What Vakinha does

Vakinha (legal entity: Vakinha Plataforma de Arrecadação Ltda., CNPJ 22.831.673/0001-26) is a Brazilian online crowdfunding platform founded in 2006 by Luiz Felipe Gheller and Fabrício Milesi and officially launched in January 2009. Headquartered in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, the company operates vakinha.com.br and companion iOS/Android apps as Brazil's first and longest-running crowdfunding site, self-described as the largest in Brazil and Latin America with 15+ years of continuous operation. The core product enables any individual to create a free vaquinha (fundraising campaign) for personal causes such as medical treatments, emergencies, education, animal care, sports, or life events; the same infrastructure is also used by NGOs, corporates for CSR initiatives, and event organizers. Technology is a cloud-based platform running on Amazon Web Services infrastructure with Salesforce as the CRM layer for user data; campaigns accept donations via Pix, credit card, and boleto, with funds withdrawable to any Brazilian bank account. The company has grown to 50+ employees and reports 400,000+ monthly donors and 2,000+ daily campaign creators.

Vakinha's business model is take-rate-driven, monetizing through a 6.4% commission on gross donations plus a R$0.50 fixed per-transaction fee, supplemented by a R$5.00 per-withdrawal fee and a R$5.00 monthly maintenance fee on campaign balances inactive for more than 90 days. Optional paid visibility layers include "Pacotes de Corações" (heart packages for ranking boost) and Vakinha Anúncios (1,000 guaranteed impressions per campaign). The platform has expanded into a broader "Ecosystem of Good" with the Vakinha Premiada semi-annual donor lottery (R$15,000 prize), Vakinha Causas curated-cause initiative, the Instituto Vakinha nonprofit arm, and an ONG Partner Program. Distribution is self-serve and product-led through the website and mobile app, with heavy reliance on organic social sharing to Facebook and Instagram, and a partner channel through verified NGO relationships. No external funding rounds, institutional investors, or PE/VC ownership have been disclosed in the available sources; the company has been bootstrapped since 2014 with restructuring partners Cristiano Meditsch and Flávio Steffens joining the founder team.

Name

Vakinha

Legal name

Vakinha Plataforma de Arrecadação Ltda.

Website

https://vakinha.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vakinha is Brazil's first and largest online crowdfunding platform, enabling individuals, NGOs, and companies to create donation campaigns ("vaquinhas") with Pix, credit card, and boleto payments. Founded 2009, headquartered in Porto Alegre, it reports 400,000+ monthly donors and 2,000+ daily campaign creators, monetizing via a 6.4% commission plus ancillary fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Crowdfunding Platform

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Crowdfunding & Fan-Financing (MPADAAAN)

Keywords

• Online crowdfunding platform
• Peer-to-peer donations
• Social fundraising campaigns
• Pix payment processing
• NGO digital fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Porto Alegre

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Commission on Donations (Taxa Vakinha): Platform charges 6.4% commission on gross donations received by campaigns, deducted automatically when donations are credited to the campaign account. This is the primary revenue stream.
2. Transaction Fee: Fixed fee of R$0.50 per transaction applied each time donations are transferred to a campaign.
3. Withdrawal Fee (Tarifa de Retirada): Fixed fee of R$5.00 charged when campaign creators withdraw funds to their bank account.
4. Maintenance Fee (Tarifa de Manutenção): Monthly administrative fee of R$5.00 charged for maintaining campaign balances after 90 days of inactivity.
5. Heart Packages (Pacotes de Corações): Optional paid packages to purchase hearts that highlight campaigns, increasing visibility and ranking in 'Most Loved' listings.
6. Vakinha Anúncios: Optional advertising product guaranteeing 1,000 impressions of the campaign in strategic areas of the website, with visual highlighting within the platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Vakinha operates an online crowdfunding platform (vakinha.com.br) where individuals and organizations create donation campaigns (vaquinhas) covering medical treatments, emergencies, education, social projects, and personal causes. Donors contribute via Pix, credit card or boleto, and the company monetizes primarily through a 6.4% commission plus R$0.50 transaction fee on donations, supplemented by visibility packages, advertising (Vakinha Anúncios) and a semi-annual donor reward lottery (Vakinha Premiada).

Product overview

Vakinha is Brazil's first and largest online crowdfunding platform, operating as an Ecosystem of Good (Ecossistema do bem) that connects donors with individuals and causes in need. The core Vakinha Platform enables creation of donation campaigns (vaquinhas) with Pix and credit card payment integration. The ecosystem includes Vakinha Premiada (donor incentive lottery), Vakinha Anúncios (campaign advertising), a Link Verification Tool (fraud prevention), Vakinha Causas (high-impact cause initiatives), and an ONG Partner Program for verified nonprofits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vakinha Causas: An initiative of Instituto Vakinha focused on transforming lives by giving visibility and boosting causes that need attention.
• Vakinha Premiada
• Vakinha Anúncios

Products and services

• Vakinha Platform (core crowdfunding platform) Brazil's first and largest online crowdfunding platform enabling individuals and organizations to create donation campaigns (vaquinhas) to raise funds for personal causes, medical emergencies, social projects and other needs, with Pix, credit card and boleto payment integration.
• Vakinha Premiada A semi-annual donor lottery initiative that rewards donors on the Vakinha platform with R$15,000 to incentivate solidarity and donor participation.
• Vakinha Anúncios An advertising service that gives campaigns more visibility on the Vakinha platform by guaranteeing 1,000 displays of the campaign in strategic areas of the site, with visual highlighting.
• Link Verification Tool A security/anti-fraud tool allowing users to verify whether a vaquinha link or Pix key is trustworthy and safe before donating.
• Vakinha Causas An initiative of Instituto Vakinha that gives visibility to and boosts high-impact causes requiring attention, including campaigns like 'Mulheres Transformam', 'Desafio da Fome' and animal protection funds.
• ONG Partner Program A partnership program that allows verified NGOs to create campaigns on the platform with special verification and promotion of high-impact charitable causes.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 2,000 people create campaigns daily
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Instituto Luta pelo AutismocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSão Paulo-based organization dedicated to promoting inclusion, welcoming and development of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families. Partners with Vakinha to create fundraising campaigns for their programs and services.
• Comissão Pastoral da Terra – Regional BahiacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPrivate law entity of educational, assistance, religious/ecumenical and philanthropic character, without profit purposes. Promotes human rights, territorial and socio-environmental causes. Partners with Vakinha for campaign fundraising.
• Centro de Educação Popular e Formação SocialminorGTM or Marketing PartnerParaíba-based organization focused on environmental causes, specifically the 'Abrace o Semiárido' campaign to improve water access in the semiarid region through cistern construction.
• HUMUSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrazilian pioneer NGO focused on disaster response and humanitarian aid operations in Minas Gerais.
• GRETA-RJ – Grupo de Resgate Técnico AnimalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFirst specialized technical animal rescue group in Rio de Janeiro State, composed of veterinarians and veterinary students providing volunteer emergency rescue services.
• Hospital Santa MarcelinacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSão Paulo healthcare institution offering assistance, teaching and research with excellence, humanistic and Christian values. Largest medium and high complexity hospital complex serving SUS patients in East Zone of São Paulo.
• Instituto VictoremminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRio de Janeiro-based NGO founded in 2018, promoting social inclusion through sport for people with disabilities. Has created 3 campaigns and received R$22,100.74 from 5,900 people on Vakinha.
• Casa Ronald McDonald BrasilcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNon-profit organization caring for families with children needing medical assistance. Has created 13 campaigns and received R$32,901.67 from 4,734 people on Vakinha.
• Coletivo Autônomo Morro da CruzminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPorto Alegre (RS) NGO developing social and educational projects in Morro da Cruz community for five years, serving approximately 40,000 people in surrounding neighborhoods.
• Instituto Bem do EstarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSão Paulo non-profit promoting mental well-being through socio-emotional literacy and advocacy, focusing on women, youth and LGBTQIAPN+ people. Has received R$24,851.33 from 81 people on Vakinha.
• Fundação Cristiano VarellacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMinas Gerais foundation fighting cancer and valuing life through Hospital do Câncer de Muriaé. Has created 13 campaigns and received R$48,576.18 from 1,023 people on Vakinha.
• Passos da CriançaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerParaná NGO acting since 2004 in Vila Torres, Curitiba, promoting rights of children and adolescents in vulnerable situations. Offers art, culture, education, sports and leisure activities to 67 children daily.
• UNACCAMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSão Paulo association founded in August 2001, pioneering in training volunteers to support cancer patients and promoting early breast cancer diagnosis. Has donated over 1,000 mammograms since 2014.
• TETO BrasilcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSão Paulo NGO acting since 2006, building housing and infrastructure for families in extreme vulnerability in Brazil's most precarious favelas. Has built over 4,909 homes and mobilized over 90,000 volunteers. Awarded 'Melhores ONGs 2024'.
• Instituto Crie EsperançaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSanto André (SP) NGO focused on health, education, sports and culture for children and families in vulnerable situations. Has created 7 campaigns and received R$17,539 from 41 people on Vakinha.
• FRATERNIDADE IRMÃ CLARAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSão Paulo organization that has welcomed people with cerebral palsy diagnosis with love and care since 1982. Has received R$38,713.83 from 217 people on Vakinha.
• Instituto Mulher em ConstruçãominorGTM or Marketing PartnerRio Grande do Sul NGO empowering women to work in civil construction through practical and theoretical courses, promoting economic independence and improved living conditions.
• SalesforcecoreTechnology or IntegrationCloud-based CRM platform used for data storage and user relationship management. Personal data including name, CPF, date of birth, email, address, phone, and banking information is stored in Salesforce databases.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreTechnology or IntegrationCloud computing infrastructure used for data storage. User data including browsing behavior, login records, and personal information is stored on AWS servers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Catarse: Brazilian reward-based crowdfunding pioneer that hosts creative and social-impact campaigns. Directly comparable to Vakinha on crowdfunding category and Brazilian market, though differentiated by reward-based vs. donation-based model.
• Benfeitoria: Brazilian crowdfunding platform focused on creative, social, and entrepreneurial projects. Closest domestic direct peer to Vakinha in terms of crowdfunding mechanics, take-rate model, and Brazilian payment integration.
• Doare: Brazilian online donation platform focused on NGOs and social-cause fundraising. Directly comparable to Vakinha in donation-based crowdfunding for NGOs and social institutions in Brazil.
• Kickstarter: Global reward-based crowdfunding platform. Comparable to Vakinha in core crowdfunding mechanics and take-rate revenue model, but focused on creative/product launches and US/global markets rather than Brazilian personal-cause donations.

Broad incumbents

• PicPay: Major Brazilian digital wallet and Pix payment platform. Comparable as a payment infrastructure peer that could enter the donation/crowdfunding use case and use its scale to pressure Vakinha's take rate.
• PagSeguro: Large Brazilian payment processor with Pix, credit card, and boleto integration. Comparable to Vakinha on the payments stack that powers Brazilian donations, and a potential competitor or acquirer for the donation facilitation use case.
• Mercado Pago: Pix-native Brazilian payment processor and fintech from Mercado Libre. A broad incumbent whose payment rails overlap with Vakinha's donation flow and which could expand into donation/crowdfunding facilitation as a feature, posing a competitive threat.
• GoFundMe: The largest global online crowdfunding/donation platform. Comparable to Vakinha as a direct donation-based crowdfunding marketplace, but with global reach, larger scale, and a US/English-language focus rather than a Brazil/LatAm-anchored, Pix-native model.

Regional players

• JustGiving: UK-based online donation and crowdfunding platform for charities and individuals. Comparable to Vakinha as a donation-based crowdfunding marketplace, but focused on the UK/European market rather than Brazil/LatAm.

Emerging players

• Patreon: Subscription-based creator funding platform. Comparable to Vakinha as a digital platform monetizing voluntary payments from a community, but with a recurring-creator model aimed at content creators rather than personal-cause/charity campaigns.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vakinha
• Facebookfacebook.com/vakinha.com.br

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vakinha