Working towards building a truly inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem is what has driven Aliança Empreendedora for 20 years. Including the people who make up the base of the pyramid is not an easy task; however, the organization outlines some guidelines that allow greater participation of these entrepreneurs. The proposals arose during the implementation of theSummit Alliance of Entrepreneurs – A Brief History of the Future of Entrepreneurship, which happened in Brasília, at the beginning of June.
The event, which marks the 20th anniversary of Aliança Empreendedora's impact celebrations, brought together hundreds of entrepreneurs, leaders, and government authorities who presented the challenges and discussed solutions to boost this sector of the economy. This event is an initiative of the Entrepreneurial Alliance and the Empreender 360 Program, in partnership with Bank of America, Assaí Institute, Arymax Foundation, Coca-Cola Brazil, Mercado Pago, Volkswagen Group Foundation, Lojas Renner Institute, Itaipu Binacional, Caixa Econômica, and Mercado Pago. The discussions resulted in a document that presents the main challenges and possible solutions for each scenario. The full document can be accessedhere.
THEequitable access to capital and resourcesIt is an exposed point in the document and, perhaps, the most critical and urgent challenge. "For innovation to flourish across all social strata, it is imperative that funding, mentorship, and infrastructure are available equally, breaking down barriers of location, gender, ethnicity, or social class," comments Lina Useche, co-founder and head of institutional relations at the Entrepreneurial Alliance.
Additionally, create and make accessiblecustomized training and development programsandcreation of support networks and communitiesThey were also listed and are essential for the success of the project. "These issues are essential, above all because no entrepreneur, nor even a person, can grow alone, as we live in society," explains Lina.It is necessary to develop safe environments, especially for those who feel marginalized, for exchanges and learning.
Finally, the document also points to two ways to overcome obstacles, which are also prominent social issues:promote diversity and representationandremove systemic barriers and prejudicesThey are closely related and pertain to the plurality of Brazilian society. Creating public policies and eliminating biases that disadvantage certain audiences and groups is urgent to make the entrepreneurial ecosystem more inclusive.
The Brazilian Microenterprise Forum, part of the Alliance Entrepreneur Summit program, showed that people reinvent themselves, resist, and are supportive to overcome the challenges faced by entrepreneurs. However, this creativity is not enough to change the scenario. For this, concrete support, institutional coordination, and public policies are needed that, instead of pruning, cultivate more potentialities, which is one of the missions of the Entrepreneurial Alliance.
