Brazilian Municipalities Lead with Strong Support and Growth for Small Businesses
Brazilian municipalities Aracruz and Francisco Beltrão lead initiatives that strengthen small businesses, complemented by Sebrae's economic advocacy highlighting small enterprises' role in the national economy.
- • Aracruz’s Sala do Empreendedor served about 11,200 clients in 2024, earning the Sebrae Selo Diamante for service excellence.
- • Francisco Beltrão leads Southern Paraná in the IDAN M with a score of 94.74 and ranks 5th statewide for business environment quality.
- • IDAN M evaluates municipalities based on factors like credit access, innovation, and entrepreneurial support.
- • Sebrae's participation in ANPEC's economic meeting emphasized the vital role of small businesses, which comprise 97% of Brazilian companies and contribute significantly to employment and GDP.
Key details
In 2024, Brazilian municipalities such as Aracruz and Francisco Beltrão have demonstrated significant progress and leadership in supporting small businesses through tailored public policies and institutional collaborations. Aracruz’s Sala do Empreendedor provided approximately 11,200 services to micro and small entrepreneurs—up from 8,831 in 2023—illustrating a growing demand for business formalization, training, and credit access. This initiative earned the municipality Sebrae/ES’s prestigious Selo Diamante award, recognizing excellence in service delivery. The center acts as a vital link between the government and local job creators, supporting enterprise formalization and integration into public procurement to stimulate regional economic development.
Meanwhile, Francisco Beltrão secured first place in the Southern Region Municipal Business Environment Development Index (IDAN M) by Sebrae Paraná with a score of 94.74. The municipality ranks fifth statewide, credited to strong collaboration among public authorities and partners that has enhanced bureaucratic simplification, entrepreneurial culture, and innovation. The IDAN M evaluates municipalities on access to credit, leadership, market access, and other factors that foster a robust business climate for small enterprises.
Complementing these local successes, Sebrae participated for the first time in the National Economy Meeting of ANPEC, emphasizing the foundation small businesses represent to Brazil’s economy. With 97% of Brazilian companies categorized as small businesses contributing over 55% of formal employment and roughly 26.5% of GDP, Sebrae’s inclusion linked macroeconomic policy debates to microeconomic realities faced by entrepreneurs. Despite recent economic slowdowns, Brazil’s GDP is projected to grow about 2% in 2025, with historically low unemployment supporting the labor market.
Together, these developments underscore a national momentum where strategic public policies in municipalities like Aracruz and Francisco Beltrão, combined with broader economic recognition, play a critical role in empowering Brazil’s small business sector and fostering sustainable economic development.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
