In a delivery scenario that often suffocates small businesses with high commissions, Pigz, a Roraima-based startup 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, ensuring that millions in resources remain in the local economy. Present in 1,500 establishments throughout the country — although its active marketplace is restricted to Boa Vista — Roraima, Pigz is preparing for an investment round aiming for 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 pains: the lack of digitalization of small businesses and the ‘exorbitant’ commissions (which reached almost 30%) charged by market platforms. ‘”It was a global pain, not just local,”‘ Gentil says. With an initial team of two people – themselves – they launched an MVP (minimum viable product). Today, the company already employs 40 people and has gained recognition from players in the financial market, including analysis from Paramis Capital, a financial boutique specialized in credit, structured operations, and venture capital.
1,500% Growth and 30 Million Orders in Four Years
The numbers show an impressive growth between 2020 and 2024, highlighting the success of Pigz’s value proposition. During this period, the platform processed over 30 million orders. There were only 11 thousand orders in 2020, 194 thousand 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, increasing by 40 times: going from 5 thousand in 2020 to 200 thousand in 2024. In financial terms, the total value moved jumped from R$ 615 thousand 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, the country’s emerging companies raised $1.46 billion in 2024 – a 9.5% increase from the previous year. Within this positive scenario, Pigz stands out for its regional origin and business model: instead of charging commissions that reach nearly a third of the order value, as traditional platforms do, it offers a complete monthly subscription management system, helping restaurants maintain competitive prices, as well as generating savings for consumers.
The company’s strategy goes beyond simply connecting restaurants and customers. The platform was designed as a 360-degree solution for small entrepreneurs, integrating everything from in-person service (with digital orders, QR Code payments, and table management) to own delivery, inventory, issuing of invoices, and performance analysis. “The retailer typically needed to hire four or five different suppliers to have all of this. We unified it into a single accessible platform“, explains Seefeld.
The Pigz business model is also evolving. In addition to restaurants, the platform already serves markets, pharmacies, and even ticket sellers for events, representing about 20% of its current base. “We aim to be the operating system for small businesses, regardless of the segment“, projects Gentil.
In a country positioned as the 3rd largest delivery market in the world, with the sector generating around R$ 38 billion in 2023 and over 500 thousand events held in 2024, there is a clear demand for digitalization, especially among small and medium-sized restaurants representing 80% of the market, but facing barriers such as multiple platforms, high fees, and little visibility. Pigz, a technological force from Orange Labs and part of the Stone ecosystem, stands out for filling this gap, combining delivery and ticketing in a single marketplace, optimizing sales and operations, and facilitating transactions for businesses.
Robust technological ecosystem drives growth and diversification
To support its scalable model, Pigz has developed a complete ecosystem of solutions with proprietary technology and multiple revenue sources — including fees on payments, ticket sales, and monthly subscriptions, without commissions on orders.
The Pigz App serves as a centralized marketplace for delivery and events, connecting consumers to restaurants, markets, and event promoters.
Targeted towards establishment operations, the Pigz Command organizes service through tables, bracelets, or cards, while the Pigz Management allows order control and customer relationships on a single platform.
The consumer experience has also been optimized with the Pigz Kiosk, which offers self-service kiosks and tablets to reduce queues and expedite orders. In terms of payment and events solutions, the highlight is on Pigz Pay, a prepaid consumption token system, and Pigz Tickets, an integrated platform for ticket sales and validation.
The economic impact in Roraima is tangible. With around 400 registered establishments just in the state, Pigz processes approximately 60 thousand orders per month in its marketplace mode, generating R$ 4 million monthly. According to the company’s calculations, this means around R$ 9.27 million annually stays within the local economy instead of being sent to platforms in other states or countries. “This money doesn’t stay with us, it goes straight to the consumers’ pockets, increasing their purchasing power, and entrepreneurs, who can reinvest in their businesses and create 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 flow. Before, we didn’t have any system; today we can manage orders, deliveries, and payments directly from the tables,” says the owner, Seu Ricarte. At Graci Bolos, pastry chef Mylana Carvalho saw delivery sales jump to 40% after adopting the platform. “It was impossible to manage the orders through WhatsApp. Now we have total control,” she states.
Next phase: nationalization of the marketplace
The ambition of Pigz, however, goes beyond the borders of Roraima. With customers in all Brazilian states – although the active marketplace is currently limited to Boa Vista – the startup is preparing a national expansion of its delivery service.
“We are ready to take Pigz to other Brazilian capitals. The investment round will enable this expansion, focusing on technology, operations, and the subscription model that guarantees fair prices and stability for our partners in each new square,” says Laercio Gentil.
With a consolidated leadership in Roraima — the only Brazilian capital where perhaps iFood is not the market leader — Pigz sees this dominance as a showcase of its competitive edge. The startup already reaches over 200 municipalities in various Brazilian states, a sign of the gradual advancement of a model that seeks to scale without compromising the autonomy of small entrepreneurs. For this, it has 40 employees, with 20 dedicated exclusively to the technology area, 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 autonomously. What started as an emergency solution in the pandemic has proven to be a sustainable and, above all, fair model,” concludes Seefeld. With plans to “paint Brazil orange” – a reference to the color of its brand – Pigz proves that it is possible to reconcile scale with local impact, a challenge that few Brazilian startups have managed to overcome.
