Brazil registers record small business openings in first quarter
Brazil set a record for small business openings in the first three months of the year, with over 1.4 million new registrations. Individual micro-entrepreneurs (MEIs) made up 78 percent of the newly issued National Legal Entity Registrations (CNPJs).
The data, released by the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae), also indicate a 35 percent increase in the number of MEIs compared to the same period in 2024, along with a 28 percent rise in the number of micro and small businesses.
According to the survey, the growth of formal entrepreneurship has been driven by government initiatives focused on simplifying regulations, promoting innovation, encouraging business creation, and expanding access to credit for small enterprises.
In March, the services sector led small business openings, accounting for 63.7 percent of the total, followed by the commerce and manufacturing sectors.
By region, Sebrae’s research reveals that the Southeast, South, and Northeast lead in the total number of small business openings, with São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro topping the list among the states.
Entrepreneurs
According to the study, 47 million people in Brazil are engaged in entrepreneurial activity, whether formal or informal. One of the key factors behind this figure is the rise in the Established Entrepreneur Rate, now the highest ever recorded in the country.
With the 2024 results, Brazil has climbed two spots, from eighth to sixth, in the global ranking of countries with the highest Established Entrepreneur Rate, surpassing nations such as the United Kingdom, Italy, and the United States.
