Squad.com, an autonomous artificial intelligence agent platform created by Inner AI, has received a strategic investment from Vivo Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Vivo. The announcement was made on October 13, 2026, and marks the first collaboration of its kind for the platform. The agreement combines capital, distribution, and market development to expand access to AI for small and medium-sized enterprises across Brazil.
Strategic Investment and Commercial Partnership
The financial terms of the investment were not disclosed. The transaction is an exclusive extension of Inner AI's most recent funding round, which includes investors such as Canary and ONEVC. The deal reflects Vivo Ventures' thesis of democratizing access to artificial intelligence models for Brazilian small and medium-sized enterprises, a segment central to the country's economy.
The commercial model leverages Vivo's national distribution structure, which includes more than 5,000 sales professionals, 1.8 million SME clients, about 1,800 stores, and over 80 million monthly accesses on the Vivo app. One opportunity under analysis is adding Squad.com to the portfolio of digital services that Vivo offers to small and medium-sized businesses. The agreement also allows both companies to explore joint business opportunities beyond the investment itself.
Leadership Perspectives
Phillip Trauer, director of Vivo Ventures and Wayra Brasil, said that being close to startups at the frontier of artificial intelligence transformation is strategic for Vivo. He emphasized that the objective is to go beyond investing and build alongside portfolio companies. Trauer added that the partnership could help develop a new generation of AI-native companies, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises.
Pedro Salles, founder and CEO of Inner AI, highlighted that small businesses represent 99% of companies in Brazil and form the base of the economy. He said the company's mission is to democratize artificial intelligence so these businesses can access the same technology level as large corporations. Salles added that Vivo's unique distribution can bring a team of agents into each of these businesses.
Roadshow Across Brazil
The partnership will begin with the Tour de IA pelo Brasil in early 2027. The Squad bus will travel along BR-116, the longest federal highway in the country, with programming for entrepreneurs at Vivo stores. In the first stage, the tour will spend three days in each of three cities in the Southeast region, with locations and dates to be announced.
The agenda includes lectures by artificial intelligence professionals and support from Squad.com specialists who will configure the platform on site. Entrepreneurs can leave the event with their business already operating with its agents. Vivo customers will receive special conditions to hire Squad.com during the tour, extending the experience of the physical store opened on Avenida Paulista in April as Brazil's first AI store.
A Digital Team for SMEs
Squad.com operates as a digital team rather than a set of separate tools. Users chat with six specialized agents that work continuously and autonomously, requesting human intervention only when necessary. The agents include Maky for marketing, Waz for sales, Fin for finance, Júri for legal, Pipo for people, and Opy for operations.
About the Companies
Inner AI was founded in 2023 by Pedro Salles and operates a platform with more than 50 AI models, serving over 1 million users including Bayer, Sabesp, and Banco do Nordeste. Squad.com was launched in 2026, the same year Inner AI raised R$30 million in a round led by Canary and ONEVC. Vivo Ventures was launched in 2022 with R$470 million allocated to growth and early-stage startups, having already invested over R$243 million across 19 operations.
The partnership positions Squad.com to scale its autonomous agent platform through one of Brazil's most extensive commercial networks. By combining Vivo's distribution strength with Inner AI's technology, the collaboration aims to accelerate AI adoption among the small and medium-sized businesses that form the backbone of the Brazilian economy. The upcoming national tour represents a practical first step toward turning that ambition into widespread market access.