Curitiba and Aracaju Lead Brazil in Fastest Business Openings Through Digital Innovation
Curitiba and Aracaju lead Brazilian capitals in enabling entrepreneurs to open new businesses in just two hours, thanks to major reductions in bureaucracy and digitization efforts.
- • Curitiba and Aracaju lead Brazilian capitals by enabling business openings in just two hours, 90% faster than the national average.
- • Curitiba reduced the average time to open a business from 81 to 2 hours since 2019, a 97% reduction.
- • New registrations in Curitiba rose 33% from January to September 2025 compared to 2024, reaching 55,901 businesses.
- • Automation and integration with federal and state agencies improved predictability and efficiency in the business environment.
Key details
Curitiba, Paraná and Aracaju, Sergipe, have emerged as the fastest Brazilian capitals to open new businesses, dramatically reducing bureaucracy through municipal digitization and policy reforms. According to data from the federal government’s Mapa das Empresas for the second quarter of 2025, both cities enable new businesses to be established in just two hours, about 90% quicker than the national average of 21 hours.
Curitiba exemplifies this progress with an impressive 97% reduction in business opening time, dropping from 81 hours in 2019 to two hours currently. This transformation is credited to the city’s digitalization efforts, streamlined processes under the Lei de Liberdade Econômica, and the introduction in 2022 of 61 new low-risk business activities. Now, 606 business categories, such as advertising agencies and clothing stores, can operate without needing licenses or permits.
These changes have coincided with a significant surge in entrepreneurial activity. Between January and September 2025, Curitiba saw a 33% increase in new business registrations compared to the same period in 2024, rising from 41,790 to 55,901, as reported by the Municipal Secretary of Planning, Finance, and Budget. Mayor Eduardo Pimentel highlighted Curitiba’s transformation into a business-friendly city, promoting job creation and income generation.
Automation has played a critical role, with full digital automation of viability consultations and the integration of municipal systems with state and federal agencies like the Paraná Commercial Board and the Federal Revenue Service. This integration has made the business environment more predictable and efficient, according to Curitiba’s Secretary of Finance, Vitor Puppi.
Other capitals such as Recife, Vitória, Florianópolis, and Porto Alegre follow closely, allowing business openings within three hours, reflecting a broader nationwide trend toward reducing entrepreneurial hurdles through technology and streamlined bureaucracy.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.