The landscape of corporate education in Brazil is undergoing a silent yet radical transformation. Market data shows that the demand for executive training has increased by 30% in 2023, with entrepreneurs increasingly seeking knowledge that can be immediately applied to support the growth of their businesses. A survey conducted by Group X, with business owners and entrepreneurs from all regions of the country, reveals that 82% of business owners invest in training focused on management and scalability, while 41.7% point to innovation and adaptation to the market as the main objective when studying. The numbers emphasize a crucial point: the diploma is no longer the priority. What is at stake is the survival and growth of businesses.
This change exposes the fragility of the traditional executive education model, characterized by long academic cycles, high costs, and little connection to the reality of small and medium enterprises. In Brazil, where99% most companies are SMEs and account for more than 27% of GDP, and about 55% of formal jobs, most leaders cannot afford to wait two years to apply concepts learned in a classroom. They need immediate solutions to tackle cash flow, leadership, sales, and positioning in an increasingly competitive market. It is in this space that corporate education hubs have consolidated as the true “new Brazilian MBA.”
The logic is simple: entrepreneurs are not looking for degrees, they are looking for results. Unlike traditional MBAs, which often prioritize theory and academic methodology, hubs like Group X offer short courses, strategic mentoring, practical immersions, and access to an active networking network. Learning occurs through the experience of those who have lived in the market, made mistakes and succeeded, and now share methods applicable to the reality of the entrepreneur who is at the frontlines of operations. “The entrepreneur does not have time for theory that does not generate results. What they want is to learn today and apply tomorrow. The new MBA in Brazil does not last four years: it is continuous, practical, and connected to the market,” says Jorge Kotz, CEO of Group X, which has already impacted 167,000 companies across Brazil, which together have generated R$ 1 billion.
This movement is not restricted to large capitals or the business elite. On the contrary: entrepreneurs from medium-sized cities and regional hubs, who previously had no access to high-level networks, now find in clubs and networking hubs a viable alternative for growth. More than classes, they receive practical content combined with connections that transform into partnerships, contracts, and expansion opportunities. It is a model that democratizes access to strategic knowledge, bringing elite tools to companies that, until recently, were off the radar of major financial centers.
