EPCI - Escola Profissional de Comunicação e Imagem

What EPCI - Escola Profissional de Comunicação e Imagem does

EPCI - Escola Profissional de Comunicação e Imagem is a private vocational education institution headquartered in central Lisbon, Portugal, operated by the legal entity Formar 2000, Lda. Founded in 1994, EPCI specializes in professional training across four programs: three Level 4 professional courses in Marketing (Public Relations and Advertising), Audiovisuais, and Multimédia, plus one Level 2 CEF Photography course targeting at-risk youth aged 15-18. The school serves secondary school students and at-risk youth in the Lisbon metropolitan area, with all programs including curricular internships and offering dual pathways into either direct employment or higher education.

The school's infrastructure is anchored in the CRAM (Centro de Recursos Multimédia e Audiovisuais) multimedia and audiovisual resource center, which manages technical equipment including computers, projectors, video cameras, and photo cameras for student and teacher use. Course delivery is supported by a formal ecosystem of internal service offices — GIC for career management, GESP for internship placement, GAOE for psychology and orientation, APICE for professional image consulting, and GAA for student support — alongside an external network of 60+ partner companies (including FNAC, RTP, Jornal Público, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Lusófona, and IEFP) that provide internship opportunities, progression pathways, and employability support.

EPCI generates revenue primarily through student tuition and enrollment fees for its professional courses and CEF programs (a recurring model typical of Portuguese escolas profissionais, which often receive state co-financing), supplemented by professional training services and customized training partnerships with companies. The school recruits students directly through its website and online enrollment system, supplemented by event-driven channels including open days, participation in educational fairs such as Futurália and MOPE, and the annual Jornadas de Comunicação & Criatividade. EQAVET quality assurance certification underwrites the school's compliance with European vocational education standards. No public funding rounds, acquisitions, or M&A activity are disclosed.

Name

EPCI - Escola Profissional de Comunicação e Imagem

Legal name

Formar 2000, Lda.

Website

https://epci.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EPCI is a Lisbon-based private vocational school founded in 1994 that offers Level 4 professional courses in Marketing, Audiovisuals, and Multimedia, plus a Level 2 Photography CEF course, serving Lisbon metropolitan secondary students with curricular internships through a 60+ partner company network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Professional Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter Career & Technical Education (CTE) Schools (EDAJACAK)

Keywords

• Vocational education
• Professional training
• Communication courses
• Audiovisual training
• Multimedia education

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Enrollment Fees: As a professional vocational school (escola profissional), EPCI generates revenue primarily through student tuition and enrollment fees for its professional courses and CEF (Curso de Educação e Formação) programs.
2. Professional Services and Training: The school generates revenue through professional training services and partnerships with companies for internship placements and customized training solutions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

EPCI is a private professional school in central Lisbon offering vocational education courses in Marketing, Public Relations and Advertising; Audiovisuals; Multimedia; and a CEF (Curso de Educação e Formação) Photography course. The school delivers Level 4 professional courses equivalent to 12th grade and a Level 2 CEF Photography course, all including curricular internships (estágio curricular) with partner companies. Programs combine practical, market-oriented curricula that enable both immediate employment and progression to higher education.

Product overview

EPCI offers four professional education programs forming an integrated portfolio: three Level 4 professional courses (Marketing, Audiovisuais, and Multimédia) providing equivalence to 12th grade with vocational qualification, plus one CEF (Curso de Educação e Formação) Level 2 Photography course providing 9th grade equivalence. All programs include curricular internships (estágio curricular) and are designed with practical, market-oriented curricula that enable both immediate employment and progression to higher education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GIC - Gestão Integrada de Carreira: Career management office dedicated to monitoring the employment situation of EPCI graduates, providing professional guidance, employability skills development, and career opportunity dissemination.
• GESP - Gabinete de Estágios e Saídas Profissionais
• GAOE - Gabinete de Psicologia e Orientação Escolar
• APICE - Atelier Profissional de Imagem e Comunicação Empresarial
• CRAM - Centro de Recursos Multimédia e Audiovisuais
• GAA - Gabinete de Apoio ao Aluno

Products and services

• Curso Profissional de Marketing, Relações Públicas e Publicidade Level 4 professional course training technicians in market studies, brand management, advertising, public relations, and marketing communication. Qualifies students to work as communication advisors, client service, creative roles, and graphic/audiovisual producers. Includes curricular internship with partner companies.
• Curso Profissional de Audiovisuais Level 4 professional course training audiovisual technicians in video and audio signal installation and processing (analog and digital), image/sound capture, editing, camera operation, and audiovisual content production for various platforms. Includes curricular internship.
• Curso Profissional de Multimédia Level 4 professional course training multimedia technicians in interactive multimedia product design and development, digital content creation, image/sound/text processing, and multimedia programming. Includes curricular internship.
• Curso CEF de Fotografia (Analógica e Digital) CEF (Curso de Educação e Formação) Tipo 3 / Level 2 course for Operator(a) de Fotografia, designed for students aged 15-18 with less than 9th grade education. Enables completion of 9th year with CNQ Level 2 certification and includes curricular internship.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students receive professional certification enabling direct employment or progression to higher education
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FNACcoreOthersFNAC serves as a key internship partner, hosting EPCI students in their Marketing, Multimedia and Design departments. Students visit the FNAC headquarters and receive practical training experience in retail and media operations.
• RTPcoreOthersRádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP) provides internship opportunities for audiovisual and multimedia students, offering practical experience in Portugal's public broadcasting sector.
• Jornal PúblicominorOthersPúblico newspaper provides internship opportunities for communication and journalism students seeking media industry experience.
• Instituto Superior TécnicocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstituto Superior Técnico collaborates with EPCI for student progression pathways, allowing graduates to continue their education at one of Portugal's leading engineering and technology universities.
• IEFP – Instituto do Emprego e Formação ProfissionalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIEFP is Portugal's public employment and training institute that collaborates with EPCI for student career guidance, employability support, and job placement services.
• Câmara Municipal de LisboaminorOthersThe Lisbon City Council partners with EPCI for educational initiatives, student activities, and municipal projects.
• Casa Pia de LisboaminorOthersCasa Pia de Lisboa provides internship opportunities for EPCI students at this historic educational institution.
• Universidade LusófonacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversidade Lusófona conducts information sessions and course presentations for EPCI final-year students, helping them explore higher education options.
• Pavilhão do ConhecimentominorOthersPavilhão do Conhecimento (Science Museum) serves as an educational destination for EPCI audiovisual students, offering field trips that connect students with animation and film production concepts.
• Funny HowminorOthersAdvertising agency Funny How hosts EPCI marketing students for agency visits, providing insights into real advertising campaigns for brands like Bandida do Pomar and Betclic.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• IADE: Portuguese design and marketing school (part of Universidade Europeia) offering degree programs in design, marketing, and creative industries. Competes with EPCI for students seeking professional education in marketing and visual communication.
• Restart - Instituto de Criatividade, Artes e Novas Tecnologias: Lisbon-based private institute specializing in creative technology and digital arts education, with professional and short-course programs overlapping EPCI's multimedia and audiovisual offerings.
• ESAD - Escola Superior de Artes e Design: Portuguese higher-education school focused on design, visual arts, and creative disciplines. Overlaps with EPCI's multimedia and photography curriculum while serving a similar student demographic.
• Cenatex: Lisbon-based vocational school for scenography, costume design, and audiovisual production. Comparable to EPCI as a small Portuguese vocational school serving creative industries with curricular internships.
• ETIC - Escola Técnica de Imagem e Comunicação: Lisbon-based vocational school offering professional courses in creative arts, communication, multimedia, and audiovisual production. Directly competes with EPCI for the same Lisbon student demographic seeking vocational training in communication and media disciplines.

Broad incumbents

• Universidade Lusófona: Large Portuguese private university that is both a partner (provides progression pathways for EPCI graduates) and a competitor for students entering higher education in communication, marketing, and media fields.
• Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa: Large Lisbon public polytechnic with schools covering communication, arts, and technology. Competes with EPCI for Lisbon-based vocational students seeking more affordable publicly-funded alternatives.

Regional players

• IPCA - Instituto Politécnico do Cávado e Ave: Northern Portugal polytechnic offering programs in design, marketing, and audiovisual. Comparable to EPCI in curriculum focus but operates in a different geographic region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@EPCI-EscolaProfissional
• Facebookfacebook.com/escolaepci
• Instagraminstagram.com/escolaepci
• TikToktiktok.com/@escolaepci
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/escola-epci

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 EPCI - Escola Profissional de Comunicação e Imagem