In this month in which the world celebrates the International Day of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (June 27) — a date established by the United Nations (UN) to recognize the vital role of these businesses in global sustainability —, Brazil has plenty of reasons to value its own identity and vocation. Entrepreneurship, for Brazilians, has never been a mere income alternative or an escape route from unemployment; It is an act of courage, resilience and, above all, an activity that sustains our country’s economy and social cohesion.
In 2026, small businesses represent 95% of total active companies and account for 26.5% of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The leading role of this segment is even more evident in the generation of formal jobs. Last year, micro and small companies created more than 1 million formal jobs, which corresponds to around 80% of the total balance of vacancies created in our economy.
The strength of the sector is also reflected in income distribution. A survey by Sebrae shows that these companies are responsible for more than 40% of the total remuneration paid to workers in the country, which is equivalent to R$51 billion. This means that of every R$100 paid in wages in the Brazilian labor market, R$40 is disbursed by a small business.
However, for this essential sector to continue evolving, it is necessary to face historical bottlenecks. The World Bank has repeatedly pointed out that the productivity of our companies is directly affected by excessive bureaucracy, tax complexity and, mainly, the severe restriction on credit.
Brazil is among the nations with the greatest pent-up demand for financing aimed at small businesses in the world. Facilitating access to financial resources at competitive rates and reducing bureaucracy in the business environment are structural urgencies to unlock national productivity and enable the survival and prosperity of new ventures.
Overcoming these barriers essentially means investing in inclusion and reducing inequalities — fundamental precepts of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda.
Brazilian entrepreneurship has been a powerful agent of social transformation and emancipation. It is important to remember that the activity mobilizes millions of women (many of them heads of families), black men and women, as well as LGBTQIAP+ people, who find in entrepreneurship a path of change and transformation of their lives. realities.
Fostering this immense network of 24.4 million small businesses — made up of 13.5 million individual microentrepreneurs (MEIs) and 10.9 million microenterprises and small businesses — directly meets the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to decent work, economic growth and the eradication of poverty.
Sebrae works daily on the front line to support this mechanism. Celebrating the International Day of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises is, above all, making a commitment to ensuring that those who generate wealth and employment in Brazil have the necessary conditions to grow and lead our development.
Source: www.agenciasebrae.com.br
