discovering startups in Brazil

By Davide Ballestra / 30 July 2012 / a great digital expert, an entrepreneur, digital / No Comments

Startups Brasil

The startups scene in Brazil is simply great. There are so many ideas and great opportunities that gave me the idea to move there to build mine. The examples are really a lot and many updates and news can be found online here or here. TNW awards is going on today and you ca vote on this site. An online database helps you find the best startups.

My objective is to give you an overview on the global situation in Brazil and hopefully help you to define which is the best and suitable place to open your startups.

Tech hubs

Many would agree with me if I say that Brazil has not yet a Silicon Valley, but many little hubs. It does not help to make stronger the startup field there. Potential opportunities that could take place are wasted. For The Next Web there are over 7 tech hubs in Brasil:

  • Manaus: more about hardware because of the Free Economic Zone, but other initiatives are growing;
  • Recife: the Recife Center for Advanced Studies and Systems is working very well to make the city a suitable place to start;
  • Belo Horizonte: is the city of Google and have several opportunities for entrepreneurs;
  • Rio de Janeiro: the numbers of tech school, startups, funds and some accelerators is growing at a daily base;
  • Campinas: the world class university helped to develop the necessary background for startups;
  • São Paulo: is the LATAM economic and financial center. Big companies, funds, schools opened their offices there. The next  TNW Conference will take place there in August;
  • Curitiba: smaller but fighting very well, co-working spaces and good school help entrepreneurs.

If São Paulo and Rio are theoretically the best places to set up a startups, the costs are definitely higher (2 or even 4 times) than the other cities. This make the choice not easy, but if you are thinking to open a startups in Brazil personally it’s better to avoid São Paulo if you are moving with a budget smaller than $100k, but do not get too fare. Of course if you love the sea and the beach, Rio is the best choice :)

Funds

The most important national and international funds and VC are located in São Paulo. Consider the city as the financial center for South America.

Accelerators and incubators

There are many accelerators and incubators that may be suitable for you. There are universities and many tech schools some of them open only to their students, but there are some of them which are owned by private groups and are open to everyone.

There are also global programs, events and challenges organized by private or public organisations:

Associations 

There are also several local and national associations for entrepreneurs and startups.

Any comments, feedbacks or advice? Please follow me and tweet with me

 

 

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About Davide Ballestra

Swiss Digital entrepreneur currently based in São Paulo.