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Technical study paved the way for engineering
Fagundes’ path began to change when he enrolled in a technical course in electronics at a school in Londrina, which opened doors to the job market and allowed him to work in the electrical sector.
He worked for two decades in a large company in the sector, where he gained experience and knowledge that would later be fundamental for the creation of Insight Energy.
In 2010, with a lean business plan and a lot of technical experience, Fagundes founded Insight Energy, which quickly stood out in a sector dominated by multinationals.
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The company attracted the interest of WEG, a giant in the electrical equipment sector, and aims for a new leap in revenue by 2026.
Technical study paved the way for engineering
Professional training became the central axis of Fagundes’ trajectory, who sought in technical learning an alternative to escape poverty and build a career in the electrical sector.
According to Veja, he took at least 65 courses in the area, mostly in the Sesi-Senai system, and even worked for four years as a teacher at Senai before advancing professionally.
Later, already married with children, he decided to study electrical engineering, during a phase of financial hardship and family life reorganization around paying for university.
Half of his salary, as he reported, was allocated to tuition fees, while the family faced budget constraints to keep the education project going until the end.
“We will live on bread and water, but I will graduate,” he said, according to Gazeta do Povo.
After graduation, Fagundes worked for 20 years in a factory repairing electric generators, where he took on different roles and deepened the technical knowledge that would support his future company.
This period within the industry served as a practical laboratory for the decision to start a business, made when he was 40 years old and already familiar with the energy market’s demands.
Insight Energy entered a highly complex market
Founded in 2010, Insight Energy was born in a market of high technical complexity, marked by the presence of multinationals and the need for specialized knowledge in large generating machines.
The company focused on manufacturing and repairing generators used in hydroelectric and thermoelectric plants, in a segment associated with global groups like Andritz, GE, and Voith.
With this specialization, the company began to serve structures like Itaipu and Tucuruí, as well as steel mills and companies the size of Petrobras and Copel, according to Gazeta do Povo.
The advancement of Insight Energy sparked interest from WEG in 2024, when the Brazilian giant considered acquiring the company to access the specific niche in which the Paraná-based company operates.
The negotiation, however, was not concluded because Insight Energy’s governance structure did not yet meet the necessary requirements for an international audit, according to the report.
Governance became a priority for a new leap
The uncompleted sale attempt revealed a sensitive point of the operation and led Fagundes to start an internal reorganization focused on the best practices of corporate governance.
With this movement, Insight Energy seeks to prepare for independent audits and strengthen its administrative structure, a step considered essential to support a new phase of growth.
The adjustment occurs amid business expansion, as Fagundes stated to Veja, in 2025, that the company had 350 employees and was on track to reach R$ 100 million in annual revenue.
In the same interview, the entrepreneur also reported that the company had R$ 500 million in sold project portfolio, a figure that reinforces the commercial weight of the operation in the energy sector.
Despite the numbers, Fagundes differentiates growth from profitability, stating that the R$ 300 million moved in the last five years does not represent the company’s net profit.
A significant portion of these resources, as he explained to Gazeta do Povo, passed through the company to cover taxes, suppliers, and payroll, without fully converting into profit for the business.
Cost of Entrepreneurship in Brazil Enters the Debate
In Fagundes’ diagnosis, part of the business difficulties in the country is linked to the lack of administrative and financial education, as well as the legal and tax complexity faced by Brazilian entrepreneurs.
This combination, according to him, especially affects professionals with technical expertise who decide to start companies but are not always prepared to deal with management, taxes, and legal obligations.
Another point mentioned by the founder of Insight Energy is the national infrastructure, which he considers a hindrance to the competitiveness of Brazilian companies in markets with high technological demands.
Comparing Brazil with countries like China and the United States, where he visited factories, Fagundes argues that national technology can compete but faces logistical and tax costs that slow growth.
The entrepreneur also challenges the idea that profit and social responsibility are on opposite sides, arguing that a financially solid company offers more security to workers.
“Profit means stability for the professional. If the company is solid, the employee works with security,” he stated to Gazeta do Povo.
Mentioning the monthly payroll of R$ 2 million, Fagundes relates the company’s performance to the livelihood of workers and families that depend directly on the operation.
“In the end, it’s not 300 employees, it’s at least 300 families that depend on our management,” he said.
Fagundes’ story combines social ascent, technical training, and business risk in a strategic sector for the country’s energy infrastructure, while also exposing the management challenges that accompany growth.
With the goal of R$ 100 million in 2026 and the ongoing internal reorganization, how far can a specialized Brazilian company advance in a market still dominated by global giants?
