In a delivery scenario that often suffocates small businesses with high commissions, Pigz, a startup from Roraima founded in 2020, is revolutionizing the Brazilian market. With an innovative subscription and integrated management model that eliminates sales commissions, the platform has processed 30 million orders and moved approximately R$ 1 billion in 2024 since its founding, ensuring that millions in resources remain in the local economy. Present in 1,500 establishments across the country — although its active marketplace is currently restricted to Boa Vista, Roraima — Pigz is preparing for an investment round aimed at an ambitious national expansion.
The startup’s story begins as a case of resilience. When the lockdown closed restaurants in Boa Vista, partners Laercio Gentil and Leonardo Seefeld identified two chronic pain points: the lack of digitalization among small businesses and the “exorbitant” commissions (reaching nearly 30%) charged by market platforms. “It was a global pain, not just local“, says Gentil. With an initial team of two people — themselves — they launched an MVP (minimum viable product). Today, the company employs 40 people and has received recognition from players in the financial market, including analysis by Paramis Capital, a financial boutique specializing in credit, structured operations, and venture capital.
1,500% growth and 30 million orders in four years
The numbers demonstrate impressive growth between 2020 and 2024, highlighting the success of Pigz’s value proposition. During this period, the platform accumulated over 30 million processed orders. There were only 11,000 orders in 2020, 194,000 in 2021, 2.5 million in 2022, 8.5 million in 2023, and 19 million in 2024. The number of orders from unique users also skyrocketed, multiplying by 40 times: from 5,000 in 2020 to 200,000 in 2024. Financially, the total value moved jumped from R$ 615,000 to approximately R$ 1 billion in the same period.
Pigz’s growth reflects a broader movement in the Brazilian startup ecosystem, which has shown signs of recovery. According to Distrito, a market intelligence platform focused on the innovation sector, emerging companies in the country raised US$ 1.46 billion in 2024 — a 9.5% increase compared to the previous year. Within this positive scenario, Pigz stands out for its regional origin and business model: instead of charging commissions that can reach nearly a third of the order value, as traditional platforms do, it offers a complete subscription-based management system, helping restaurants maintain competitive prices and generating savings for consumers.
The company’s strategy goes beyond simply connecting restaurants and customers. The platform was designed as a 360º solution for small entrepreneurs, integrating everything from in-person service (with digital orders, QR Code payments, and table management) to proprietary delivery, inventory, invoice issuance, and performance analysis. “The retailer typically needed to hire four or five different suppliers to have all this. We unified it into a single accessible platform“, explains Seefeld.
Pigz’s business model is also evolving. Beyond restaurants, the platform now serves markets, pharmacies, and even event ticket sellers, representing about 20% of its current base. “We want to be the operating system for small businesses, regardless of the segment“, projects Gentil.
In a country that ranks as the 3rd largest delivery market in the world, with the sector moving about R$ 38 billion in 2023 and over 500,000 events held in 2024, there is clear demand for digitalization, especially among small and medium-sized restaurants that represent 80% of the market but face barriers like multiple platforms, high fees, and low visibility. Pigz, a technological force from Orange Labs and part of the Stone ecosystem, stands out by bridging this gap, combining delivery and tickets in a single marketplace, optimizing sales and operations, and facilitating transactions for businesses.
Robust technological ecosystem drives growth and diversification
To sustain its scalable model, Pigz developed a complete ecosystem of solutions with proprietary technology and multiple revenue streams — including payment fees, ticket sales, and monthly subscriptions, without commissions on orders.
The Pigz App functions as a centralized marketplace for delivery and events, connecting consumers to restaurants, markets, and event promoters.
Focused on establishment operations, the Pigz Comanda organizes service through tables, bracelets, or cards, while the Pigz Gestão allows order control and customer relationship management on a single platform.
The consumer experience was also optimized with the Pigz Kiosk, which offers self-service kiosks and tablets to reduce queues and streamline orders. For payment and event solutions, the highlight is Pigz Pay, a prepaid consumption voucher system, and Pigz Ingressos, an integrated platform for ticket sales and validation.
The economic impact in Roraima is palpable. With about 400 registered establishments in the state alone, Pigz processes approximately 60,000 orders per month in its marketplace model, moving R$ 4 million monthly. According to the company’s calculations, this means about R$ 9.27 million annually is no longer sent to platforms from other states or countries, remaining in the local economy. “This money doesn’t stay with us; it goes directly to consumers’ pockets, increasing their purchasing power, and entrepreneurs, who can reinvest in their businesses and generate more jobs“, highlights Gentil.
The reception from local merchants has been enthusiastic. Cases like that of the restaurant Meu Cantinho, a partner for three years, illustrate the transformation. “It completely changed our business. Before, we had no system at all; now we can manage orders, deliveries, and payments directly from the tables“, reports owner Seu Ricarte. At Graci Bolos, baker Mylana Carvalho saw delivery jump to 40% of sales after adopting the platform. “It was impossible to manage orders via WhatsApp. Now we have total control“, she says.
Next phase: nationalization of the marketplace
Pigz’s ambition, however, goes beyond Roraima’s borders. With clients in all Brazilian states — although the active marketplace is currently restricted to Boa Vista — the startup is preparing a national expansion of its delivery service.
“We’re ready to bring Pigz to other Brazilian capitals. The investment round will enable this expansion, focusing on technology, operations, and the subscription model that ensures fair prices and stability for our partners in each new location“, says Laercio Gentil.
With consolidated leadership in Roraima — the only Brazilian capital where iFood may not be the market leader — Pigz sees this dominance as a showcase of its competitive edge. The startup already reaches over 200 municipalities across various Brazilian states, signaling the gradual advance of a model that seeks to scale without sacrificing the autonomy of small entrepreneurs. To achieve this, it relies on 40 employees, with 20 dedicated exclusively to technology, reinforcing its bet on proprietary solutions and continuous innovation.
Meanwhile, the founders remain focused on their original purpose: empowering small entrepreneurs. “From the beginning, our dream was to help these businesses grow with autonomy. What started as an emergency solution during the pandemic proved to be a sustainable and, above all, fair model“, concludes Seefeld. With plans to “paint Brazil orange” — a reference to their brand color — Pigz proves it’s possible to reconcile scale with local impact, a challenge few Brazilian startups have managed to overcome.
