Vakinha

Vakinha is a Brazilian digital crowdfunding platform that allows individuals and organizations to raise funds for a wide array of causes. Established in January 2009 by co-founders Luiz Felipe Gheller and Fabrício Milesi, it is recognized as Brazil's first crowdfunding fintech startup. The idea originated from a personal need experienced by Gheller at his own wedding in 2006, where he and Milesi, his brother-in-law, sought a practical way to convert traditional gifts into monetary contributions for an upcoming move abroad. This experience highlighted a market gap for a simplified online fundraising tool, leading to the development and eventual launch of the platform.

The company operates primarily as a donation-based crowdfunding site, serving a diverse client base that includes individuals raising money for personal needs like medical treatments, education, and travel, as well as non-profits, businesses, and social impact projects. The platform's business model is based on charging a percentage fee on the amounts collected through the campaigns. Users can create a fundraising page, or "vaquinha," for free, set a financial goal, and share it across their networks to solicit donations. The platform distinguishes itself by allowing campaign creators to access any amount of money raised, regardless of whether the initial goal has been met, which is particularly beneficial for social and emergency causes where any contribution is valuable.

Vakinha has achieved significant milestones, positioning itself as the largest online donation platform in Brazil and Latin America. The platform experiences substantial traffic, with approximately 150 million annual accesses and an average of 3,500 new campaigns created daily. Its role became especially prominent during national crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the major floods in Rio Grande do Sul, where it facilitated massive solidarity campaigns, one of which raised nearly R$80 million. These events underscored the platform's capacity for rapid, large-scale social mobilization and solidified its reputation for transparency and reliability in handling donations, a trust built over 15 years of operation.

Keywords: crowdfunding, doações online, financiamento coletivo, plataforma de doação, vaquinha online, causas sociais, arrecadação de fundos, fintech, solidariedade, Brasil, Luiz Felipe Gheller, Fabrício Milesi, projetos sociais, campanhas de caridade, ajuda financeira, crowdfunding social, doação para ONGs, captação de recursos, ecossistema do bem, emergências