Digital Maturity of Brazilian Small Businesses Surges by 10% in Two Years

Brazilian small businesses have made significant strides in digital maturity, increasing their Digital Maturity Index for Small Businesses (IMD-PN) by 10% from 35 points in 2024 to 39 points in 2026 on a scale of 0 to 80, according to the 2026 Digital Maturity Survey by Sebrae. This surge reflects growing adoption of digital tools and data-driven management practices across the sector.

The survey revealed a sharp decline in the proportion of companies with low digital maturity, dropping from 17% in 2024 to just 2% in 2026. At the same time, the share of "Digital Leaders" almost doubled, rising from 5% to 9%. Currently, 60% of small businesses fall into the "Emerging" category, indicating steady progress in incorporating digital technologies into day-to-day operations.

Among different business sizes, Small Enterprises (EPP) achieved the highest average digital maturity score at 46 points, followed by Microenterprises (ME) at 43 points. Microentrepreneurs (MEI), despite having the lowest average score of 35 points, showed the most considerable relative growth at 12%. This growth for MEIs was largely driven by increased use of digital customer service tools, online sales channels, and enhanced social media engagement.

Sector-wise, Commerce leads digital maturity with a score of 40 points, closely followed by Services at 39 points, which owns the highest relative growth in digital maturity over the past two years. Industry sectors also continue to integrate digital practices, underscoring a broad-based transformation.

Décio Lima, national president of Sebrae, highlighted that Brazilian entrepreneurs have overcome historical connectivity barriers and are now actively pursuing qualifications to professionalize their operations. Sebrae’s ongoing support includes providing accessible online solutions to facilitate digital integration.

In summary, the digital transformation of Brazilian small businesses is accelerating, with substantial improvements in maturity scores, leadership in digital adoption, and a promising outlook for continued growth in leveraging digital technologies across sectors.