CVI-Rio

What CVI-Rio does

CVI-Rio (Centro de Vida Independente do Rio de Janeiro) is a Brazilian non-profit organization founded in 1988, headquartered in the Gávea neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro. It operates as part of the Independent Living Movement and serves people with physical disabilities through a portfolio of programs including customized assistive technology development, postural assessment and wheelchair customization, peer support, employability assistance, accessibility consulting, and a wheelchair tennis program (Cadeiras na Quadra). The organization has 13 employees and an undisclosed total staff including volunteer peer mentors with lived disability experience.

The organization's core technical capability is its Assistive Technology Workshop (Oficina de Tecnologia Assistiva), operated in partnership with PUC-Rio's Department of Arts & Design, which develops individualized assistive devices through a proprietary 7-step collaborative process from initial user encounter through prototyping, experimentation, finalization, and ongoing maintenance. All services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries including people with disabilities, their families, and support professionals, with the organization reaching thousands of beneficiaries cumulatively across its projects (e.g., 376 in TAI project, 378 in E aí? project).

CVI-Rio's revenue model is grant- and donation-based, with no equity funding. Three documented federal Termos de Fomento total R$1.15M (R$200K in 2020 from Ministry of Tourism; R$450K in 2024 from Ministry of Human Rights; R$500K in 2025 from Ministry of Human Rights). Additional revenue comes from corporate partnerships (BNY Mellon, TIM, Michelin, Metrô Rio, Petrobras Distribuidora, SENAC Rio) supporting disability inclusion and CSR initiatives, plus individual donations through the 'Doe Aqui' program. The geographic footprint is domestic, focused on Southeast Brazil, with remote peer support extending nationwide reach via messaging platforms.

Name

CVI-Rio

Legal name

Centro de Vida Independente do Rio de Janeiro

Website

https://cvi-rio.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CVI-Rio is a Rio de Janeiro-based non-profit founded in 1988 that provides customized assistive technology, peer support, employability, and accessibility services to people with physical disabilities in Brazil, funded primarily through federal government grants and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Educational Support Services (611710), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Computer Access & Alternative Input (Switch, Eye Gaze, Head/Mouse, Keyboards) (EDAKAIAD), AT Funding, Procurement & Compliance Support (IEP/504 Documentation) (EDAKAIAJ), Seating & Positioning Systems (Cushions, Backs, Pressure Relief) (HLAHAMAB), Assistive Technology (AT) Access & AAC Access Support (OT-Led) (EDAKAFAG)

Keywords

• Assistive technology services
• Disability advocacy services
• Independent living programs
• Peer support counseling
• Disability employment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Rio de Janeiro

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Termos de Fomento: CVI-Rio receives government funding through formal partnership agreements (Termos de Fomento) with federal ministries including the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship, and Ministry of Citizenship. These grants fund specific projects including assistive technology labs, inclusive structure programs, and documentary training initiatives.
2. Individual Donations: The organization accepts individual donations through its 'Doe Aqui' (Donate Here) program to support ongoing operations and direct assistance to people with disabilities.
3. Corporate Employment Partnerships: CVI-Rio partners with corporations to facilitate employment of people with disabilities, acting as a recruitment intermediary. While services to job seekers are free, the organization develops relationships with corporate partners who value diversity hiring programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CVI-Rio develops customized assistive technology devices for individuals with physical disabilities through its Assistive Technology Workshop, partnering with PUC-Rio's Department of Arts & Design. The organization also delivers peer support (Suporte entre Pares), postural assessment and wheelchair positioning, employability services, accessibility consulting, and community-based programs including wheelchair tennis (Cadeiras na Quadra), audiovisual training (Minha Vida de Cadeirante), and inclusive support structure projects (Estrutura de Apoio Inclusiva). All direct services to beneficiaries are provided free of charge.

Product overview

CVI-Rio (Centro de Vida Independente do Rio de Janeiro) is a non-profit organization focused on promoting independent living for people with disabilities. The organization offers a portfolio of services centered on its Assistive Technology Workshop, which develops customized assistive devices through a collaborative process with users. Key offerings include the TAI (Tecnologia Assistiva Individualizada) project providing individualized assistive technology solutions, Postural Adequation services for proper wheelchair positioning, and an Equipment Exchange (Troca-Troca) network for equipment donation. Additional services include Peer Support, Accessibility Consulting, Employability support, and projects such as the wheelchair tennis program (Cadeiras na Quadra), video production training (Minha Vida de Cadeirante), and the Inclusive Support Structure (Estrutura de Apoio Inclusiva).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TAI - Tecnologia Assistiva Individualizada: Individualized Assistive Technology project providing personalized equipment for persons with disabilities to improve independence and autonomy.
• Cadeiras na Quadra
• E, aí? - Estrutura de Apoio Inclusiva
• Suporte entre Pares
• Programa Abrindo Caminhos

Quantifiable outcome

• 376 people directly served through TAI project, including 108 people with disabilities receiving personalized assistive technology
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship (Brasil)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2025CVI-Rio partners with the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship through Termo de Fomento 977751/2025 for the Estrutura de Apoio Inclusiva (E, aí?) project, promoting integrated actions for inclusion, autonomy, and strengthening of people with disabilities. Project value is R$500,000 with 13-month duration.
• Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship (Brasil)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2024CVI-Rio partners with the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship through Termo de Fomento 959222/2024 for the TAI (Tecnologia Assistiva Individualizada) project, establishing an Assistive Technology Laboratory and conducting open workshops. Project value is R$450,000 for 12 months starting June 2024. This is a flagship government partnership for disability inclusion.
• InkluacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 16 April 2023CVI-Rio partners with Inklua, a technology company specializing in disability employment, to facilitate job placements for people with disabilities. CVI-Rio provides candidate referrals while Inklua handles job matching and employer relationships. Partnership includes various restaurant, retail, and service industry positions.
• Ministry of Tourism (Brasil)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 December 2020CVI-Rio partners with the Ministry of Tourism through Termo de Fomento 905190/2020 for the 'Minha Vida de Cadeirante' documentary training project, providing technical training in audiovisual production for young people with disabilities. Total value R$200,000.
• Fiocruz (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2020Partnership with Fiocruz's Communication Social Coordination (CCS/Fiocruz) to produce weekly video content translating Covid-19 news into Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) with Portuguese audio, expanding accessibility for deaf individuals during the pandemic.
• PUC-Rio (Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCVI-Rio's Assistive Technology Workshop operates in partnership with the PUC-Rio Department of Arts & Design. The partnership provides academic expertise and enables design students to participate in assistive technology development, while CVI-Rio provides real-world application context.
• Caliban Produções CinematográficasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Caliban Produções Cinematográficas, led by award-winning filmmaker Silvio Tendler, for the 'Minha Vida de Cadeirante' documentary training project. Tendler, who has been a wheelchair user for 10 years, contributes filmmaking expertise to train young people with disabilities.
• SENAC RiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership with SENAC Rio for professional training and capacity building programs for people with disabilities.
• BNY MellonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnership for disability inclusion initiatives and employment support programs.
• Metrô RiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Metrô Rio for disability employment programs, including training and job placement of people with disabilities. Metrô Rio employees have participated in CVI-Rio's capacity building programs.
• TIM BrasilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnership supporting CVI-Rio's mission for disability inclusion and independent living.
• Michelin BrasilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnership supporting disability inclusion initiatives.
• Petrobras DistribuidoraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnership supporting CVI-Rio's programs for people with disabilities.
• International Tennis Federation (ITF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerITF partnership through Silvers' Fund (Cruyff Foundation) providing donations of sports wheelchairs to the Cadeiras na Quadra wheelchair tennis project. Five sports wheelchairs donated in 2009 and additional equipment in 2017.
• Confederação Brasileira de Tênis (CBT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CBT providing sports wheelchairs on loan and funding for equipment acquisition including three new sports wheelchairs and four pairs of wheels in 2013.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Centro de Vida Independente de São Paulo (CVI-SP): Brazilian sister Center for Independent Living in São Paulo, operating under the same Independent Living Movement philosophy and serving people with physical disabilities with peer support, AT, and employment services. Most direct comparable peer in Brazil.
• AbilityNet: UK-based non-profit providing advice, assessments, and training on assistive technology and accessibility for people with disabilities. Comparable as a direct peer delivering AT guidance, training, and accessibility consulting to disability end users.
• Programa de Apoio à Vida Independente (PAVI) / Associação Brasileira de Vida Independente (ABRAVI): Brazilian national association that unites and promotes the Independent Living Movement across Brazilian states, including training peer counselors and advocating for ILCs. Comparable as a peer advocacy and capacity-building body in the same Brazilian ILC ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Free Wheelchair Mission: International non-profit distributing low-cost wheelchairs and mobility devices in developing countries. Comparable as a peer organization addressing physical disability mobility and seating access, though its model is mass distribution rather than individualized customization.
• TIX (Assistive Technology): Brazilian startup producing assistive technology products including the COLIBRI head mouse, TIX keyboard, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) tools. CVI-Rio featured TIX as an innovation partner; comparable as a domestic AT technology provider whose product set overlaps with CVI-Rio's AT Workshop scope.

Broad incumbents

• ILRU (Independent Living Research Utilization): U.S. program affiliated with TIRR Memorial Hermann that curates, researches, and disseminates Independent Living practices, including AT, peer support, and disability policy. Comparable as an established peer in the broader ILC ecosystem that CVI-Rio operates within.
• World Institute on Disability (WID): U.S.-based non-profit research and policy center advancing independent living and disability rights internationally. Comparable as an established thought leader and capacity-builder serving the global ILC community that CVI-Rio is part of.
• European Network on Independent Living (ENIL): European federation of Independent Living organizations and advocates, providing policy advocacy, peer support training, and a network for national ILCs. Comparable as an umbrella organization that supports the same ILC model CVI-Rio embodies.

Others

• Mobility International USA (MIUSA): U.S.-based non-profit advancing disability rights and inclusion internationally through exchanges, training, and technical assistance. Comparable as an adjacent peer providing training and capacity building for disability advocates in international contexts.

Regional players

• Enable Ireland: Irish disability services non-profit providing AT, therapy, training, and employment support to children and adults with disabilities. Comparable as a disability services non-profit with overlapping AT and employment programming, though operating in a different (Irish) market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqSxz5CqNqpcnEINRocfyWg
• Facebookfacebook.com/cvi.rio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cvi-rio
• Instagraminstagram.com/cvirio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CVI-Rio