Co-founded Decora in 2012, sold in 2018 for approximately US$ 100 million. Has led VAAS strategy since its founding in 2022.
The VAAS story starts before VAAS.
In 2012, three entrepreneurs from Santa Catarina founded Decora, a 3D visualization startup for furniture retail. Within a few years it became a company with international reach.
In 2018, Decora was sold for approximately US$ 100 million. The journey left one clear lesson: a company's success depends, above all, on the quality of the team that builds it.
In 2022, the trio started again. This time to solve a different problem: increasingly complex regulations, new forms of fraud, Pix and crypto on the rise, and companies under pressure to decide fast and safely.
Having data was not enough. Data had to become decisions.
That is how VAAS was born, with the mission of making risk decision-making more precise, complete and agile.
The challenge was of another magnitude: build a platform capable of unifying dozens of data sources, automating decision flows and operating at international security standards. To meet that challenge, they raised two rounds with funds including Headline, ABSeed, Honey Island and Fuse Capital.
The bet paid off. In a few years, VAAS won clients such as BMP, Natura, Unidas, Unimed, Marsh, Banco Mercantil and GWM, establishing itself as Latin America's most complete decision platform, covering compliance, onboarding, credit and fraud prevention.
- 2012
The entrepreneurial journey begins
Gustavo Tremel and Paulo Orione found Decora in Florianópolis. Daniel Smolenaars joins shortly after, completing the trio that would later lead VAAS.
Decora - 2018
Decora exit · US$ 100M
Decora is sold to CreativeDrive (later acquired by Accenture) for approximately US$ 100 million.
Decora - Nov/2022
VAAS founded
The trio starts again together, now with the mission to unify data and decision flows for compliance, credit and fraud prevention in a single platform.
VAAS - Oct/2023
Pre-seed · R$ 10M
First raise, led by ABSeed.
VAAS - Jul/2024
Official platform launch
VAAS moves from development to production, with the first clients live.
VAAS - Oct/2024
Commercial office in São Paulo
Opening of the São Paulo office, expanding commercial presence and the revenue team.
VAAS - Aug/2025
Seed · R$ 20M
Round led by Headline, with participation from ABSeed and Honey Island. Start of the acceleration phase.
VAAS
The people leading VAAS.
People who chose to build this culture every day, and who believe that the company's success depends, above all, on the quality of the team.
Co-founder of Decora and VAAS. Leads marketing, positioning and market relationships.
On board since Decora's early years. Leads product, ensuring the platform solves real problems with elegance.
Leads finance and operations at VAAS. Keeps growth velocity disciplined and predictable.
Leads platform engineering, architecture, data and applied AI. Responsible for building the infrastructure behind our decisions.
Leads VAAS revenue strategy and go-to-market. Connects the platform to major market movements.
Who backs VAAS.
R$ 30 million raised in two rounds, with funds that understand B2B SaaS, fintech and data infrastructure.
Headline
Global venture capital fund with offices in São Paulo, San Francisco, Berlin and Tokyo. Led the R$ 20M round in August 2025.

ABSeed
Brazilian fund specializing in pre-seed B2B SaaS investments. Led the first raise and followed in the Seed round.

Honey Island
Venture capital fund focused on growth-stage Latin American startups. Participated in the Pre-seed round.
VAAS is the people who choose to be part of it.
We look for people who act, speak frankly, care about quality and have the courage to dream big. If that sounds like you, check out the open positions.