Edutechs, fintechs, healthtechs, biotechs and innovative companies from various sectors and regions. This plurality characterizes the delegation of the Internationalization Mission to Web Summit 2024, organized by the Brazilian Agency for the Promotion of Exports and Investments (ApexBrasil) and the Brazilian Service of Support for Micro and Small Enterprises (Sebrae), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE) and Serpro, that will bring more than 400 innovative companies to the event, what happens between November 11 and 14, in Lisbon
"The Brazilian delegation is representative of our innovation ecosystem". Brazil has over 20,000 startups and has been steadily rising in the Global Innovation Index. This is, we are a reference in innovation in Latin America, with scalable technological solutions in various market segments that attract interest from around the world. And our delegation, that brings an unprecedented number of Brazilian companies to the event, will help to consolidate Brazil's image as a hub of innovation, stated the president of ApexBrasil, Jorge Viana
The evolution of the Brazilian ecosystem is noticeable on various fronts. Brazil has established itself as the main destination for investments in startups in Latin America. According to the innovation platform Distrito, Brazilian startups raised US$ 1,46 billion in venture capital since the beginning of 2024, amount 9,5% higher compared to the same period in 2023. The country has increasingly advanced innovation centers, support programs for startups becoming increasingly mature, new business models being applied by both entrepreneurs and investors, and all of this creates more opportunities, exchanges and more competitiveness.
In partnership, ApexBrasil and Sebrae want to open doors in the international market so that the potential of Brazilian startups can be seen and expanded in the world's innovation ecosystems, attracting investment and new business partners. "Innovation must consider humanist values because we cannot innovate the world with technology", with all this extraordinary creativity that we produce, without thinking that we live with billions of human beings suffering from hunger. So, innovation must also achieve social inclusion. I am convinced that many creative experiences are also meant to promote this inclusion, says the president of Sebrae, Décio Lima
All the potential of Brazil
This year, the selection for the Brazilian delegation prioritized regional diversity and the encouragement of participation by women-led companies. The initiative aims to promote greater representation of the different regions of Brazil on the international stage, in addition to strengthening the female presence in the innovation ecosystem
It is the case of Amazon Bioprotein , led by CEO Antônia Bezerra, 76 years, that found in the tradition of Amazonian cuisine a solution for natural protein supplementation. The cariru, also known as caruru, it is a vegetable recognized for its rich nutritional properties
Dona Antônia started her entrepreneurial journey in Amapá over 40 years ago, but it was last year that the nutrition student heard the following question from a professor: "Do you know what a startup is"?”. That was enough for the CEO to embark on a new journey in the world of innovation
Now, Amazon Bioprotein is getting ready to take off. "Going to the Web Summit will be a big turning point", I have high expectations and I know what Amazon Bioprotein is aiming for. I gave my all in the training sessions, in the events and on this occasion I will show the world a product that promotes family farming, without pesticides and that has many benefits, comment Mrs. Antônia
Another startup with great potential is the Ceará-based Eduvem, a digital platform that focuses on building corporate universities. In October of this year, the company raised R$ 15 million in investments and participation in the Web Summit is strategic for the international expansion of the startup
According to its CEO, Vladimir Nunam, "one of the goals of our fundraising was international expansion", and Apex has been our partner in this process. She not only takes us to events like the Web Summit, but offers consulting, courses, mentoring. He says that the startup has already worked with ApexBrasil on other initiatives that were fundamental for the development of the business. "I remember that for an edition of Gitex", in Dubai, we even received tips on how to dress. This is the level of detail of the preparation. And now, no Web Summit 2024, let's show all our growth since the first participation in the Web Summit in 2022. We already have a company in Portugal, with clients, and after this consolidation we want to expand to Europe, so let's seek partnerships and show what we have to offer.
Vô Contigo will premiere at the Web Summit this year. A startup was created to facilitate the mobility of elderly people, looking to connect them with drivers who have undergone curation and qualification. "The idea is that our solution is a passport to freedom for the senior person", account Ivonete Guerino, who created this solution. Your startup has been selected for Expo Favela 2023, event that gives prominence to entrepreneurs coming from vulnerable situations across Brazil, and, to participate in this innovation ecosystem, Vô Contigo underwent a qualification process at the Favela Business School, an institution that offers content on entrepreneurial management with an uncomplicated language, free mentoring and connection with market investors
Ivonete was from Cuiabá, where the startup began, at Expo Favela. Now, through the partnership of ApexBrasil with the Central Única das Favelas and the Favela Business School, Vô Contigo will arrive at the largest technology event in the world. "I am a black woman", peripheral, that leads an impact business for an invisible audience. So, there are numerous layers in which I am inserted. When I looked at the system, I felt extremely intimidated, Ivonete told about the beginning of her journey. "Now, I am going to the Web Summit to prospect the Portuguese and European market, where there is a stronger aging process than in Brazil, what can make my business make even more sense, concludes the entrepreneur
The Brazilian delegation includes ten startups created in Brazilian favelas. ApexBrasil is committed to connecting Brazilian entrepreneurs with the world, and the favelas are a rich source of creativity, innovation and talent, what we need to promote for Brazil to conquer the world, stated the director of Corporate Management of the Agency, Floriano Pesaro
Following the success of the last edition
In the 2023 edition of the Web Summit, Brazilian startups shone. Inspira won the pitch championship of the event, while startups like Buddieapp, HIT and Luckie Tech were selected by the organization to participate in showcases on the stages of the Web Summit
A Buddie.AI uses artificial intelligence (AI) to offer a "24-hour therapist friend", with the feature that calms anxiety attacks in up to 5 minutes. Ana Quiroz, startup representative at Web Summit 2023, the company's participation in the event was essential for its internationalization. "We went to show our app to the world and testing our chatbot live and with so much success was very rewarding"
According to the entrepreneur, ApexBrasil opened the doors to the world of internationalization and the results have already started to show up. "We had meetings with potential investors", people and corporations interested in partnerships to offer our products as benefits for their employees. In addition to business opportunities, Ana highlighted the selection for the showcase. The showcase was amazing. Without a doubt, one of the best parts of the whole event. We were part of the showcase "the future of medtech", where we could show, with all this emphasis, our mental health project for employees, told the entrepreneur
In the three days of programming at Web Summit 2023, Brazilian companies were able to identify partnerships, attract investments and find opportunities to expand its actions into the European market. Patrícia Meirelles Palhares, founder of HIT: holistic therapies, claims that the investments we made in the trip paid off and also generated contracts aimed at the Integrative Health market
Subsequently, HIT won the top 5 award in Health Tech at the 100 Open Startups of Latin America, and the founder attributes much of this to the maturity generated by the demands of the European market after the Web Summit. "I think being part of the Brazilian startup delegation at an event like this", makes your startup grow in the market, with everything we experienced at the event, we are excited to maintain our strategy in B2B and B2C because the market has proven to be open to it, inclusive platforms from there, Patrícia talks about the experience of her startup
For the Industry and Services manager at ApexBrasil, Maria Paula Velloso, the Web Summit is a great showcase for Brazilian entrepreneurship. "I am sure that", in the 2024 edition, we will have even more brilliant national startups, establishing partnerships and attracting investments to scale their businesses, commented Velloso
