QUERÔ

What QUERÔ does

Instituto Querô is a non-profit cultural institution headquartered in Santos, São Paulo, Brazil, founded in 2006 and operating across the Baixada Santista region (Santos, Cubatão, Guarujá). Its core function is delivering free, two-year audiovisual training (Oficinas Querô) to vulnerable youth aged 16–20 from public schools, alongside three complementary programs: Querô na Escola (school-based audiovisual workshops reaching 10,000+ students), Querô Comunidade (community documentary production), and Querô para PcD (training adapted for people with disabilities). The institution also operates Produtora Querô, a production-company arm created in 2008 that provides paid audiovisual services (institutional videos, event coverage, film and series production) and serves as a "Producer School" employing graduates on commercial productions. All 500+ productions are distributed through Querô Play, a free streaming platform, and through partnerships with TV Cultura, Canal Futura, and others.

The underlying technology is human-driven audiovisual production — scriptwriting, directing, cinematography, editing, and post-production — supported by the Querô Play digital distribution platform with accessibility features (subtitles, descriptive audio, Libras). The proprietary operational model is the Produtora-Escola architecture, where each commercial production simultaneously generates paid employment for trained alumni, creating a self-reinforcing training-to-employment pipeline in which 55% of the 42-person staff are themselves Querô alumni. The Conexões Querô program (launched 2021) extends this pipeline by maintaining a Talent Bank that places graduates with employers including Netflix, Instituto Localiza, AVW, and AvMakers.

The business model blends four revenue streams: (1) annual project funding approved through Brazil's Lei Rouanet cultural incentive law under Pronac nº 251921, sponsored by Master-tier (Vale, CMOC, Brasil Terminal Portuário) and Sponsor-tier corporate partners; (2) direct donations via PIX, bank transfer, and the Nota Fiscal Paulista tax-credit program; (3) corporate sponsorship tiers; and (4) professional services revenue from Produtora Querô's paid audiovisual production work. Beneficiary customers — public schools, communities, and individual youth — receive services free of charge. The organization is governed by a Diretoria (Board of Directors) and 6-person Conselho (Council), with no external parent or private equity ownership.

Name

QUERÔ

Legal name

Instituto Querô

Website

https://institutoquero.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Instituto Querô is a Santos, Brazil-based non-profit providing free audiovisual training, community filmmaking programs, and disability-inclusive media education to vulnerable youth in Baixada Santista, supported by Lei Rouanet corporate sponsorship and an embedded production-company arm (Produtora Querô) that employs its own graduates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Audiovisual Education and Social Impact Filmmaking

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Education & Accessibility-Optimized Media (UDL, AAC, Captioning) (EDAGALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accessible Media Production (Alt Formats, Captioning, Audio Description) (EDALAGAC), Workshops, Webinars & Live Masterclasses (MPACALAD), Assistive Technology-Enabled Instructional Content (AAC, Switch, Eye-Gaze Compatible) (EDAGAMAC)

Keywords

• Youth audiovisual training
• Social impact filmmaking
• Nonprofit cultural education
• Film production services
• Community documentary programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Santos, SP

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Lei de Incentivo à Cultura (Cultural Incentive Law): Annual funding approved through Brazil's Ministry of Culture (Ministério da Cultura) via Lei Rouanet and other cultural incentive mechanisms. Companies and individuals sponsor projects in exchange for tax deductions. Projects carried under Pronac number 251921.
2. Production Services (Produtora Querô): The Produtora Querô produces audiovisual content for external clients — institutional videos, corporate films, TV and cinema projects — generating revenue that funds operations and employs trained youth. Clients include companies, governments, and institutions.
3. Direct Donations (PIX, Bank Transfer, Nota Fiscal Paulista): Individual and corporate donors contribute via PIX (CNPJ 10.227.433/0001-38), bank transfer, or the Nota Fiscal Paulista program where citizens donate their state tax credits to the institution.
4. Corporate Sponsorship: Companies sponsor specific projects at Master, Sponsor, or Support levels, with their logos displayed on the organization's website, materials, and films. Includes in-kind support and strategic partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Instituto Querô is a non-profit cultural institution that delivers free two-year audiovisual training (Oficinas Querô) to vulnerable youth aged 16-20 from public schools in the Baixada Santista region of Brazil, complemented by school-based workshops (Querô na Escola), community documentary programs (Querô Comunidade), and specialized training for people with disabilities (Querô para PcD). The organization operates a production company (Produtora Querô) that produces institutional videos, corporate films, and feature films while employing its own graduates, and distributes all content through the free Querô Play streaming platform. Conexões Querô bridges training to employment, connecting graduates to the audiovisual job market.

Product overview

Instituto Querô is a non-profit cultural institution operating as a unified portfolio of interconnected programs. The core consists of three main social projects: Oficinas Querô (a two-year audiovisual training course), Querô na Escola (school-based workshops), and Querô Comunidade (community documentary production), complemented by Querô para PcD (accessibility-focused training). The institution also operates Produtora Querô, a production company that creates institutional and cinematic content while employing graduates. All productions are distributed through Querô Play, a free streaming platform. Conexões Querô bridges training to employment, connecting graduates with the audiovisual job market. Funding comes from cultural incentive laws (Lei Rouanet), service provision, and donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Oficinas Querô A two-year free audiovisual training course for vulnerable youth aged 16-20 from public schools in the Baixada Santista region, with weekly classes covering all stages of film production (scriptwriting, directing, cinematography, editing, production). Includes psychosocial support, transportation, scholarship/incentive allowance, and cultural outings. Approximately 40 youth selected annually for the first year, with ~20 advancing to the second year.
• Querô na Escola A complementary education project bringing audiovisual production workshops to public school students in Santos and Cubatão through three sessions (sensitization, scriptwriting, filming), producing short films up to 3 minutes on social themes. Trained art-educators (Querô alumni) deliver the workshops and post films to YouTube and Querô Play. Has reached 10,000+ public school students.
• Querô Comunidade A community empowerment program that trains residents of marginalized neighborhoods in Baixada Santista to tell their own stories through documentary filmmaking, including workshops and film debates tailored to community needs. Over 200 community residents mobilized since inception.
• Querô para PcD Specialized audiovisual training program for people with disabilities (PcD), making production accessible to neurodivergent individuals and ensuring accessibility features (subtitles, descriptive audio, Libras) across productions.
• Produtora Querô A production company producing institutional videos, corporate content, TV and cinema projects, and social-impact feature films. Operates as a 'Produtora Escola' (Producer School), hiring trained youth for each production to create a sustainable employment pipeline. Over 500 audiovisual productions completed with 133 total awards.
• Querô Play A free streaming platform hosting the organization's complete audiovisual catalog including shorts, feature films, and documentaries, with content filterable by genre, theme, and project origin. Films include accessibility features (subtitles, descriptive audio, Libras). Available globally.
• Conexões Querô A gateway program connecting Oficinas Querô graduates with the audiovisual job market, facilitating work placements, course scholarships, mentorships, and professional development opportunities. Maintains a Talent Bank linking graduates to employers across Baixada Santista, São Paulo, other Brazilian states, and internationally. Supported by Netflix, Instituto Localiza, AVW - Audiovisual World, and AvMakers.
• Audiovisual Production Services (Cobertura de Eventos, Produção de Filmes e Séries, Vídeos Institucionais) Paid professional audiovisual production services offered through Produtora Querô for corporate and institutional clients. Includes event coverage (Cobertura de Eventos), film and series production for TV and cinema (Produção de Filmes e Séries), and institutional/corporate video production (Vídeos Institucionais). Quote-based per-project pricing.

Quantifiable outcome

• 600+ young people trained since inception; 40 new youth selected annually for 1st year; ~20 advance to 2nd year each cycle
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional supporter and historical partner. UNICEF collaborated with Gullane on the original 'Oficinas Querô – empreendedorismo e cidadania através do cinema' project in 2005–2006. The organization recognizes Querô as a reference in youth social transformation.
• Prefeitura de SantoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional support from the municipal government of Santos. Supported the original Oficinas Querô project in 2005–2006 alongside Gullane and UNICEF. Provides ongoing recognition through the Selo Santos da Diversidade.
• Prefeitura de CubatãomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional support from the municipal government of Cubatão. The Querô na Escola project operates in Cubatão's public schools alongside Santos.
• Ministério da Cultura / Lei RouanetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrazil's Ministry of Culture provides the legal framework (Lei Rouanet / Lei de Incentivo à Cultura) for Querô's annual project funding through corporate and individual sponsors. Projects operate under Pronac n° 251921.
• Movimento ODS SantosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional supporter aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Supports Querô's work in ODS 4 (Quality Education), ODS 5 (Gender Equality), ODS 8 (Decent Work), ODS 10 (Reduced Inequalities), ODS 18 (Ethnic-Racial Equality), and ODS 19 (Arts, Culture and Communication).
• Sesc SantosmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Sesc (Serviço Social do Comércio) Santos for cultural programming, screenings, and institutional support. Sesc is a key cultural partner in the Baixada Santista region.
• ProcomummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner through the Procomum Lab (lab.procomum.org). Collaborates on social impact projects, including the Salve! project on public safety, and the Crias pelo Clima initiative with Instituto Kondzilla.
• Parque Tecnológico de SantosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner representing Santos Technology Park, supporting Querô's ecosystem in the Baixada Santista innovation environment.
• São Judas / Unimonte (Universidade São Judas Tadeu)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership with the São Judas Tadeu University campus in Santos (Unimonte). Hosted screenings and cultural events including the Tia Morgana exhibition in November 2025.
• UnisantosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Unisantos university, a founding supporter of the original Oficinas Querô project in 2005–2006 alongside Gullane, UNICEF, and the Prefeitura de Santos.
• Cine RoxyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCultural venue partner in Santos. Hosts Querô film screenings and cultural events as part of the distribution of Querô's audiovisual productions to local audiences.
• NetflixmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStreaming partner for the Conexões Querô program. Netflix supports the talent development initiative as part of its broader commitment to Brazilian audiovisual content and emerging creators.
• AVW - Audiovisual WorldmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic support partner for Conexões Querô. AVW (Audiovisual World) is a company in the audiovisual sector that contributes to the professional development of Querô talent.
• AvMakersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport partner for Conexões Querô. AvMakers is a platform/company in the audiovisual industry that contributes to the professional insertion of Querô talent.
• Instituto Cultural da Dinamarca / The Animation WorkshopmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational cultural partner for the Vozes do Mangue project (2025), produced with support from the Globus Danish cultural initiative and The Animation Workshop in Denmark. Represents Querô's international co-production capabilities.
• GullanecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe founding film production company that created the original Querô feature film in 2004 and initiated the Oficinas Querô project. Gullane developed the continuity project 'Oficinas Querô – empreendedorismo e cidadania através do cinema' in collaboration with UNICEF in 2005–2006.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Scribe Video Center: Philadelphia-based non-profit offering media arts education, documentary filmmaking workshops, and youth programs for underserved communities since 1982. Comparable in mission focus on accessible media education and community-driven storytelling.
• Ghetto Film School: New York-based non-profit that trains underrepresented youth in filmmaking through multi-year programs and operates BRIC Education partnerships. Shares the same core model of free film production training for low-income youth with a professional production component.
• Inner-City Filmmakers: Los Angeles-based non-profit providing film industry training and career placement to underserved youth. Closely aligned with Querô's dual mission of media education and workforce entry (Conexões Querô equivalent).
• Reel Works: Brooklyn-based non-profit providing free filmmaking mentorship and production programs to NYC youth ages 14-24. Directly comparable in target audience (underserved urban youth), training model (mentor-apprentice film production), and program structure.
• Nós do Morro: Brazilian non-profit based in Rio de Janeiro's Morro do Vidigal that has trained youth from favelas in performing arts, audiovisual production, and filmmaking for over 30 years. Operates a similar youth-training-plus-production model serving vulnerable communities in Brazil.
• Echo Park Film Center: Los Angeles-based non-profit providing free film education, equipment access, and production programs to diverse and underserved communities. Shares the community-access-to-cinema model that Querô Play represents.

Emerging players

• Olabi: Brazilian non-profit promoting innovation, technology, and creative economy in favelas and peripheral communities. Comparable in Brazilian context, social impact mission, and youth development focus, though more technology-centric than audiovisual-specific.
• PretaLab: Brazilian organization focused on training and inserting Black women into technology and creative industries. Shares the diversity-and-inclusion-into-creative-industries mission with Querô's racial-equality focus, though more technology-oriented.

Broad incumbents

• CUFA (Central Única das Favelas): Major Brazilian non-profit operating across favelas nationwide with cultural, educational, and media programs including film and audiovisual training. Broader scope than Querô but shares the social-impact audiovisual mission in Brazilian low-income communities.

Others

• Video4Change: International network of organizations using video for social justice and human rights advocacy. Querô's documentary and social-impact content production work (Sócrates, Querô Comunidade) sits thematically within this global ecosystem of impact-driven audiovisual organizations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/produtoraquero
• Facebookfb.com/produtoraquero
• Instagraminstagram.com/produtoraquero
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institutoquero

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 QUERÔ