Rio for Config 2026
A not-so-official, very-much-needed proposal from the community.
📻 Press play: Read this while vibin’ to Vai Malandra by Anitta — because no track captures the rhythm, energy, and gingado of Rio like this one. Welcome to the Cidade Maravilhosa.
Hello people, in this issue, we’ll jump into…
🍔 Happy Meal,
🌄 Rio, I Love You,
🎭 We are Carnaval,
✍️ Sign the petition,
🍟 and extra things to bite it…
As I mentioned in a few past newsletters, Figma is officially landing in Brazil. And to say it the Brazilian way:
💦🫘 Bota mais água no feijão que o Figma tá chegando.
(Add more water to the beans — Figma is coming.)
If you’ve never heard this before, it’s a classic. When unexpected guests show up, the cook doesn’t panic — they just add more water to the beans. Stretch the meal, make room at the table. 🍽️
And that’s what this piece is about: making room. Not just to celebrate Figma arriving in Brazil, but to document, out loud, our desire to someday host Config right here in Rio.
Since nobody’s making this pitch officially, I’ll do it. I’m just putting this into the universe — in case someone at Figma is listening with both ❤️ heart and 🤑 business sense.
Kind of like when Dogan wished for a “Publish” button in Figma — and boom, it became real. Let’s see if ⚡️lightning strikes twice ⚡️.
🍔 Happy Meal
During the Config London keynote, Dylan mentioned that 40% of Figma’s active users are in Europe — which makes total sense for launching a regional Config. The Euro and USD are pretty aligned, the economies are mature, and pricing is straightforward.
But when we talk about bringing Config to Brazil — or any real expansion in Latin America — things get a bit more complicated.
Before we talk about Rio, let’s talk about hamburgers.
In 1986, The Economist created the 🍔 Big Mac Index — a clever way to measure purchasing power around the world using the price of a Big Mac. Since it’s the same burger everywhere, its price becomes a benchmark for how much a dollar feels like in different economies. It gives us a delicious lens into purchasing power parity.
💸 In Brazil, $10 USD isn’t just $10. It could feel like $25. Or $5.
That’s the kind of detail global companies need to get right.
Now why does this matter to Figma?
Because when you expand globally, you can’t just translate your interface. You have to translate value.
And many of Figma’s biggest competitors already have:
✔️ Adobe charges in Brazilian reais
✔️ Wix does too
✔️ WordPress, GoDaddy, Canva… same playbook
All of them figured out a way to price in Brazilian reais, which sounds like a boring finance move — until you realize how powerful it is.
🎯 Canva, in particular, nailed it. Brazil is now one of their top markets. They didn't just translate the UI — they translated the value. And now, they’re aggressively moving into Figma’s backyard with Canva Sites, Sheets, and other tools.
So if Figma wants to play in this market, it can’t just be a vibe. It has to be viable.
Saying “Eu falo português” is cute. ☺️
Saying “Eu aceito Pix” — that’s how you enter the room. 🤯
That’s why Figma’s office launch in Brazil can’t just be a swag drop — it needs to be a pricing strategy moment.
Figma could build its own Figma Payments — like Wix did. Start on top of Stripe. MVP it. Charge more at first. Then build a custom payment processor by region. Not just to charge — but to enable. So designers, freelancers, agencies, and small businesses in Brazil can earn, sell, and grow inside the platform.
If Config ever lands in Brazil, it shouldn’t just be a tech parade — it should reflect the economics of where it lands.
If Praveer Melwani (Figma’s CFO) is reading this, here’s the recipe:
🍔 Think global. 📊 Price local. 🇧🇷 Accept Pix.
🌄 Rio, I Love You
This might already be on your bucket list — but if it’s not, let me make it official: you owe yourself a trip to Rio at least once in your life. And if you time it with Config, even better. I’ll make sure you get the best local guide through this newsletter — just bring your curiosity and sunscreen 🧴.
Rio — for the insiders, not just Rio de Janeiro — is more than a city.
It’s a whole state of spirit. 🧘
And this spirit? It’s been the backdrop for some of the most iconic global events in the world:
🏆 FIFA World Cup (1950 & 2014)
🏅 Summer Olympics (2016)
🇧🇷 Pan American Games (2007)
🙏 World Youth Day (2013)
🌍 Earth Summit / Rio 92
🌱 Rio+20 (2012)
💸 G20 Finance Ministers Meeting (2008)
🌐 G20 Summit (2024)
As Harry Hastings, the founder and director of Plan South America, once said:
“Rio is thoroughly intoxicating—cool, sexy, frivolous, and wildly atmospheric.
It was the most dramatic setting of any city I know.”
It’s no surprise Rio was voted the best destination in South America.
One photo is worth a thousand words — but if you’ve been there, you know: it’s the feeling that stays.
🗣️ Getting Fluent in the Carioca Way
Even as a Brazilian, I had to learn how to survive Rio. Between São Paulo and Rio, I was flying weekly (yes, every week). At first, it felt cool — George Clooney in Up in the Air vibes. Then came the airport chaos, long lines, and no Clear or Global Entry. Pro tip: stop wearing belts.
But Rio has its own rhythm. Its own slang. Its own rules.
If you want to get ready for Config Rio 2026, start with these Instagram legends:
🇧🇷 @meiobrasileira — an American who teaches English and speaks Portuguese like she was born in Lapa. “Meio” means “half,” but let’s be real — she’s full-on Brazilian at this point. She even got her CPF (Brazilian Social Security Number).
And by the way — I don’t do “half.” I tell my kids: Never half. Always double. Double the culture. Double the roots. Double the superpowers. 🇰🇷 🇧🇷
🗣️ @iae.break — carioca da gema. The real deal. This kid’s slang game is undefeated.
"Carioca da gema" is a beloved Brazilian expression that means someone is a true Rio native to the core — not just born in the city, but shaped by its culture, rhythm, and way of life. The word gema means “yolk,” so the phrase suggests someone who’s Rio through and through — like the golden center of the egg, where the real flavor is. 🍳
🎤 @leamariajahn — a German doing stand-up in Portuguese and absolutely killing it. Hilarious and weirdly accurate.
🎬 P.S. Watch Rio, I Love You
If you’ve never seen Rio, I Love You — it’s part of the Cities of Love series, alongside Paris, Je T’Aime and New York, I Love You.
There aren’t many cities that get a cinematic love letter like this.
But Rio? Rio deserves it.
So… Stop resisting. Just come.
🎭 We are Carnaval
First things first — let’s get this clear: it’s CARNAVAL, not carnival. Don’t confuse it with the masked elegance of Venice. This is something else entirely. This is Brazil. This is energy. This is vibe.
And yes — to be realistic, syncing Config’s calendar with Carnaval’s official dates is a tough one. But… we’ve figured that out already.
In Brazil, we created a concept called “Carnaval fora de época” — off-season Carnaval — or what we also call micareta. Translation? We can throw Carnaval whenever we want, wherever we want. Problem solved. 🎉
Like every great company party (a.k.a. festa da firma), we’d need a proper concert to close it out — something that matches the height and energy of the event. We’re talking legendary.
Here’s my dream Config Rio lineup:
Ivete Sangalo – no debate. My #1 pick. Iconic. Period.
Alexandre Pires (with or without Seu Jorge)
Bell Marques – King of micaretas, still rocking like he’s 50 at age 72.
Raça Negra – considered by some (including me) better than The Beatles. 😂
And we’re open to suggestions. But any of these would help us create another historic musical moment — like Queen at Rock in Rio — where a massive crowd sings together in one voice. Config meets Carnaval? Now that’s magic. 🪄
🌊 And about The Wave™ I started at Config 2024? In Rio, it’ll be the most beautiful wave you’ll ever witness. Our Friends of Figma (a.k.a. FoFis) are beyond ready to ride it.
Let’s be real: even if Figma brings zero new features in 2026, the energy will still be unforgettable. But if they match the innovation level of 2025?
The crowd. Will. Lose. It.
And just to set the mood, hit play on this:
🎶 “We are Carnaval, we are folia, we are the world of Carnaval…”
(Click to listen) 🎧
✍️ Sign the Petition
If you want to see Config land in Rio, it’s time to show some love. ❤️
👉 Sign the petition. Share it. Talk about it. Tag Figma. Let’s make some noise.
If you're a designer and Brazilian, this is your cue —
Drop a comment, share it on LinkedIn, and push it forward.
Vamos com tudo, porrrrrra!
So…
Seja bem-vindo. Não repara a bagunça. Pode tirar o chinelo. Sinta-se em casa.
Vou passar um cafezinho e assar uns pães de queijo…
Welcome. Sorry for the mess. You can take off your sandals. Make yourself at home.
I’ll brew some coffee and bake some cheese bread…
🎶 “Isto aqui ô, ô… É um pouquinho de Brasil iá iá…”
Let’s bring the world to Rio — Figma style.
🍟 BITes
🏋️♀️ I’m currently working on a few projects to showcase how Figma can be used across industries and company sizes in Brazil. I’ll be sharing these soon — keep reading this newsletter. (Oh, and I also helped translate Figma to Portuguese 🇧🇷.)
💸 There’s been some chatter about the so-called “dark pattern” Figma uses to charge more. My take? Please stop being cheap. If you love Figma and want to support it, do your part. It’s still way more affordable — and powerful — than Adobe. Here’s the article everyone is sharing.
📺 If you haven’t watched the Canva Create keynote, do it. Compare it side-by-side with Figma’s drops. It’s going to be a bleeding battle — Sites, Sheets, AI, workflows — who’s going to win?
🇧🇷 If you're a designer in Brazil living in Salvador-BA, or Fortaleza–CE, or know someone who is — let’s get them to start Friends of Figma chapters there. I’d love to visit, share knowledge, and soak in the local vibe.
🏛️ And Config in Rio would also be the perfect excuse to update my Free Museum Project with all the museums in Rio that have free entry days. Culture, tech, and design? Count me in.
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See you next week! 🤗
Juno
Designer, writer, educator, UX/UI Design advocate, and mentor for startups.
