Futuridade 60+ debates the silver market at the Entrepreneur Fair

The experience accumulated throughout life is driving new businesses, opening professional paths and showing that entrepreneurship continues to be a possibility at different stages of life. Showing that it is never too late to innovate, more than 32 thousand companies in Maranhão are already run by entrepreneurs aged 60 or over. The numbers gave dimension to a discussion that gained space at the 2026 Entrepreneur Fair, held by Sebrae Maranhão. On Sunday (16), Futuridade 60+, Northeast stage, brought together entrepreneurs, experts and representatives of institutions to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the so-called silver economy. The movement follows a transformation that is already appearing across the country. At the beginning of 2026, Brazil reached 4.5 million entrepreneurs over 60 years old, growth of 58.6% in the last decade. This audience also represents approximately 14.3% of Brazilian business owners. Maranhão increases participation in the silver economy According to data from Sebrae, in Maranhão, 32,105 companies are linked to entrepreneurs aged 60 or over. In the Silver Economy section, these enterprises are distributed among 19,487 micro-enterprises (60.7%), 8,249 MEIs (25.7%) and 4,369 small-sized companies (13.6%). For the president of the Deliberative Council of Sebrae Maranhão, Celso Gonçalo, understanding this scenario is essential for two reasons: recognizing the economic dimension of this public and identifying the opportunities that arise from it. "Talking about the silver economy is also talking about competitiveness. This audience brings together professional trajectory, market knowledge and relationship networks. What we need is to recognize its size, understand its demands and expand opportunities", highlighted Celso during Futuridade 60+. Talk show “60+ em Cena” discussed protagonism, experience and entrepreneurship in maturity. Sebrae/Disclosure For Gilvany Isaac, national manager of the 60+ Senior Entrepreneurship Program and the Sebrae Futuridade Program, the numbers point to the consolidation of an increasingly favorable environment for 60+ entrepreneurs. “The numbers keep growing and challenge a new economy, where the environment is favorable for businesses 60+”, he reinforces. Experience that turns into new business The reasons for starting a business after the age of 60 are varied. Supplementing income, seeking autonomy, fulfilling old dreams, socializing and staying active are motivations that add up to a great asset of this audience: the ability to transform life baggage into a competitive advantage. This reality appears in the trajectory of entrepreneurs from Maranhão who participated in the meeting. Maria Aparecida Bessa, general director of Serhum Consultoria, continues to lead the business she built for more than three decades in São Luís. Her approach to Sebrae began with training, including Empretec and strategic planning courses. The event featured a performance by the choir Canto de Luz, formed by participants from the Integrated University of the Third Age (UNITI) at UFMA. Sebrae/Disclosure With a career recognized by business awards, Maria Aparecida today shares the running of the company with her daughter and also shares knowledge built throughout her career. At 60+, he understands maturity as a period in which experience, repertoire and new projects can go together. "Today, I continue to undertake and I see this phase as a moment of many possibilities. We cannot just look at the limitations that age brings, but at the dreams and everything we can still achieve." points out Maria. Another story presented at Futuridade was that of Vilma Cavalcante, owner of Sítio Cajueiro, in Raposa. After retirement, she found entrepreneurship a possibility to start a new professional stage. With support and training from Sebrae, he began to expand his knowledge about management, technology and business development. "Our age gives us experience, and it is precisely this learning that strengthens us. My message is one of overcoming: don't be afraid to start. We still have many dreams, possibilities and much to contribute, and we can grow old in an active way, prepared and believing in what we are capable of achieving", highlights Vilma. The public follows the Futuridade 60+ program, held during the 2026 Entrepreneur Fair. Sebrae/Disclosure Maturity as an asset for entrepreneurship The discussion reinforced a perspective that accompanies the data. Increased longevity changes relationships with work, income, consumption and entrepreneurship. People reach the age of 60 with a professional repertoire, built networks, specific knowledge and the possibility of remaining economically active for many years. Thus, the silver economy presents itself as an expanding market and, at the same time, as a field for the development of new entrepreneurs. In Maranhão, the more than 34 thousand senior partners already present in formal companies show that this transformation is underway. The 2026 Entrepreneur Fair was held by Sebrae from August 14th to 16th, at Multicenter Negócios e Eventos, in São Luís. The event was co-hosted by the State Government and the Fiema System (SESI, SENAI, IEL and Federation), sponsored by the City Hall of São Luís, Equatorial Maranhão and Ceape, in addition to the partnership of the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), Federation of Commerce of Goods, Services and Maranhão Tourism (Fecomércio-MA), FAEMA/SENAR System, E-commerce Brasil, Safemed, Vitalmed, Lokcenter, Renovar-se, Work Residuos, Miniverso, Savage 98 and Aromatiz Olfactory Marketing.