The BTG Pactual, in partnership with ACE, has opened applications for the fourth edition of boostLAB, a growth program for advanced-stage startups — known as scale-ups — with strong expansion potential.
This edition is primarily seeking initiatives in fintechs, machine learning, real estate, big data, agrotechs, insurtechs, blockchain, and related areas. Scale-ups must have at least two full-time co-founders, a market-ready product, traction, and recurring sales that address real problems in a scalable way. Companies may have received Seed, Series A, or later-stage funding.
The initiative includes the formation of partnerships and pilot projects with BTG Pactual, partner companies, suppliers, and other members of its ecosystem. Selected companies receive over R$ 300,000 in credits and benefits from partner companies such as Amazon, Google, and Oracle, among others.
The almost-unicorns
Outside the Silicon Valley – New York circuit, a standout is Oriente, whose value proposition is to simplify access to investment in fast-growing Asian countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines. Another is the wefox Group, based in Berlin, which focuses on making the insurance purchase process simpler and more transparent.
Meanwhile, Transferwise, the London-based international money transfer fintech, secured yet another investment round of US$ 292 million, reaching a valuation of US$ 3.5 billion – double the figure recorded at the end of 2017.
The startup has over 1,600 employees spread across 12 offices worldwide. In 2018, it reported a 77% revenue increase, reaching £117 million.
The Beauty Unicorn
Glossier, a New York-based cool beauty products company, closed a Series D funding round of US$ 100 million and achieved a estimated market valuation of over US$ 1 billion. The company, which started as a beauty blog, is expected to reach a value of US$ 716 billion by 2025.
Text by Pedro Waengertner