São Paulo Boosts Small Business Growth Through Debt Renegotiation and Favorable Policies

São Paulo enhances small business growth by extending debt renegotiation terms and maintaining a business-friendly environment that fuels new company formations and job creation.

    Key details

  • • Small businesses have until January 30 to renegotiate federal debts with potential discounts up to 100%.
  • • São Paulo opened 869,004 new companies from 2021 to 2025 and attracted nearly 90,000 from other cities.
  • • The city’s unemployment rate fell to 5.2%, its lowest in history, supported by investor-friendly policies.
  • • Tax reductions and streamlined business registration bolster economic dynamism and formal job creation.

São Paulo continues to support small business expansion with key initiatives embracing debt relief and a business-friendly environment. Microentrepreneurs, microenterprises, and small businesses have until January 30 to renegotiate outstanding debts with the federal government under extended special conditions that offer up to 100% discounts on interest, fines, and legal charges, according to the Procuradoria-Geral da Fazenda Nacional (PGFN). This program addresses various debt situations based on payment capacities and debt nature and must be formalized via official PGFN channels distinct from Simples Nacional tax reclassification procedures.

Meanwhile, São Paulo’s broader economic landscape underscores this supportive stance. From 2021 to 2025, the city opened 869,004 new companies, including 15,616 relocating from other municipalities, contributing approximately R$ 4 billion to municipal revenues. The capital’s unemployment rate has dropped to a historic low of 5.2%, buoyed by policies such as ISS tax reductions for tech sectors and streamlined business registration processes like Empreenda Fácil. Mayor Ricardo Nunes credits the city’s security, legal certainty, and proactive legislation for attracting investment and fostering job creation, evidenced by 24,000 formal jobs created in November 2025 alone.

These combined efforts underpin São Paulo's emergence as a premier economic hub, creating conducive conditions for small business growth and durability amid Brazil’s dynamic market.

This article was translated and synthesized from Brazilian sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.

Source comparison

The key details of this story are consistent across the source articles