São Paulo, March 22, 2021 – UOL EdTech, Brazil’s largest educational technology company, has announced the acquisition* of Passei Direto, the largest peer-to-peer study platform in Brazil, with 4 million active users. With this transaction, UOL EdTech, which recently received a significant investment from the SoftBank Latin America Fund, expands its portfolio of digital education solutions and strengthens its leadership in driving the digital transformation of the education sector in Brazil.
“We are very excited to welcome Passei Direto to UOL EdTech. As a 100% platform-based business connecting content creators with students, their scalability aligns perfectly with our strategy. This acquisition allows us to further diversify the UOL EdTech ecosystem, which also provides digital education solutions for companies and educational institutions,” said Alex Augusto, CEO of UOL EdTech. He added: “We share the same values and objectives and believe that technology will bring people closer together and accelerate learning, especially in a country with such significant educational gaps as ours. We will preserve the qualities that brought Passei Direto this far and support their growth within UOL EdTech.”
With this addition, UOL EdTech will reach students at all stages of learning, from young primary and high school students using digital solutions to support their studies, to professionals seeking continuous education through fully online specializations or workplace training programs. This aligns with the concept of Lifelong Learning, offering flexibility to integrate education into life and work routines.
Passei Direto operates its own platform, where content creators develop and share materials across a wide range of fields. The platform hosts nearly 10 million resources across more than 20,000 subjects. Founded in 2012 with the mission of empowering users through knowledge, the company quickly gained traction among students nationwide and has seen impressive growth rates of around 100% in recent years.
Rodrigo Salvador, CEO and co-founder of Passei Direto, stated: “Passei Direto is now the largest study network in Brazil, connecting content creators with students across the country. Joining UOL EdTech will accelerate our growth. The synergy between education and technology holds immense, yet untapped, potential. Without a doubt, education is the key to changing the future, and we are thrilled to be part of this transformation.”
The acquisition of Passei Direto by UOL EdTech comes amid a surge in digital adoption in education, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. With educational institutions conducting classes remotely, the online modality has solidified its position in the market, paving the way for companies in the sector to develop innovative solutions to transform education in Brazil, breaking traditional geographical barriers.
According to UNESCO data, more than 1.5 billion students worldwide were impacted by school closures, with 188 countries implementing nationwide suspensions of in-person classes since the onset of social distancing measures. This underscores the growing trend of education through digital platforms, which are also gaining traction in the Brazilian market.
Before its acquisition by UOL EdTech, Passei Direto received investments from funds such as Redpoint eventures, Valor Capital Group, Crescera, Grupo Xangô, Chegg, Endeavor Catalyst, and Península Participações.
*The transaction value was not disclosed by the parties.
