The startup scene in Brazil

Rio de Janeiro City Hall’s municipal startup panorama estimates about 600 startups in the city and projects R$5.3 billion in startup revenue for 2025, using Zoox Eye data. The panorama identifies information technology, education, health and wellness, management and consulting, and socio-environmental impact as leading sectors, and Centro, Barra da Tijuca, Botafogo, Santo Cristo, and Ipanema as neighborhoods with the highest startup concentration. It reports that 39.7% of surveyed startups were within 5 kilometers of Maravalley and 71.9% were within 10 kilometers. [1][2][3]

StartupBlink’s 2026 city profile reports 346 startups in Rio de Janeiro. This differs from City Hall’s estimate of about 600; the sources’ startup definitions and sampling methods are not aligned, so the difference alone does not establish a contradiction. [4][5]

HUB RJ Startup 2025 was a state-wide program launched by FAPERJ and the state science and technology secretariat, with nine regional hubs. By June 3, 2026, FAPERJ reported 144 projects completing phase two, which offered support of up to R$30,000 per project over 20 weeks, and 143 proposals selected for the final phase. [6][7]

Rio Innovation Week’s official site lists its next edition for August 24–27, 2027, at Pier Mauá in Rio de Janeiro, and displays a pass call to action. [8]