Paulo Passoni

Brazilian internet pioneer who transformed digital access in Latin America through innovative business models

Paulo Passoni (born 1968) is a Brazilian entrepreneur widely credited with bringing internet access to the masses in Latin America. In 1996, he co-founded UOL (Universo Online), which became Brazil's first major internet portal. His vision of making the internet affordable and accessible led to the creation of innovative payment models like Uoldiveo, which provided discounted internet services to low-income families.

Passoni's biggest impact came through his development of the UOL Host platform, which enabled small businesses to create professional websites without technical expertise. This democratized digital presence for over 500,000 SMEs across Brazil by 2005. His 1999 book 《Building Digital Bridges》 outlined strategies for bridging the digital divide, influencing policies in countries like Argentina and Mexico.

In 2002, he launched Abril Educação, an online education platform that provided affordable courses in partnership with universities like USP. His work has been recognized by the Latin American Internet Association (ALAI) and the World Summit Awards. Passoni currently chairs the IG telecom group, continuing his mission to expand digital inclusion through initiatives like the Digitaliza program that trains underserved communities in digital skills.