The study reveals revenue of R$5.3 billion, 15,000 jobs, and a concentration of companies around Maravalley, while Rio AI City aims to turn the city into an AI hub.
The city of Rio de Janeiro is home to approximately 600 startups, which together generated around R$5.3 billion in revenue in 2025. This amount is equivalent to about 1.3% of Rio’s GDP and represents an average revenue of R$8.8 million per company.
The data comes from the Rio Startups Overview study, prepared by the Rio City Hall through the Municipal Department of Economic Development (SMDE), Invest.Rio, and Riotur, in partnership with Maravalley, the city’s innovation hub. The report uses data from the Zoox Eye platform, which specializes in analyzing the municipality’s startup ecosystem.
The study also estimates that Rio-based startups employ approximately 34,700 workers, with an average of 55.8 employees per company. Most operate in the sectors of Information Technology, Education, Health and Wellness, Management and Consulting, and Social and Environmental Impact.
The neighborhoods with the highest concentration of startups are Downtown (Centro), Barra da Tijuca, Botafogo, Santo Cristo, and Ipanema.
“The numbers reveal the growing maturity of Rio’s innovation ecosystem. Startups already represent an important economic force for the city, contributing to the diversification of productive activities and the creation of opportunities,” said Osmar Lima, Rio’s Municipal Secretary of Economic Development.
By company size, 44.7% of Rio’s startups are microenterprises, 35.7% are small businesses, and 19.7% are medium-sized or large companies. On average, these businesses have been operating for 7.1 years and have share capital of R$85,500.
The study also highlights a geographic concentration around Maravalley. The average distance between startups and the hub is 8.8 kilometers. Nearly 40% are located within a five-kilometer radius of the space, while 71.9% are within ten kilometers.
Survey launched at Web Summit Rio
The Rio Startups Overview was launched at the Invest.Rio booth during the fourth edition of the Web Summit Rio, held from June 8 to June 11 at Riocentro. The event is expected to generate an economic impact of R$219.1 million for the city in 2026.
Web Summit Rio is guaranteed to remain in Rio de Janeiro through at least 2030. Considering the eight editions scheduled between 2023 and 2030, the cumulative economic impact could reach R$1.9 billion, equivalent to approximately US$370 million.
The total audience is expected to exceed one million participants over the period, reinforcing Rio’s strategy of positioning itself as the Capital of Major Events.
Rio AI City Project
Rio AI City, a project developed by Rio City Hall and the Federal Government in partnership with Elea Data Centers, will be a mega high-density data center complex in the Olympic Park area of Barra da Tijuca. The first phase will have 1.5 GW of capacity, scalable to 3.2 GW by 2032, positioning the complex among the ten largest data center hubs in the world.
The Rio AI City ecosystem could attract up to US$65 billion in direct and indirect investments over the next decade. The facility will operate with 100% renewable and certified energy, sustainable building facades, and water-free cooling systems. Its proximity to submarine cables further strengthens the hub’s connectivity.