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10 Reasons for Doing Business in Brazil

  • Writer: paulogermann
    paulogermann
  • Jan 14
  • 4 min read

Internationlisation to Brazil
Business partnership Switzerland and Brazil

Is the USA still the ultimate land of opportunity for Swiss growth companies, or is it time to look beyond the familiar approach? For those ready to think beyond the obvious and explore new horizons you should continue to read.


According to recent study by Swiss Global Enterprise Brazil ranks on 4th with regard to internationalisations plan of Swiss SME. Let’s dive into why Brazil stands out as an exciting and promising business destination for Swiss companies in 2025.


  1. The 8th largest economy in the World

Brazil is the eighth largest economy in the world with a market of 212.6 million people. As the largest country in Latin America, Brazil offers an ideal starting point for expansion into the entire region. With an area 206 times larger than Switzerland and a population 24 times larger, Brazil opens up enormous growth opportunities for Swiss companies. A presence in Brazil allows Swiss firms to tap into other Latin American markets and expand their business activities in the region.


  1. At the Forefront of Digital Transformation

The country is experiencing a rapid digital transformation. Over 75% of the population has access to the internet. Both the public and private sectors are investing heavily in technological infrastructure and promoting innovation centers and tech incubators. 3 interesting example of digital leadership in Brazil:

  • PIX - the instant payment system launched in 2020 by the Brazilian Central Bank, used by 70% of the population (150mn) and with total transaction worth $4.8bn in 2024.


  • WhatsApp for Business Brazil counts for 40% of Meta’s global WhatsApp business revenue. In addition 95% of the Brazilian companies use the channel to contact clients and prospects according to a report of a Brazilian Venture Capital Firm “Atlantico”.

  • Nubank, the largest Fintech in Latam founded in Brazil has more than 100mn clients, a market cap of $52bn (January 2025) and is listed at NYSE.


  1. Booming Technology Sector

Brazil is experiencing an impressive upswing in the technology sector. São Paulo alone has over 340,000 technology companies, making the city a vibrant center for innovation. The IT services market is expected to reach a volume of $29.84 billion by 2029, growing annually by nearly 6%. Major technology corporations like Microsoft are investing heavily in the development of cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence, opening up numerous new business opportunities for Swiss companies. This dynamic development provides ideal conditions for Swiss firms operating in the field of technology and digital solutions.


  1. Largest Startup Ecosystem in Latin America

Brazil is experiencing an impressive upswing in the technology sector. São Paulo alone has over 340,000 technology companies, making the city a vibrant center for innovation. The IT services market is expected to reach a volume of $29.84 billion by 2029, growing annually by nearly 6%. Major technology corporations like Microsoft are investing heavily in the development of cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence, opening up numerous new business opportunities for Swiss companies. This dynamic development provides ideal conditions for Swiss firms operating in the field of technology and digital solutions.


  1. Fintech and Crypto

1500 startups and 58% of Latam venture capital transaction counts for a vivid fintech and crypto ecosystem supported by fintech friendly regulation according to VC report by Taktile. Like in many other emerging countries Brazil counts for a high crypto adoption rate and ranks on the Chainanalys report on 10th global position. In total the country has 26mn investors in digital assets including 12’000 business, which offers new opportunities for institutional offerings. Finally the banking sector from Itau Unibanco (the largest bank), to Nubank and Banco BTG is offering various type of investment opportunities in the emerging asset class.


  1. Energy & infrastructure

As the host of the COP 30 (UN climate conference) which will take in place in the Nord-eastern city of Belem in November 2025, Brazil enforces his role as a global leader and contributor to net zero.

According to a Swiss Global Enterprise report Brazil is at the forefront of renewable energy investments, with over CHF 34 billion committed to solar and wind projects, particularly in the Northeast and Southeast. Green hydrogen has also emerged as a game-changer, with a planned capacity exceeding 40GW and investments of CHF 13 billion driving to drive the energy transition.


  1. Health care

Brazil offers attractive business opportunities in various sectors. The healthcare market is the seventh largest worldwide with annual expenditures of over $42 billion in the private sector. Digitalization in healthcare creates high demand for electronic health records, e-prescriptions, and AI-supported systems.

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  1. A Long History Swiss Business Presence

Swiss companies already have a long and successful history in Brazil. They employ over 68,000 people in the country, and consolidated Swiss capital investments amount to over 13.6 billion Swiss francs. This strong presence creates a familiar environment for new Swiss companies looking to enter the Brazilian market. Additionally, there are established networks and support structures such as the Swiss-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (SWISSCAM) that serve the interests of Swiss companies in Brazil.


  1. Business Infrastructure for Swiss SMEs

With the Swiss Business Hub Brazil in São Paulo Swiss companies have an official representation that assists in implementing export strategies and promoting Switzerland as a business location. The hub offers services in areas such as medical technology, mechanical engineering, cleantech, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food industry, and rail transport.


  1. Startup Camps and academic collaboration

Swissnex Brazil serves as a vital link between Switzerland and Brazil, fostering collaboration across academia, startups, and innovation as part of the global Innosuisse Ecosystem. It offers access to conferences, events and academic programs like the Start-up camps or the WebSummit Rio 2025.


Main Challenges

Despite the promising outlook, there are also challenges that Swiss companies must overcome when entering the Brazilian market:


  1. Bureaucracy and regulatory complexity

  2. Language barriers and cultural differences

  3. Economic volatility and political uncertainties


These challenges underscore the need for sound advice and support when entering the market.


How to start: Go-to-market Check

The GTM Sprint Check is based on my framework which helped various companies in sectors like Cleantech, to Deeptech, SaaS or Fintech to validate market oportunities in short periode of time. Within a week you get a report about your go-to-market readiness for Brazil or other international market.





 



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