Diego Contezini's secretary, from Santa Catarina, had a problem. She spent much of her working day at the entrepreneur's software factory trying to collect from customers. She would call and try to negotiate, but the process was slow and entirely manual. As a result, he was unable to meet the other demands of the job.
It was in an attempt to solve the secretary's pain - and, of course, that of the company itself - that Contezini created, in 2010, software to automate invoicing. This software became, three years later, Asaas, a fintech that mainly helps small and medium-sized companies and freelancers to collect their accounts.
"Asaas is a collection office for the entrepreneur," says Contezini. "If you want to collect a monthly fee of BRL 2,000, you just enter the customer's phone number and address on the platform, and Asaas will charge you."
Billing is automated. It is done, for example, by sending emails to the customer and giving them the opportunity to choose how they want to pay: by Pix, boleto or credit card. Communication can also take place by telephone.
In addition to charging itself, the fintech also allows the small business owner to issue invoices and carry out the entire collection process, from start to finish.
More recently, it has started testing new financial products, such as the possibility to anticipate credit card payments. For this service, the company has just raised R$50 million through the Credit Rights Investment Fund (FIDC). This amount will be used entirely to expand the credit line to these small entrepreneurs.
"When a payment is processed on the credit card, the merchant receives it within thirty days," explains Asaas' financial director, João Vitor Possamai. "To receive it the same day, someone has to give that credit. The idea was to create a fund so that the customer could receive it on the same day".
This new product is part of the company's growth strategy. Last year, Asaas earned 121 million reais. The target this year is to reach R$230 million. Currently, they have 118,000 active customers per month, covering 4 million customers.
The 2022 growth was also attested by the EXAME Business in Expansion 2023 ranking. The brand ranked 14th in the R$30 million to R$150 million category, when considering net revenues. Between 2021 and 2022, it grew by 144%.
Asaas is a digital account for businesses founded in Joinville. The fintech's main focus is to automate financial management processes, especially collections.
In practice, a company passes collection information to the startup, which uses the technology to collect from customers. In addition to the collection itself, all money management can be done within Asaas. Thus, when the customer pays, the money goes into the company's account in Asaas.
Billing is done via automated calls, SMS and email. When the person gets paid, he can choose how he wants to pay: in Pix, boleto, credit or debit card.
There are other services, such as issuing invoices and anticipating credit card charges.
"Our main customer is small and medium-sized businesses, but we cater to all types, including individuals," says Contezini. "If you want to charge your neighbours for the barbecue, you can use the platform. You put in how much everyone has to pay and we send you the payment options. We're going to move forward as much as we can so we don't have another supplier."
Asaas' revenue, which has more than doubled in the last year, according to the EXAME Companies in Expansion 2023 ranking, comes from two different channels:
Regarding the 50 million reais fund, Assas used Itaú BBA to structure the fund and coordinate the distribution of quotas.
In addition to the contribution of 50 million reais for the receivables anticipation credit line, Asaas recently received another cheque for 100 million reais for investments. See the company's objectives:
Asaas was created as a family. Besides Diego, who is the CEO, his brother, Piero Contezini, also founded the project. And technology is in his veins: his father has been involved in computing since the time of the punch card.
"We used to play hide-and-seek on those giant computers," says Diego.
Their passion for technology emerged early and continued throughout their lives. They graduated in the area and worked in businesses such as the software factory, which later gave rise to Asaas.
"We were lucky that they wanted to give money for what we were passionate about doing, which is technology," he says.
Asaas was one of the winners of the EXAME Negócios em Expansão 2023 ranking, a survey by EXAME's BTG Pactual (from the same controlling group as EXAME) and technical support from PwC Brasil.
The company ranked 14th in the BRL 30 million to BRL 150 million category, with a net revenue growth of 144%. In 2021, revenue was BRL 48.7 million. In 2022, it rose to BRL 118.9 million.
The ranking is a way to recognise businesses and celebrate entrepreneurship in the country. With efficient management, opportunity analysis, new strategies and a good game of waist, the executives in charge of these businesses managed to advance in the market.
This year, the list features 335 companies from 22 states, representing the five regions of the country. Compared to the previous year, the number of selected companies represents an increase of 63%. See the results:
From 2 to 5 million reais
From 5 to 30 million reais
From 30 to 150 million reais
From 150 to 300 million reais
Diego Contezini's secretary, from Santa Catarina, had a problem. She spent much of her working day at the entrepreneur's software factory trying to collect from customers. She would call and try to negotiate, but the process was slow and entirely manual. As a result, he was unable to meet the other demands of the job.
It was in an attempt to solve the secretary's pain - and, of course, that of the company itself - that Contezini created, in 2010, software to automate invoicing. This software became, three years later, Asaas, a fintech that mainly helps small and medium-sized companies and freelancers to collect their accounts.
"Asaas is a collection office for the entrepreneur," says Contezini. "If you want to collect a monthly fee of BRL 2,000, you just enter the customer's phone number and address on the platform, and Asaas will charge you."
Billing is automated. It is done, for example, by sending emails to the customer and giving them the opportunity to choose how they want to pay: by Pix, boleto or credit card. Communication can also take place by telephone.
In addition to charging itself, the fintech also allows the small business owner to issue invoices and carry out the entire collection process, from start to finish.
More recently, it has started testing new financial products, such as the possibility to anticipate credit card payments. For this service, the company has just raised R$50 million through the Credit Rights Investment Fund (FIDC). This amount will be used entirely to expand the credit line to these small entrepreneurs.
"When a payment is processed on the credit card, the merchant receives it within thirty days," explains Asaas' financial director, João Vitor Possamai. "To receive it the same day, someone has to give that credit. The idea was to create a fund so that the customer could receive it on the same day".
This new product is part of the company's growth strategy. Last year, Asaas earned 121 million reais. The target this year is to reach R$230 million. Currently, they have 118,000 active customers per month, covering 4 million customers.
The 2022 growth was also attested by the EXAME Business in Expansion 2023 ranking. The brand ranked 14th in the R$30 million to R$150 million category, when considering net revenues. Between 2021 and 2022, it grew by 144%.
Asaas is a digital account for businesses founded in Joinville. The fintech's main focus is to automate financial management processes, especially collections.
In practice, a company passes collection information to the startup, which uses the technology to collect from customers. In addition to the collection itself, all money management can be done within Asaas. Thus, when the customer pays, the money goes into the company's account in Asaas.
Billing is done via automated calls, SMS and email. When the person gets paid, he can choose how he wants to pay: in Pix, boleto, credit or debit card.
There are other services, such as issuing invoices and anticipating credit card charges.
"Our main customer is small and medium-sized businesses, but we cater to all types, including individuals," says Contezini. "If you want to charge your neighbours for the barbecue, you can use the platform. You put in how much everyone has to pay and we send you the payment options. We're going to move forward as much as we can so we don't have another supplier."
Asaas' revenue, which has more than doubled in the last year, according to the EXAME Companies in Expansion 2023 ranking, comes from two different channels:
Regarding the 50 million reais fund, Assas used Itaú BBA to structure the fund and coordinate the distribution of quotas.
In addition to the contribution of 50 million reais for the receivables anticipation credit line, Asaas recently received another cheque for 100 million reais for investments. See the company's objectives:
Asaas was created as a family. Besides Diego, who is the CEO, his brother, Piero Contezini, also founded the project. And technology is in his veins: his father has been involved in computing since the time of the punch card.
"We used to play hide-and-seek on those giant computers," says Diego.
Their passion for technology emerged early and continued throughout their lives. They graduated in the area and worked in businesses such as the software factory, which later gave rise to Asaas.
"We were lucky that they wanted to give money for what we were passionate about doing, which is technology," he says.
Asaas was one of the winners of the EXAME Negócios em Expansão 2023 ranking, a survey by EXAME's BTG Pactual (from the same controlling group as EXAME) and technical support from PwC Brasil.
The company ranked 14th in the BRL 30 million to BRL 150 million category, with a net revenue growth of 144%. In 2021, revenue was BRL 48.7 million. In 2022, it rose to BRL 118.9 million.
The ranking is a way to recognise businesses and celebrate entrepreneurship in the country. With efficient management, opportunity analysis, new strategies and a good game of waist, the executives in charge of these businesses managed to advance in the market.
This year, the list features 335 companies from 22 states, representing the five regions of the country. Compared to the previous year, the number of selected companies represents an increase of 63%. See the results:
From 2 to 5 million reais
From 5 to 30 million reais
From 30 to 150 million reais
From 150 to 300 million reais