Brazilian Firm launches $100 Million Early-Stage VC Fund

By Narayan Ammachchi

Brazilian investment firm, e.Bricks Digital, has launched a $100 million venture capital fund to support the prospective technology start-ups in the region.

São Paulo, Brazil-based e.Bricks Digital was established in October 2012 from the spin-off of the digital business unit of the RBS Group. The new fund is targeted toward early stage firms – based in the U.S. or Brazil – whose focus is to exploit growth in Latin America markets.

The company stated in a press release that it would make ‘strategic investments’ in start-ups in technology sectors including e-commerce, mobile and digital media.

e.Bricks – whose current portfolio includes Predicta, Wine.com.br, Grupo.Mobi – says it intends to invest in as many as 15 start-ups every year.

The venture fund is looking for companies with large market potential, annual pre-revenue turnover of $10 million, and a scalable business model.

Besides investments, e.Bricks would also support the start-ups with technical expertise and talent pool.

“We created e.Bricks Digital specifically to look for companies in solid markets and have the business models to build efficiencies in the value chain in addition to being open to business models with co-investors,” says Eduardo Sirotsky Melzer, CEO of RBS Group, which is e.Bricks Digital’s parent company.