Bernardo de Padua

Here’s why you should know about Bernardo de Padua, the guy’s a straight-up legend in the Brazilian startup scene. This dude’s been around the block, crushed it at Google, and then jumped into the edu space with Quero Educação back in 2010. Like, he saw how fucked up access to education is in Brazil and decided to do something about it. That’s real passion right there.

He’s not just some random founder either. Bernardo’s the co-founder and former CEO of Quero Education, which is basically an online marketplace that connects students with schools and courses. Think of it like the Amazon for education but with a mission to make learning more accessible and affordable. He’s been all about democratizing education, making it easier for anyone in Brazil to get the info they need without paying a fortune. That’s some real impact stuff.

And get this, he’s a Y Combinator alum from the S16 batch. That’s the real deal, bro. Went through the hardest startup accelerator in the world and came out the other side with some serious cred. You can tell he’s got that hustle, that grind, and the brains to back it up. Plus, he’s got mad technical skills, JavaScript, PHP, MySQL, all that web dev stuff, so he built his projects from the ground up, no bullshit.

His background? It’s stacked. He’s studied at Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica, which is like Brazil’s MIT, super prestigious. And he’s been around some of the biggest names in tech and finance, Google, Locaweb, Redealumni, Agência Espacial Brasileira, Santander Banespa. Dude’s been in the game long enough to pick up the real deal knowledge, and he’s used that to fuel his own ventures.

What really makes Bernardo stand out is his drive. He’s all about solving problems, not just chasing startups or making a quick buck. He’s genuinely fired up by breaking down barriers, like making education accessible for everyone. And he’s not afraid to jump into new tech, invest as an angel, or take risks to make shit happen. That’s the kind of founder who’s gonna change the game.

So yeah, Bernardo de Padua? He’s a tech guy turned social impact hero, who’s been through the trenches, learned a ton, and now he’s out here building stuff that actually matters. No Cap, this dude’s a force, and he’s just getting started.