The Accelerator Group, a company that operates in corporate education and mentoring for entrepreneurs, founded and led by the Goiás entrepreneur Marcus Marques, is on track to reach over R$ 160 million in revenue in 2024, with an operating margin (EBITDA) above 50%, which could result in a profit close to or even exceeding R$ 85 million.
From January to September 2024, the brand has already billed R$ 122 million and the plan is to make another R$ 45 million in the last quarter, resulting in up to R$ 167 million in revenue this year.
Several factors explain the growth in 2024. According to Marcus, a significant part is due to the inauguration of the new headquarters, which favored branding, brought more credibility, and positioning. “Now, we have more space to scale up our Business Accelerator classes. Before, we received 200 entrepreneurs, and today, we have over 400 in each class. In addition, we now have a state-of-the-art physical space to host up to 1000 people in events of different formats,” he points out.
The new headquarters, in Alphaville, covers 5 thousand square meters and was executed with a total investment of approximately R$ 50 million. The property has already been valued at R$ 90 million by certified appraisers. “The new headquarters consolidates the growth pace that the group has been achieving over the years. We went from an annual revenue of R$4 million in 2020, to over R$ 160 million that we will achieve in 2024. We were only six collaborators at the end of 2020 and will reach 200 collaborators by the end of this year,” he points out.
Structure designed for accelerators
There are two structures within the 5,000m2. The office for employees and the events center are called “Accelerator Office” and “Accelerator Space.” Both the office and the space feature the most modern and comfortable amenities to provide students and clients with meaningful experiences.
Employees have an in-house gym, an internal garden in the middle of the office for decompression, facial recognition, meeting rooms with technological resources like digital boards, ergonomic chairs, as well as workstations that make up a planned structure to generate satisfaction and engagement in everyday life.
The Academy and the internal program Acelera Saúde, which encourages Accelerators (the affectionate term for employees), aims to stimulate teams to exercise more and eat better, incorporating healthier habits into their lifestyle.
Group diversifies revenue to accelerate growth
The Accelerator Space also serves as a business unit and a source of revenue for the group, through renting out the entire structure for third-party events. The space features two plenary halls filled with technology, including over 150m2 of LED panels, advanced house mixes, sound systems, and special lighting. There is also an industrial kitchen and parking.
Another growth lever for the Accelerator in 2024 was the launch of the Accelerate Brazil Tour. Marcus personally visits cities throughout Brazil to conduct the Accelerate Your Company Workshop. The expectation is that 25 cities will host the workshop just this year. “This is a winning strategy, which has already resulted in over R$20 million in revenue this year. My social media audience is quite diverse geographically, so this connection opportunity is a way for us to scale the number of sign-ups for the Business Accelerator immersion. Those who do not live in São Paulo will now take the course at our headquarters, due to this positive initial experience,” highlights the management expert.
The combination of a new headquarters that can accommodate more students, according to Marques, brings more credibility, brand strength, and conversion. “The expansion strategy of hosting smaller events throughout Brazil is contributing to another positive year for the Accelerator Group. Both the revenue and profitability targets are very likely to be achieved,” he concludes.
