patagonia: Global benchmark for mission-driven, environmentally and socially active apparel — analogous in tying brand identity tightly to social/environmental impact, though at vastly larger scale.
• People Tree: Pioneer fair-trade fashion brand working with artisan producer groups — directly comparable on the fair-trade, ethical-supply-chain dimension highlighted in Cidades Invisíveis' Costura Perifa and Human Power collections.
• Reformation: Sustainable-fashion brand with strong transparency and impact storytelling — comparable to Cidades Invisíveis on the circular-fashion and conscious-consumer positioning axis.

Emerging players

• Associação Lua Nova: Brazilian nonprofit in vulnerable communities offering training and income-generation programs — a nonprofit-sector peer operating with a similar favela-based, capacity-building model rather than competing in fashion.

Direct peers

• Hope: Brazilian sustainable fashion brand combining style with social and environmental impact — directly comparable to Cidades Invisíveis' positioning as a purpose-driven Brazilian fashion label with social-mission branding.
• Malwee: Major Brazilian apparel company with formal social-responsibility and ESG programs — a scaled Brazilian fashion operator pursuing the same corporate-ESG-partnership lane.
• Osklen: Brazilian premium sustainable fashion brand with strong environmental and social positioning — a more established direct comparable in the Brazilian purpose-driven fashion category.
• Farm Rio: Iconic Brazilian fashion brand with strong cultural-identity and community-art collaborations — overlaps with Cidades Invisíveis' artist-driven (e.g., Carlos Bobi, Mocotó murals) and Brazilian-rooted identity strategy.
• Insecta: Brazilian sustainable footwear and accessories brand using upcycled and vegan materials, sharing Cidades Invisíveis' circular-economy, ethical-fashion DNA and Brazilian DTC focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7JjSy7q3N3wyFLYmbCQHAA
• Instagraminstagram.com/cidadesinvisiveisoficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cidadesinvisiveis

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Cidades Invisíveis