Fundação Thiago de Moraes Gonzaga

What Fundação Thiago de Moraes Gonzaga does

Fundação Thiago de Moraes Gonzaga, operating under the brand Vida Urgente, is a private non-profit foundation founded in 1996 by Diza and Régis Gonzaga in Porto Alegre, Brazil, one year after their 18-year-old son Thiago died in a traffic accident while riding unrestrained in the back seat of a car. The foundation's mission is road safety and life preservation, delivered through a portfolio of educational programs (theater shows such as 'Exército de Sonhos', 'Jogo da Vida', 'Conta Comigo', and 'A Flor e a Borboleta'), awareness campaigns (Salva Vida at beaches, Madrugada Viva in nightlife venues, Vida Urgente No Rock at festivals), youth forums, a corporate certification program (Transportadora da Vida, in partnership with SETCERGS), a hospital-based child seat safety program (Cadeirinha, with SINDIHOSPA), and the school-zone safety initiative Caminho Seguro (using iRAP's Star Rating for Schools methodology). It also operates a support group (Grupo de Apoio) for bereaved parents and the Coral Vida Urgente choir, which transforms personal grief into advocacy.

The foundation operates with a small paid team of approximately five employees and a network of more than 20,000 trained volunteers across Brazil and internationally. Its programs are delivered through direct institutional partnerships with municipal, state, and federal government bodies (Prefeitura de Porto Alegre, DETRAN-RS, EPTC, SMED, Câmara dos Deputados), corporate partners (SETCERGS member companies, Uber), healthcare institutions (SINDIHOSPA, SIMERS, SOGIRGS), and international organizations (iRAP, Latin NCAP, FICVI, OISEVI, ETSC, Fundación MAPFRE). The foundation is a co-founder of FICVI and played a documented role in advocating for Brazil's 1998 Traffic Code (CTB) and the 2008 Lei Seca (Dry Law).

There is no technology platform underlying the foundation's operations: it does not maintain a proprietary product, API, or software. The foundation is funded primarily through donations from individuals and companies, corporate sponsorship of specific programs, and modest book sales (e.g., 'Gente Vida' at R$20 per copy). Financial figures are not publicly disclosed, and the organization is governed through a small executive team led by President Diza Gonzaga (who simultaneously serves as Institutional Director of DETRAN/RS), Coordenadora Executiva Natacha Gastal, Diretora Institucional Larissa de Moraes Gonzaga, and policy/international relations lead Eduardo Bohn. The single headquarters is located in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul.

Name

Fundação Thiago de Moraes Gonzaga

Legal name

Fundação Thiago de Moraes Gonzaga

Website

https://vidaurgente.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fundação Thiago de Moraes Gonzaga (Vida Urgente) is a Brazilian non-profit foundation, founded in 1996 in Porto Alegre, that delivers road safety education, awareness campaigns, and advocacy programs through schools, hospitals, nightlife venues, and government partnerships, supported by a network of over 20,000 volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Road Safety Advocacy and Education

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Educational Support Services (611710), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness Education (CPR/First Aid/Disaster Readiness) (EDAAAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Global Health Advocacy, Policy & Rights Organizations (HLAJAKAO)

Keywords

• Road safety education
• Traffic safety programs
• Nonprofit social programs
• Youth safety awareness
• Charitable foundation advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Porto Alegre

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and charitable contributions: The foundation raises funds through donations from individuals, companies, and government grants to sustain its programs and awareness campaigns.
2. Book sales: The book 'Gente Vida' is sold at R$20.00 at the foundation's headquarters, with proceeds reverting to Vida Urgente programs.
3. Event sponsorship and corporate partnerships: Corporate sponsors and partners fund specific programs such as the Transportadora da Vida certification program and the Caminho Seguro school safety initiative.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The foundation delivers a comprehensive set of road safety education, awareness, and advocacy programs under the Vida Urgente brand. Its offerings include theatrical and educational programs for schools, youth volunteer networks, beach and nightlife awareness campaigns, corporate road safety certification, child car seat initiatives with hospitals, and legislative advocacy. The organization also runs a small publishing arm (the Gente Vida book) whose proceeds fund its mission.

Product overview

Fundação Thiago de Moraes Gonzaga operates Vida Urgente, a comprehensive road safety and life preservation program comprising multiple interconnected products and services. The core Program Vida Urgente serves as the foundation, supplemented by educational/theatrical programs (Exército de Sonhos, Conta Comigo, Jogo da Vida, Flor e a Borboleta), volunteer and youth engagement initiatives (Juventude Vida Urgente, Forum Vida Urgente, Consulta Jovem), awareness campaigns (Madrugada Viva, Salva Vida Urgente, Vida Urgente No Rock), specialized programs (Caminho Seguro using iRAP methodology, Cadeirinha child safety, Motovida for motorcyclists, Transportadora da Vida certification), publications (Livro Gente Vida), and community facilities (Espaço Vida Urgente, Praça da Juventude). The organization functions as a social impact foundation rather than a technology company, with no API, certifications, or AI capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Programa Vida Urgente: The core program created on May 20, 1996, focused on road safety education and life preservation.
• Espaço Vida Urgente
• Praça da Juventude
• Coral Vida Urgente
• Caminho Seguro

Products and services

• Programa Vida Urgente The foundation's core road safety awareness and education program, focused on traffic culture transformation, accident prevention, and life preservation through educational initiatives, volunteer programs, and advocacy. Launched in 1996 and operating for 30 years.
• Transportadora da Vida Road safety certification program for freight and logistics companies, developed in partnership with SETCERGS. Companies apply, are audited, and successful participants receive certification and the right to display the 'Transportadora da Vida' seal after adopting internal safety policies and driver training.
• Caminho Seguro School safety initiative that evaluates traffic around schools using the Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) methodology from iRAP, with EPTC implementing recommended infrastructure improvements to ensure safer routes for students in Porto Alegre.
• Cadeirinha: A Segurança do Seu Filho Está em Suas Mãos Child safety seat program that works with hospitals and maternities to verify transportation conditions of babies at discharge, training health professionals as multipliers of parental awareness for proper child restraint use.
• Madrugada Viva Nighttime awareness action deployed in bars and nightlife areas to alert about dangers of mixing alcohol and driving, using breathalyzer tests and safe ride guidance in partnership with Uber.
• Salva Vida Urgente Beach safety awareness campaign during summer months, with volunteers approaching beachgoers about traffic safety and responsible behavior at beaches in Rio Grande do Sul and Espírito Santo.
• Motovida Action directed at motorcycle drivers, aiming to humanize the relationship between motorcyclists and other road users while promoting road safety.
• Coral Vida Urgente Choir composed of parents from Support Groups and volunteers, using music to spread messages of life preservation and valuing, performing at events, schools, hospitals, and legislative sessions.
• Expo Vida Urgente
• Fórum Vida Urgente
• Livro Gente Vida

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 40,000 lives preserved in the first decade of Lei Seca implementation, to which the foundation contributed by collecting over 70,000 signatures and mobilizing public support.
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FICVI (Federação Ibero-Americana de Associações de Vítimas contra a Violência Viária)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Co-founder of FICVI. Active participant in the XII Encounter in Madrid, Spain (June 2026), presenting the 'Caminho Seguro' project at international seminars and contributing to the Madrid Declaration for road safety in Ibero-America.
• OISEVI (Observatório Ibero-Americano de Segurança Viária)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Active participant in the XII General Assembly held at Spain's DGT headquarters, contributing to regional cooperation strategies and the Madrid Declaration for road safety.
• ETSC (European Transport Safety Council)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Co-organizer with Fundación MAPFRE of the LEARN! Latin American Traffic Education Seminar in Madrid, where the foundation presented the 'Caminho Seguro' project.
• Fundación MAPFREminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Co-organizer with ETSC of the LEARN! Latin American Traffic Education Seminar in Madrid, focused on sharing best practices in traffic education between Europe and Latin America.
• Porto Alegre Official (Instagram)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership with Porto Alegre's official social media channel for the 30th anniversary guerrilla campaign. Porto Alegre Official shared the statues photos in first instance, generating 403 organic comments and 18,000 organic views.
• DETRAN/RScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Diza Gonzaga serves as institutional director of DETRAN/RS. The foundation collaborates closely with DETRAN on road safety campaigns, legislative advocacy, and public education.
• Latin NCAPcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2020The foundation joined Latin NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean) as a member, adding vehicle safety advocacy to its portfolio. Latin NCAP's secretary-general Alejandro Furas praised the foundation's independent voice and inspiring work.
• SINDIHOSPA (Sindicato dos Hospitais de Porto Alegre)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership for the 'Cadeirinha: a segurança do seu filho está em suas mãos' project. Hospitals adopt routine verification of baby transport conditions at discharge, with staff trained as multipliers for child safety seat awareness.
• SIMERS (Sindicato Médico do Rio Grande do Sul)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner in the Cadeirinha project alongside SINDIHOSPA, helping to involve obstetricians in guiding pregnant women about proper child restraint devices.
• SOGIRGS (Sociedade de Obstetrícia e Ginecologia do Rio Grande do Sul)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner in the Cadeirinha project, inviting obstetricians across Rio Grande do Sul to participate in the campaign and advise expectant mothers on child safety seats.
• EPTC (Empresa Pública de Transporte e Circulação) / Prefeitura de Porto AlegrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2019Partnership to implement the Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) program using the iRAP methodology, evaluating road safety around schools in Porto Alegre. EPTC provides technical support and is responsible for recommending interventions based on the assessments.
• UberminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Joint consciousness campaign during St. Patrick's Day in Porto Alegre. Vida Urgente volunteers distributed Uber discount vouchers at bars to promote safe rides home and prevent drunk driving.
• SMED Porto Alegre (Secretaria Municipal de Educação)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership for multiple school programs including the theater show 'Jogo da Vida' (30 presentations for children aged 7-12), 'A Flor e a Borboleta' animation for early childhood, and the 'Conta Comigo' theater program.
• Prefeitura de Porto Alegre / EPTCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Tripartite partnership for the 'Caminho Seguro' project: foundation coordinates community engagement and education, EPTC provides technical expertise and will implement infrastructure interventions, and iRAP provides the SR4S methodology.
• Prefeitura de Porto AlegrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019General framework agreement for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, aligning civil society, government, and community efforts to improve road safety outcomes in Porto Alegre.
• Secretaria Municipal de Cultura de Porto AlegreminorOthers · 1 January 2019Authorization obtained for placing seatbelt props on three historic statues (Laçador, Elis Regina, Zumbi dos Palmares) during the 30th anniversary campaign.
• SETCERGS (Sindicato das Empresas de Transporte de Cargas e Logística no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996Partnership to develop and operate the 'Transportadora da Vida' certification program for freight and logistics companies. The program promotes internal road safety policies, driver training, and safety culture in participating companies. Jointly organized annual events and the 'Caminhada Pela Vida'.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• FIA Foundation: International charity promoting road safety, sustainable mobility, and health, linked to the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. Operates at a global scale in the same advocacy and grantmaking space as Vida Urgente, with a substantially larger footprint.
• Fundación MAPFRE: Spanish-based foundation with a major road safety and accident prevention portfolio, including the LEARN! Latin American Traffic Education Seminar co-organized with ETSC. Directly comparable as a non-profit foundation funding road safety education and partnering with Vida Urgente on international events.
• Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP): International not-for-profit hosted by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, focused on road safety in low- and middle-income countries. Comparable mission and partnership-based operating model, with similar programmatic focus on behavior change and advocacy.

Direct peers

• European Transport Safety Council (ETSC): European non-profit dedicated to reducing transport deaths through policy advocacy, research, and education. Highly comparable to Vida Urgente in mission (road safety advocacy) and operating model (research-driven policy influence and stakeholder engagement), and a direct co-organizer of events Vida Urgente attends.
• Fundación Gonzalo Rodríguez: Uruguayan road safety foundation named after a child traffic victim, focused on education, advocacy, and victim support in Latin America. Closest structural peer to Vida Urgente: family-founded, victim-memorial identity, similar programmatic mix of education and policy advocacy, and operates in the same Ibero-American advocacy ecosystem.
• Latin NCAP: Latin American New Car Assessment Programme conducting independent vehicle safety crash tests and ratings. Direct partner of Vida Urgente (joined as a member in 2020), with overlapping focus on road safety outcomes in Latin America through independent testing and advocacy.
• iRAP (International Road Assessment Programme): Global charity providing road infrastructure safety rating tools, including the Star Rating for Schools methodology used by Vida Urgente's Caminho Seguro project. Direct technology and methodology partner, with overlapping mission of reducing road deaths through data-driven assessment.

Emerging players

• AIP Foundation: Asia-based non-profit preventing road traffic injuries and fatalities through helmet safety, child passenger safety, and school zone programs. Comparable programmatic portfolio (child safety seats, school safety, education), with similar advocacy and corporate partnership model but focused on Southeast Asia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vidaurgentees
• Facebookfacebook.com/vidaurgente
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fundacao-thiago-de-moraes-gonzaga

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fundação Thiago de Moraes Gonzaga