Brazilian Startup Program Elevates Innovative Entrepreneurs
ApexBrasil, The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, together with the Brazilian Ministry of Economy, Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sebrae (Brazilian Micro and Small Enterprises’ Support Service), and Anprotec (National Association of Entities Promoting Innovative Enterprises), recently announced the debut of the newly branded Startup Outreach Brasil Program. Over the past six years, Startup Outreach Brasil has selected high-growth Brazilian startups to receive personalized internationalization support. The program has successfully introduced Brazilian startups to several innovation ecosystems around the world that are growing in importance and prominence. Introduced during the program’s latest session in Chicago, the brand refresh represents Startup Outreach Brasil’s mission to educate the venture capital community about the innovative young companies coming out of Brazil, while also providing participating entrepreneurs with training and support to better understand conducting business ventures abroad.
Over the past decade, Brazil’s startup sector has earned the attention of the global investment community and experienced incredible growth. Specifically, more than 22,300 startups have launched in Brazil since 2015, and 30 startups have earned “unicorn” status since 2018, which represents companies that are valued above USD $1 billion. As a result, Brazil has become the largest startup economy in Latin America and attracted USD $9.43 billion in funding rounds in 2021 alone.
During Startup Outreach Brasil Chicago last month, ApexBrasil and its partners brought 15 notable Brazilian startups together for a week-long business-intensive program, which included refining pitches for the local market, meeting with active investors, networking with possible customers and business partners, and more.
“Brazilian startups harness creativity and innovation to develop solutions that have global applications,” said Karina Bazuchi, Head of International Expansion for ApexBrasil. “Startups for our Startup Outreach Brasil program, including those that joined us recently in Chicago, are always selected according to their innovative solutions and potential to scale business internationally. Investors looking for opportunities to diversify their assets can feel confident adding Brazilian startups to their portfolio, knowing that ApexBrasil has prepared them with market intelligence, pitch training, internationalization strategy case studies, and marketing support that are connected to the needs of the U.S. market.”
“The Startup Outreach program has helped us connect with the right audiences – not only investors but potential clients and partners,” remarked Paulo Tenorio, founder and CEO of Trakto.io. “Brazilian entrepreneurs are often hyper-focused on their local market, but the Startup Outreach program and ApexBrasil are showing Brazilian startups that we can solve problems anywhere. Through the program, we are growing in the U.S. market and gaining the tools and training to adopt a more global outlook and business strategy.”
Since its founding, in 2017, the Startup Outreach Brasil Program has conducted 14 editions in nine different countries, directly supporting 216 unique startups, some of whom have participated in multiple cycles of Startup Outreach in different cities around the world. The startups that have participated in Startup Outreach Brasil have secured total investments with a combined value of over USD $24 million in the markets ApexBrasil and its partners have introduced them to, attracting more than 150 global investors to Brazil’s startup ecosystem
