Felipe Ara煤jo ('12)
Chief Operating Officer, Tero, Brazil
Receiving his Master of Business Administration at 51社区 helped equip Felipe Ara煤jo to co-found two innovative businesses aimed at developing Brazilian youth through sports and educational opportunities.
Ara煤jo, who is originally from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, was recruited to play soccer at Union after he received his undergraduate degree in his home country. Former men鈥檚 soccer head coach Cl贸vis Simas 鈥� who also received his MBA at Union 鈥� encouraged him to be part of the MBA program. Ara煤jo received his MBA with an emphasis in sport management in 2012.
鈥淚 value every class I had the opportunity to be a part of,鈥� Ara煤jo said. 鈥淯nion鈥檚 MBA is a very complete program, and all of the classes were very important for my formation as a professional.鈥�
Ara煤jo returned to Brazil after graduating and now lives in Rio de Janeiro. After working at a well-known sports club for several years, in 2015 he and four partners started Next Level Sports, an organization that works to prepare student-athletes who aspire to play soccer and study in the United States.
When he left Next Level Sports in 2018 by selling his shares to another shareholder, Ara煤jo said the business had more than 3,000 student-athletes practicing in 30 cities in Brazil and Portugal, generating more than $5 million annually and employing more than 300 people.
In October 2018, he and some partners co-founded Tero, which is an app that intends to evaluate, prepare and connect players with the right opportunities in soccer. Ara煤jo serves as Tero鈥檚 chief operating officer. Only a few months after gaining their seed round of investment, he said, they have reached more than 15,000 athletes on the platform and are working with La Liga, the top Spanish soccer league, to give 鈥済rassroots鈥� Brazilian players the chance to be seen by the biggest Spanish soccer clubs.
Helping others have opportunities like the one he received at Union has been what drives Ara煤jo, he said. After graduation, Ara煤jo said he knew he wanted to use the knowledge he gained at Union to generate value for young people who seek opportunities in sports, which is what led him to start these two companies.
鈥淎s we want to positively change the way players are scouted all over the world, we understand the huge social responsibility we carry by helping young men and women to change their lives through sports and education,鈥� Ara煤jo said. 鈥淲henever we help someone to receive an opportunity, we are helping not only that individual but also their family and community.鈥�
He said he hopes to contribute to the development of sports and education in Brazil, educating a new generation of young people who understand the need to work ethically and hard to improve the lives of others. Ara煤jo has also recently written a book, with the translated title of 鈥淪ports Beyond Borders,鈥� that will be given to public school students in the Brazilian states with which their company partners.
Almost seven years after returning to Brazil, Ara煤jo said the principles and knowledge he learned at Union are still important to him as he faces and overcomes challenges in his business. He encourages students considering the Union MBA program to apply.
鈥淎fter they enroll, I would suggest to them to enjoy every single class, every project and every exam because I am certain that it will all be very useful for their career and will help them to develop into the professional they dream to be,鈥� he said.