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Brazilian delegation makes its presence felt in Lisbon as the global market heats up.
Brazil arrives in Lisbon this week with a robust delegation of over 340 startups and innovative companies at Web Summit 2025, one of the world's largest technology and entrepreneurship events. The event, taking place between November 10th and 13th, brings together more than 70,000 participants, 2,500 startups from various countries, 3,050 exhibiting companies, and 1,066 investors.
Brazilian participation is coordinated by the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), in partnership with Sebrae and other entities. According to Jorge Viana, president of ApexBrasil, the country has consolidated its position as a benchmark for innovation in Latin America, with scalable technological solutions arousing global interest.
An ecosystem in rapid expansion.
The numbers reflect the strength of the Brazilian ecosystem. In August 2025, Brazil surpassed the mark of 20,000 active innovative companies, representing a growth of 301,000 in one year, according to data from the Sebrae Startups Observatory. The country occupies the 27th position in the global ranking of startups, behind only the United States (1.1 million) and India (493,500), according to the Startup Ecosystem Index 2025.
The geographical distribution shows a decentralization of innovation: the Southeast region concentrates 35.8% of innovative companies, but the North and Northeast stand out with a strong presence in the Lisbon delegation. On average, 137,000 new startups are founded globally every day.
Fundraising and recovery of the venture capital market.
The third quarter of 2025 brought signs of recovery to the Brazilian venture capital market. National startups raised R$2.1 billion in 27 transactions, registering growth of 231% compared to the same period in 2024. This movement contradicts the global trend, which reached its lowest levels since 2017.
The main inflows were concentrated in information technology and financial products, which captured more than 80% of the funds. Highlights include:
- QI Tech: R$ 350 million with General Atlantic and Across Capital
- NG.Cash: R$ 147 million led by NEA (New Enterprise Associates)
Even with the IPO market still frozen globally, Brazilian funds carried out 18 exit operations that moved R$ 2.88 billion between June and September, including 14 sales to strategic investors and four secondary operations.
Artificial intelligence dominates the global landscape.
In the international context, the venture capital market continues on a clear growth trajectory. Record investments in artificial intelligence have concentrated a significant portion of global capital since the beginning of 2025. The total valuations of leaders in generative AI have approached the one trillion dollar mark, increasing the number of unicorns.
Notable rounds in recent weeks include:
- Synthesia (UK): $200 million for video generation platform
- Fireworks AI (USA): $250 million (Series C) for AI in genomics and health
- Armis (USA): $435 million with a valuation of $6.1 billion in IoT cybersecurity.
- Harvey (USA): $150 million for legal AI
Consolidations and mergers and acquisitions are also redefining the landscape, with mega-transactions in cybersecurity, fintech, and software infrastructure creating new centers of expertise.
Diversity and representation in focus.
Web Summit 2025 stands out for its commitment to inclusion. In 2024, 44% of the startups present were founded by women — the highest number ever — and women represented 42% of the participants and 37% of the speakers.
This year's edition promises to deepen debates on artificial intelligence, questioning who controls it, who pays for it, and how governments, investors, and creators adapt to the new emerging world. Major companies such as Meta, Microsoft, Cloudflare, Qualcomm, IBM, and Adobe will be present with their leaders.
The impact for Brazil
Brazilian participation in Lisbon follows an internationalization strategy. Last year, the Brazilian delegation generated more than 15 million euros in business. This year, with an expanded delegation and a strengthened ecosystem, expectations are even higher.
Maria Paula Velloso, Industry and Services Manager at ApexBrasil, emphasizes that the event represents a transformative opportunity for startups at different stages: “All regions of the country are a hotbed of innovation. Participating in an event like Web Summit Lisbon is a transformative opportunity.”
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
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