Entrepreneurs defend that crisis is a channel of possibilities

4th Campinas Startups Conference had the institutional support of ABES

Great businessmen from various sectors, entrepreneurs and investors were gathered this Friday (2) at the 4th Campinas Startups Conference, held at PUC-Campinas. For them, the crisis is an opportunity to find new market niches in the face of the difficulties of companies and they shared unusual solutions adopted in moments of retraction.

The event, promoted by Associação Campinas Startups (ACS), had the institutional support of ABES and gathered more than 300 people, consolidating itself today as the largest focused on entrepreneurship and startups in the interior of São Paulo.

Luiz Eduardo Falco, president of CVC and who has already been in charge of OI and TAM, told the participants about the numerous measures adopted by the companies he passed through. This year, in an offensive against the stagnation of the company's growth, considered the largest tour operator in Latin America, CVC launched a round-the-world package for US$ 3,500.00.

“With the rise in the dollar, international travel traffic has halved. But if the exchange rate is high, I can't change that, I increase the dream of those who want to travel”, said Falco about measures adopted at CVC.

For Felipe Forjaz, founder of Elemidia, a pioneer company in out-of-home digital media whose model is normally found in elevators and buildings, the entrepreneur should not let the feeling of crisis take over the business.

“In the 2006 crisis, companies started to have a demand for segmented and more assertive media. The investment that was mass became segmented. Elemidia benefited from this, creating a new market niche for these companies”, said Forjaz, who is also a co-founder of Connecta Ventures, where he works today. Elemidia was recently sold to Grupo Abril.

The event also had the participation of the president of Check Express Group, and professionals who held a chat at a roundtable, in addition to entrepreneurs who presented their cases, trajectories and difficulties in entrepreneurship.

Tatiana Pezoa, founder of Trustvox, told how she started her company with a debt of R$ 100 thousand after the previous startup went bankrupt. “Everything I went through helped me know what not to do, what mistakes not to make again. Today we register growth in the company because we look at the customer and create solutions at a time when people don't want to spend”, he said.

The president of ACS, Wilson Campanholi Junior, evaluated the event as a great opportunity for learning and sharing information. “Certainly, everything that has been said here serves to boost and stimulate the innovation sector and all those who do not want to be overwhelmed by the crisis”, he said.