Brazil in the spotlight: startups in Lisbon and innovation

Brazilian delegation takes 370 startups to the Web Summit in Lisbon.

Brazil consolidated its presence on the global technology and innovation stage by arriving at Web Summit Lisbon 2025 with a robust delegation of over 370 startups and innovative companies. The event, held between November 10th and 13th in the Portuguese capital, attracted an expected audience of over 70,000 people and established Brazil as a relevant player in the search for scalable solutions with the potential for international expansion.

The Brazilian Pavilion was officially inaugurated on November 11th at 3 PM by the presidents of the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), Jorge Viana, and the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae), Décio Lima. The ceremony brought together high-ranking representatives, including the Brazilian ambassador to Portugal, Raimundo Carreiro, and the consul in Lisbon, Alessandro Candeas, highlighting the strategic importance of the initiative for the country.

“ApexBrasil maintains its commitment to supporting the internationalization of Brazilian startups, and the Web Summit is one of the main initiatives to achieve this goal,” highlighted Jorge Viana. The coordinated participation between ApexBrasil and Sebrae reflects an articulated strategy to promote the Brazilian innovation ecosystem, with representatives from all regions of the country present at the event.

Technology market: Brazil leads in salaries in Latin America.

While Brazilian startups seek to expand their international horizons, recent data reinforces the competitiveness of the domestic technology market. The report "The State of Global Compensation 2025," by the multinational human resources firm Deel, analyzed more than 1 million contracts in 150 countries and revealed that Brazil leads in compensation for technology professionals in Latin America.

Brazilian engineers and data scientists receive, on average, US$67,000 per year — equivalent to approximately R$358,900 annually, or R$31,800 monthly. This value significantly exceeds that recorded in Mexico (US$48,000 annually) and Argentina (US$42,000 annually), consolidating their regional leadership.

However, the survey reveals a less encouraging reality when compared to global markets. In the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom—world leaders in compensation—salaries in technology average US$150,000 annually, approximately R$855,000 per year, more than double the Brazilian average. Furthermore, the research identified significant internal disparity: while technical areas maintain competitive salaries, professionals in sales, marketing, product, and design are still far from the standards of the major technological powerhouses.

Public innovation: Brazil launches CAR as a strategic digital asset.

In parallel with the advances in the private sector, Brazil reaffirmed its commitment to digital transformation in the public sector. The Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services (MGI) launched the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) on November 11th during COP30, as the first Brazilian Digital Public Asset.

The initiative marks the international recognition of CAR, which has become part of the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) catalog — a global network of open digital solutions with the potential to generate impact and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Minister of Management, Esther Dweck, emphasized that "technology must go hand in hand with sustainability and a commitment to social justice.".

This positioning reinforces a broader strategy of integrating innovation, sustainability, and social justice, consolidating Brazil's leading role in building cooperation paradigms based on open and interoperable technologies.

Ecosystem in motion: regional awards and events

Beyond large-scale initiatives, Brazil continues to drive its innovation ecosystem at the regional level. The Government of Paraíba awarded 20 entrepreneurs at the 2025 edition of Expo Favela Innovation Paraíba, an event that concluded on November 9th. The total investment exceeded R$1 million, with the top five winners receiving R$50,000 each and the remaining winners R$40,000, in addition to access to specialized mentoring and training.

Events like the FOZ TECH SUMMIT 2025, held on November 5th and 6th in Itajaí, and similar initiatives in other regions demonstrate that innovation is not concentrated only in large centers, but pulsates in diverse territories of the country.

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash