Who Owns Gurilandia?

Gurilandia was founded in 2010 in Brazil as a premium early learning and primary school brand. The brand was established to provide high-quality early childhood education with a focus on play-based learning, child development, and holistic growth for children from infancy through primary school age.

Brazil has a large and growing private education market, driven by the country's expanding middle and upper-middle class and the recognition that early childhood education plays a critical role in children's long-term development and academic success. The demand for premium early learning programs has been particularly strong in Brazil's major cities, where affluent families seek high-quality alternatives to the public education system for their young children.

Gurilandia was established to meet this demand, offering a play-based early learning curriculum that emphasizes the development of children's physical, emotional, social, and cognitive capabilities during the critical early years of development. The brand's educational philosophy reflects the growing body of research demonstrating that play-based learning is more effective than formal academic instruction for young children, supporting the development of creativity, problem-solving, social skills, and emotional regulation.

Over its first decade, Gurilandia developed a reputation as a leading early learning brand in Brazil, building a network of schools across the country. The brand's focus on play-based learning, qualified teachers, and high-quality facilities distinguished it in Brazil's competitive premium early learning market.

In May 2022, Inspired Education Group acquired Escola Eleva Global Schools, a Brazilian premium education group that included Gurilandia among its portfolio of school brands. The acquisition marked Inspired's entry into Brazil's premium education market, one of Latin America's largest and most dynamic private school markets. Brazil's large population, growing middle class, and strong cultural emphasis on education make it an attractive market for premium private school operators.

The Escola Eleva Global Schools acquisition brought Gurilandia into Inspired's global portfolio of more than 125 premium private schools across 30 countries. Under Inspired's ownership, Gurilandia gains access to the company's global educational resources, curriculum development support, teacher professional development programs, and the broader Inspired network of schools.

Inspired's philosophy emphasizes that each school in its portfolio should maintain its individual identity and local character while benefiting from the company's global resources and standards. For Gurilandia, this means preserving the brand's distinctive play-based learning approach and its connection to Brazilian culture and communities while benefiting from Inspired's international expertise in early childhood education.