It’s undoubtedly the giant of South America, and the technological market is not an exception. The entrepreneurs that join the Verde-Amarelho world say such things as: “it’s a world”, “it works as a continent”, “it follows its own rules”, significant barriers established by the market for those willing to take the risk.
It’s true, Brazil is that huge market everybody wants to try, but it’s enough for itself. Its own numbers, giant and intimidating, certify it. “Lula Age” brought about social mobility for a significant share of the Brazilian lower class, so it could join the consumer market with overwhelming consequences, and the technological industry also felt it.
Data provided by Statista shows that nearly 50 percent of the population is connected to the Internet, with over 80 million users, nearly 43 million of which use mobile connections. According to E-bit, out of the 51.5 million consumers that did online shopping in 2014, 10 million were having their first experience. This context fully explains the reason why for Brazilian startups their own country is quite enough when it comes to obtaining outstanding profits. This list includes the top five startups:
HOTEL URBANO
PHOTO: BLOOMBERG
“A successful case”, that’s how specialists describe this startup, founded in 2011, because it stands as an excellent product and it has known how to capitalize the context and exponentially grow. The platform –which provides tourism information on Brazil and other Latin American countries – has made the most of the tourism boom within the framework of the World Cup held last year and the upcoming Olympic Games.
Based in Rio de Janeiro, the company created by João Ricardo Mendez and Jose Eduardo Mendez has nearly 12 million fans on its Facebook page.
Remark: the company closed 2014 with profits over 400 million USD, while its payroll grow from 5 to 500 in four years.
EVOBOOKS
This San Pablo-based company, founded by Felipe Rezende, is specialized in the edition and publication of educational digital content. It offers popular applications on biology, sciences, history, mathematic books, among others, compatible with all mobile platforms.
Used by over 500 thousand students in some 1,000 schools of the country, the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation described EvoBooks as the best startup of 2014.
Remark: According to the company, the performance of students that use EvoBooks goes 30 percent up, while over 70 percent of professor work with the apps to prepare their lessons.
LOGGI
Founded in 2013 by Fabien Mendez, Arthur Debert and Eduardo Wexler, the startup solves the logistic transportation matter by using the popular, mass and reliable network of motorcycle and bicycle couriers in San Pablo.
The company aims at taking logistics to a real time scenario. By means of an app, the order is uploaded and the closest person in the area makes the delivery. The users can follow their order by using the app.
Remark: In 2014 the company introduced an attractive characteristic. After the delivery, customers (most of which are companies) can visualize the digital signature of the person that received the product.
BOVCONTROL
What happens when you are a country that owns over 200 million heads of cattle? You need to control and manage it. That’s exactly the objective of this app developed in 2012 by Danilo Leao, Alecsey Fernandes and Marcella Santana.
Thanks to this application, the producers can control the nutrition, health and organization of their cattle, since they have access to useful graphics and analysis.
Remark: The app is known as the “Cattle Google Analytics” and such companies as Wal-Mart and Google have put their eyes on it so as to control their supplies.
GUIABOLSO
Founded in 2012 by Benjamin Gleason (former manager of Groupon Brazil) along with Thiago Alvarez, the successful app helps millions of Brazilian people control and monitor their expenses and transactions.
In a simple and friendly way, the application teaches and simplifies the education and financial control of a significant number of people that need to understand their daily economy.
Remark: One month after its launch on the App Store, without any visibility or marketing, the app ranked fifth in downloads in Brazil.
