Up Mat

UpMat Educacional operates within the Brazilian educational technology sector, focusing on enhancing mathematics and computational thinking for K-12 students. Founded in 2018 by Cristina Diaz, the company aims to make these subjects more engaging and accessible.

The company's business model, described as "Olympiads as a Service," centers on creating and distributing educational content and leveraging academic competitions as a primary engagement tool. UpMat is the official organizer in Brazil for two major international educational initiatives: the 'Canguru de Matemática' (Kangaroo Math Contest) and the 'Desafio Bebras' (Bebras Challenge) in computational thinking. These competitions serve as the main product offerings, attracting participation from both public and private schools across the country.

Revenue is generated through registration fees paid by schools to participate in these competitions. For instance, the 'Desafio Bebras' has a set fee for public and private schools, which allows an unlimited number of students from that institution to participate. The company also offers complementary products like the 'Canguru Experience' and 'Bebras Experience' platforms, which provide year-round learning materials, teacher training, and performance reports for school administrators, creating additional revenue streams. This approach combines event-based income with a subscription-like service model.

A significant milestone was achieved in May 2025, when UpMat secured R$ 1.5 million in a seed funding round from Potencia Ventures, an investment group focused on social impact businesses. This capital is earmarked for platform enhancement, team expansion, and the integration of artificial intelligence to further personalize the learning experience. The company has demonstrated substantial growth, reporting a 189% increase in annual revenue and impacting over 2 million students in 2024. Projections for 2025 aim to reach 3.5 million students, indicating a strong growth trajectory.

The services are designed for K-12 schools, providing students with challenges that develop logical reasoning and problem-solving skills, and teachers with continuous training and support materials. The competitions are structured across multiple levels, catering to students from the 3rd grade of elementary school to the 3rd year of high school. By organizing these established international contests, UpMat provides a certified and globally recognized educational experience.

Keywords: EdTech, education technology, mathematics education, computational thinking, K-12 education, academic competitions, Olympiads as a Service, Canguru de Matemática, Desafio Bebras, educational content, teacher training, student engagement, problem-solving skills, logical reasoning, Potencia Ventures, Cristina Diaz, educational platforms, social impact investment, Brazilian education market