Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia (CIENTEC) da Universidade de São Paulo

What Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia (CIENTEC) da Universidade de São Paulo does

Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia (CIENTEC) da Universidade de São Paulo is a free, publicly funded open-air science and technology park operated as an outreach unit of the University of São Paulo (USP). Located within the Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga (PEFI) conservation area in the Água Funda district of São Paulo, the park functions as an informal science education museum across physics, astronomy, geology, microscopy, soil science, and environmental sciences. It serves the general public, families, and school groups (groups above 10 must schedule in advance) with activities led by USP undergraduate student mediators. The site spans approximately 24 natural springs and 2 aquifers inside the protected Atlantic Forest area, with most central buildings listed as heritage by Condephaat.

The park's core offerings include the Alameda do Sistema Solar outdoor installation, the Biomas do Brasil exhibition (with augmented-reality overlays), the Jardim da Física with interactive experiments (500kg granite sphere, Van de Graaff generator, bicycle dynamo, human gyroscope), the Espaço Geofísica (real-time seismograph data from the Brazilian Seismic Network), the microscopy laboratory, the planetarium with immersive dome projection, astronomical observations using a historical Zeiss telescope from the 1910s, the Bee Walk, historical tours, and the Trilha Educativa nature trail. A digital Passeio Virtual platform extends the experience online with 15+ themed trails covering additional topics such as mathematics, waves, and Earth history. Academic content is co-curated with USP's Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas (IAG) and Instituto de Geociências (IGc).

The business model is entirely non-commercial: admission is free for all visitors, with special events using free registration through Sympla (e.g., Expedição CienTec Mudanças Climáticas with a 35-person cap per slot). Operating hours are Monday to Saturday 9h–16h. CienTec is sustained through USP's public university budget as a Brazilian government state entity, with no external investors, no venture or private equity backing, and no disclosed revenue. The organization has 6 employees and is active year-round with seasonal programming (Supersábado, holiday programs, Más Meninas na Tecnologia, Dia Nacional das Abelhas).

Name

Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia (CIENTEC) da Universidade de São Paulo

Legal name

Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia (CIENTEC) da Universidade de São Paulo

Website

https://parquecientec.usp.br

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Parque CienTec USP is a free, publicly funded open-air science and technology park operated by the University of São Paulo within the PEFI conservation area, serving school groups, families, and the general public through interactive exhibits in physics, astronomy, geology, microscopy, and environmental education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Education Center

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Educational Services (611)

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual Field Trips & Experiential Learning Environments (Museums, Geography, History) (EDAFAJAG)

Keywords

• Science education
• Interactive museum exhibits
• Public science park
• Environmental education
• Astronomy education

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Science Education Services: As a public university park, CienTec provides free educational services to visitors. The park operates as part of the University of São Paulo, funded through public university budget allocations and possibly partner collaborations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CienTec USP is a free public open-air science and technology park that delivers informal science education through interactive exhibits, guided activities led by USP undergraduate student mediators, and themed nature trails. Its offerings span astronomy (telescope observations, planetarium, Solar System Alley), physics (Physics Garden, Van de Graaff generator, dynamo), geophysics (interactive equipment), microscopy, soil science, Brazilian biomes, bee ecology, and Mata Atlântica environmental education, complemented by a digital Virtual Tour (Passeio Virtual).

Product overview

CIENTEC is a science and technology park operated by the University of São Paulo, functioning as an open-air museum dedicated to scientific literacy and environmental education. The park offers a diverse portfolio of educational activities and experiences organized around several core offerings: in-person activities including the Alameda do Sistema Solar (self-guided solar system installation), Biomas do Brasil exhibition, Física no Cotidiano (interactive physics experiments in the Physics Garden), Espaço Geofísica (geophysics education with interactive equipment), Microscopia laboratory, Astronomical Observations with the historic Zeiss telescope, Bee Walk, Historical Tours, Planetarium shows, Solo na Escola soil education, and Trilha Educativa nature trail. The park also provides a comprehensive Passeio Virtual (Virtual Tour) platform offering digital exploration of all themed sections including Physics Toys with experiments like the Van de Graaff Generator and gyroscope, Astronomy content with Voyager space probe information, Geophysics with earthquake and tectonic plate topics, and Waves education covering the electromagnetic spectrum. All in-person visits are free with free parking, operating Monday-Saturday 9h-16h.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alameda do Sistema Solar (Solar System Alley) Outdoor installation at the park entrance featuring artistic representations and scientific information about the Sun and planets, designed as a self-guided activity.
• Biomas do Brasil (Brazil's Biomes) Exhibition of mosaics with explanatory panels about the six Brazilian biomes, featuring augmented reality accessible via electronic devices and an interactive biome-matching activity.
• Física no Cotidiano (Physics in Daily Life) Interactive physics exhibits including the Garden of Physics with the human gyroscope, solidarity seesaw, granite sphere, Van de Graaff generator, and dynamo bicycle.
• Espaço Geofísica (Geophysics Space) Educational space exploring Earth's internal structure, earthquakes, volcanoes, and continental drift through interactive geophysical equipment.
• Microscopia (Microscopy) Laboratory experience where visitors observe microorganisms from daily life through microscopes.
• Observações Astronômicas (Astronomical Observations) Scheduled astronomical observation events using the historical Zeiss telescope from the 1910s and modern portable telescopes, with Planetarium fallback in case of poor weather.
• Passeio das Abelhas (Bee Walk) Educational walk teaching visitors about native Brazilian stingless bees, featuring tours of natural nests of eight species and a safe meliponary hive observation.
• Passeio Histórico (Historical Tour) Historical tour of the park's heritage architecture, including buildings designated by Condephaat, preserved stained glass, the Urania statue, and the historical Zeiss telescope.
• Planetário (Planetarium) Immersive dome projection experience with astronomical presentations and interactive software simulating night sky observation during daytime.
• Solo na Escola (Soil at School) Educational activity on soil formation and development with hands-on experiments teaching soil characteristics and environmental preservation.
• Trilha Educativa (Educational Trail) Nature trail connecting visitors with the Atlantic Forest ecosystem and native flora and fauna, combining environmental education with conservation awareness.
• Passeio Virtual (Virtual Tour) Comprehensive digital platform with multiple themed trails covering Fontes do Ipiranga, Lake Trail, Astronomy, Geophysics, Physics Toys, Composting, Soil at School, Photography, Open Training Sessions, Microscopy, Mathematics, Earth History, Weather Station, and Waves.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free admission for all visitors with no entry fee required

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas (IAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAG is a USP institute that co-organizes events with CienTec, including the 'Expedição CienTec Mudanças Climáticas' event coordinated by Prof. Dr. Marco Aurélio de Menezes Franco. IAG provides academic oversight and scientific content for astronomy and atmospheric science activities.
• Instituto de Geociências (IGc)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGc partners with IAG and CienTec for the Expedição CienTec Mudanças Climáticas event, providing geological and earth sciences expertise and content for the science education programs.
• Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga (PEFI)coreOthersCienTec is located within the PEFI conservation area, which contains about 24 natural springs and 2 aquifers. The park's vegetation is part of this protected area, and CienTec serves as a public science education space within the conservation zone.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Jardim Botânico de São Paulo: Nearby São Paulo nature park within PEFI with public-facing environmental education, trails, and conservation programming — directly overlapping in geographic setting and environmental-education audience.
• Pavilhão do Conhecimento – Ciência Viva: Portuguese interactive science center and science-outreach network with exhibits and educational programming comparable to CienTec's hands-on model, but operating in a different geography.

Direct peers

• Universum, Museo de las Ciencias (UNAM): Major Latin American science museum operated by UNAM featuring interactive exhibits, planetarium, and educational programs — analogous to CienTec's university-anchored, broad-coverage science-center concept.
• Fundação Planetário da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro: Public planetarium offering immersive astronomy shows, telescope observations, and science education — overlapping with CienTec's planetarium and astronomical-observation programs.
• Espaço do Conhecimento UFMG: University-affiliated science and culture center at a major Brazilian federal university, combining exhibits, astronomy, and educational programming comparable to CienTec's USP-backed model.
• Catavento Cultural e Educacional: Interactive science and education museum in São Paulo offering hands-on exhibits in physics, astronomy, and biology — the closest Brazilian analogue to CienTec's experiential science-park model in the same metro area.
• Museo Interactivo Mirador (MIM): Chile's flagship interactive science museum with hands-on exhibits across physics, astronomy, and earth sciences — a strong Latin American reference point for CienTec's experiential STEM programming.
• Fundação Zoobotânica / Museu de Ciências Naturais (RS): Brazilian regional natural-sciences museum combining zoological and botanical exhibits with environmental education — comparable to CienTec's blend of science exhibits and nature-based learning.
• Estação Ciência (USP): Former USP-affiliated science outreach center with interactive exhibits and educational programming; directly comparable as a USP-anchored informal science education unit.
• Museu de Ciências e Tecnologia da PUCRS: University-based science and technology museum offering interactive exhibits and STEM education programs, structurally similar to CienTec's university-outreach format.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/parquecientec.usp.3
• Instagraminstagram.com/parquecientec
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/parque-de-ci%C3%AAncia-e-tecnologia-cientec-da-universidade-de-s%C3%A3o-paulo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia (CIENTEC) da Universidade de São Paulo