In the Brazilian startup market, the bootstrap model has been gaining notable relevance. Characterized as a form of management without external investment, bootstrapping has been widely adopted in the country, according to the report.Founders Overview, developed by ACE in partnership with Bhub and a55 in 2023, 44.6% of Brazilian entrepreneurs structured their businesses without internal investments, using only their own capital. In this context, Unlog, a logistics startup operating on a bootstrap model, recorded a growth of nearly 90% in its revenue in 2024, more than doubling its Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA), and the expectation is that revenue will also double this year.
SecondNatalia Baranov, Chief Financial Officer of UnlogThe organization is part of a group of companies that consolidate and grow in the Brazilian market by doing the basics, but essential for entrepreneurship: adapting to market changes, innovation, strengthening the team, and good financial management. "We realize that, with the transformations in consumer profiles and changes in the sector, we needed technological updates and operational management improvements to meet market needs and increasingly seek innovative solutions. Consumer demand is constant, but beyond quick delivery at lower costs, our client also demands sustainability projects and for their partner or supplier to be aligned with their strategy," he states.
The sharp growth of logtech is in contrast to a common phenomenon for many Brazilian startups, the closure of activities due to lack of capital. According to a survey conducted by Distrito for InfoMoney, more than 8,000 businesses closed between January 2015 and September 2024, and only 10% of them received some form of investment. The evolution also accompanies an intense movement around the transportation and logistics segment, since, according to the Brazilian Association of Infrastructure and Basic Industries (Abdib), the private sector is expected to invest R$ 124.3 billion in the sector between 2022 and 2026. Within this heated market, Unlog stands out with its range of services and products, such as delivery management, last-mile logistics, fleet management, inventory and cargo management, and on-demand delivery for large and small clients across various sectors.
“With the need for growth and a scenario of rising interest rates and consequently the cost of external capital, we cut expenses that were not part of the operation to increase cash flow, invested in technology solutions with routing and storage systems, and strengthened the training of operational personnel. Thanks to this strategic approach, we were able to improve our service and ensure the significant results achieved last year,” he concludes.Aries. This year, the startup intends to invest strategically in key points such as cost efficiency, scalability, national service and strategic management of internal capital, thus aiming to achieve double its revenue and two more percentage points in its EBTIDA result compared to 2024.
