EPI - Escola Profissional de Imagem

What EPI - Escola Profissional de Imagem does

EPI - Escola Profissional de Imagem is a private vocational school founded in 1991 in Lisbon, Portugal, operating as part of the Grupo ETIC educational group under the parent entity ETIC - Escola Técnica de Imagem e Comunicação Aplicada LDA. The school delivers nine professional courses covering animation (2D/3D), audiovisuals, fashion communication and production, graphic communication design, photography, acting/interpretation, light and sound, multimedia, and music production and technologies, targeting Portuguese secondary education students aged 15-19 seeking practical training as an alternative to traditional academic pathways. EPI holds EQAVET quality certification and Erasmus+ Accreditation 2021-2027, and maintains formal partnerships with European vocational schools in Munich, Helsinki, Istanbul, Berlin, and Barcelona for international student mobility.

The school's infrastructure spans approximately 6,500 m2 across two industrial buildings in Lisbon's Cais do Sodré area, equipped with professional studios including a video studio with VR/AR/motion capture systems, an HD broadcast recording studio, a photography studio with traditional darkroom, sound editing and audio post-production studios, computer laboratories, a video post-production suite, a theater with dressing rooms, and a music training room. EPI operates with 31 employees and has produced a documented alumni network spanning creative industries including animation, film, photography, design, music, and advertising, with graduates placed at organizations such as Pixar, Disney, BBC, Cartoon Network, BBDO Los Angeles, and major Portuguese media outlets.

The business model is publicly funded vocational education: revenue derives primarily from Portuguese Ministry of Education per-student funding for secondary-level professional courses, supplemented by tuition contributions from families. The go-to-market is direct enrollment via the school website, phone, email, and in-person campus visits, supported by Open Days, educational fairs (e.g., Futurália), portfolio showcase events with industry juries, alumni success stories (Made In EPI program), and a presence on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Behance, and SoundCloud. Distribution is single-campus domestic, with international student exchanges functioning as a complementary channel through Erasmus+ partnerships rather than a primary revenue stream.

Name

EPI - Escola Profissional de Imagem

Legal name

ETIC - Escola Técnica de Imagem e Comunicação Aplicada LDA

Website

https://epi.edu.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EPI - Escola Profissional de Imagem is a private Lisbon-based vocational school founded in 1991, part of Grupo ETIC, delivering nine professional courses in creative arts (animation, photography, design, audiovisual, music, theater, multimedia, fashion) to Portuguese secondary education students aged 15-19.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Course Tuition: Revenue from vocational/professional courses offered to secondary education students. Students attend these courses as part of their secondary education, with funding from the Portuguese Ministry of Education and some tuition contributions.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

EPI is a professional vocational school delivering nine multi-year courses (Cursos Profissionais) in creative and image-related fields for secondary-level students. Programs cover Animation 2D/3D, Audiovisuals, Fashion Communication and Production, Graphic Design Communication, Photography, Acting, Light and Sound, Multimedia, and Music Production and Technologies, taught through hands-on training in professional studios, laboratories, and real-world projects. Instruction takes place on a 6,500 m2 campus in Lisbon with industry-standard equipment and is funded primarily by the Portuguese Ministry of Education.

Product overview

EPI - Escola Profissional de Imagem is a professional vocational school offering a portfolio of 9 professional courses in creative arts and media fields. The school operates as a unified educational institution providing courses in Animation, Audiovisuals, Fashion Communication and Production, Graphic Design Communication, Photography, Acting, Light and Sound, Multimedia, and Music Production and Technologies. EPI functions as a single institution delivering multiple course programs, not as a software platform with modular products. The school is part of the Grupo ETIC educational group and operates from facilities in Lisbon with approximately 6500 m2 of space including professional studios and laboratories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Curso de Animação 2D e 3D Professional vocational course covering film animation, video games, stop motion, motion capture, and visual effects for students pursuing careers in the animation industry.
• Curso de Audiovisuais Professional vocational course focused on cinema, television, reporting, video clips, short films, and video capture and editing.
• Curso de Comunicação e Produção de Moda Professional vocational course covering fashion communication, fashion production, events, digital marketing, and fashion editorial work.
• Curso de Design de Comunicação Gráfica Professional vocational course focused on visual identity, web design, publications, graphic animation, and illustration.
• Curso de Fotografia Professional vocational course covering fashion photography, reporting, advertising, events, digital creation, and photographic laboratory work.
• Curso de Interpretação / Ator / Atriz Professional vocational course in theater, cinema, television, performance, and dubbing for acting professionals.
• Curso de Luz e Som Professional vocational course focused on spectacle, cinema, television, studio recording, sound design, capture and editing, and mixing for entertainment production.
• Curso de Multimédia Professional vocational course covering virtual and augmented reality, motion capture, interactivity, animated graphics, and 3D for multimedia production.
• Curso de Produção e Tecnologias da Música Professional vocational course focused on musical creation and production, sound arrangements, studio recording, soundtracks, and video games audio.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students develop professional portfolios during their studies, with annual portfolio showcases attended by industry professionals
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 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

Feature8 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• ETIC - Escola Técnica de Imagem e ComunicaçãocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization of EPI within the Grupo ETIC educational group. ETIC operates as a sister institution providing complementary technical education in image and communication fields. Both institutions share resources, facilities, and participate in joint projects.
• European Commission Erasmus+ ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational mobility and partnership program enabling student and teacher exchanges, collaborative projects, and international experience. EPI holds Erasmus+ accreditation 2021-2027.
• Städtische Berufsschule für Buchbindetechnik und Fotografie im BSZ Alois Senefelder (Munich, Germany)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman vocational school for bookbinding and photography. EPI hosted seven photography students from this school for an Erasmus+ exchange, with collaborative activities including fashion photography, analog film development, and alternative printing methods.
• HELSINGFORS STAD - City of Helsinki (Finland)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish school participating in Erasmus+ project on European citizenship. EPI students collaborated with Finnish peers on projects addressing democracy, human rights, diversity, inclusion, and European cooperation.
• Xarxa FP (Barcelona VET Network)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Xarxa FP and Câmara Municipal de Lisboa brought 23 directors and representatives from Barcelona VET schools to visit EPI, promoting international cooperation and best practice exchange between institutions.
• EuroApprentices NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean network connecting VET students and alumni who completed international mobility experiences. EPI alumni selected as ambassadors to share experiences and inspire other students.
• Biond - Prémio Floresta é SustentabilidademinorGTM or Marketing PartnerEPI participated as partner in sustainability award organized by Biond, providing a mini video course as prize for winning students, demonstrating community engagement and industry partnerships.
• Centro Calouste Gulbenkian da Santa Casa da Misericórdia de LisboaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial institution collaborating on community project 'Dá-me Música' where students created music inspired by life stories of users with cerebral palsy, providing real-world experience and community impact.
• Bar OgilvyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor Portuguese advertising agency participating in EPI portfolio showcase events, providing professional feedback to students and serving as potential employers.
• KISS - The AgencyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPortuguese creative agency participating in portfolio showcases, evaluating student work and providing industry perspective.
• PRAXISDminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDesign agency participating in EPI portfolio showcases as jury members and industry evaluators.
• MC ConsultoresminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConsulting firm participating in design portfolio showcase, evaluating student projects.
• JUDASminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCreative agency participating in portfolio showcase events for design students.
• Lusa - Agência de NotíciasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPortuguese news agency represented by António Pedro Santos in photography portfolio showcase as industry evaluator.
• O Apartamento Creative AgencyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCreative agency represented by Catarina Palma in photography portfolio evaluation.
• Arquivo Municipal de LisboaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLisbon Municipal Archive represented by Paula Figueiredo in portfolio showcase.
• Associação CC11minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCultural association represented by António Pedrosa in photography portfolio evaluation.
• Canon Europe - Student Development ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPI student selected for Canon Student Development Programme offering mentorship, portfolio development, and opportunities to attend Visa pour l'Image festival and portfolio reviews.
• mediencollege Berlin gGmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBerlin media college participating in Erasmus+ climate crisis project 'Let's act together against Climate Crisis' with EPI.
• 2.Mehmet Çok Programlı Anadolu Lisesi (Istanbul, Turkey)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTurkish high school participating in Erasmus+ climate action project alongside EPI and German partners.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Restart - Instituto de Criatividade, Artes e Novas Tecnologias: Lisbon-based creative-tech school offering professional courses in game development, 3D animation, VFX, sound design, and film — directly competing for the same Portuguese secondary/early-tertiary creative-vocational student persona as EPI.
• ETIC - Escola Técnica de Imagem e Comunicação: Sister institution within the Grupo ETIC educational group; offers complementary technical and higher-education-level programs in image and communication fields, sharing facilities, faculty, and governance with EPI.
• FLAG - Lisbon Film & Media School: Lisbon-based film school offering practical vocational training in directing, cinematography, editing, and screenwriting; competes with EPI's Audiovisuals and Animation courses for Portuguese students seeking creative-industry careers.
• ESMAD - Escola Superior de Media, Artes e Design: Polytechnic of Porto's media/arts/design school; offers CTeSP vocational-technical courses and bachelor's degrees in similar creative disciplines to EPI, serving as Portugal's northern counterpart for vocational creative training.
• ESTC - Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema: Lisbon Polytechnic's higher-education school for theater, cinema, and performing arts — directly comparable to EPI's Interpretation/Actor and Audiovisuals courses and competing for the same Lisbon creative-talent pool.

Regional players

• IDEP Barcelona: Barcelona design and creative-arts school offering vocational programs in graphic design, photography, and digital arts; comparable curriculum mix to EPI but operating in Spain rather than Portugal.
• ESCAC - Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya: Barcelona-based film/audiovisual school offering vocational-equivalent programs in cinema, animation, and sound; comparable in mission and curriculum but operating in the Spanish/Iberian market rather than Portugal.

Broad incumbents

• Escola das Artes - Universidade Católica Portuguesa: Portuguese Catholic University's arts school in Porto/Lisbon offering degree programs in film, sound, animation, and design — competes for the same creative-student segment but at degree-granting higher-education level.
• Gobelins, l'école de l'image: Prestigious Paris-based creative school specializing in animation, photography, video, and sound — internationally recognized benchmark for the type of professional creative-vocational training EPI delivers at a smaller scale.
• IADE - Faculdade de Design, Tecnologia e Comunicação: Universidade Europeia's design/media school, a larger and more established Portuguese creative-education player with undergraduate degrees in design, animation, photography, and multimedia — competing for the same Lisbon-based creative-student pool but at a higher-education tier.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCw2fpwk52f6Mcym4cFgR-2Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/eproimagem
• Instagraminstagram.com/epiescolapro
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/epi---escola-profissional-de-imagem

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 EPI - Escola Profissional de Imagem