From a suffocating bureaucracy to high production costs, Brazil is known for being a hard place to do business. For a foreigner, fluctuations in the Brazilian currency and the language barrier add to this list. But for a specific type of investor, the country’s huge population, abysmal inequality and recent improvements in legal requirements make the country an attractive destination for capital.
“Impact Investors,” as these capitalists are known, do not only seek to maximize gains. They are equally concerned with the social and environmental...