Business

Dolado, a free digital platform focused on digitizing SMEs in peripheral regions raises $2.2 million from Valor Capital Group

Founded in July to support small businesses in outlying regions and small cities, the Brazilian startup will use the resources to expand team and technology

Guilherme Freire, Khalil Yassine and Marcelo Loureiro, cofounders at Dolado. Photo: Dolado/ Courtesy
  • Founded in 2020, Dolado emerged to support small retailers who have not followed the wave of digitization in recent years and who have suffered most with the economic crisis led by the COVID-19 pandemic;
  • The seed round also included Global Founders Capital, Provence and Norte Capital, as well as angel investors from companies such as iFood, Stone, Olist, Viva Real, Paypal;
  • By providing the platform at zero cost to SMEs, Dolado’s monetization comes from a network of partners whose services are used by retailers.

Dolado, a Brazilian platform that takes digitization free of charge to small retailers in peripheral areas and small cities announced a US$ 2.2 million seed round led by Valor Capital Group.

Created in July this year by Guilherme Freire, Khalil Yassine and Marcelo Loureiro, Dolado emerged to support small retailers who have not followed the wave of digitization in recent years and who have suffered most with the economic crisis led by the COVID-19 pandemic.

READ ALSO: Microsoft to launch digital program to support Mexican SMEs

The seed round also included Global Founders Capital, Provence and Norte Capital, as well as angel investors from companies such as iFood, Stone, Olist, Viva Real, Paypal and partners from international funds such as Lightspeed Ventures and Expanding Capital. Backed by the new resources, the startup aims at expanding the team and investing in the technology of its product.

“If we look at e-commerce platforms available on the market, we will see that the entrepreneur should pay, on average, BRL100 (about US$19) to start his online store. The value may seem insignificant to many, however, for the small entrepreneur who has suffered the effects of the crisis for months, it is a fortune,” says CEO Guilherme Freire. Photo: Dolado/ Courtesy.

READ ALSO: Eyeing SMEs, WhatsApp Business gains new functionalities

For Antoine Colaco, partner at Valor Capital Group, the startup also fills a huge structural gap, such as digitization, which helps in business management. “The startup takes the opportunity for the small retailer to operate more efficiently, to digitize and use new digital tools that promote increased revenue.”

“Most small entrepreneurs in these regions don’t use any type of digital tool to manage their business and end up suffering for maintaining all control of inventory, sales and payments in a notebook,” says CEO Guilherme Freire.

By providing the platform at zero cost to SMEs, Dolado’s monetization comes from a network of partners whose services are used by retailers.

EBANX LABS
Get the best insights about Latin America market in your inbox