EPAD

What EPAD does

EPAD – Escola Profissional de Artes, Tecnologias e Desporto is a private Portuguese vocational education institution operating under the corporate parent Luso Formatar SA (pessoa coletiva n.º 508 100 666). The school delivers Level 4 professional courses (Cursos Profissionais – nível 4) under the Portuguese national vocational education framework, which is publicly funded; students attend at no direct tuition cost. EPAD operates two Lisbon campuses (Picoas at Rua Andrade Corvo nº30 and Areeiro at Pr. Bernardo Santareno 5C, opened 2019), with a previously active Vila Nova de Gaia campus in the Porto region that appears to have ceased operations. The active curriculum consists of 10 professional courses spanning Educational Action, Audiovisuals, Communication/Marketing/PR, Software Development, Sports, Graphic Design, Social Intervention, Multimedia, Tourism, and Network & Computer Systems, with two legacy IT courses being phased out.

The school is equipped with over 40 theoretical classrooms, computer and hardware laboratories, editing suites, analog photography darkrooms, studios, and libraries. It holds EQAVET (European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training) certification and Erasmus+ KA121 accreditation for the 2022–2027 cycle, enabling structured international mobility through partnerships with vocational schools in Spain (IES Santa Brígida), Finland (YA! Vocational College of Ostrobothnia), and France (MFR of Bergerac). The school has built institutional partnerships with the Portuguese Ministry of Health, Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, and Câmara Municipal de Odivelas, and integrates students into real industry projects including MEO Sudoeste production and Web Summit participation.

EPAD's revenue model is based on public per-student funding from the Portuguese state for delivering Level 4 vocational courses, with no tuition charged to students. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through the school's website (epad.edu.pt), pre-enrollment Google Forms, education fair participation (Qualifica, BTL), open days, and community/municipal outreach. The primary customer segment is young students aged approximately 15–19 who have completed the 9th year of basic education and seek vocational training either for direct workforce entry or as a pathway to higher education. The institution has approximately 248 employees (per firmographic data), though the school website does not publicly disclose headcount or student enrollment figures.

Name

EPAD

Legal name

Luso Formatar SA

Website

https://epad.edu.pt

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

EPAD is a privately operated Portuguese vocational school (Escola Profissional) delivering 10 publicly funded Level 4 professional courses across two Lisbon campuses, serving post-9th-grade students aged 15–19 in arts, technology, communication, sports, and social sciences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Under-18 / High School-to-University Foundation Pathways (EDAIAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Basic Education Access & Quality (Primary/Secondary) (BPADAKAA)

Keywords

• Vocational education
• Professional training
• Secondary schooling
• Technical courses
• Arts and sports training

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Vocational Education Services: EPAD operates as a government-funded professional school (escola profissional) under the Portuguese national education system. The school receives public funding for delivering level 4 professional courses (Cursos Profissionais – nível 4). Students attend at no direct cost, as the school is financed through public education mechanisms. The parent entity is Luso Formatar SA.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

EPAD is a vocational professional school (escola profissional) operating under the Portuguese national education system, delivering Level 4 professional courses (Cursos Profissionais – nível 4) to post-9th-grade students aged up to 19 across arts, technologies, communication, sport, and social sciences. Courses span 10 active programs including Audiovisuals, Communication/Marketing/PR, Software Development, Sport, Graphic Design, Social Intervention, Multimedia, Tourism, Educational Action, and Network Computing, combining theoretical instruction with mandatory workplace internships (FCT) and Erasmus+ international mobility. The school operates two Lisbon campuses (Picoas and Areeiro) and is publicly funded under Portugal's vocational education funding model, charging no tuition to students.

Product overview

EPAD is a professional vocational school (Escola Profissional) operated by LUSO-FORMATAR SA, offering a portfolio of 10 active professional courses (Cursos Profissionais) at Level 4 qualification. The institution provides vocational education across two locations in Lisbon (Picoas and Areeiro), with programs in arts, communication, technology, and sports. The course portfolio includes active programs in Educational Action, Audiovisuals, Communication/Marketing/PR, Software Development, Sports, Graphic Design Communication, Social Intervention, Multimedia, Tourism, and Network Computing. Legacy courses in IT Systems and Programming are being phased out without new enrollments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Técnico/a de Ação Educativa Level 4 vocational professional course (Curso Profissional) preparing students aged 15-19 to work in educational support and action roles, providing assistance in formal and non-formal educational contexts.
• Técnico/a de Audiovisuais Level 4 vocational professional course training students in audiovisual production, including video production, editing, and multimedia content creation.
• Técnico/a de Comunicação: Marketing, Relações Públicas e Publicidade Level 4 vocational professional course covering communication strategies, marketing, public relations, and advertising techniques.
• Técnico/a de Desenvolvimento de Software Level 4 vocational professional course training students in software development, programming, and application development.
• Técnico/a de Desporto Level 4 vocational professional course preparing students for sports instruction, coaching, and sports facility management.
• Técnico/a de Design de Comunicação Gráfica Level 4 vocational professional course teaching graphic design, visual communication, and digital design tools.
• Técnico/a de Apoio à Intervenção Social Level 4 vocational professional course training students in psychosocial support and social intervention techniques.
• Técnico/a de Multimédia Level 4 vocational professional course covering multimedia production, digital content creation, and interactive media.
• Técnico/a de Turismo Level 4 vocational professional course preparing students for careers in tourism, travel agencies, and hospitality services.
• Técnico/a de Sistemas e Computação de Redes Level 4 vocational professional course training students in computer networks, systems administration, and network infrastructure management.

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and moderate.

• Instituto Politécnico de Viana do CastelominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 December 2024EPAD participated in the II GALA ERASMUS+ hosted by the Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, where it received a Menção Honrosa. This partnership supports the visibility and recognition of EPAD's European mobility projects.
• IES Santa Brígida (Las Palmas, Gran Canária, Spain)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2024EPAD hosts Erasmus+ Job-shadowing mobilities for teachers from IES Santa Brígida. Teacher Ruben Cortes participated in the program across EPAD Picoas and Areeiro campuses. The partnership is part of EPAD's Erasmus+ KA121 accreditation (2022–2027), fully funded by the European Commission through the Agência Nacional Erasmus Mais.
• YA! Vocational College of Ostrobothnia (Finland)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 January 2020EPAD hosted three students from YA! Vocational College of Ostrobothnia (Finland) and supported their integration into workplace training (Contexto de Trabalho) at Fundação D. [name partially visible]. This is part of international mobility exchanges between vocational schools.
• Câmara Municipal de OdivelasmoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2019Partnership through the Gabinete de Comunicação, Relações Públicas e Protocolo of Câmara Municipal de Odivelas. EPAD Communication students participated as staff in concerts by Carminho and Dino Santiago at Pavilhão Multiusos de Odivelas, celebrating the 26th anniversary of the municipality. Students performed functions such as guest reception and guidance.
• Web SummitminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2019EPAD sent approximately 600 students from 7 courses to attend the Web Summit 2019 over 4 days at Altice Arena (Centre Stage). This provides students exposure to global technology leaders, startup founders, and industry trends.
• MFR of Bergerac (Maison Familiale Rurale, France)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2019EPAD received a delegation of French teachers from MFR of Bergerac for a one-week professional immersion (21–25 October 2019). The mobility focused on the Técnico/a de Comunicação – Marketing, Relações Públicas e Publicidade course, allowing the French teachers to observe Portuguese vocational education methodologies, technology resources, and pedagogical approaches. The exchange arose from EPAD's partnership with the Clube Intercultural Europeu.
• Estufa Fria / Festival SOA LisboaGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 October 2019EPAD's Organização de Eventos students integrated the staff team of the SOA Lisboa Festival held at Estufa Fria. This provided real event management experience for students.
• AMA – Academia Mundo das ArtesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 September 2019AMA (Academia Mundo das Artes) is a partner entity that collaborates with EPAD's Audiovisuais course. AMA organized a cinema showcase (Mostra de Cinema AMA) and invited the EPAD school community to attend.
• Câmara Municipal de LisboamoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 September 2019Partnership between EPAD and Câmara Municipal de Lisboa for events. Courses in Técnico de Organização de Eventos, Técnico de Apoio à Gestão Desportiva, and Técnico de Comunicação participated in the municipality's year-end celebration event.
• Ministério da Saúde (Ministry of Health, Portugal)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 November 2017A pioneering protocol partnership was formalized at Palácio Foz between EPAD and the Portuguese Ministry of Health. The partnership was designed to support EPAD students in health-related courses (particularly Técnico/a de Apoio Psicossocial) with practical training and institutional integration.
• Milenar – Digital IntelligencemoderateGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 July 2016Partnership with Milenar for media production projects. EPAD's Communication, Photography, and Audiovisuals courses participated in the production of the MEO Sudoeste series (with various YouTubers) and the MEO Sudoeste/RFM anthem. The collaboration positions students in real media production environments.
• Feira Qualifica / EXPONORminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 April 2016EPAD participated in the Qualifica fair at EXPONOR over 4 days, presenting the school including its new EPAD Gaia campus. Video diaries and photos from the event were shared on the school's Facebook page.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Clube Intercultural Europeu: Clube Intercultural Europeu is a partner organization that facilitates EPAD's international mobility programs including Erasmus+ — comparable as an enabler of EPAD's European mobility strategy rather than a direct competitor, but relevant for understanding EPAD's international partnership ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• IEFP (Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional): IEFP is the Portuguese government's national vocational training and employment institute — a broad incumbent offering publicly-funded vocational programs that compete with EPAD for the same funding pool and student demographic at much larger scale.
• IADE: IADE is a larger, established Portuguese design and creative education institution with degree programs and vocational offerings — comparable to EPAD for design and creative courses but operating as a broader higher-education institution with a wider portfolio.
• Universidade Europeia: Universidade Europeia is a larger Portuguese higher education institution with vocational and professional programs in design, hospitality, and technology — overlapping with EPAD's Tourism, Design, and Sport offerings at a broader, degree-granting level.

Direct peers

• ATEC: ATEC is a Portuguese vocational training academy offering technical and professional courses across multiple disciplines, with strong industry partnerships — comparable to EPAD in multi-disciplinary vocational delivery model and Portuguese market focus.
• FLAG: FLAG is a Lisbon design school offering vocational programs in graphic design, digital design, and creative technologies — overlapping with EPAD's Graphic Design Communication and Multimedia courses and competing for the same Lisbon post-9th-grade student segment.
• ETIC: ETIC is a Lisbon-based technical and creative arts school offering vocational and professional courses in audiovisual, design, communication, and digital arts — directly comparable to EPAD's Arts, Communication, and Multimedia course portfolio with the same Lisbon-targeted student demographic.
• Escola Profissional de Tecnologia e Engenharia (EPTE): EPTE is a Portuguese escola profissional offering technical and engineering vocational courses — comparable to EPAD in operating model, funding structure, and target student demographic, competing in the same vocational education market.
• Restart Institute: Restart Institute is a Lisbon-based vocational education provider focused on programming, web development, and digital skills — competing directly with EPAD's Software Development and Network Computing courses for Lisbon-based tech-oriented vocational students.
• CINEL: CINEL is a Portuguese vocational school specializing in audiovisual, multimedia, and creative production — directly comparable to EPAD's Audiovisuals and Multimedia courses, targeting the same Lisbon-area student segment for creative industry training.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EscolaEPAD
• Instagraminstagram.com/escolaepad
• TikToktiktok.com/@escolaepad
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/epad

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 EPAD