Instituto Nelson Wilians - INW

What Instituto Nelson Wilians - INW does

Instituto Nelson Wilians (INW) is a Brazilian nonprofit institute (Instituto) operating as the dedicated social investment arm of Nelson Wilians Advogados (NWADV) and Nelson Wilians Group (NWGroup), headquartered in São Paulo and active across all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District through the parent firms' branch offices. Its mission centers on three verticals: access to justice, citizenship education, and productive inclusion of vulnerable youth and women. The portfolio comprises eight core programs — Mutirão Jurídico INW (pro bono legal clinics by NWADV volunteer lawyers), Pro Bono NW (legal advisory and capacity-building for civil society organizations via annual editais), Compartilhando Direitos (a replicable citizenship-education methodology for youth, awarded by OEI as Brazil's best human rights education project), Guias Cidadaniar (seven educational publications co-developed with UNESCO), Potencialize (vocational training), Líderes que Inspiram (corporate mentorship), Edital INW (grant mechanism for OSCs), and Fazendo Vencer (law-degree financing).

Underlying the portfolio is a proprietary social-technology layer: the 'Cultura da Legalidade' four-dimensional framework (conhecer, reconhecer-se, confiar, agir) and codified educational content (Guias Cidadaniar), which together enable multiplier replication across partner OSCs, schools, and public-sector programs such as São Paulo's Bolsa Trabalho. Distribution relies on a partner model — civil society organizations, schools, volunteer legal professionals from the NW community, and government youth offices — rather than direct consumer acquisition.

The institute's economic model is structurally a non-commercial one: it charges no fees to beneficiaries, does not accept external financial donations, and is 100% funded by NWADV/NWGroup social-investment contributions, with all resources directed to project execution. Headcount is reported at 1–10 employees (Anne Wilians as Founder/President, plus a Manager of Innovation and Institutional Relations and a Social Projects Analyst), though program delivery scales via the much larger NW volunteer and partner-organization network. Quantified outcomes to date include 290+ OSCs strengthened through Pro Bono NW, 695 people impacted by Edital INW 2022, and 35% labor-market insertion in the Potencialize pilot in Campo Grande/MS.

Name

Instituto Nelson Wilians - INW

Legal name

Instituto Nelson Wilians

Website

https://inw.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Instituto Nelson Wilians (INW) is a Brazilian nonprofit that delivers free citizenship education, pro bono legal services, vocational training, and grants to vulnerable youth, women, and civil society organizations across Brazil, funded entirely by parent law firm Nelson Wilians Advogados.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Impact Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ), Academic & Classroom Integration Support (Study Skills, Academic Norms, Integrity) (EDAIAKAG)

Keywords

• Citizenship education
• Legal aid services
• Vocational training
• Social impact programs
• Youth empowerment

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Social Investment from Parent Organizations: The Instituto Nelson Wilians is entirely funded through investment from its parent organizations: Nelson Wilians Advogados (NWADV) and Nelson Wilians Group (NWGroup). All resources are 100% directed to project development and implementation.
2. Pro Bono Legal Services: Provides free legal advisory and capacity building for civil society organizations, funded as part of the institute's social investment and corporate responsibility programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Instituto Nelson Wilians (INW) is a Brazilian nonprofit social impact institute that delivers free citizenship education, access-to-justice legal services, and productive inclusion (vocational training and mentorship) programs. Its offerings include pro bono legal clinics (Mutirão Jurídico), legal advisory for civil society organizations (Pro Bono NW), citizenship-education methodologies (Compartilhando Direitos, Guias Cidadaniar), vocational training (Potencialize), mentorship (Líderes que Inspiram), and grant funding for OSCs (Edital INW).

Product overview

The Instituto Nelson Wilians (INW) operates as a social impact institute organized around four main program areas: Access to Justice, Citizenship Education, Productive Inclusion, and Volunteering. The institute functions as a unified portfolio of programs unified by the "Culture of Legality" concept. Key offerings include: Mutirão Jurídico and Pro Bono NW for legal access; Compartilhando Direitos and the Guias Cidadaniar (in partnership with UNESCO) for civic education; Edital INW as a funding mechanism channeling Potencialize and Compartilhando Direitos to partner organizations; Líderes que Inspiram for mentorship; and Fazendo Vencer for educational inclusion. Programs are delivered nationwide through partnerships with civil society organizations, schools, and the NWADV volunteer network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mutirão Jurídico INW Free legal orientation and advisory services delivered by NWADV volunteer lawyers for individuals in vulnerable socioeconomic situations, providing guidance on rights and access to justice.
• Pro Bono NW Free legal consulting program for civil society organizations (OSCs) selected through an edict, offering specialized training in Third Sector law and legal advisory for structuring institutional demands.
• Compartilhando Direitos Civic education project that trains multipliers to replicate INW's citizenship methodology with youth across Brazil, addressing active citizenship, women's rights, and ethnic-racial diversity.
• Guias Cidadaniar Seven educational publications developed with UNESCO for multiplier training in human rights, culture of legality, citizenship, sustainable development goals, youth participation, diversity and equity, and social project management.
• Edital INW Annual public call for proposals (Edital) channeling financial grants and technical support to social organizations implementing productive-inclusion and citizenship-education projects for youth in vulnerable situations.
• Potencialize Professional training program offering a seven-module curriculum on negotiation, emotional intelligence, labor market skills, and fundamental rights, designed to strengthen youth leadership in vulnerable contexts.
• Líderes que Inspiram Mentorship program connecting young people from partner social organizations with NWADV community members and corporate professionals through experience-sharing sessions to inspire personal and professional development.
• Fazendo Vencer Six-year educational-financing project that fully sponsors a Law degree for a young person from a peripheral community, in partnership with Gerando Falcões, with subsequent employment as a Legal Assistant at NWADV.

Quantifiable outcome

• 290+ civil society organizations strengthened through Pro Bono NW
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• UNESCO BrazilflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2025Partnership for the 'Cidadaniar' technical cooperation project resulting in the Guias Cidadaniar collection - seven educational publications on human rights, legal culture, citizenship, and social project management. The initiative follows UNESCO's Global Citizenship Education framework and aims to strengthen legal culture and citizenship from the grassroots level.
• Gerando FalcõescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the 'Fazendo Vencer' project, which fully finances a young person from a peripheral area of Poá-SP to complete a Law degree. The beneficiary is also hired as a Legal Assistant at NWADV, contributing to productive inclusion.
• Coque ConnectaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivil society organization in Recife (PE) implementing the 'Talk nas Escolas' entrepreneurship and sustainable development project. INW provides financial support through its Edital program.
• Centro Educacional Dom Bosco (CEDB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSalesian nonprofit organization in Jaboatão dos Guararapes (PE) implementing professional training programs. INW provides financial support through its Edital program for administrative and IT courses.
• ABEL (Associação Brasileira das Escolas do Legislativo e de Contas)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerINW participated in the 41st National Encounter of ABEL in Natal (RN) with the theme 'Cidadania e Democracia' (Citizenship and Democracy), sharing experiences from the Compartilhando Direito project.
• Coordenadoria de Juventude de SPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with São Paulo's Youth Office for human rights experiences with Bolsa Trabalho program youth at Centro Empresarial Nações Unidas.
• Instituto CanopusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivil society organization in Cuiabá (MT) implementing youth training and professionalization programs. Partner in Líderes que Inspiram project.
• Lar Fabiano de CristominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit association with 43 units in 18 states providing social protection and transformative education. Partner in Líderes que Inspiram project.
• Unibes (União Brazilian de Beneficência)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit organization in São Paulo serving children, adolescents, elderly, and families in vulnerable situations. Partner in Líderes que Inspiram project.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Instituto Natura: Brazilian institute created by Natura focused on education, citizenship, and social technologies in vulnerable territories. Highly comparable mission around social technologies and citizenship education in peripheral communities.
• Fundação Roberto Marinho: Large established Brazilian education foundation producing curriculum, documentaries, and educational content at national scale. Comparable as an institutional producer of citizenship/educational content, though far broader in scope than INW.
• Instituto Ayrton Senna: Large Brazilian education nonprofit focused on youth education and life skills. Comparable in developing structured educational content and methodologies deployed through schools and partner organizations across Brazil.
• Instituto Unibanco: Brazilian institute focused on public secondary-school improvement and youth transitions to work. Comparable in working with public schools and vulnerable youth across Brazilian states on education-to-employment pathways.
• Fundação Itaú Social: Corporate foundation of Itaú Unibanco working on education, social development, and public-policy evaluation. Comparable as a corporate-backed institute funding and assessing social programs for vulnerable populations in Brazil.
• Fundação Lemann: Major Brazilian philanthropy focused on public education and leadership for social impact. Comparable in developing replicable methodologies for citizen formation and backing high-potential youth from vulnerable backgrounds.

Direct peers

• Gerando Falcões: Brazilian nonprofit focused on developing favela and peripheral youth leaders through education, citizenship, and labor-market inclusion. Highly comparable: shares target audience (vulnerable youth), citizenship/productive inclusion mission, and is an active INW partner on the Fazendo Vencer program.
• Ashoka Brasil: Brazilian arm of global social-entrepreneurship network supporting youth changemakers. Comparable in building multiplier/institutional capacity for civic transformation and selecting/curating social innovation methodologies across the country.
• Ação Educativa: São Paulo-based NGO focused on citizenship education, youth rights, and democratic participation. Highly comparable mission around citizenship education for vulnerable youth and publication of educational materials for educators.

Regional players

• ChildFund Brasil: Brazilian affiliate of ChildFund International focused on child and youth welfare in vulnerable communities. Comparable in working with youth and partner civil society organizations across Brazilian states on protective services and youth development.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@institutonelsonwilians
• Facebookfacebook.com/NWinstituto
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institutonw
• Instagraminstagram.com/institutonw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Instituto Nelson Wilians - INW