Z1 GTM brain

Z1 offered Brazilian teenagers and young adults a digital account and prepaid card; its customers are now directed to NG.CASH.

category

Youth digital banking, transitioned

market profile

  • text: Z1 historically served Brazilian young people with accounts and cards for receiving and spending money.
  • text: In 2025 NG.CASH absorbed Z1's customer base; Z1's current site is a migration notice rather than a standalone product pitch.
  • text: Brazilian youth accounts compete with offerings from large digital banks and incumbent banks.

personas

  • title: Former Z1 account holder
    pains:
    • Needs to regain account access and understand where their balance went
    • May need help creating an NG.CASH account with their existing identity and phone
  • title: Teenager receiving first earnings
    pains:
    • Needs a digital way to receive money from family, work or side gigs
    • Wants to spend and manage money independently rather than rely on cash
  • title: Parent or guardian of a young account holder
    pains:
    • Wants a suitable account for a minor and a clear account-opening process
    • Needs assurance about how a provider transition affects the child's funds

icp

  • text: Historical audience: Brazilian teenagers and young adults needing a first digital account and card; company firmographics do not apply.
  • text: Current migration audience: existing Z1 account holders who need to create an NG.CASH account and access their balance.

message pillars

  • text: Communicate the account transition plainly.
  • text: Reassure customers that they retain control over their money.
  • text: Offer a concrete first step to access the new account.

objections

  • objection: Where is my Z1 balance?
    response: The Z1 transition page says existing funds will be available in the new NG.CASH account; use NG.CASH support for account-specific problems.
  • objection: Can I continue using the old account as before?
    response: The site instructs customers to download NG.CASH and create a new account using CPF and phone confirmation.

competitors

  • name: Nubank
    website: https://nubank.com.br/contratos/contrato-conta-para-menores-de-idade
    why: Offers accounts and prepaid cards for minors in Brazil.
  • name: Inter
    website: https://ajuda.inter.co/conta-digital-pessoa-fisica-e-mei/o-inter-tem-conta-para-menor-de-idade/
    why: Offers Kids and You accounts for children and teenagers.
  • name: Banco do Brasil
    website: https://www.bb.com.br/site/pra-voce/contas/bb-cash/
    why: BB Cash is a digital account for young people.

keywords

  • conta digital para adolescentes
  • conta jovem Brasil
  • cartão pré-pago adolescente
  • Z1 agora NG.CASH
  • conta digital menor de idade
  • acessar saldo Z1

voice

  • Informal Brazilian Portuguese
  • Youth-oriented
  • Reassuring and instructional

signals

  • text: A former Z1 user seeking their balance or access is an immediate migration-support audience.
  • text: A young person starting a job or side business needs a way to receive and spend earnings, a historical Z1 use case.

pricing

model: unknown

motion

unknown

channels

  • mobile app
  • website
  • Instagram
  • TikTok

confidence

low

Founders

  • name: Joao Pedro Thompson
    title: Founder
    role: Founder
    bio: João Pedro is a co-founder and CEO at Z1. Before Z1, he co-founded Vereda, an education startup focused on providing high-quality K12 education at affordable prices for the Brazilian middle-class. He started his career in investment banking at Itau BBA and also worked in the finance department at Kraft Heinz, where he headed LatAm treasury.
  • name: Thiago Achatz
    title: Founder
    role: Founder
    bio: Thiago is co-founder and COO of Z1. Before that, he was part of the founding teams of Rappi (YCW16) and Grow (Grin YCS18 + Yellow), helping build the digital wallet at Grow.
  • name: Mateus Craveiro
    title: Founder
    role: Founder
    bio: Mateus Craveiro is CTO and co-founder at Z1, a digital bank for teenagers in Latam. Prior to Z1, Mateus was a Principal Software Engineer at Pagar.me (Stripe in Brazil), which was later acquired by StoneCo.
  • name: Sophie Secaf
    title: Founder
    role: Founder
    bio: Sophie Secaf is a creative strategist, consultant, and cultural researcher. Before founding Z1, Sophie worked as a political researcher in São Paulo and lead YONE, a branding company based in NYC. Secaf specializes in socio-cultural research, consumer insights and brand strategy. She is particularly interested in subcultures and consumer behavior. She is also the co-founder of YAGA festival, a festival focused in the international exchange of global subcultures and queer perspectives.

Back to YC companies