Janguiê Diniz is a well-known, and even somewhat legendary, figure in Brazil. After originally making his fortune in the education sector, he has since invested in over 100 companies. At present, he also focuses on bringing Brazilian entrepreneurs together.

In 2019, he founded the JD Business Academy, an institution that empowers Brazilian entrepreneurs to transform their businesses into engines of economic and social growth, fostering a more prosperous and innovative Brazil, and later initiated the Million Business Network (MBN), an entrepreneurial alliance. 

"I am actively involved in the operations of MBN," Diniz told Beijing Review in the southern Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen in Guangdong Province on April 21.

From April 16 to 28, MBN led a delegation of over 30 founders or executives from leading Brazilian enterprises on a business trip to China. The members came from multiple sectors, including biomedicine, education, law, data-driven industries, equipment manufacturing, real estate investment, business consulting and insurance brokerage, demonstrating broad representation and substantial influence. In Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong, they visited the second phase of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, which took place on April 23-27, and in Shenzhen and Shanghai, they engaged with companies in sectors such as AI, healthcare and finance.

"Many Brazilians have little understanding of China, which is why I wanted to create the network for entrepreneurs and bring these people here. I hope to help more Brazilian entrepreneurs understand the current situation in China," he said, adding that through this trip, he hoped to help Chinese companies invest in Brazil, while also creating opportunities for Brazilian businesses to learn about and enter the Chinese market.

Exploring companies 

In Pingshan District of Shenzhen, an AI-powered sanitation demonstration zone features robots that clean 60 percent of its streets. Human workers can monitor trash locations in real time via cameras, and the machines coordinate with them. For example, while human workers blow leaves out of bushes, the robots vacuum them up. This collaboration makes the workers' jobs much easier, especially in the city's extremely hot summer weather.

The project is operated by AutoCity, a company specializing in autonomous vehicles and AI-powered sanitation. After the visit, the Brazilian entrepreneurs showed great interest in its intelligent solutions, with their questions focusing on the cost of the machines and how they could bring these products to Brazil.

At BYD, the Shenzhen-headquartered world's largest electric car manufacturer, the Brazilian entrepreneurs had the opportunity to test drive some of the brand's latest vehicles. "Today's visit to BYD was very rewarding, as it gave us insight into the company's latest technologies," Diniz said. China's technology is excellent and development in all areas, including education, is progressing rapidly, he added.

"BYD really impressed me. The speed with which they conquered the market in just 30 years, going from a battery-only company to a world-renowned company with products that are desired all over the world," Pedro Paixão, told Beijing Review. Paixão is founder and CEO of Ultra Corp., a company with multiple business operations, including education for people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

The visit to Mindray, an innovative global provider of medical devices and solutions in Shenzhen, was especially exciting for Ivlison Melo de Souza, CEO of Globalthings, a company providing technological solutions for the maintenance of medical equipment and assets.

"In the past, trade between China and Brazil was mostly focused on bulk commodities, but there is actually vast potential in the medical sector as well. In fact, many people in Brazil are already familiar with Mindray," he told Beijing Review following a meeting with Mindray's representatives on April 22.

At the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) Branch of Ping An Bank, the entrepreneurs gained an understanding of the evolution of China's cross-border financial services, as well as the advantages of the zone. FTZs across China offer attractive incentives for foreign investment, including tax exemptions and preferential trade regulations.

Ping An Bank is the first listed national joint-stock commercial bank on the Chinese mainland. The Brazilian entrepreneurs highly recognized its comprehensive strength and innovation capabilities, and showed strong interest in its key cross-border projects and services, with some of them expressing intentions to cooperate immediately after the visit.

At DIGIBLEND, they enjoyed an interactive dance performance featuring immersive spatial experience, augmented reality interaction, digital art content and multimedia stage sets. The Shanghai-based company is engaged in WEB3.0 digital system development, spatial intelligence and digital space experiences.

"What impressed me most in China has been the strong will to make things happen. It's a very hardworking society—much like the Brazilian people," Athamis Falco, Operations Director of ATRA, a company specializing in data, analytics and AI, told Beijing Review after these visits. This was his first time visiting China.

"When a government is truly focused on getting things done, things do get done. What we see in China today—the incredible progress made over the past 30 years—comes from a combination of organization, long-term planning and the determination of successive governments to stay the course. The results speak for themselves," Falco added.

Diniz stressed the importance of actually coming to China, seeing it for oneself and having this kind of experience.

Market opportunities 

During his visit to the Canton Fair, Paixão met representatives of a company that owns an eyewear factory in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. They invited him to visit the factory. He decided to go after the whole group had arrived in Shanghai and took a high-speed train to Wenzhou. "China's high-speed rail service is truly remarkable. On the way, I passed through various cities of different sizes, which gave me a deeper understanding of the country," he said.

"The company manufactures prescription contact lenses, and we established a good connection," he said, adding that he is very likely to close a deal in the coming months, starting with sunglasses and then moving on to prescription glasses for both nearsightedness and farsightedness.

"Some of my colleagues and friends in Brazil have also been asking me for contacts in China—companies involved in civil construction, those that supply building materials, as well as people in agriculture and the fertilizer industry. Everyone is looking to establish some kind of connection," he added.

"Both Brazil and China are major players in the world economy. The prospects of cooperation between the two countries are promising," Falco said. "We will bring the successful business models and ideas in China back to Brazil and align them with local practices to create something meaningful."

"China is developing at a rapid pace and is home to a wide range of hi-tech industries. As these industries grow, China needs strong markets for exports—and Brazil, with its abundant resources and vast market potential, is well-positioned to receive Chinese products," Diniz said, adding that Brazil is also eager to deepen its collaboration with China and explore more avenues for mutual development.

So far, Diniz hasn't invested in any Chinese companies, but he does have a keen interest in China's technology and AI sectors. "The future of China-Brazil relations is bound to become increasingly close, with expanding opportunities for cooperation," he concluded.

(Print Edition Title: Investment Opportunities) 

(Wang Jinxu contributed to the story) 

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon 

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