Brazil Sees Record Surge with 4.6 Million New Small Businesses in 2025

Brazil experienced a historic peak in small business creation in 2025, with 4.6 million new small businesses registered between January and November, marking a remarkable 19% increase from the 4.1 million in the same period in 2024. This unprecedented growth makes 2025 the best year on record for small business registrations in the country.

Small businesses accounted for 97% of all new businesses established, with microentrepreneurs (MEI) representing the majority at 77%, followed by 19% microenterprises and 4% small enterprises. The surge is attributed to economic confidence propelled by full employment and controlled inflation. Décio Lima, President of Sebrae, emphasized that 60% of Brazilians aspire to entrepreneurship, viewing it as a pathway to social inclusion, job creation, and income generation.

November alone saw 350,000 new small business registrations, an increase of 28,000 compared to November 2024. The services sector led the way, responsible for 64% of new small businesses, showing a 24.5% growth in MEI registrations from the previous year. Commerce accounted for 21%, while industry made up 7% of new business registrations.

Regionally, São Paulo led with 29% of new small business registrations, followed by Minas Gerais at 11% and Rio de Janeiro at 8%. Specific activities with the highest number of new microentrepreneurs included delivery services (22,986), road freight transport (19,753), and advertising activities (16,091). Among micro and small enterprises, outpatient medical and dental care (4,981) and combined office and administrative support services (3,949) were top activities.

This robust growth underscores Brazil's improving entrepreneurial environment amid favorable economic conditions. Sebrae's leadership highlights entrepreneurship as a cornerstone for economic inclusion, signaling promising prospects for continued expansion in the small business sector.