Hostinger Start: Scaling digital inclusion in the Amazon with Aguila Hikari

Deep in the Brazilian Amazon, where internet connections drop without warning and computer labs are practically nonexistent, children from Indigenous and riverside communities are learning spreadsheets, logical thinking, and how to use AI tools.

That’s the reality Aguila Hikari is building, one classroom at a time.

Founded by João Águila in Benjamin Constant, a small city near the Colombian and Peruvian borders, Aguila Hikari is an education-focused startup turning a childhood frustration into a regional movement.

João grew up without access to computer schools, but now he’s making sure the next generation has access to the digital education he never had.

With support from the Hostinger Start program, that mission is growing faster than he imagined.

What is the Hostinger Start initiative?

The Hostinger Start initiative is a global program designed to accelerate the digital growth of promising small businesses and entrepreneurs.

After an initial rollout in Indonesia, the program expanded to Brazil, where three winners were selected to receive R$15,000 in funding plus a Hostinger services package worth R$1,500.

Aguila Hikari stood out for tackling a massive gap in digital education access in one of the most remote and underserved regions of the country.

What is Aguila Hikari?

Aguila Hikari is an education-focused startup dedicated to reducing digital exclusion by teaching technology, logic, and computational reasoning to children and teenagers in Benjamin Constant, Amazonas. But if you picture a typical computer class, think again.

João’s method blends computing with games such as chess, UNO, basketball, quizzes, and movement-based exercises.

A student might start the afternoon with a chess match that teaches strategic thinking, then move to a computer to apply that logic in coding exercises or problem-solving tasks.

The longer-term vision is a trilingual learning platform in Portuguese, Spanish, and Ticuna that works offline, so students in the most remote communities can access lessons without a stable connection.

What inspired you to start Aguila Hikari?

“There were no computer schools for kids here. If you wanted to study IT, you had to have a high school diploma or travel all the way to Manaus, which is almost 2,000 km away. So I taught myself at a library. When I started teaching and saw my students facing the same barriers, I kept hearing: ‘Professor, can you give private lessons?’ That’s when I decided to build a school for the kids.”

What challenges did Aguila Hikari face before the grant?

Before receiving the grant, Aguila Hikari faced severe infrastructure constraints.

João launched the project in early 2024 with university colleagues, using computers donated by the Universidade Federal do Amazonas, where he earned his degree in Business Administration. But most of the equipment was already in poor condition and quickly became unusable, pushing him to invest in a mix of used and new machines to keep things running.

Being a technician, he handled repairs himself, but the maintenance cycle was relentless. When equipment failed, he resorted to borrowing computers from a local school, physically carrying them to his classroom and returning them the same night.

The project also lacked a professional digital presence. Without a website or professional email, it was hard to present Aguila Hikari as credible to parents and potential partners.

What was the hardest part before Hostinger Start?

“Everything I’ve been able to produce has really been since I got proper equipment. Before that, I was borrowing a computer from another school and doing very heavy logistics every night, taking it there, bringing it back. I even paid a lot of money to developers for a website and they made something I didn’t like. I wanted to learn to do it myself so I wouldn’t depend on anyone.”

How did Hostinger Start help?

Hostinger Start empowered Aguila Hikari to upgrade its physical classroom and establish a professional digital presence:

Physical infrastructure: João bought new computers, so students now get more individualized access to equipment instead of sharing. He also renovated the classroom with fresh paint, new tables, and interactive elements like a basketball hoop, turning it into a space kids actually want to spend time in.

Digital independence: Using Hostinger Website Builder and Horizons, João built multiple sites himself, including the school’s main site, a chess site, and a personal portfolio. He also set up a professional email, which boosted credibility and brought new invitations from outside organizations.

What changed once you could manage the digital side yourself?

“I was very surprised at how easy it was to build it with Hostinger. I already work in IT, but I expected building a website to be much harder. I created multiple sites, learned how everything works, and now when we apply for grants or talk to institutions, we’re not just a simple startup anymore. The email, the website, it all gives us more authority.”

What are the results and community impact?

Since receiving the grant at the end of 2025, Aguila Hikari has grown to around 60 registered learners, including students joining through distance learning.

The progress shows up in the students themselves. Learners who had no prior tech exposure are now working confidently with spreadsheets and AI.

And the momentum is spreading: projects in nearby cities like Atalaia do Norte and Tabatinga have seen João’s websites and reached out asking him to help build their own.

What is the future outlook for Aguila Hikari?

Over the coming months, Aguila Hikari aims to expand to nearby cities and strengthen its hybrid education model across the Alto Solimões region, with a goal of reaching 100 active students by the second half of 2026.

The startup is working to establish partnerships with the Instituto de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico (INDT) and the Secretariat of Entrepreneurship and Employment (SEMEE) to develop joint initiatives that bring tech education to remote communities while expanding training opportunities in Benjamin Constant.

Aguila Hikari is also participating in an acceleration program led by Venture Hub, earning recognition as one of the startups representing the interior of the Amazon.

Why is digital independence crucial for social projects?

For social projects, digital independence builds credibility and puts you in control of how your initiative shows up online.

Before Hostinger Start, João had no functioning website and used a generic email. When he approached officials, partners, and potential supporters, he had nothing to point them to.

Once he launched the school’s site and set up a professional email, organizations started reaching out with invitations he’d never received before. A small initiative in the remote Amazon was suddenly presenting itself with the same polish as established NGOs.

There’s also the budget reality. João had previously spent significant money on developers for a website that never met his needs. With an intuitive builder, that money went toward computers and classroom materials instead.

For social entrepreneurs on tight budgets, handling your own digital presence isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s the difference between spending on your mission and spending around it.

Turning local barriers into scalable education

When João started with donated computers in early 2024, most of them burned out within months. Now students are learning AI tools, 60 registered learners are enrolled across in-person and remote classes, and neighboring projects want to follow the same playbook.

That’s what happens when you pair determination with the right infrastructure.

If João can build a tech school in one of the most remote corners of the Amazon, there’s no reason you can’t bring your own idea to life. 

Start a website with Hostinger Horizons and take the first step toward making your project visible to the world.