These are Brazil’s Top Startups to Watch in 2026, according to Cuantico VP

Cuantico VP, a leading research platform focused on venture capital in Latin America, has unveiled its latest analysis of Brazil’s Top Startups 2026, highlighting five strategic categories that define the country’s most promising tech innovations. The study shows Brazil’s ecosystem recovering strongly, attracting sophisticated investments that prioritize profitability, operational excellence, and long-term growth.

Strong Recovery and Structural Transformation

Brazil’s tech market recorded USD 1.25 billion in investments during the first half of 2025, surpassing more than half of the 2024 total and signaling a shift toward stricter investment standards. This contrasts with 2023, when investments hit a decade-low of USD 1.18 billion. São Paulo remains the hub of innovation, concentrating 47% of regional funding and attracting top-tier investors such as Sequoia Capital, Founders Fund, Kaszek Ventures, and Union Square Ventures.

According to Junior Rodrigues, president of ALAS (Latin American Startups Alliance), “Brazil is consolidating itself as a country open to Latin talent, committed to building bridges that enable startups from across the region to grow and scale from here to the world.”

Five Dominant Categories

Artificial Intelligence and Enterprise Automation

AI is at the forefront of Brazil’s tech transformation, driving massive investment rounds:

• Arvo (Healthcare AI) – USD 20M Series A led by Kaszek and Base10 Partners, processing over USD 22B in medical claims and quadrupling revenues in 12 months.
• Tako (HR Automation) – USD 18.5M Series A led by Ribbit Capital with participation from a16z, processing over USD 200M in payroll with AI-driven automation.
• VAAS (Risk Management) – USD 3.7M Series A led by Headline, reducing transaction review times from 15 minutes to 30 seconds.
• Enter (Legal AI) – USD 35M Series A co-led by Founders Fund and Sequoia Capital at a USD 350M valuation, processing 250,000 legal cases annually.

Fintech and Specialized Financial Services

Brazilian fintechs are moving toward niche verticals:

• Capim (Dental BNPL) – USD 26.7M Series A, facilitating affordable dental treatments for 60,000+ Brazilians.
• RevisaPrev (Pension Planning) – USD 770K pre-seed, conducting 90,000 free retirement analyses.
• Cacao (USD/Pix Fintech) – Y Combinator-backed platform enabling instant USD conversion via PIX.

Sustainability and Biotechnology

Environmental and biotech innovation leads Brazil’s sustainability efforts:

• Mombak (Carbon Removal) – USD 30M Series A, planting 5M native trees and securing contracts with Google, Microsoft, and Meta.
• Future Cow (Cellular Agriculture) – USD 560K funding for cow-free milk production with drastically reduced emissions and water use.
• Olho do Dono (AgTech) – TechCrunch Startup Battlefield LATAM winner using 3D livestock measurement with 97% accuracy.

Health and Medical Diagnostics

AI and biotech converge to advance medical solutions:

• Huna (Cancer Detection) – USD 1.5M pre-seed, early detection of cancer risks from routine blood tests, validated in Nature.

Education Technology

EdTech plays a strategic role in Brazil’s social development:

• Principia (EdTech) – USD 35M funding, supporting over 500,000 students and 600+ educational institutions with USD 30M annualized revenue.

Market Trends and 2026 Outlook

Cuantico VP identifies five key macro-trends shaping the Brazilian startup ecosystem:

1. Software Verticalization – Specialization in sector-specific solutions rather than generic platforms.
2. AI as a Defensible Advantage – Core integration of AI driving superior performance.
3. Sustainability as a Business Model – Environmental solutions attract international capital and corporate interest.
4. Specialized Fintech – Niche financial services replacing generalized banking solutions.
5. Scientific Validation – Innovation combined with scientific rigor, especially in biotech and health.

The Brazilian ecosystem is increasingly connecting with the wider Latin American region, enabling talent from Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, and Peru to scale in Brazil without cultural or regulatory barriers.

Rodrigues notes, “Latin American integration is not a utopia, but a reality in the making, with Brazil acting as its main engine.”

Brazil as a Latin American Tech Hub

The report confirms Brazil’s growing maturity, with 24 unicorns and a market valued at USD 117 billion. Its startups are now addressing real-world challenges with defendable competitive advantages, setting a benchmark for the region. The convergence of AI, biotech, specialized fintech, and sustainability positions Brazil as a leading innovation hub for 2026.