Access to credit remains one of the biggest challenges for small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) in Brazil, especially given the high demand for working capital and investments in an increasingly competitive market.
Proof of this is that in 2024, the demand for corporate credit grew, and a lot, especially the SMEs, which registered an increase of 13.1% in requests compared to the previous year, according to the demand indicator for credit from Serasa Experian.
Additionally, the opening of 1.46 million companies in the second quarter of 2024, according to the Bulletin of the Map of Companies of the Federal Government, and the closing of 830 thousand companies in the same period, 11.7% above 2023, also reflects the dynamism of the market, the high competitiveness and the difficulty of maintaining sustainable operations without easy access to financial resources.
Among the main barriers faced by them are high interest rates, such as the national average of 42,49% for micro-enterprises in 2024, and the demand for guarantees make it difficult to access financing from traditional banks. From there a number of other additional problems arise, such as high default rates, bureaucratic difficulties and limitations in traditional credit analysis.
It was precisely this scenario that motivated the emergence of innovative solutions in the financial market: companies that use technology to offer more accessible and effective models, making credit more inclusive for small and medium-sized businesses.
An example is the M3 Lending, from Minas, which offers credit with 22% interest rates lower than those practiced by conventional banks, in addition to providing a digital and debureaucratic experience. “Our mission is to facilitate access to credit for already consolidated companies, allowing them to invest in new projects or take advantage of advantageous opportunities in the market”, explains Gabriel César, CEO of Fintech.
The platform operates in an agile way: interested companies enter their data and documents online, and M3 performs a detailed credit analysis. If approved, the offer is presented to investors, who have up to seven days to decide on the contribution. The available values range from R$ 50 thousand to R$ 500 thousand, with interest rates from 1.4% per month and payment terms of up to 24 months.
César points out that many entrepreneurs give up their business due to the unfavorable conditions offered by traditional institutions. “High interest rates and requirements as property guarantees compromise the viability of small companies and put the personal assets of entrepreneurs at risk”, he warns.
In addition to competitive rates, Fintech seeks to balance the relationship between risk and return, offering an average profitability of 2.81tp3 t per month for investors. “This model creates a positive cycle: investors have an above-average return, while companies get more affordable credit to grow and strengthen their operations,” explains the CEO.
It is a stimulus to economic growth. With easy access to credit, SMEs can invest in projects that expand their business and generate direct economic impact. “Our objective is precisely to promote the development of these companies, fundamental for the growth of the Brazilian economy”, says César. “After all, they are responsible for more than 52% of formal jobs in the private sector”, he concludes.
