Projeto Grael

What Projeto Grael does

Projeto Grael is a Brazilian non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1998 by Olympic medalists Lars Grael, Torben Grael, and Marcelo Ferreira at Charitas Beach in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, and operated under the legal entity Instituto Rumo Náutico (IRN), a non-profit civil association holding OSCIP certification since 2009. The organization delivers a free, three-pillar education program — Sports, Professional, and Environmental — to children and youth aged 9–29 from public schools in vulnerable social conditions in Niterói, São Gonçalo, Maricá, and surrounding regions. Curriculum combines nautical sports instruction (sailing, swimming, canoeing including Va'a outrigger canoe, and windsurf) with vocational workshops in fiberglass, carpentry, sailmaking, diesel and outboard mechanics, electro-electronics, and solar energy, alongside environmental education focused on Guanabara Bay preservation. As of 2024, roughly 500 students participate per semester across the Niterói headquarters, the Mangaratiba satellite site, and the Três Marias decentralization unit, with cumulative impact reported at over 20,000 youth served and more than 5,000 inserted into the labor market; approximately 15 of ~50 staff are themselves former program participants, evidencing a built-in talent pipeline.

The organization's business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than revenue-generating. Funding flows from corporate ESG/social sponsorships — most notably a R$3.8 million Petrobras Socioambiental grant in March 2022 supporting the "Mar de Oportunidades" project, plus support from Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, Vale, and Ventos — alongside individual donations via PayPal and PIX, and tax-advantaged inflows through the Lei de Incentivo ao Esporte e a Cultura do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. The model inspired the federal NAVEGAR public policy program (1999), which now operates 30 units across Brazil, and benefits from ancillary revenue channels such as the "Adopt a Bowman" (Adote um Proeiro) service that supplies trained alumni to sailing-event crews, and from employment-placement partnerships with CIEE Niterói and SENAC.

Recognition supporting the brand includes the Criança Esperança prize (seven-time winner), the Itaú Social Award honorable mention (2003, from a field of 1,700+ NGOs), the International Nautical Industry "Best Project of the Year" award in Amsterdam (2005), recognition as a Social Technology by the Banco do Brasil Foundation (2011), the Canal OFF "Sou do Esporte Solidário" award (2017), and an international partnership with UNODC under the Doha Declaration for youth crime prevention through sports. There is no material AI/ML, proprietary software, or technology-platform component; the organization's intellectual property is concentrated in its "Bons Ventos" pedagogical methodology and its Olympic-founder brand equity.

Name

Projeto Grael

Legal name

Instituto Rumo Náutico

Website

https://projetograel.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Projeto Grael is a Brazilian non-profit NGO (operated under Instituto Rumo Náutico) founded in 1998 by Olympic medalists Lars and Torben Grael, providing free nautical sports education, vocational training, and environmental education to approximately 500 youth aged 9–29 per semester from vulnerable communities in Niterói and surrounding Rio de Janeiro municipalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Nautical Education and Vocational Training

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Sailing Experiences (Lessons, Regattas, Day Sails) (THAJAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing) (MPAKABAH), Kayaking, Canoeing & SUP Tours (Guided/Paddling Excursions) (THAJAJAF), Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB)

Keywords

• Nautical sports education
• Youth vocational training
• Social inclusion programs
• Free sailing classes
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Niterói

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorships: Funding from corporations such as Petrobras, Laureus, Vale, and Ventos that support the social programs and environmental initiatives
2. Individual Donations: Donations via PayPal and PIX from individuals supporting the social mission
3. Public Policy Partnerships: Inspired federal public policy Project Navegar with 30 units across Brazil, and receives support via Lei de Incentivo ao Esporte

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Projeto Grael offers free nautical sports education (sailing, swimming, canoeing, windsurfing) and vocational training in boatbuilding trades (carpentry, fiberglass, diesel/outboard mechanics, electro-electronics, sailmaking) for youth aged 9-29 from public schools in vulnerable social situations. Programs are organized into three pillars — Sports, Professional, and Environmental — and are delivered twice yearly at no cost to beneficiaries. The organization also runs the "Adopt a Bowman" service connecting trained program alumni with boat owners at sailing events.

Product overview

Projeto Grael is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) offering a unified social education program focused on nautical sports and professional training for youth from public schools. The organization operates three interconnected programs: the Sports Program (teaching sailing, swimming, canoeing, and windsurf), the Professional Program (nautical workshops for vocational training), and the Environmental Program (education focused on Guanabara Bay preservation). All services are provided free of charge to youth aged 9-29 years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sports Program (Programa Esportivo) Educational sports program teaching sailing, swimming, canoeing, and windsurfing to children and youth aged 9-29, using boats as educational instruments to develop self-confidence, discipline, leadership, and team spirit. Includes Optimist class, Dinghy sailing, Va'a (outrigger canoe), and swimming instruction. Free of charge to beneficiaries.
• Professional Program (Programa Profissionalizante) Vocational training program for youth aged 18-29 offering nautical workshops including sailmaking, carpentry, fiberglass, diesel engine mechanics, outboard engine mechanics, electro-electronic boat installations, upholstery, and solar energy. Prepares youth for first jobs in the nautical sector. Free of charge for enrolled students.
• Environmental Program (Programa Ambiental) Environmental education program focusing on Guanabara Bay, its biodiversity, and social-environmental issues. Includes floating-garbage prevention programs, recycling, and conscious consumption practices. Delivered in partnership with UFF's LAMMOC laboratory (Barco Escola project).
• Adopt a Bowman Service (Adote um Proeiro) Workforce-placement service that maintains a bank of trained bowmen (proeiros) from the program available to assist boat owners during sporting events. Managed by the Sports Development Program Coordinator.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000+ youth served since 1998 with free education and sports programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017International partnership with UNODC for youth crime prevention through sports in the context of the Doha Declaration program.
• Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with UFF's LAMMOC laboratory (Barco Escola project) for environmental measurement activities and hosting Rice University students for knowledge exchange.
• Rice University (Texas)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents from Rice University visited the project for knowledge exchange on environmental preservation with practical and theoretical lessons.
• CRAS JurujubaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity reference center that refers families and youth to the project and collaborates on social action events.
• CIEE NiteróiminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for connecting students with internship and young apprentice opportunities in partner companies.
• SENAC NiteróiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing specialized consultancy and professional development services at project social action events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Laureus Sport for Good Foundation: Global sport-for-development funder that has sponsored Projeto Grael's canoeing program. Ecosystem participant — a funder/peers-network actor in the same sport-for-social-inclusion category.

Direct peers

• Instituto Ayrton Senna: Large Brazilian non-profit founded in memory of F1 champion Ayrton Senna focused on youth education and development. Comparable Brazilian athlete-founded, youth-education non-profit with national reach.
• Junior Achievement Brasil: Brazilian arm of Junior Achievement, preparing youth for the workforce through education programs. Comparable workforce-readiness and youth-employment outcomes to Projeto Grael's vocational track.
• Instituto Reação: Brazilian non-profit founded by Olympic judo medalist Flávio Canto that uses sport (judo) and education to develop at-risk youth. Highly comparable athlete-founded, sport-as-education-for-social-inclusion model in Brazil.
• Fundação Gol de Letra: Brazilian non-profit co-founded by soccer legends Raí and Sócrates using sport, education, and citizenship programs for vulnerable youth in São Paulo. Comparable athlete-led, sport-plus-education social-inclusion model.
• Sail Training International: UK-based international organization promoting sail training as character education for young people. Direct thematic peer in using sail boats as educational instruments for youth development.

Broad incumbents

• SENAC: Brazil's largest vocational/technical education provider, an actual partner of Projeto Grael delivering consultancy and professional development services. Comparable training infrastructure and curriculum capability.
• Instituto Unibanco: Large Brazilian non-profit focused on youth education and public-school systems. Comparable focus on public-school youth outcomes in Brazil at greater scale, operating as a broader incumbent.
• CIEE: Brazil's largest youth internship and apprenticeship program, an actual partner of Projeto Grael for placing students. Overlapping labor-market insertion mission and youth-employer pipeline.

Emerging players

• Jubilee Sailing Trust: UK-based charity using tall-ship sailing experiences for personal development of disadvantaged and disabled people. Comparable use of sailing as an instrument for youth/personal development in a non-profit context.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/projetograel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/projetograel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Projeto Grael