Investments can total up to R$1,000,004 per transaction.
The fifth edition of INOVA Startups, an investment program for early-stage startups from Sebrae-SC, in partnership with Bossa Invest and five other institutional partners, was launched this Thursday (28), during the second day of Startup Summit 2025.
Created in 2021, INOVA Startups was the Sebrae System's first venture capital program, operated by a partnership initially formed by Sebrae-SC and Bossa Invest. In four years, the program expanded its equity base and increased its capital tenfold. In its fifth edition, with an initial investment of R$1.5 million in 2025 and an estimated R$1.5 million in funding by 2028, Sebrae-SP joined the group of partners, which now number seven – Sebrae-SC, Sebrae Nacional, Sebrae-SP, Bossa Invest, Raja Ventures, Unifique, and BRDE – with R$1.5 million invested.
Focused on innovative, scalable startups close to break-even, INOVA Startups has already invested in 76 companies, spread across ten Brazilian states.The program has already received 3,786 applications throughout its history and has enabled up to three rounds of investment per startup, with checks that can total R$1,400,000 per operation.
"Once again, Sebrae-SP is dedicating resources to the market in a complementary way, acting as a co-investor in the startups' first checks—a decisive moment in the entrepreneurial journey," says Nelson Hervey Costa, managing director of Sebrae-SP.
Angel and pre-seed investment in Brazil needs to grow consistently so that we can multiply the success stories in technology in the country. country
Nelson Hervey Costa, managing director of Sebrae-SP
"This new edition aims to expand the promotion of innovative entrepreneurship, aligning Sebrae's strength with the expertise of private venture capital managers," says Carlos Henrique Ramos Fonseca, managing director of Sebrae-SC. "We're talking about a model that has already proven its effectiveness, both in the number of companies invested in and in concrete results," he adds.
“Through initiatives like this, we reinforce Santa Catarina’s role as a protagonist on the national scene, while at the same time creating conditions for entrepreneurs to have access to the capital, knowledge and network necessary to scale their businesses.” business"
Carlos Henrique Ramos Fonseca, managing director of Sebrae-SC
The program's participation criteria include a minimum monthly revenue of R$10,000, a valuation of up to R$15 million, a validated business model (B2B, B2C, B2B2C, or B2G), a structured team, and a working product. Startups must also have achieved problem-solution fit and a clear vision for the business's financial sustainability.
The fourth edition, which ended in 2024, broke a record number of registrations, with 1,179 startups from all states in the country.. Of these, 17 were selected for the acceleration process.
Startup Summit 2025
The launch of the new INOVA cycle took place in the context of the Startup Summit 2025, which ran until August 29, in Florianópolis (SC). The eighth edition of the event brought together 10,000 in-person participants, 30,000 online, more than 250 investment funds and around 150 exhibitors. Among the international keynote speakers were Werner Vogels (Global CTO of Amazon) and Tom Gruber (co-creator of Apple's Siri).
With nine stages, 20 content tracks, and exclusive areas for matchmaking between startups and funds, the event consolidates the capital of Santa Catarina as a national innovation hub and strengthens the role of Sebrae Startups as a platform to support the new Brazilian economy.
EN 
PT 
