Mente Aberta - The Brazilian Center for Mindfulness and Health Promotion, UNIFESP

What Mente Aberta - The Brazilian Center for Mindfulness and Health Promotion, UNIFESP does

Mindfulness Brasil (MIND BR) is a Brazilian mindfulness training and corporate wellness company founded and coordinated by Dr. Marcelo Demarzo, institutionally linked to UNIFESP (Universidade Federal de São Paulo) through its academic extension arm, Centro Mente Aberta. The company delivers evidence-based mindfulness programs built on three proprietary protocols: MBHP (Mindfulness-Based Health Promotion), a neuroscience-based secular protocol created by Dr. Demarzo in 2009 that integrates elements from MBSR, MBCT, MBRP, and Breathworks with cultural adaptation for Brazil and Latin America and holds international recognition from the European Association of Mindfulness (eAMBA); ABCT (Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy), co-created with Spanish psychiatrist Javier García Campayo; and MB-EAT (Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training) for conscious eating. The commercial offering rests on individual 8-week online cohorts delivered via Zoom with tiered pricing (R$1,750–R$2,100), a 15-month professional MBHP instructor certification program (with 30+ classes formed), customized corporate programs aligned with Brazil's NR-1 occupational health framework (including the MIND BR Seal), in-person retreats and immersions (including a Dharamsala, India journey), and self-guided digital content such as an e-book by Dr. Demarzo. The customer base spans individual consumers, large Brazilian enterprises (Petrobras, Banco do Brasil, Natura, Valeo, Cogna Educação), healthcare institutions (Hospital Albert Einstein, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, Unimed), and government entities (SUS-MS, ALESP, TRT-BA, SMS-SP). Go-to-market combines direct WhatsApp-led sales as the primary conversion channel with a content-driven top-of-funnel strategy (newsletter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, scientific publications) and event-driven demand generation around retreats and corporate engagements. International academic partnerships with Harvard, Oxford, Universidad de Zaragoza, and University of Technology Sydney provide research collaboration, and the entity operates globally in distribution reach while remaining Brazil-anchored commercially, with no external funding and founder-controlled ownership.

Name

Mente Aberta - The Brazilian Center for Mindfulness and Health Promotion, UNIFESP

Legal name

Mindfulness Brasil

Website

https://mindfulnessbrasil.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mindfulness Brasil (MIND BR) is a Brazilian mindfulness training and corporate wellness company, institutionally linked to UNIFESP, that delivers evidence-based MBHP, ABCT, and MB-EAT programs to individual consumers, corporations, and government clients across Brazil.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mindfulness Training and Mental Health Education

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Mindfulness-Based Coaching & Training (MBSR/MBCT-style) (HSADAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate/Workplace Mindfulness & Stress-Reduction Programs (HSADAJAG), Meditation Apps, Digital Courses & Online Communities (HSADAJAH), Guided Meditation Instruction (1:1 & Group) (HSADAJAA), Mindfulness, Meditation & Stress Management Education (EDAAAHAD)

Keywords

• Mindfulness training programs
• Corporate wellness services
• Professional instructor certification
• Mental health promotion
• Mindful eating courses

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Mindfulness Training Courses: 8-week online interactive mindfulness training programs delivered via Zoom, priced at R$ 1,750 - R$ 2,100 depending on enrollment batch/timing. Includes live sessions with Dr. Marcelo Demarzo, digital platform access, guided audio/video exercises, and participation certificate.
2. Mindful Eating Course: 12-week MB-EAT program with 2.5-hour weekly sessions via Zoom, instructed by Erika Porto. One-time course fee model.
3. Professional Instructor Certification (MBHP): Professional certification program in MBHP method spanning 15 months with over 30 classes formed. Certification issued by Centro Mente Aberta - UNIFESP. Recognized internationally by eAMBA.
4. Corporate Mental Health Programs: Customized organizational programs including lectures, workshops, corporate immersions (in-company or off-site), weekly practice sessions, and mental health diagnosis and monitoring. Duration ranges from single sessions to 6 or 12-month structured programs. Companies can receive MIND BR Seal upon completion.
5. Retreats and Immersions: Presential retreats including Dharamsala India journey with Dr. Marcelo Demarzo, and 3-day in-person immersions. Premium experiential offerings.
6. Self-Guided Digital Content: E-book 'Inteligência Atencional' by Dr. Marcelo Demarzo available for individual purchase. Self-paced video, audio, and practical exercise content for flexible learning.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Mindfulness Brasil (MIND BR) delivers secular, neuroscience-based mindfulness training programs for individual consumers and corporate organizations using its proprietary MBHP protocol, developed by founder Dr. Marcelo Demarzo at UNIFESP. Core offerings include live 8-week online mindfulness courses, MB-EAT mindful eating programs, professional instructor certification, customized corporate mental health programs aligned with Brazilian NR-1 regulations, in-person retreats, and self-guided digital content. The company combines academic research with practical training to improve focus, emotional regulation, stress management, and well-being.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 8-Week Mindfulness Training (Inteligência Atencional & Mindfulness) An 8-week secular, neuroscience-based mindfulness training program delivered live via Zoom, designed for individual consumers seeking to develop attentional intelligence, focus, emotional regulation, stress management, and well-being. Limited to ~25 participants per cohort for personalized instruction.
• Mindful Eating Course (MB-EAT) A 12-week structured mindful eating course based on the MB-EAT protocol, with weekly 2.5-hour Zoom sessions designed to help participants develop a conscious relationship with food, identify emotional eating patterns, and make healthier food choices.
• Professional MBHP Instructor Certification (Formação Profissional de Instrutores Mindfulness) A 15-month professional certification program for healthcare professionals, educators, corporate trainers, and sports coaches who want to become certified MBHP mindfulness instructors. The certification is issued by Centro Mente Aberta - UNIFESP and recognized internationally by the European Association of Mindfulness (eAMBA).
• Corporate Mental Health Programs (Programa Corporativo MIND BR) Customized corporate mindfulness and mental health programs for organizations, including lectures, workshops, immersions, weekly practice sessions, and ongoing monitoring. Programs are aligned with Brazilian NR-1 occupational health regulations and culminate in the MIND BR Seal recognizing institutional commitment to workplace mental health.
• Retreats and Immersions (Presential) In-person mindfulness retreats and immersive experiences held in special locations in Brazil and internationally (including a Dharamsala, India journey led by Dr. Marcelo Demarzo), offered as premium experiential programs for individuals and corporate groups.
• Self-Guided Digital Content and E-book (Inteligência Atencional) Self-paced digital learning content including the e-book 'Inteligência Atencional' by Dr. Marcelo Demarzo, video lessons, audio guides, and practical mindfulness exercises available for individual purchase and flexible learning.
• ABCT - Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy Program A compassion therapy protocol co-created by Dr. Marcelo Demarzo with Spanish psychiatrist Javier García Campayo, integrating mindfulness and compassion practices grounded in Bowlby's Attachment Theory to develop healthy and resilient interpersonal connections.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mindfulness training reduces chronic pain symptoms in healthcare professionals (64 participants study with USP partnership)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• UNIFESP (Universidade Federal de São Paulo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMente Aberta is an academic extension and research center linked to the Escola Paulista de Medicina da UNIFESP. The partnership provides scientific foundation, institutional credibility, academic research output, and professional certification through the university.
• Harvard UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partnership for mindfulness research and knowledge exchange. Part of MIND BR's international collaboration network including Oxford and other institutions.
• Oxford UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partnership for mindfulness research and collaboration. Part of the international network of institutions including Harvard and public institutions in Brazil.
• Universidad de Zaragoza (Spain)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaboration with Professor Javier García Campayo, a key scientific collaborator in MBHP protocol development and ABCT co-creation. Research partnership contributing to hundreds of published studies.
• University of Technology SydneyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partnership for mindfulness knowledge exchange and research collaboration.
• eAMBA (European Association of Mindfulness)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational recognition body that certifies MBHP protocol for its efficacy, quality, and ethical and scientific integrity. Provides international credibility and standards alignment for the mindfulness programs.
• Instituto Breathworks (UK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-based mindfulness organization whose protocols and methodologies influenced the development of MBHP, contributing to the adaptation and cultural contextualization for Brazilian and Ibero-American contexts.
• Mindful Eating Training Institute (METI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for MB-EAT (Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training) protocol delivery, developed by Jean Kristeller, with collaboration between California and UNIFESP for mindful eating instructor certification.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Aura Health: Personalized mental wellness app combining mindfulness, coaching, and therapy. Comparable as an emerging digital mindfulness player with overlapping individual-consumer use cases, though without MIND BR's scientific/clinical positioning.

Direct peers

• Calm: Leading meditation and sleep app with a B2B arm (Calm Business) serving enterprises. Closest direct competitor in the mindfulness training and corporate mental-health space, competing for the same consumer and enterprise wallet.
• Palouse Mindfulness: Online MBSR teacher training and self-paced courses founded by David Treleaven. Comparable to MIND BR's online instructor certification program and digital course delivery for individuals.
• Insight Timer: Large free meditation community and app with live classes, courses, and a teacher marketplace. Comparable as a digital mindfulness community serving individual practitioners, though without MIND BR's academic certification model.
• Breathworks: UK-based mindfulness organization whose methodologies (along with MBSR, MBCT, MBRP) explicitly informed the MBHP protocol. Offers teacher training and mindfulness programs for pain, stress, and illness; most direct methodological peer.
• Headspace: Global digital mindfulness and meditation company offering app-based programs for consumers and B2B mental-health benefits. Directly comparable to MIND BR's mindfulness training and corporate wellness offerings, though MIND BR differentiates with live cohort delivery and Brazilian protocol.

Broad incumbents

• UMass Center for Mindfulness: The original creator of MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction), based at UMass Chan Medical School. A broader academic incumbent whose MBSR lineage underpins MIND BR's MBHP protocol; comparable as the field's foundational training and research institution.
• Brown University Mindfulness Center: Academic mindfulness center integrating mindfulness into higher education, healthcare, and research. Comparable to Centro Mente Aberta-UNIFESP as an institutional mindfulness research and training hub.

Regional players

• Instituto Mindfulness del Uruguay: Spanish-language mindfulness training organization in Uruguay offering MBSR-based programs and teacher training. Comparable Ibero-American regional peer pursuing the same Spanish/Portuguese-speaking mindfulness training market.

Others

• Universidad de Zaragoza - Grupo de Investigación en Mindfulness: Academic partner and source of the ABCT co-creator Javier García Campayo. Listed as a strategic partner in MIND BR's data; included as an enabling/thematically related research institution rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRlnguvitPAOAAMsyeVfqFQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mindbr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries6 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 Mente Aberta - The Brazilian Center for Mindfulness and Health Promotion, UNIFESP