Google unveiled on Monday, March 9, a comprehensive strategy to boost Brazil's artificial intelligence ecosystem, focusing on accelerating startups that have AI as the central foundation of their businesses. The announcement was made during a Google Campus event in São Paulo and includes new programs targeting so-called AI-First startups — companies developing solutions with artificial intelligence integrated from inception.
Maurício Martiniano, head of Google Campus, identified three factors that place Brazil in a privileged position in the global AI landscape. The first is Brazilian consumer behavior: "Brazilians tend to be early adopters of technology, which puts the country in a differentiated position," Martiniano explained, noting that Brazil frequently ranks among the top five adopters of new technologies worldwide, especially in artificial intelligence.
The second factor is the ecosystem's accelerated growth. Over the past decade, the number of AI-focused startups in the country has tripled, spanning sectors from healthcare and agribusiness to finance and logistics. AI-native platforms that allow creating entire applications through natural language prompts are being rapidly adopted by companies of all sizes in the Brazilian market.
The third element is the investment outlook. "We observe a significant propensity for investments in the Brazilian market, with special emphasis on initiatives related to artificial intelligence," Martiniano stated. The data is corroborated by venture capital numbers: the Brazilian market closed 2025 with over US$2 billion invested in startups, with fintechs and AI companies leading funding rounds.
Google's new programs will launch following the reopening of Google Campus, expected in the coming weeks in a space adjacent to Google's future Engineering Center in São Paulo. The relaunch will feature new leadership and a completely reformulated strategy focused exclusively on artificial intelligence startups. The goal is to strengthen connections between early-stage startups, venture capital investors, and large companies seeking to incorporate AI solutions into their operations.
The initiative adds to a broader landscape of big tech investments in Brazil. Google maintains engineering centers in the country where Brazilian professionals develop products with global reach, earning international recognition for the quality of their technical training. Amazon Web Services has also expanded its presence, with approximately 9 million Brazilian companies already using artificial intelligence systematically — a 29% increase in a single year.
Google's strategy reflects a global trend of decentralizing AI innovation hubs, with countries like Brazil emerging as alternative centers to the traditional Silicon Valley-China axis. The combination of technical talent, a consumer market of over 200 million people, and advanced digital infrastructure — exemplified by Pix and Open Finance — positions Brazil as a natural laboratory for real-world applied artificial intelligence solutions.