Descomplica Funding, Investors & Competitors

Descomplica has raised $112M across 5 funding rounds, most recently a $83M Series E in February 2021.

Last Descomplica funding round

$83M

Series E · Feb 2021

Cumulative funding Descomplica raised

$112M

across 5 funding rounds

Key investors in Descomplica

  • Valor Capital Group
  • Social Capital
  • Valar Ventures
  • Amadeus Capital Partners
  • 500 Global
  • Bossa Invest
  • Invus Opportunities
  • SoftBank Group

Descomplica Overview

About Descomplica

Descomplica is a Brazilian online education company created in March 2011 by Marco Fisbhen. It began by selling online video classes that prepare high school students for university entrance exams such as ENEM, and it later added undergraduate and postgraduate degrees through its own digital college. In 2021 it bought UniAmerica, a university center in Foz do Iguacu, to widen its accredited course offer. The company reported reaching five million students a month across its digital platforms and had a team of almost 600 people in early 2021. Its investors have included Social+Capital, Valar Ventures, Valor Capital Group, Amadeus Capital Partners, Invus Opportunities, SoftBank and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and its 2021 round of US$84.5 million was the largest for an edtech company in Latin America at the time.


Founded

2011

HQ

BrazilSao Paulo

Status

Privately held

Customer focus

B2C

Revenue model

Subscription

Descomplica Funding History

Descomplica has raised a total of $112M across 5 funding rounds.

Descomplica's first fundraising round was a seed round in December 2012. The most recent completed round was a $83M Series E in February 2021.

Descomplica funding rounds

Descomplica funding rounds
DateStageInvestorsRaisedDeal Summary
Feb 2021Series EInvus Opportunities (lead); SoftBank Group (lead); David Evans; Intercorp Peru; Chan Zuckerberg Initiative; Peninsula Participacoes; Amadeus Capital Partners; Valor Capital Group; Bossa Invest$83MDescomplica closed a round of US$84.5 million, about R$450 million, announced on 18 February 2021, co-led by Invus Opportunities and SoftBank and described as the largest round for an edtech company in Latin America. Valor Capital Group, Peninsula Participacoes, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and Amadeus Capital Partners took part, as did David Howell Evans, the guitarist known as The Edge. Invus had led the previous round, in 2018. The company said the money would fund Descomplica College, its digital higher-education arm, both through organic growth and through acquisitions of complementary technologies and institutions, with a goal of reaching one million students. Descomplica was reaching five million students a month across its digital platforms and had a team of almost 600 people. It had reached breakeven in 2020 but still burned cash. Its first acquisition after the round was UniAmerica in June 2021, part of a plan to invest R$1 billion over three years.
Feb 2018Series DInvus Opportunities (lead); Social Capital; Endeavor Catalyst; Amadeus Capital Partners; Valor Capital Group; Bossa Invest$17MInvus Opportunities led an investment of R$54 million, roughly US$16 million, in Descomplica announced on 28 February 2018, described by the company as its fourth round of investment. Existing investors Amadeus Capital Partners, Valor Capital Group and Social Capital renewed their commitment. In 2021 the Brazilian press described the same round as US$20 million from Invus. Descomplica was founded in 2011 and sells online video classes and study plans to Brazilian students preparing for university entrance exams, and it was later to move into undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. The 2018 round came three years after a US$7 million Series C led by Amadeus and set up the larger Series E of 2021, in which Invus was again a co-lead.
Jun 2015Series CDigital Prosperity Fund (lead); Daniel Curran; Edelweiss.vc; Social Capital; Amadeus Capital Partners; ZenStone Venture Capital; Valor Capital Group; Valar Ventures$7MAmadeus Capital Partners' Digital Prosperity Fund led a Series C of US$7 million in Descomplica, announced on 12 June 2015. The release described Descomplica as Brazil's largest online classroom, founded in 2011 and then headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, with revenue that nearly tripled in 2014 and that the company expected to triple again in 2015. The funding was meant to develop more content, widen the product range and add delivery channels. The round followed a US$5 million Series B in 2014 led by Social+Capital, which had brought total funding to just over US$7 million, and a 2012 seed round from Valar Ventures, Valor Capital Group, Social+Capital and 500 Startups. Descomplica sells online video classes to high school students preparing for Brazil's university entrance exams, using a low-priced subscription model. Amadeus is a London-based technology investor that has backed more than 200 companies since 1997.
Feb 2014Series BSocial Capital (lead); Lex Liao; Kevin Breay; Valor Capital Group; 500 Global; Valar Ventures$5MDescomplica, a Brazil-based edtech company, raised $5 million in a Series B funding round in 2014 led by Social+Capital Partnership, with participation from Valar Ventures, Valor Capital Group, 500 Startups, and angel investors including those via an AngelList syndicate. This round brought the company's total funding to just over $7 million at the time. Social+Capital Partner Brigette Lau joined the board as part of the investment.
Dec 2012SeedSocial Capital; Valor Capital Group; 500 Global; Valar Ventures-Descomplica, a Brazilian online test-preparation company, announced a seed round on 19 December 2012 from Valar Ventures, the firm of Peter Thiel, Valor Capital Group, Social+Capital Partnership and 500 Startups, among other investors. The company did not disclose the amount. The round followed a year of growth in which more than one million students used the platform, including 100,000 students in a single day during a live-lesson marathon the day before the national ENEM entrance exam. Founder and chief executive Marco Fisbhen aimed to help high school students prepare for entrance exams through online video classes, sold at a price point of US$60 a year, payable in instalments of US$5 a month. The investment was one of a growing number of backings for startups in Latin America's online education market, and it set up the 2014 Series B led by Social+Capital.

Who has invested in Descomplica?

19 investors have backed Descomplica across its funding rounds, including Valor Capital Group, Social Capital, Valar Ventures, Amadeus Capital Partners, 500 Global and Bossa Invest.

Lead investors include Invus Opportunities, SoftBank Group, Digital Prosperity Fund and Social Capital.


Descomplica Investors

Investors in Descomplica by funding rounds participated
InvestorHQRoundsRoleFirst check
Valor Capital GroupUnited StatesNew York City, NY5ParticipantDec 2012
Social CapitalUnited StatesSan Francisco, CA4LeadDec 2012
Amadeus Capital PartnersUnited KingdomCambridge3ParticipantJun 2015
Valar VenturesUnited StatesNew York City, NY3ParticipantDec 2012
Invus OpportunitiesUnited StatesNew York City, NY2LeadFeb 2018
Bossa InvestBrazilSão Paulo2ParticipantFeb 2018
500 GlobalUnited StatesPalo Alto, CA2ParticipantDec 2012
David EvansIrelandDublin1ParticipantFeb 2021
Daniel CurranUnited StatesLos Angeles, CA1ParticipantJun 2015
Lex LiaoUnited StatesSeattle, WA1ParticipantFeb 2014
Intercorp PeruPeruLima1ParticipantFeb 2021
SoftBank GroupJapanTokyo1LeadFeb 2021
Edelweiss.vcUnited StatesSan Francisco, CA1ParticipantJun 2015

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Acquisitions by Descomplica

Descomplica has acquired 1 company to date.

Last acquisition by Descomplica was on June 22nd 2021. Descomplica acquired UniAmérica for undisclosed valuation.


Latest Acquisitions by Descomplica

UniAmérica
Description
UniAmérica is a university center in Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, in Brazil. It offers in-person and online undergraduate courses and postgraduate programs. It is now part of Descomplica and operates as Descomplica UniAmérica.
HQ CountryBrazil
HQ City
Foz do Iguacu
Deal Date22 Jun 2021
Valuationundisclosed
EV/Revenue
EV/EBITDA

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Descomplica Competitors

Descomplica competitors include listed companies like East Buy, Stride and Youdao, and private ones like GoStudent, Age of Learning and Outschool.

Public and private companies comparable to Descomplica
CompanyHQStatusRevenueEBITDAValuationRevenue Multiple
East BuyChinaChinaPublicly listed$855M$99M$4.1B3.4x
GoStudentAustriaViennaPrivate$107M-$3.4B-
StrideUnited StatesUnited StatesPublicly listed$2.5B$580M$3.2B1.2x
Age of LearningUnited StatesLos Angeles, CAPrivate$100M-$3B-
OutschoolUnited StatesSan Francisco, CAPrivate$100M-$3B30.0x
YoudaoChinaChinaPublicly listed$887M$30M$2.4B2.6x

Descomplica Public Comps

Descomplica is still privately-owned, but its public comps include Pearson, New Oriental Education, Duolingo, TAL Education, Graham Holdings, Laureate Education, East Buy, Covista, Fibra Educa and Stride.

Last FYEV/RevenueEV/EBITDA
RevenueEBITDALast FYLTM2027ELast FYLTM2027E
Pearson$4.8B$1.4B2.6x2.5x8.7x11.1x
New Oriental Education$5.7B$832M0.8x0.7x5.4x4.9x
Duolingo$1B$152M6.1x5.3x41.4x19.6x
TAL Education$3B$700M1.1x1.0x4.7x5.0x
Graham Holdings$4.9B$682M1.1x1.0x7.6x-
Laureate Education$1.7B$515M3.0x2.7x10.0x8.8x
East Buy$855M$99M3.9x3.4x33.7x27.7x
Covista$2B$462M2.1x2.1x9.1x7.8x

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Common questions about Descomplica

When was Descomplica founded?Descomplica was founded in 2011.
Where is Descomplica headquartered?Descomplica is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Is Descomplica publicly listed?No, Descomplica is a private, VC-backed company.
How much funding has Descomplica raised?Descomplica has raised $112M across 5 funding rounds.
What was Descomplica's last funding round?Descomplica's last funding round was a $83M Series E in February 2021, led by Invus Opportunities and SoftBank Group.
Who are Descomplica's investors?Descomplica's investors include Valor Capital Group, Social Capital, Amadeus Capital Partners, Valar Ventures, Invus Opportunities, Bossa Invest, 500 Global, David Evans, Daniel Curran, Lex Liao and 9 others.
Which companies are comparable to Descomplica?Companies comparable to Descomplica include East Buy, GoStudent, Stride, Age of Learning, Outschool and Youdao.
How many companies has Descomplica acquired?Descomplica has acquired 1 company, including UniAmérica.

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