Since 2009, Brazil-based technology company Stefanini has acquired stakes in about 17 different companies with an eye on startups being dealflow for later acquisitions.
Most of these 17 stakes were controlling positions, but Stefanini has also bought minority stakes and created startups, according to Marcos Pereira de Almeida, its director of subsidiaries and affiliated companies, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and startups.
Almeida said: “I think we act mostly as a corporate M&A than as a VC, in the sense that we don´t necessarily intend to divest the companies we do business with.”
Marco Stefanini, founder of the firm, has also become a limited partner in a local venture capital fund and a minority holder in an accelerator, Almeida said.
He added: “I am responsible for overseeing eight of Stefanini´s invested companies, in some of which I have a more active and hands-on role.
“Since early 2016, I am also responsible for our M&A activities. So far we have announced the creation of a JV in cybersecurity with Israel giant Rafael and the acquisition of controlling stake at a leading IBM reseller, Scalait.
“I also manage our startup program, which essentially is a strategic partnership with top tier startups and a dealflow generator for our M&A.”
Prior to Stefanini, Almeida founded and ran a family office-backed seed fund and micro VC, NH Investimentos, and worked in business and corporate development for Visa Vale and Grupo RBS, as well as consulting for Capgemini and Aquanima since the late 1990s.