Umes-Uniao Municipal Dos Estudantes Secundaristas

What Umes-Uniao Municipal Dos Estudantes Secundaristas does

UMES (União Municipal dos Estudantes Secundaristas de São Paulo) is a São Paulo-based non-profit student union founded in 1985 that represents secondary-school students across more than 200 schools in the municipality. It operates a participatory governance model in which student grêmios elect representatives to an annual Congress that defines the agenda and elects a 25-member directorate; the most recent directorate was installed at the 29th Congress in 2024 for the 2024-2026 term, and the 30th Congress convened in April 2026. UMES's core service is the Carteirinha da UMES student card, which grants public-school students free municipal public transportation (via SPTrans's Bilhete Único Estudante, requiring a R$37.10 annual validation fee) and half-price admission (meia-entrada) to cinemas, theaters, shows, and stadiums — benefits protected by the ECA, Estatuto da Juventude, and Lei Nacional da Meia Entrada.

The organization's cultural arm, the Centro Popular de Cultura da UMES (CPC-UMES, established 1994), operates the Cine-Teatro Denoy de Oliveira venue in the Bixiga neighborhood and produces theater training, film festivals (Mosfilm Soviet/Russian showcase, Italian film showcase, Chinese popular cinema showcase, Toni Venturi Film Festival, Cinema Brasileiro de A a Z), samba events, capoeira classes, carnival programming, and professional qualification courses. CPC-UMES Filmes, launched in 2014, has released 56 titles on DVD and Blu-Ray under a Mosfilm licensing partnership. Historical professional-qualification programs — JovemTur (2008-2010, 8,000 students) and the SEBRAE-SP entrepreneurship course at EE Caetano de Campos (5,500 students) — illustrate the training dimension.

UMES is funded primarily through Termos de Fomento (cultural grant agreements) with the Brazilian Ministry of Culture and via parliamentary amendments. Recent approved tranches include R$900,000 for Cine-Teatro Denoy de Oliveira programming (2025-26), R$550,000 for performing-arts training (2025-26), R$450,000 for the Toni Venturi Film Festival (expanding to Rio de Janeiro), R$900,000 for samba programming (2024), and R$300,000 for CPC-UMES 30th-anniversary publications (2024). The organization has 7 listed employees and operates exclusively within the municipality of São Paulo, with the Cine-Teatro headquarters at Rua Rui Barbosa, 323, Bela Vista.

Name

Umes-Uniao Municipal Dos Estudantes Secundaristas

Legal name

UNIÃO MUNICIPAL DOS ESTUDANTES SECUNDARISTAS DE SÃO PAULO

Website

https://umes.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UMES is a São Paulo-based non-profit student union founded in 1985 that represents secondary-school students from 200+ schools through the Carteirinha da UMES student card, securing legally protected free transportation and half-price cultural access, while operating the Cine-Teatro Denoy de Oliveira cultural venue through its CPC-UMES arm under government cultural grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Union and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

University & Educational Venue Operations (Auditoriums, Campus Arenas) (MPAGALAI)

Keywords

• Student union services
• Cultural programming
• Student advocacy
• Professional qualification
• Student identification

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, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Cultural Grants (Termo de Fomento / Lei de Incentivo à Cultura): UMES receives government funding through multiple Termo de Fomento agreements with the Ministry of Culture (Ministério da Cultura), Secretarias, and parliamentary amendments. Grants fund cultural programming, theatrical productions, film screenings, arts workshops, and publications. Examples include: R$900,000 for Cine-Teatro Denoy de Oliveira programming (2025-26), R$450,000 for the Toni Venturi Film Festival, R$550,000 for performing arts training, R$900,000 for Samba shows, R$300,000 for CPC-UMES 30-year publications, and R$500,000 for arts workshops (2023). Funds are released in tranches against project milestones.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

UMES is a non-profit student union that represents secondary school students in São Paulo. It issues the Carteirinha da UMES student ID card, which provides free public transportation for public school students and half-price admission to cultural events, cinemas, theaters, and stadiums. The organization also operates the Cine-Teatro Denoy de Oliveira cultural venue, the CPC-UMES cultural programming arm, the Bilhete Único do Estudante transit card service, and professional qualification programs in partnership with government and educational institutions.

Product overview

UMES (União Municipal dos Estudantes Secundaristas de São Paulo) is a student union organization representing secondary school students in São Paulo, Brazil. Rather than a unified software product, UMES operates a portfolio of services and programs: the Carteirinha student ID card system providing transportation and cultural benefits; the Cine-Teatro Denoy de Oliveira cultural venue; the Centro Popular de Cultura (CPC-UMES) cultural programming arm producing theater courses, film festivals, and music shows; the Bilhete Único student transit card service; professional qualification programs; and the CPC-UMES Filmes distribution label. The organization focuses on student advocacy, cultural education, and providing recreational activities for São Paulo's secondary school students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Centro Popular de Cultura da UMES (CPC-UMES): The cultural arm of UMES that produces theater productions, film exhibitions, and cultural events including the Cine-Teatro Denoy de Oliveira, film festivals, and the CPC-UMES Filmes distribution label.
• CPC-UMES Filmes
• Cine-Teatro Denoy de Oliveira

Products and services

• Carteirinha da UMES (Student ID Card) Free student identification card that grants public school students free transportation in São Paulo and half-price admission (meia-entrada) at cinemas, shows, theater, and stadiums for all enrolled students.
• Cine-Teatro Denoy de Oliveira Cultural venue in the Bixiga neighborhood of São Paulo hosting film screenings, theater performances, samba shows, and cultural events including film festivals. Most events are free and open to the public.
• Centro Popular de Cultura da UMES (CPC-UMES) Cultural center focused on popular culture, organizing theater courses, film screenings, music shows, cultural publications, and performing arts training workshops for public school students.
• Bilhete Único do Estudante Student transportation card service enabling public school students to obtain or revalidate their student transit card for use on São Paulo public buses, processed through the SPTrans system with a R$37.10 validation fee.
• Aulas de Capoeira (Capoeira Classes) Free capoeira classes offered at UMES headquarters, taught by Professor Pavio on Tuesdays and Thursdays, promoting Brazilian martial arts and Afro-Brazilian cultural heritage.
• Qualificação Profissional (Professional Qualification) Professional qualification programs for public school students including JovemTur tourism training, Young Entrepreneurs entrepreneurship courses, and SERT partnership courses in IT, computer maintenance, administration, and technical fields.
• Bloco Carnavalesco da UMES Carnival block organization offering samba percussion rehearsals and participation in São Paulo carnival celebrations for students and members.
• CPC-UMES Filmes (Film Distribution) Film distribution label operating since 2014, releasing Soviet and Russian cinema classics on DVD and Blu-Ray (56 titles), and organizing the annual Mosfilm Film Festival in São Paulo.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 schools represented through elected student grêmio representatives in UMES Congress
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministério da Cultura / Secretaria do AudiovisualcoreOthers · 11 December 2025Termo de Fomento nº 984391/2025: R$900,000 grant for Cine-Teatro Denoy de Oliveira programming (2025-26), covering 24 film screening sessions, 24 debates, and 36 theatrical presentations. R$550,000 released by Dec 2025. Parliamentary amendment by Orlando Silva.
• Ministério da Cultura / Secretaria do AudiovisualcoreOthers · 22 October 2025Termo de Fomento nº 975676/2025: R$450,000 grant for the Toni Venturi Film Festival across Cine-Teatro Denoy de Oliveira and MIS-SP (São Paulo) and CineCarioca José Wilker (Rio de Janeiro). Parliamentary amendments by Vicentinho and Jandira Feghali. Fully released.
• Ministério da Cultura / Secretaria de Formação Artística e Cultural, Livro e LeituracoreOthers · 29 September 2025Termo de Fomento nº 977790/2025: R$550,000 for Actions of Formation and Research in Performing Arts CPC-UMES 2025/26. Includes the 2nd edition of the 'Memórias do Palco' seminar (8 sessions) and the 17th edition of performing arts training workshops (3 groups) for public school students.
• Ministério da Cultura / Secretaria de Cidadania e Diversidade CulturalcoreOthers · 9 July 2024Termo de Fomento nº 958658/2024: R$900,000 for 'Noitada de Samba na UMES' — 20 samba music shows over 9 months at Cine-Teatro Denoy de Oliveira. Each block of 10 shows includes 5 attractions from outside São Paulo state. Events are filmed and made available online. Parliamentary amendment by Orlando Silva.
• Ministério da Cultura / Secretaria de Formação, Livro e LeituracoreOthers · 19 June 2024Termo de Fomento nº 959166/2024: R$300,000 for CPC-UMES 30-year publication project. Covers publishing of four books: 'Denoy de Oliveira – Teatro Completo', 'O Teatro do CPC-UMES', 'Denoy de Oliveira – Pensador da Cultura', and 'CPC-UMES – Trinta Anos de Luta pela Cultura Popular'. Parliamentary amendment by Luiza Erundina.
• Ministério da Cultura / Secretaria de Formação, Livro e LeituraminorOthers · 3 October 2023Termo de Fomento nº 943360/2023: R$500,000 for performing arts training workshops (2023). Includes seminar and free workshops for public school secondary students in São Paulo. Fully released in November 2023.
• Ministério do Turismo / Secretaria Especial de CulturaminorOthers · 28 December 2020Termo de Fomento nº 898955/2020: R$500,000 for arts training offices CPC-UMES, targeting public school secondary students in São Paulo. Status: APPROVED.
• SPTranscoreOthersSPTrans (São Paulo Transporte S/A) is the municipal public transport authority. Through the partnership, students with the Carteirinha UMES receive the Bilhete Único Estudante, enabling free transportation (public school students) or half-fare transport (private school students). Students process requests via sptrans.dne.com.br.
• SEBRAE-SPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with SEBRAE-SP (Brazilian Support Service for Micro and Small Enterprises) to deliver the Young Entrepreneurs training course with IT emphasis. 5,500 students from EE Caetano de Campos – Aclimação were trained and graduated through this program.
• Ministério do TurismominorOthersFederal Ministry of Tourism provided support for the JovemTur project (2008-2010), which qualified 8,000 public school students in tourism across three editions. Included 120 hours of English language instruction, visits to hotels, museums, and tourism events.
• Secretaria do Emprego e Relações do Trabalho (SERT)minorOthersPartnership with São Paulo's State Secretariat for Employment and Labor Relations. Courses trained hundreds of students in IT, computer maintenance, administrative techniques, car audio installation, bookbinding, and telemarketing.
• Instituto Italiano de Cultura de São PaulominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Italian Institute of Culture in São Paulo brought two contemporary Italian films to the 11th edition of the Mostra Permanente de Cinema Italiano: 'A Quimera' (2023) and 'Vermiglio – A Noiva da Montanha' (2024, winner of the Silver Lion at Venice Film Festival 2024).
• SPCINEminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSPCINE partnered with CPC-UMES to host the 11th Mostra Mosfilm at Centro Cultural São Paulo and also hosted the online version of the exhibition on SPCINE PLAY platform (Brazil's first public streaming platform with 400+ national titles).
• MosfilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMosfilm (Russia's oldest and most prominent film studio, est. 1924) has a licensing partnership with CPC-UMES Filmes for distribution of Soviet and Russian cinema classics in Brazil. CPC-UMES organizes the annual Mosfilm Film Festival in São Paulo and has released 56 titles on DVD and Blu-Ray since 2014. Est. Mosfilm president: Karen Shakhnazarov.
• Cinemateca BrasileiraminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCinemateca Brasileira hosted the first week of the 11th Mostra Mosfilm (November 2025), including the external screening of 'The Battleship Potemkin' and the 'Libertação' epic series.
• Instituto Confúcio da UNICAMPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Confucius Institute at UNICAMP (University of Campinas) partnered with UMES to present Chinese music and dance performances during the 3rd Mostra de Cinema Popular Chinês (December 2025) at Cine-Teatro Denoy de Oliveira.
• Museu da Imagem e do Som (MIS-SP)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMIS-SP, one of Brazil's leading public audiovisual institutions, partnered with UMES to host the Toni Venturi Film Festival as part of Termo de Fomento nº 975676/2025.
• Aldir Blanc Law (Lei Aldir Blanc)minorOthersCultural projects funded through the Aldir Blanc Law, a Brazilian federal cultural incentive program. UMES projects were among the beneficiaries of this funding mechanism for cultural initiatives.
• Casa Mestre AnaniasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partnership for capoeira and Afro-Brazilian cultural activities. Casa Mestre Ananias is a cultural center dedicated to preserving capoeira traditions, supporting UMES's cultural programming.
• Portal do BixigaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPortal do Bixiga is a media partner of UMES, providing coverage of cultural events and student activities in the Bixiga neighborhood where the Cine-Teatro Denoy de Oliveira is located.
• Hora do PovominorGTM or Marketing PartnerHora do Povo is a media partner of UMES, providing coverage of student rights issues and cultural programming. Their logo appears on UMES's 'Fique bem informado' (Stay Informed) section.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Centro Cultural São Paulo: Municipal cultural center in São Paulo that hosts film screenings and cultural programming, including UMES-affiliated events such as the Mosfilm showcase. Closely comparable as a venue operator delivering free cultural programming to São Paulo residents.
• MIS-SP (Museu da Imagem e do Som): São Paulo's public audiovisual institution that co-hosts UMES's Toni Venturi Film Festival. Comparable as a venue partner for film programming and cultural events with similar audience-development goals.
• UNE (União Nacional dos Estudantes): Brazil's national university student union, structurally analogous to UMES but serving higher-education students. Comparable in operating model (elected congresses, political advocacy, student benefits) though serving a different educational tier.
• UBES (União Brasileira dos Estudantes Secundaristas): The national-level secondary student union of Brazil. UBES is the direct umbrella organization above UMES and shares the same constituency (secondary students), advocacy mandate, and grêmio/Congress structure, making it the most direct peer.
• Cinemateca Brasileira: Brazil's national film archive, which co-hosted UMES's 11th Mostra Mosfilm. Directly comparable in the niche of classic/arthouse film exhibition in São Paulo and partnership-based programming.

Broad incumbents

• SPCINE: São Paulo's municipal film commission that operates the SPCINE PLAY streaming platform and partners with UMES on Mosfilm showcases. Comparable as a publicly-funded film programming and distribution intermediary.
• SESC (Serviço Social do Comércio): Large non-profit operator of cultural venues, theaters, and educational programming across Brazil. Comparable in delivering cultural programming and training courses to broad audiences, though funded by employer contributions rather than student fees.

Regional players

• UPES (União Paulista dos Estudantes Secundaristas): State-level secondary student union for São Paulo state. Comparable in mission and constituency to UMES but operates at state rather than municipal level, providing a natural geographic peer for benchmarking.
• Casa Mestre Ananias: São Paulo cultural center dedicated to capoeira and Afro-Brazilian traditions. Direct cultural-programming partner with UMES; comparable as a small community-rooted cultural venue operator in the same city.

Emerging players

• Instituto Italiano de Cultura de São Paulo: Cultural diplomacy institution that partners with UMES to present Italian cinema. Comparable as a foreign cultural body delivering programming through São Paulo venue partnerships, though not a competing student organization.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/UMES.SP
• Instagraminstagram.com/umes.sp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/umes-uniao-municipal-dos-estudantes-secundaristas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Umes-Uniao Municipal Dos Estudantes Secundaristas