Sociedade de Debates da UFC

What Sociedade de Debates da UFC does

Sociedade de Debates da UFC (SdDUFC) is a university extension project of the Federal University of Ceará, founded on September 7, 2010, by Célio Belém, Antônio Vitor Melo, and Roncalli Barreto. It pioneered the competitive university debate movement in Brazil and operates under a British parliamentary debate format with Aristotelian rhetorical methodology (logos, pathos, ethos). The organization is structured around active, aspirant, and emeritus student members, recruited through an annual selective process (PSEL), and has accumulated 44 national and regional titles, making it the most awarded debate society in Brazil.

SdDUFC's product portfolio includes eight structured online courses covering speech security, persuasion, storytelling, non-verbal communication, negotiations, slide presentations, fallacy identification, and speech structure, distributed primarily through the Sympla event platform under a one-time license model with six months of recorded content access. Complementary offerings include a debate timing chronometer, a motion database with thematic filters, the Ponto de Informação podcast on Spotify (launched May 2020), paid workshops at external institutions, and branded merchandise such as sashes and mugs. Revenue is generated through course sales, merchandise, and workshop delivery; no external funding, sponsorship, or enterprise contracts are documented.

The organization serves three principal customer segments: UFC and other university students (primary, engaged via campus workshops and PSEL recruitment), educational institutions reached through the SdD Escolas program, and working professionals purchasing online communication courses. Distribution leverages owned channels (Instagram, podcast, debate platform), earned media including a weekly Friday slot on OPOVO/CBN radio's Debates do Povo program, and recurring tournament participation and hosting for visibility. The entity operates as a non-profit student organization with no external investors and operates within the institutional framework of a public Brazilian university.

Name

Sociedade de Debates da UFC

Legal name

Sociedade de Debates da UFC

Website

https://sddufc.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sociedade de Debates da UFC is a non-profit university extension project at the Federal University of Ceará that pioneered competitive debate in Brazil, offering oratory courses, digital debate tools, and a podcast to students, educational institutions, and professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Debate and Oratory Training Services

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

akta.pro primary industry

Debate (Policy, Lincoln-Douglas, Parliamentary, Public Forum) (EDAMAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Speech & Debate Competition Preparation (Events, Extemp, Impromptu) (EDAMAOAF), Speech & Debate Camps, Intensives & Bootcamps (EDAMAOAN), Online Public Speaking & Debate Programs (Live/Recorded) (EDAMAOAD), Debate Curriculum, Lesson Plans & Instructional Materials Publishers (EDAMAOAM)

Keywords

• Debate training services
• Oratory and persuasion courses
• Communication skills education
• Competitive parliamentary debate
• University extension program

Headquarters

HQ city

Fortaleza

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Oratória e Persuasão Course: Online oratory and persuasion course sold through Sympla platform, featuring content on speech security, persuasion, negotiation, based on Aristotelian Rhetoric and Golden Circle methodology, with exclusive Telegram community and live Q&A sessions
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including tirantes (suspenders), mugs with logos, and debate-related products
3. Workshop and Mini-course Delivery: Paid oratory and argumentation courses delivered at various institutions, with advanced modules taught by project members

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sociedade de Debates da UFC is a non-profit university extension project that trains university students and professionals in competitive parliamentary debate (British format) and oratory/persuasion skills. It sells an 8-module online Oratória e Persuasão course via Sympla, delivers paid workshops and mini-courses to institutions through the SdD Escolas program, runs a podcast (Ponto de Informação), and distributes branded merchandise. Free Saturday workshops at UFC Law Faculty serve as the community recruitment funnel.

Product overview

Sociedade de Debates da UFC offers a portfolio of educational products and services focused on debate, oratory, and argumentation training. The core offerings include 8 structured courses covering speech security, persuasion, storytelling, non-verbal communication, negotiations, presentations, fallacy identification, and speech structure. The organization also provides a podcast platform called 'Ponto de Informação' with debate content available on Spotify, and digital debate tools including a preparation timer (Cronômetro) and motion database (Banco de Moções). Additionally, branded merchandise items such as sashes and mugs are available.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ponto de Informação: Podcast platform launched in May 2020, divided into three main segments: Semana em Debate (weekly debate on current topics), Campeonato do Mês (discussion about important championships), and Papo Reto (relevant interviews for competitive debate history).

Products and services

• Segurança no Discurso (Speech Security) Course module teaching techniques for self-control and confidence in speech, allowing participants to learn and practice techniques for managing anxiety during presentations.
• Sedução no Discurso (Persuasion in Speech) Course module providing practical tools to increase persuasive power by organizing content to influence the interlocutor's subconscious and improve presentation effectiveness.
• Storytelling Course module teaching how to construct compelling narratives that capture audience attention and make messages unforgettable, using storytelling techniques in speeches.
• Negociações (Negotiations) Course module teaching the main circumstances of negotiations, efficient negotiation bases, how to identify negotiator profiles, and techniques for successful deal-making using Spin Selling method.
• Apresentação de slides (Slide Presentations) Course module teaching techniques and principles based on neuroscience and design to create efficient and impactful presentations using tools like PowerPoint.
• Identificação de Falácias (Fallacy Identification) Course module teaching how to identify logical fallacies in arguments, preparing participants to defend themselves effectively and maintain honest and productive debates.
• Curso de Oratória e Persuasão (Oratory and Persuasion Course) Complete online course package covering speech security, persuasion, and negotiation, built on Aristotelian Rhetoric and the Golden Circle method. Sold via Sympla with 6-month access to recorded content, exclusive Telegram community, and live Q&A sessions. Targeted at professionals and individuals seeking communication skills.
• SdD Escolas Institutional Workshop Program Paid oratory and argumentation workshops and mini-courses delivered at partner educational institutions, designed to bring competitive debate training into school curricula and develop critical thinking among K-12 and university students.
• Ponto de Informação Podcast Platform Podcast platform covering debates on current topics, tournament discussions, and interviews for competitive debate history. Hosted on Spotify and accessible to the general public free of charge.
• Plataforma de Debates - Cronômetro (Debate Timer) Free online debate-preparation timer with configurable session times for preparation and speaking periods, including audio bell options, for use by debaters and competition organizers.
• Plataforma de Debates - Banco de Moções (Motion Bank) Free online motion database for randomly selecting debate topics, with filtering options by theme (international relations, politics, religion, social issues, education, economy, arts, technology, justice, environment, public policies) and tournament type.
• Tirante Sociedade de Debates da UFC (Branded Sash) Branded sash in red and black colors representing the SdD UFC identity, sold as merchandise to members and supporters.
• Caneca Sociedade de Debates da UFC (Branded Mug) Branded mug featuring the SdD UFC logo and championship titles, sold as merchandise to members and supporters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produced 44 championship titles since founding in 2010
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SdD EscolasminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Initiative to bring competitive debate training to elementary, secondary, and higher education institutions, including partnership with EEMTI Profª Telina Barbosa da Costa
• OPOVO/CBN RadiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Weekly Friday radio program 'Debates do Povo' where SdDUFC members discuss current topics with general audience, bringing debate to mainstream listeners
• Instituto Brasileiro de DebatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for expanding debate movement nationally, with SdDUFC members holding key positions in adjudication leadership
• Debate Quest (Russas)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssisted in organizing debate competition at professional school in Russas city to promote reasoning and argumentation
• Universidade Federal do CearácoreOthersUniversity hosts SdDUFC as official extension project, providing facilities and institutional backing for activities

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cambridge Union Society: One of the world's oldest and most prestigious debating societies (founded 1815), operating in British Parliamentary format—the same format SdDUFC uses. Relevant as a comparable institutional model and global benchmark for university debate society operations.
• Toastmasters International: Global public-speaking and leadership training organization with structured club-based curriculum. While not debate-format specific, Toastmasters competes for the same professionals-and-students segment seeking oratory and persuasion training, and operates in Brazil through local chapters.
• Oxford Union: Prestigious global debating society at Oxford University, comparable in mission (competitive debate, public discourse) and format. Relevant international benchmark though geographically separate from SdDUFC's Latin American focus.
• National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA): The US-based national honor society and competition organizer for speech and debate. Comparable to SdDUFC's model of competitive debate plus curriculum, but operating at much larger scale in the US; relevant reference point for what scaled debate education infrastructure looks like.

Direct peers

• Instituto Brasileiro de Debates (IBD): The national debate governing body in Brazil that organizes the Campeonato Brasileiro de Debates. SdDUFC is a core strategic partner with members in adjudication leadership, making IBD the closest direct peer in competitive Brazilian debate organization.
• Rhetorica: Brazilian oratory and public-speaking training company offering courses and corporate workshops. Directly competes with SdDUFC's paid Oratória e Persuasão course for the same Brazilian professionals seeking communication training.
• Sociedade de Debates da PUC-Rio: Brazilian university debate society from PUC-Rio that competes in the same national tournaments (CBD, Open Brasil). Comparable format (British Parliamentary) and target segment (university students), and represents both a peer and tournament competitor to SdDUFC.
• Oratória Cursos: Brazilian oratory training provider offering online courses to professionals. Competes directly with SdDUFC's online course offering on Sympla for the SMB/professional segment seeking presentation and persuasion skills.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/sdd.ufc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sddufc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Sociedade de Debates da UFC