What International School Education does

International School Education is a Brazilian bilingual education company founded in 2009 by Ulisses Cardinot and headquartered in São Paulo. The company licenses its flagship "Essential" bilingual program to private K-12 schools across Brazil through a structured B2B partnership model. Partner schools gain access to age-segmented curricular collections (Little Explorers, Explorer, The X Factor, The Game Changers), CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) methodology aligned with BNCC and UNESCO's four pillars, the proprietary Allbie digital learning platform with adaptive learning and gamification, the IS Max edutainment platform, teacher training, and ongoing pedagogical support.

The technology stack combines physical teaching materials with the Allbie digital platform (150,000+ pages of content, 300+ hours of activities, 600+ hours of media) and incorporates exclusive integrations with LEGO Education and Minecraft Education for hands-on and gamified learning. A signature offering is the KSCIA partnership with the Kennedy Space Center International Space Academy, providing USA-based space immersion experiences for high school students — described as the only bilingual program in Brazil offering this experience.

The business model is a subscription/recurring licensing model in which private schools pay for the complete program bundle (materials, platform access, training, support). Go-to-market is a direct B2B channel-partner motion with onboarding via website form, sales follow-up, and implementation support; there is no direct consumer channel. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Arco Educação (acquired in 2016, with full integration finalized in 2024 under new leadership of André Chalfun). It serves 550+ partner schools across 220+ cities and reaches 180,000+ students nationwide, and has been recognized as Brazil's best bilingual education system for nine consecutive years (2017-2025) by the TOP Educação award.

Name

International School Education

Legal name

International School

Website

https://internationalschool.global

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

International School Education licenses a bilingual (English) education program to 550+ private K-12 schools across Brazil, providing age-specific curriculum, the Allbie digital platform, teacher training, and pedagogical support as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Arco Educação.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Bilingual Education Services

NAICS

Language Schools (611630), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

English Learner (EL/ESL/ELL) & Bilingual Education Programs (EDAJAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG), Language Immersion & Bilingual Private Schools (EDAJABAL), Secondary School Exchange Programs (Academic Year/Semester) (EDAIAHAB)

Keywords

• Bilingual education program
• K-12 English instruction
• Educational content licensing
• Private school partnerships
• CLIL methodology

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. School Partnership Licensing: International School generates revenue by licensing its bilingual education program (Essential) to partner schools. Schools pay for access to the complete program including teaching materials, the Allbie digital platform, teacher training, and ongoing pedagogical support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

International School Education licenses a complete bilingual education program (Essential) to private K-12 schools across Brazil, spanning Early Childhood through High School. The offering includes structured curricula collections by age group, teacher training, pedagogical support, and proprietary digital learning platforms (Allbie and IS Max) that deliver content via adaptive and gamified experiences.

Product overview

International School Education offers a comprehensive bilingual education ecosystem centered on the Essential program, which spans Early Childhood Education through High School via four distinct collections: Little Explorers (Early Childhood), Explorer (Initial Years), The X Factor (Final Years), and The Game Changers (High School). The program is supported by the Allbie digital learning platform with adaptive learning and gamification features, the IS Max Edutainment platform, the Portal do Aluno e Professor (Student and Teacher Portal), and the Portal Escola Parceira (Partner School Portal). Additional offerings include the International Space Academy/KSCIA partnership providing USA immersion experiences and the Missão Marte bilingual experience. The company was founded in 2009 and acquired by Arco Educação, operating from São Paulo with presence across 220+ cities in Brazil serving 450+ partner schools and 170,000+ students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Essential: The complete bilingual education program providing the foundation for language acquisition integrated with other areas of knowledge, covering Early Childhood Education through High School.
• Allbie
• IS Max

Products and services

• Essential Bilingual Education Program
• Little Explorers (Early Childhood Collection)
• Explorer (Initial Years Collection)
• The X Factor (Final Years Collection)
• The Game Changers (High School Collection)
• Allbie Digital Learning Platform
• IS Max (Edutainment Platform)
• International Space Academy (KSCIA)

Quantifiable outcome

• 95%+ approval rate in international English language certifications among partner school students
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• International Space Academy – KSCIA (Kennedy Space Center)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Strategic partnership providing exclusive international immersion experiences at the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, USA. The program allows high school students from partner schools to participate in a 5-day space program including workshops and training with aerospace professionals. This is the only bilingual education program in Brazil offering a space immersion experience. The partnership has been recognized with the Prêmio Caio (Oscar dos Eventos) for multiple years.
• Minecraft EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partnership with Minecraft Education to integrate gamification into the bilingual learning experience. International School was among the first bilingual programs in Brazil to partner with Minecraft Education, using the platform for collaborative projects such as building digital parks in Minecraft that address educational themes.
• LEGO EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partnership with LEGO Education integrates exclusive tools and resources into the bilingual program projects, making English learning dynamic, practical, and playful. International School was the first bilingual program in Brazil to partner with LEGO Education, using LEGO bricks and materials to enhance hands-on learning experiences in bilingual contexts.
• Arco EducaçãocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016International School was acquired by Arco Educação, the largest platform of solutions for basic education in Brazil. The acquisition enabled significant growth, including the LEGO Education partnership and broader market expansion. Leadership was assumed by André Chalfun following successful integration.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CNA: Major Brazilian language school franchise offering English and Spanish instruction. Comparable to International School in target audience (Brazilian families/schools) and recurring tuition business model.
• Yázigi: Brazilian English-language school chain with national footprint, part of international education networks. Comparable to International School as an established English education provider serving Brazilian families and school partnerships.
• Cultura Inglesa: One of Brazil's largest English-language school chains offering language instruction and teacher training. Directly comparable as a major provider of English/bilingual education programming in the Brazilian market, with similar geographic reach and B2C/B2B exposure.
• Fisk: Brazilian English and Portuguese language school chain with broad national presence. Directly comparable as a branded language education operator targeting families and schools in Brazil.
• Wizard (by Pearson): One of the largest English-language school chains in Brazil, owned by Pearson. Comparable to International School as a scaled, branded English education provider with a national franchise footprint and recurring tuition model.
• Red Balloon: Brazilian English-language school chain focused on children and teens with proprietary methodology. Comparable as a branded English education provider targeting Brazilian K-12 families with a similar recurring-fee model.
• Maple Bear Canadian School: Brazilian operator of Canadian bilingual K-12 schools using an international curriculum licensing model. Comparable to International School in serving Brazilian families seeking bilingual K-12 education, though delivered through owned/franchised schools rather than partner-school licensing.
• CCAA: Major Brazilian English language school franchise with national coverage, focused on English instruction across age groups. Comparable as a competing English-language education provider targeting Brazilian families and schools.

Broad incumbents

• Pearson English (Brazil): Global education publisher and English learning provider operating broadly across language and curriculum markets worldwide, including Brazil. Comparable as an English-education incumbent whose content and assessment programs compete for the same partner-school relationships and certification outcomes.
• Cambridge Assessment English: Global provider of English language qualifications and learning materials used by Brazilian schools and students. Comparable as a certification and curriculum incumbent whose assessments underpin outcomes (such as the 95%+ certification approval rate) that International School's partner schools leverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/internationalschool

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 International School Education