In a sector historically structured to face-to-face classesfive days a week, Grau Educacional decided to follow another path. The change began in the first years of operation, when the technical education network reduced frequency to three weekly meetings.
The model ended up becoming one of the network’s main scaling levers. Fewer days in person would also mean cost reduction and many other gains.
“More than reducing operational costs, we were able to generate more space within the school. With this change, the company increased class turnover and began to make better use of the existing infrastructure. We were able to increase our student production capacity at the school by 40%”, says Ruy Maurício Porto Carreiro Filho, CEO and founding partner of the technical school.
The brothers Ruy Maurício Porto Carreiro Filho and Carolina da Fonte, founding partners of Grau Educacional participated in the program From Zero to Topa program that tells stories of successful entrepreneurs.
In-person reconfigured, not abandoned
In practice, the same physical unit began to accommodate more courses and more students without relevant structural expansion. During the pandemic, the group accelerated the implementation of the digital platform. Even so, he chose not to abandon physical contact. After reopening, mandatory attendance was further reduced, combining two days in person with additional online training.
“For the student, it’s a big difference. The cost for the student is also lower and they still have face-to-face contact with these two meetings. Our units have laboratories. Our courses, both technical and professional, have a lot of practical activities. It’s an experience for them to be there!”, reinforces Carolina da Fonte, who is also the network’s operations director.
Today, the Educational Degree has 133 schools, 180 thousand active students and revenue exceeding R$500 million in 2025. The plan is to reach 300 units in the coming years.
The new operational configuration also made smaller units viable, starting at 600 square meters, compared to the old models that reached 2,000 square meters.
For the founders, the model directly addresses key enrollment barriers.
“The biggest reason for not enrolling is income. And secondly, time”, says the CEO.
To find out more details on how the Grau Educacional school network managed to scale and stand out among the largest in technical education in the country, see the full episode on . The program is available in its podcast version on the main streaming platforms such as , , , and
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About From Zero to Top
The Do Zero ao Topo podcast is a production of InfoMoney and brings, every week, the stories of prominent women and men in the Brazilian market to tell their story, sharing the biggest challenges faced along the way and the main strategies used in building the business.
