O Descomplica, the first Brazilian EdTech to enter the higher education market, announces this Monday, 21st, the acquisition of UniAmerica, a university center based in Paraná and considered by the MEC (Ministry of Education) one of the most innovative educational institutions in the country. Less than a year after launching its higher education vertical – Uncomplicated Faculty – and just four months after announcing the largest round of investment ever received by an EdTech in Latin America – R$450 million –, the Uncomplicated advances in its strategy of becoming a national reference in the digital higher education segment. “Our expansion is taking place at the speed of the transformations that education is undergoing. There was already a significant change in the correlation of forces in this market, which was accelerated by the pandemic, and Uncomplicated is very well positioned: we are a reference in digital education, we offer the most sought-after courses and, now, with UniAmérica, we have gained agility to expand our operations even further”, he says Marco Fisbhen, CEO of Descomplica.
In just over a year of operation, Descomplica's postgraduate program is already one of the largest in Brazil, with more than 55 students enrolled, while Descomplica College's undergraduate program has 100% of its places filled. The acquisition of UniAmerica is the first step in an aggressive expansion plan, with investment targets totaling around R$1 billion over the next three years, both in organic growth and through new acquisitions. During this period, the brand intends to become the largest postgraduate institution in Brazil and gain even more space in undergraduate programs, with a value proposition that combines technological innovation, modern teaching methodologies and the offering of the most sought-after careers today, mainly in the areas of engineering, technology and business, factors that will be amplified with the acquisition of UniAmerica.
“Our goal has always been to contribute to society by offering quality digital education that fulfills the true role of a college: focusing on employability and income generation for students, not just on their education and diploma. The investments we will make in the coming years – whether in acquisitions, organic expansion, talent acquisition, operational efficiency and offering new courses – will multiply our share of the university market tenfold. With UniAmerica that just like the Uncomplicated, is recognized for its excellent teaching and innovation, we are taking another significant step in that direction”, he says Daniel Pedrino, President of Descomplica College.
According to executives, the goal is to create something unprecedented in Brazilian education. In February, the Uncomplicated received an investment co-led by the funds Invus Opportunities and SoftBank, with participation from the Valor Capital Group fund, Península Participações, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) and Amadeus Capital Partners. The Edge, guitarist for the Irish rock band U2, also participated in the round.
With the arrival of UniAmerica, Uncomplicated Faculty now has an institution recognized for the quality and innovation of its academic model, excellence in the use of active methodologies and technologies applied to education and an experienced teaching staff, elements that will contribute greatly to the objectives of Uncomplicated in offering innovative products. With the acquisition, the higher education arm of Uncomplicated multiplies its portfolio sixfold, going from the current four courses to 22 undergraduate options. The 18 new courses join the options in Administration, Accounting, Pedagogy and Human Resources. Now, Uncomplicated Faculty It also offers the most employable undergraduate courses in Brazil in the areas of technology and modern management, such as: Commercial Management, Data Management, Financial Management, Public Management, Logistics, Marketing, Management Processes, Systems Analysis and Development, among others (check the complete list of courses at the end of the text).
“We see in the Uncomplicated the ideal partner to continue the development of the long-term project of UniAmerica. We have a synergy of values that is very important, such as believing in education as a transformative force and in digital technology as a great path to higher education”, he says. Ryon Braga, Rector of UniAmérica. “The capacity for innovation of Uncomplicated will provide quality content to UniAmericaa, in addition to innovative technologies and people passionate about the education sector, something that we understand as fundamental to consummate this union”, he stated.
How the teams look
A UniAmerica continues to offer the same in-person courses it already has, as well as the same group of coordinators and teachers, with Ryon in front of the institution's rectory. The Uncomplicated Faculty also remains with the same body of collaborators and with Daniel Pedrino leading the business unit.
“We are growing exponentially, in two years we will be the largest higher education institution in Brazil in general numbers and also in face-to-face teaching, supported now by this acquisition”, he says. Pedrino.
“At the beginning of the year, when we raised the investment round, we knew that one of our main goals for 2021 would be to grow our higher education sector quickly and with quality. To honor the commitments we made, we looked for an institution that would help us in this process. Therefore, we are very pleased to bring UniAmerica for our universe”, he highlights Fishbhen.
Growth
With 5 million students per month in all its educational fronts, the Uncomplicated operates 100% online. With the Uncomplicated Faculty, the institution consolidated a new model of higher education, differentiating it from current distance learning and combining quality teachers, entertainment and cutting-edge technology with studies. “When we launched the College, in 2019, we debuted with the highest grade awarded by the MEC, while our postgraduate program also established itself and grew more than 10 times. The acquisition we are announcing will allow us to expand our portfolio, number of vacancies and effectively bring innovative education to millions of students”, says Pedrino.
With the acquisition of UniAmérica, the Uncomplicated follows through on the goals agreed upon with investors at the beginning of the year. These include increasing the number of EdTech employees – now reaching over 750 people – and having 300 vacancies open at the moment, 100 of which are for engineering and digital products. “We want to build the largest college in Brazil, quickly reaching one million students in a 100% digital model. To do this, we will continue to invest in what we understand is essential to engage students: a digital pedagogy enabled by technology, which helps us bring education to students from different parts of the country and from different socioeconomic classes,” he adds. Fishbhen.
18 new courses
A Uncomplicated Faculty now offers the following courses in digital format: Commercial Management, Data Management, Financial Management, Public Management, Logistics, Marketing, Management Processes, Systems Analysis and Development, Database, Cloud Computing, Digital Games, Internet Systems, Production Engineering, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, Portuguese Language, History and Mathematics.
About Descomplica
Founded in 2011, Descomplica has the mission of democratizing access to education at all stages of life. The startup, which operates with a 100% online model, offers preparatory courses for Enem and college entrance exams, as well as undergraduate and graduate courses – the latter through Faculdade Descomplica. Reaching 5 million users per month across all platforms, Descomplica is responsible for educating the majority of the public preparing for Enem in Brazil. In 2020, the company was announced as one of the “Tech Pioneers” by the World Economic Forum, a global recognition for technology-based companies that are between the initial and growth stages. The companies are considered promising startups and are in the so-called “scale-ups”, a definition given to companies that grow at least 20% per year. They are companies at the forefront of technological innovation and their businesses. Also last year, the startup was announced as one of the 100 Startups to Watch 2020, an award that takes into account innovative, highly scalable startups that deserve the attention of investors, accelerators, governments and large companies.
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