Brazil is home to countless entrepreneurs with promising ideas and innovative solutions. However, many of these projects, with the potential to transform entire sectors, end up falling by the wayside; without necessary investment, they miss the chance to achieve their true impact, which can affect market and economic growth.
To streamline access to resources for real projects, Finme was born, founded in 2023 by Felipe Vergasta. It offers an accessible and sustainable alternative, financing projects through the model of crowdfunding, or collective investment, and creating high-potential profitable opportunities. The company has positioned itself in the market as a modern and efficient solution to connect investors and businesses swiftly, strategically, and safely.
“During my experiences in the financial market, I always noticed that many operations and projects were rejected because they didn’t meet all the requirements for funding. This caught my attention, as they were good projects with great innovation potential for sectors that would certainly attract investors. There was a missing link to connect these two sides. Finme was born when I recognized this pain, and the idea emerged to work with companies rejected by the market,” Vergasta shares.
The crowdfunding investment model is regulated and overseen by the Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM). It resembles social crowdfunding—like the famous online “vaquinhas” (group funding)—but with the added feature of financial returns. In this model, people collectively invest in a project and, in return, receive contracts or securities that grant credit rights or equity stakes in the invested business.
Finme coordinates public (for the general market) and private (for selected investors only) offerings to finance projects with real assets, featuring lower operational costs compared to traditional assets while offering potentially higher returns. One of the company’s first projects, focused on agribusiness, exemplifies crowdfunding’s potential: it raised R$ 640,000 in a private offering, demonstrating how the model can boost strategic sectors with real assets.
“Our first private offering was a true baptism by fire, and its success proved the demand for what we do. Since it was a private model, the offering could only be directed to clients we already had a relationship with. Still, we managed to gather a group of investors who approved the business model, and now, they’re already earning monthly dividends,” Vergasta adds.
Focusing on strategic sectors like real estate, agribusiness, and renewable energy, Finme is becoming a market benchmark. For entrepreneurs seeking capital, the company conducts a thorough financial structure analysis and creates tailored marketing and promotion strategies for the crowdfunding, ensuring an effective approach to securing necessary credit.
“Entrepreneurs seeking funding for their projects typically turn to bank loans. Often, they don’t even know there are other options like crowdfunding and end up opting for more expensive credit lines. The idea is to show both those seeking investment and those looking to participate in new ventures that there are profitable and secure alternatives,” he concludes.
