Minerva Institute

What Minerva Institute does

Instituto Minerva is a Brazilian non-profit Institute of Science and Technology (ICT) founded in July 2022 by engineers and researchers with roots at Escola Politécnica da USP. Headquartered on Faria Lima in São Paulo with 9 employees, it operates three distinct programs: Residência em Engenharia, a two-year postgraduate program with an MBA-level curriculum spanning 24 disciplines and 80+ modules that places recently graduated engineers into partner companies; ArtMe, a QR code-based digital museum guide system that delivers content in 12 languages (originated in 2019 and offered free to museums and visitors); and CPSI (Contrato Público para Solução Inovadora), which provides advisory services and a digital platform (plataformacpsi.com.br) facilitating public procurement of innovative solutions under Brazil's Startup Legal Framework (LC 182/2021, arts. 75-91).

The institute serves four primary customer segments: corporate mantenedoras (sponsors hosting engineering residents), public sector managers (municipalities, states, autarquias and federal agencies procuring innovation), startups and ICTs (seeking public sector contracts), and Brazilian museums (seeking digital visitor engagement). It partners with FAAECPlan (Polo EAD) for academic accreditation of the residency program. Technology infrastructure centers on the CPSI digital platform for end-to-end procurement workflow management and a multilingual content delivery system for museums. Distribution is primarily direct, through enterprise sales to corporate sponsors and government clients, plus self-service access to the CPSI platform.

Revenue mechanics combine corporate sponsorships for Residência, government contracts for CPSI advisory services, and Brazilian cultural incentive laws (Lei Rouanet, PROAC, PROMAC) for ArtMe. As a non-profit ICT, the institute does not disclose financial information, has no external investors, and operates from a headquarters that includes event spaces, an auditorium and a podcast studio functioning as a community hub. The small headcount (9 employees) relative to the breadth of programs suggests heavy reliance on a network of partners, residents and contractors to deliver program operations.

Name

Minerva Institute

Legal name

Instituto Minerva

Website

https://minerva.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Instituto Minerva is a Brazilian non-profit Institute of Science and Technology operating three programs: a two-year postgraduate engineering residency, a free multilingual QR code museum guide platform (ArtMe), and CPSI advisory services enabling public sector procurement of innovative solutions under Brazil's Startup Law.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Innovation and Engineering Education Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Program & Project Implementation (TA Delivery) (BPADAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Strategy & IT Advisory (BPAEAAAA), Enterprise Architecture & Technology Roadmapping (BPAEAAAC), Technical Enablement & Adoption Services (Change Management, Adoption, Champions) (BPAEANAC)

Keywords

• Public innovation procurement
• Engineering education services
• Museum digital guides
• Nonprofit research institute
• Innovation consulting services

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Residência Corporate Sponsorships (Mantenedoras): Companies (mantenedoras) fund and host engineering residents for two-year practice programs. Companies contribute financially to the program and provide real-work immersion. Revenue supports program operations, mentorship, and curriculum delivery.
2. CPSI Public Procurement Advisory Services: Municipalities, states, and federal agencies pay for CPSI structuring services including challenge diagnosis, notice preparation, ecosystem connection, and test-bed monitoring. Revenue generated from government contracts for public innovation advisory.
3. ArtMe Cultural Incentive Funding (Lei Rouanet, PROAC, PROMAC): ArtMe program is sustained through Brazilian cultural incentive laws (Lei Rouanet, PROAC, PROMAC). Patrons and sponsors fund the museum guide program in exchange for brand association with cultural experiences. Free to museums and visitors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Instituto Minerva is a Brazilian nonprofit Institute of Science and Technology (ICT) operating three integrated programs: Residência em Engenharia, a two-year postgraduate program placing recently graduated engineers with corporate sponsors for mentored practice combined with an MBA-level curriculum; ArtMe, a free QR code museum guide platform delivering curated text and audio content in 12 languages without requiring app downloads; and CPSI (Contrato Público para Solução Inovadora), a public innovation procurement advisory service supported by the proprietary Plataforma CPSI digital tool that helps Brazilian government entities contract innovative solutions not yet available in the market under LC 182/2021 arts. 75-91.

Product overview

Instituto Minerva operates as a non-profit Science and Technology Institute (ICT) focused on education, culture, and public innovation. The organization runs three main programs: Residência em Engenharia (a two-year post-graduation residency placing recently graduated engineers in practical roles at partner companies), ArtMe (a free digital museum guide platform offering text and audio content in 12 languages via QR codes), and CPSI (the Contrato Público para Solução Inovadora framework enabling government procurement of innovative solutions under Brazil's Startup Law). The Instituto also operates the Plataforma CPSI digital tool for managing the public innovation procurement process, and maintains Minerva HUB as its physical headquarters for events and institutional activities. All programs operate under a 'two-way street' model connecting education, culture, and public sector innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Residência em Engenharia: Postgraduate program that initiates the careers of newly graduated engineers in assisted practice with sponsor companies. Two-year program with MBA-level curriculum, 24 disciplines, and 80+ modules.
• ArtMe
• CPSI
• Minerva HUB

Products and services

• Residência em Engenharia A two-year postgraduate residency program that places recently graduated engineers in assisted practice at corporate sponsor companies (mantenedoras). Engineers work on high-complexity technical projects from day one, receive senior mentorship from corporate executives and Instituto specialists, and progress through an MBA-equivalent curriculum of 24 disciplines and 80+ modules covering work management, professional development, personal development, and cultural transformation. Selection is competitive with approximately twice the candidate pool screened per vacancy through a 3-week practical selection process. The program is offered in partnership with FAAECPlan (Polo EAD), which provides MEC accreditation.
• ArtMe A free digital museum guide platform that delivers curated text and audio content in 12 languages (Portuguese, English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, Hindi) via QR Code without requiring visitors to download an app. Content for each artwork is narrated by curators, researchers, and artists. The service is offered at no cost to museums and visitors, sustained through Brazilian cultural incentive laws (Lei Rouanet, PROAC, PROMAC) and patron sponsorships.
• CPSI - Contrato Público para Solução Inovadora A public innovation procurement advisory service under Brazil's Startup Legal Framework (LC 182/2021 arts. 75-91) that helps municipalities, states, federal agencies, autarquias, and public enterprises contract innovative solutions that do not yet exist in the market. Instituto Minerva supports the full cycle, including challenge diagnosis, public notice preparation and publication, conducting calls for startups, monitoring real-environment test beds, and measuring results for scaled contracting. The Método Minerva de Inovação Pública methodology structures the engagement across two phases with continuous learning cycles.
• Plataforma CPSI A digital platform hosted at plataformacpsi.com.br that guides public managers through every requirement of Brazil's Startup Legal Framework (LC 182/2021 arts. 75-91). It supports preparation and publication of public notices, conducting calls for startups, monitoring real-environment testing (test beds), and measuring results, with legal compliance, traceability, and operational support built into the workflow.

Quantifiable outcome

• CPSI process cycle: 8 to 18 months from challenge mapping to final contracting
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FAAECPlan (Polo EAD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstituto Minerva partners with FAAECPlan, a MEC-accredited EAD institution, to offer the Residency em Engenharia program. FAAECPlan provides the institutional accreditation and regulatory framework while Minerva designs the curriculum and delivers the program. The program is offered as 'POLO EAD FAAECPLAN' with proper MEC credentials.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• izi.TRAVEL: Global digital storytelling platform for museums and cities, offering free multilingual audio guides via QR codes and mobile apps. Comparable to ArtMe as a QR-based, multilingual, free museum audio guide platform with cultural content narrated by experts.
• Instituto Unibanco: Brazilian nonprofit institute focused on youth education and public education innovation. Comparable to Minerva's non-profit ICT structure, talent-development mission, and direct engagement with public managers and educators.
• Smartify: UK-based digital platform providing app-based museum guides featuring high-resolution images, audio, and multilingual content. Comparable to ArtMe as a digital museum guide platform with multilingual content delivery to visitors.
• Cuseum: US-based digital platform powering museum and cultural institution apps, audio guides, and visitor engagement tools. Comparable to ArtMe as a digital cultural guide technology provider serving museums with QR / mobile content delivery.
• Wyrá: Brazilian firm specializing in public procurement innovation and contracting of innovative solutions under the Marco Legal das Startups. Comparable as a direct competitor/peer in structuring CPSI-compliant procurements for municipalities and states.
• Instituto Votorantim: Brazilian corporate institute that invests in public policies and innovation, operating education, citizenship, and public management programs. Comparable to Minerva's structure as a non-profit institute bridging corporate funding, public sector innovation, and societal programs.
• Fundação Lemann: Brazilian nonprofit think tank and foundation focused on education and public sector improvement. Comparable to Minerva's profile as a Brazil-based nonprofit institute combining thought leadership, education programs, and public innovation initiatives.

Broad incumbents

• Bloomberg Connects: Bloomberg Philanthropies' free cultural app offering digital guides across hundreds of museums and cultural institutions globally. Comparable to ArtMe as a free, digital, multilingual museum guide platform—though backed by a much larger incumbent sponsor.
• FGV (Fundação Getúlio Vargas): Brazil's largest higher education and think tank institution, with schools of business, law, and public administration. Comparable as a broader incumbent providing public policy research, executive education, and management consulting—overlapping with Minerva's CPSI advisory and Residency programs.

Emerging players

• República.org: Brazilian nonprofit focused on public administration innovation, talent development in government, and modernizing state services. Comparable to Minerva's public-sector-innovation focus and its programs targeting public managers and innovative procurement.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institutominerva

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 Minerva Institute