Microlins is a Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

ian education

Education

Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...

al franchise

Franchising

Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....

 chain, the second largest of its kind in the country, with almost 700 school

School

A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...

s in more than 500 cities, and almost half a million students (data of June 2007). Founded in the city of Lins

Lins, São Paulo

Lins is a municipality in the western part of the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2006 is 69,721 and the area is 527.98 km². The elevation is 437 m...

 by young entrepreneur

Entrepreneur

An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...

 José Carlos Semenzato

José Carlos Semenzato

José Carlos Semenzato is a Brazilian businessman and entrepreneur, founder and president of Microlins educational franchising chain...

, Microlins started as a single small computer

Computer

A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...

 training

Training

The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of...

 school, in 1990. After a rapid expansion, with branches in several surrounding cities, the company transformed itself into a franchise chain and created many new courses.

Microlins belongs to a holding company

Holding company

A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...

, FranHolding, presided also by Semenzato, which owns also other franchise chains, such as Instituto Embelleze, NumberOne Idiomas, ProfSat

ProfSat

ProfSat Tecnologia e Educação Limitada is a Brazilian private company which specializes in professional education and preparatory courses using satellite video streaming technologies. It was conceived by Dr. Renato M.E...

, and others.