BNDES Garagem selects 45 startups for acceleration

Forty-five startups (emerging companies) from across the country were selected by the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) for acceleration in 2023, in the third year of the BNDES Garagem program, developed by the institution and executed by the AWL Consortium (Artemisia, Wayra and Liga Ventures). All Brazilian regions were contemplated, with 51.1% of the selected startups being from the Southeast Region; 33.4% from the Northeast; 11.1% from the North; 2.2% from the South; and 2.2% from the Midwest. In all, the program received 1,141 applications. The names of the selected startups will be officially announced this Tuesday (25) by the financial institution. Among the 45 startups, 91.1% are led by people diverse in gender or race. Of this total, 80% have gender diversity and 64.4% have racial diversity in their membership. Of the total number of projects selected, six show services and solutions aimed exclusively at the female public, in compliance with the public notice that, this year, offered extra points for solutions aimed at women. “Since the creation of the program, there was already the intention of having all this diversity. Since the first announcement, we have been taking initiatives to attract a diverse audience and these initiatives have evolved, maturing. I think the numbers, again, show this”, said this Monday (24) to Agência Brasil the manager of the AWL Consortium, Felipe Alves. In the year the program was launched, in 2021, 37% of selected startups were women and 17% were racially diverse. In 2022, there were 35.2% women and 35.3% racial diversity. Among the initiatives implemented for this purpose is the additional score given in the public notice for emerging companies that present diversity of race, gender or region. In addition, the most important thing is to have many subscribers from all over Brazil, with different profiles. “We publicize the program all over Brazil. This year, several regional events were held to mobilize places outside the Rio de Janeiro/Sao Paulo axis. All this helps in mobilizing and attracting diverse people. Our selection boards are racially and gender-diverse to ensure that it’s not just an intention on paper, but that the entire program has that diversity.” Regional partnerships to publicize the program, such as organizations focusing on minorities and diversity, contributed to the result achieved. The manager stated that, on the regional issue, 40% of the startups selected are from the Northeast and North of the country, a result well above the market average for programs for emerging companies as a whole. “We did a very intensive job and got to know the ecosystem, talked to local actors and several partners supported us”. Free of charge The BNDES Garagem program is completely free and supports entrepreneurs and their impact businesses in two stages: traction, for those who already have an impact business and want support to grow, and creation, for those who are developing an impact business and want support to take the first steps. During the acceleration period, emerging companies will receive individual support from experts, with access to mentors for advice and problem solving; content on sales, investment and impact; free and subsidized services offered by partners; products, digital marketing and fundraising. In the final part of the program, entrepreneurs begin to have access to connections with potential investors and public and private companies that may be interested in learning about these businesses and establishing partnerships and commercial agreements. “In addition to training, the program ends up being a showcase of startups for the market as a whole. Having a meeting with a startup with the BNDES Garagem seal makes everything easier for those interested in dialoguing. It is a filter that we make for the market.”, said the manager. Meetings There will be three face-to-face meetings in Rio de Janeiro, with tickets and lodging for entrepreneurs subsidized by the BNDES. Other meetings will be held virtually. The mentoring program starts on August 7, lasting four months for the traction modality and three months for creation. At the end of this process, two participants who stand out in the traction and creation stage will receive prizes of R$ 30,000 and R$ 20,000, respectively. Felipe Alves informed that the companies continue to participate in a network of ex-celebrates. The BNDES will continue to collect data about them to assess the impact of the program over the life of the ‘startups’ and, also, offering benefits and opportunities for partners that arise over time. “We close the program, but we continue to interact with this network that is being formed and which today already has more than 150 startups already accelerated by the program”, informed Felipe Alves. Selected The list of selected startups includes, in the traction modality: 4 Hábitos – Brasília (DF), AçaíMaps – Macapá (AP), Amazon Biofert – Macapá (AP), AppJusto – São Paulo/ (SP), Arco – Porto Alegre (RS), Atlas Florestal – Mogi das Cruzes (SP), Bio – Ribeirão Preto/ (SP), Deveras Amazônia – Santarém (PA), Writer for the Future – Nova Lima (MG), Fazer Budget – São Paulo (SP), Flori Tech – Rio de Janeiro (RJ), G&P Finance – São Paulo (SP), Grupo Muda – São Paulo (SP), Mais Solidário – Salvador (BA), Mais1Code – São Paulo (SP), Mindsun – João Pessoa (PB), naPorta – Barueri (SP), NoHarm.ai – Porto Alegre (RS), Olha o Peixe! – Pontal do Paraná (PR), Syncroniza Educação – São Paulo (SP), Social Visão do Bem – Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Super NINA – Recife (PE), Toda Group – Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Ven Libre – São Paulo (SP), Zero Esgoto – Irupi (ES). In the creation modality, the selected ones are: Amitis – Maceió (AL), Avia! – Nova Olinda (CE), Compensei – São Luís (MA), DuMeio – Jaraguá do Sul (SC), Formmer Afro – Maceió (AL), Gamezônia – São Luís (MA), Go Beesiness – João Pessoa (PB), iUUL – Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Manas Digitais – Belém (PA), Marias S/A – São Paulo (SP), Mogno Earth – Abaetetuba (PA), Mulheres Connectadas – Matriz de Camaragibe (AL), Olabisi – Laboratório Cria tivo – Salvador (BA), Simplicity – Coaraci (BA), Sinclus – Eusébio/ (CE), SOL – Soluções Inteligentes – Caicó (RN), Stardust Zone – São Paulo (SP), Tunu Saúde – Salvador (BA), Ubuntu Labs – São Paulo (SP), Visão Coop – Queimados (RJ).

Agência Brasil