I'm kicking off a series of articles about my personal investments.
In 2018, I invested in a Brazilian startup and invited a few close tech-founder friends to join me in backing two exceptionally sharp and intelligent entrepreneurs. Fortunately, this investment not only turned out to be financially rewarding but also led to a great friendship with them.
At that time, we weren’t investing in a product—we were investing in an idea.
Choose the Best People and Let Them Work
We decided to invest in this startup purely because of the quality of the founders. The market they were entering was crowded, heavily regulated, and rife with fraud.
What struck me most was their relentless hunger to make their vision a reality. At that point, the startup was nothing more than a concept—no product, no official registration, no revenue in sight.
It was just a thesis, a PowerPoint presentation.
And yet, we invested.
These entrepreneurs proved to all of us—investors included—that they were among the best of their generation in Brazil. Of course, it's easy to say that now, after we've successfully exited. What was once a startup concept grew into an award-winning, mid-sized company with hundreds of employees, thousands of customers, and a real impact on the Brazilian economy.
The essence of this investment was simple: betting on two young (and paranoid) founders. Of course, startup investing is always high-risk, so luck played a role too.
I’ve learned from legendary angel investors like Naval Ravikant and Ron Conway that the best investors focus on finding the right people and supporting them—only when they truly need it.
The real value of an angel investor is in being there for a startup’s early-stage moments. This is when companies need the most guidance—whether it's strategic advice, emotional support, refining their product vision, or opening key doors.
My friend Paulo Silveira, one of the best angel investors I know, always says:
"The best angel investor is the one who doesn’t get in the entrepreneur’s way."
Some investors make the mistake of trying to control the company rather than enabling its growth—a critical misstep.
I share bellow my ROI in this investment.
The ROI: A 95x Return on Investment
I was fortunate to have great angel investors support me in my entrepreneurial journey—not just with money, but with invaluable feedback and mentorship during tough times.
Here’s a breakdown of my ROI on this investment:
Initial Investment: BRL 25,000
Year of Investment: 2018
Exit (2023): Sold shares for BRL 2,375,000
ROI: 95x
During the company’s Series A and Series B funding rounds, I had the opportunity to sell my shares to a venture capital fund. Today, this startup boasts one of the best tech teams in Brazil.
Most tech startups are born to die. Tech startups are born to death. Not this one.
I shared which startup this is on my Instagram in an easter egg post.