As startups Brazilian companies received a total of US$ 9.4 billion in investments in 2021, according to a survey by the Distrito platform released this Wednesday (12). The number is 2.5 times higher than that invested in 2020, and the highest since the beginning of the study, in 2011.
In all, there were 779 transactions involving investments in startups. In the month of December, investments totaled US$ 550 million, with 46 rounds of contributions. In 2011, when the survey began, US$ 147 million were contributed.
According to the survey, 2021 had the highest number of new unicorns, startups that exceed the market value of US$ 1 billion. There were 10 companies that joined the group: MadeiraMadeira, Hotmart, C6, Mercado Bitcoin, Unico, Freight.com, CloudWalk, Merama, Facily and Olist. As a result, Brazil now has 21 unicorns.
The District also points out that the sector that received the most investments was startups in the financial area, fintechs. They raised US$ 3.7 billion, with 176 investment rounds.
Fintechs were followed by startups from retail, retailtechs, with US$ 1.3 billion in 87 transactions, and by real estate companies, with US$ 1.07 billion and 32 rounds.
The health startups, healthtechs, obtained US$ 530 million in 69 contributions, and the mobility ones, US$ 411 million in 20 rounds.
The survey also points out that early-stage startups were the ones that received the largest amount of investment. However, companies in more advanced stages were those that handled the largest volumes, reaching US$ 2.04 billion in series C and US$ 1.92 billion in series B.
For Gustavo Gierun, co-founder of the District, the values reflect a movement towards the digitization of companies that intensified with the pandemic, generating opportunities for startups, as well as greater maturity in the sector in Brazil.
Mergers and acquisitions hit record
In addition to investments, Fusions and acquisitions of startups also reached a record number. In all, 247 startups were acquired by other companies, and most of the transactions were carried out by other startups.
Fintechs also led mergers and acquisitions, with 44, followed by martechs, marketing startups (27), retailtechs (26), edtechs, education startups (19), and healthtechs (19).
“Investing in acquisitions is a much more efficient way to guarantee changes such as increasing the number of services provided or implementing a new business model”, says Gustavo Araujo, co-founder of the District.
Reference: CNN Brasil
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