Labedu

What Labedu does

Labedu (Laboratório de Educação) is a São Paulo-based nonprofit organization founded in 2011 that develops and implements research-based pedagogical methodologies for Brazilian public education networks, with a focus on early childhood education (ages 0–6) and early literacy. Its core methodology portfolio includes Aprender a Estudar Textos (AET) for 4th–5th grade literacy, Aprender Linguagem for early childhood educator training, the comprehensive Aprender: Dentro e Fora da Escola program, and the 7 Experiências Fundamentais da Infância framework. The organization also operates Espaço de Leitura, a digital reading platform offering interactive stories and educational games, and publishes free educational resources including the book 'Palavras às professoras que ensinam a ler e a escrever' co-authored with Ana Teberosky.

Labedu delivers its programs through direct institutional partnerships with state and municipal education secretariats (Seduc/Semed), employing a cascade training-of-trainers model with embedded formative monitoring. Active partnerships span at least three Brazilian states — Maranhão (flagship six-year partnership ending 2025, with Seduc-MA assuming full ownership in 2026), São Paulo (multiple municipalities including Guaianases, Várzea Paulista, Praia Grande, Caieiras), and Bahia (Portal do Sertão, 2025–2028). Cumulative impact reported includes 440,000+ children reached, 22,000+ educators trained, 5,000+ schools engaged, and 200+ municipalities partnered. Methodologies are developed in collaboration with Harvard Graduate School of Education (Professors Paola Uccelli, Carrie Conaway) and Brazilian academic partners including LEPES-USP Ribeirão Preto.

The business model is non-commercial: Labedu is funded entirely by institutional grants from foundations (Fundação Maria Emília, Instituto Unibanco, Tinker Foundation, Limmat Foundation), corporations (Eneva, Cogna, Estácio, Icatu, AmBev/BNDES), and law firms (BMA), with programs provided free of charge to public education networks. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is partnership-based rather than sales-driven, with diagnostic and co-design phases preceding multi-year implementation engagements. Leadership includes Executive Director Nicole Paulet Piedra, Director Andrea Guida, and Strategic Advisor Beatriz Cardoso.

Name

Labedu

Legal name

Laboratório de Educação

Website

https://labedu.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Labedu is a Brazilian nonprofit that develops research-based educational methodologies and teacher training programs for early childhood education and literacy, partnering directly with state and municipal public education secretariats across Brazil at no cost to the networks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Teacher Professional Development Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJAFAB

Instructional Delivery & Pedagogy (School-Led)

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment (School-Delivered)

SECONDARYEDACAJAI

Language Development & ESL/Multilingual Learner Materials (Dual-Language, ELL)

Education/Early Childhood Education/ECE Curriculum, Assessment & Learning Materials

SECONDARYEDACANAH

Teacher-Led Classroom Platforms (Lesson Delivery, Centers, Whiteboard)

Education/Early Childhood Education/Digital Learning Tools for Early Childhood

Keywords

• Teacher professional development
• Early childhood education
• Literacy methodology
• Public education partnerships
• Educational research services

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Institutional Funding / Philanthropic Grants: Labedu is a non-profit organization funded entirely by institutional partners including foundations (Fundação Maria Emília, Instituto Unibanco, Tinker Foundation, Limmat Foundation), corporations (Eneva, Cogna, Estácio, Icatu), and law firms (BMA). Revenue is grant-based and project-specific rather than from commercial product sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Labedu develops and implements research-based pedagogical methodologies and continuing education programs for public school teachers, with a primary focus on early childhood education (ages 0–6) and literacy in early elementary school (4th–5th grade). Its core offerings include the Aprender a Estudar Textos (AET) reading methodology, Aprender Linguagem professional development program, the Aprender: Dentro e Fora da Escola early childhood program, the 7 Experiências Fundamentais framework, and the Espaço de Leitura digital reading platform, all delivered through institutional partnerships with state and municipal education secretariats across Brazil.

Product overview

Labedu (Laboratório de Educação) is an education research and implementation organization that develops and implements evidence-based pedagogical methodologies. The portfolio includes multiple interconnected products: the Espaço de Leitura digital platform providing interactive stories and games; the 7 Experiências Fundamentais methodology for early childhood development; the Aprender Linguagem professional development program for educators; the Aprender a Estudar Textos (AET) reading methodology for elementary students; and the comprehensive Aprender: Dentro e Fora da Escola program for early childhood education. Labedu also publishes educational books and conducts video campaigns to support families and educators. The organization focuses on continuing education for teachers and improving literacy outcomes in Brazilian public schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aprender a Estudar Textos (AET): Methodology for 4th and 5th grade teachers focusing on analyzing content and structure of History and Science texts, implementing reading activities to help children learn disciplinary content
• Aprender Linguagem
• Aprender: Dentro e Fora da Escola
• 7 Experiências Fundamentais da Infância
• Espaço de Leitura

Products and services

• Aprender a Estudar Textos (AET) A structured pedagogical methodology that guides 4th and 5th-grade teachers in analyzing the content and structure of History and Science texts and implementing reading activities that help children learn disciplinary content and become familiar with academic language. Used with public school teachers in Brazilian municipalities including Várzea Paulista, Guaianases, and six municipalities in Bahia's Portal do Sertão.
• Aprender Linguagem A professional development methodology for training educators in early childhood education networks, focusing on strengthening language development practices for children aged 0–5 within the school system. Implemented with municipal education networks including Praia Grande (SP), Caieiras (SP), and other public early childhood networks.
• Aprender: Dentro e Fora da Escola A comprehensive early childhood education program supporting language development for children aged 0–6, working with both in-school educators and out-of-school social agents including families, community workers, and health professionals. Implemented as a six-year flagship partnership (2019–2025) with Seduc-MA across 217 municipalities, training 22,000 teachers and impacting 290,000 children.
• 7 Experiências Fundamentais da Infância A collection of resources outlining seven fundamental experiences essential for child development from birth to age 6: speaking and being heard, playing, coexisting, counting and comparing, listening to text readings, exploring and questioning, and experiencing and appreciating different art forms. Supports families, caregivers, and social service workers in enriching daily interactions with young children.
• Espaço de Leitura A digital reading platform providing interactive stories with educational games and guidance for parents and educators, with read-aloud functionality, illustrated storybooks, and activities focused on language development for children.
• Palavras às Professoras que Ensinam a Ler e a Escrever An educational book authored by Ana Teberosky with coordination by Beatriz Cardoso and Angélica Sepúlveda, providing concrete pedagogical inputs for teachers on teaching reading and writing, available as a free digital download.

Quantifiable outcome

• Maranhão literacy rate: 69% (end of 2nd year), 9 percentage points above 2024 and above national average of 66%, following 6 years of partnership with Seduc-MA.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Secretaria de Estado de Educação do Maranhão (Seduc-MA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Six-year flagship partnership (2019–2025) implementing the Aprender: Dentro e Fora da Escola project for Early Childhood Education across 217 municipalities. Labedu provided methodology, training, and monitoring support; Seduc-MA led implementation. By 2026, Seduc-MA assumed full ownership of the training policy, demonstrating institutionalization of Labedu's model.
• Fundação SantillanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-published the book 'Palavras às professoras que ensinam a ler e a escrever' with Ana Teberosky as author and Labedu's Beatriz Cardoso and Angélica Sepúlveda as coordinators. Available as free digital download.
• Editora ModernacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublishing partner for the 'Palavras às professoras que ensinam a ler e a escrever' book, in partnership with Fundação Santillana and Labedu.
• Harvard Graduate School of Education – Professor Paola UccellicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for the development of the Academic Language Assessment (ALA) instrument used in AET impact evaluations, and ongoing collaboration through Professor Carrie Conaway on continuing education research.
• Harvard Graduate School of Education – Professor Carrie ConawaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership analyzing data collected in Maranhão to understand which elements of quality continuing education relate to changes in classroom practice. First results presented at VII Congresso Brasileiro de Alfabetização.
• ProLEER (International Education Network)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network of education professionals where Labedu's President Beatriz Cardoso presented the Aprender: Dentro e Fora da Escola project results. Network shares experiences across Latin America and Europe.
• LEPES – USP Ribeirão PretocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted quasi-experimental impact evaluation research for the AET project in Várzea Paulista, using PIRLS and ALA assessments on 2,000+ students in 49 classrooms.
• TECHO InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in 2016–2017 to create 'Reading Networks' — a manual for volunteer-based reading programs in vulnerable communities of São Paulo, Paraná, and Rio de Janeiro. TECHO trained 93 volunteers who read to 230+ children.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Pratham: Large international NGO focused on literacy and early childhood education across India and other emerging markets. Comparable to Labedu in evidence-based literacy methodology and large-scale teacher training approach, though operating in different geographies.
• Room to Read: Global nonprofit focused on literacy and gender equality in education across low-income countries. Comparable to Labedu in literacy instruction methodology, teacher capacity building, and operating through partnerships with public school systems.

Direct peers

• Avante – Educação e Mobilização Social: Brazilian education and social mobilization NGO that runs teacher training and school improvement programs in public networks. Comparable to Labedu in operating model (multi-state partnerships with municipal/state secretariats) and population focus (children and educators in vulnerable contexts).
• Instituto Ayrton Senna: Large Brazilian education nonprofit that partners with state and municipal secretariats to implement systemic programs in public schools. Comparable to Labedu in distribution model (direct partnerships with Seduc/Semed) and scope (multi-state, large-scale teacher and student impact).
• Instituto Unibanco: Brazilian institute implementing education programs in public school networks with a strong focus on secondary education management. Directly comparable to Labedu in multi-state partnerships with state education secretariats (and is itself a Labedu funder).
• Cenpec: Brazilian education research and action nonprofit working on curriculum, teacher formation, and public education policy. Directly comparable to Labedu's research-to-implementation model and focus on continuing education for educators.
• Associação Nova Escola: Brazilian nonprofit focused on teacher professional development and pedagogical content for public K–12 educators. Directly comparable to Labedu in mission (improving classroom practice via research-grounded methodologies) and customer segment (municipal/state education networks).
• Fundação Lemann: Brazilian foundation that funds and co-implements systemic education initiatives in public school networks, including literacy and leadership programs. Comparable to Labedu as a Brazilian education organization targeting state-level public education reform.
• Instituto Inspirare: Brazilian education nonprofit focused on teacher training and professional development in public schools. Directly comparable to Labedu in target audience (teachers, school leaders) and methodology orientation (evidence-based, classroom-focused).

Broad incumbents

• Fundação Roberto Marinho: Large Brazilian foundation producing educational content and programs across basic and professional education. Comparable to Labedu in producing teacher-facing pedagogical materials and educational media for public networks, but operating at a much broader portfolio scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLfTMXblhZcbJ3F6fZ1EwZPifFyGw8ools
• Facebookfacebook.com/480213178657039/posts/3732048276806830
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laboratorio-de-educacao

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Labedu