Play Business

Play Business is a Mexican equity and royalties crowdfunding platform that lets individuals invest relatively small amounts in startups, SMEs, and franchises, earning passive income while helping businesses grow. Operated by Play Business S.A.P.I. de C.V., IFC, it is authorized by Mexico’s CNBV as an Institución de Financiamiento Colectivo under the Fintech Law and is therefore regulated and supervised by financial authorities.

However, it decided to suspend new investments in order to focus exclusively on its active portfolio.

What Play Business used to do

The platform used to connect “players” (investors) with “makers” (companies raising capital), allowing people to become co‑owners or revenue‑sharing partners in businesses that previously would have been accessible only to large investors. Since its launch around 2014, Play Business has financed more than 140 companies—initially mostly startups, later expanding to franchises and other SMEs—channeling over MXN 460 million in capital and building a community of nearly 13,000–30,000 investors.

‍

Regulation, ecosystem role, and education

Play Business was a co‑founder of AFICO (the Mexican crowdfunding association) and held its presidency in 2017–2018, playing a significant role in shaping the local crowdfunding framework. It later secured CNBV authorization as an IFC, making it one of the few regulated equity/royalties crowdfunding platforms in Latin America.