The so-called “Bridges for Innovation”, launched by Cedro Capital and Embrapa in September 2017, reaches its second edition with the aim of investing in private companies and startups that focus on technologies with agricultural application. Applications can be made until October 28 through the hotsite www.pontesparainovacao.com.br.
Agritechs dedicated to market innovation, which have adopted Embrapa technologies, are in the process of adoption or interested in a technology licensed by the institution, may apply. Companies need to have annual sales of less than R$ 16 million and that already invoice customers through services and products.
Companies headquartered in any region of Brazil are invited to apply, and may be national or subsidiaries of international groups, as long as they have operation and technological development in Brazilian territory.
For the 2018 edition, the investment fund manager SP Ventures and the accelerators Cotidiano and Acceleratus and the BIOTIC Technological Park are the new partners in the initiative. “This way, the possibilities of investments and connections with acceleration programs are expanded for registered companies that are in the initial stage of development and headquartered in any region of Brazil”, comments Alessandro Machado, managing partner of Cedro Capital. Another novelty for this year is that, in addition to attracting investments, the selected companies will be able to negotiate with the Brasília Technological Park (BioTIC) a physical space for future installation at the BioTIC.
According to Daniel Trento, Innovation Manager at Embrapa, “the concept of the Call came from the perception that one of the biggest challenges for the adoption of technologies by Embrapa partners is to overcome the barrier from prototyping to scaling up and, consequently, reach the market of consistently”.
For Trento, the expectation is to repeat the good demand of agritechs for the investment opportunity. In 2017, Pontes para a Inovação received 42 entries, of which seven companies were finalists. Among the finalists, the company Gestão Integrada de Recebíveis do Agronegócio S/A (GIRA) received investments from the fund managed by Cedro Capital in 2018.
The innovation manager at Embrapa also says that although Brazil is starting to act in this scenario, this partnership model has been consolidated for years, established in Silicon Valley, in the United States, a reference in the development of digital technologies
Among the most popular trends in the agribusiness sector that are on the radar of the funds and program partners are image processing solutions for crop or herd analysis; technologies associated with precision agriculture and livestock; new credit and insurance platforms for the agribusiness chain; biotechnology for the development of new seeds and plant varieties; tools that help products and the production chain to market their products and services, among other innovations.
Application requirements and schedule
The companies that apply will go through a selection process composed of members of the two organizing institutions. Those selected will discuss the possibility of a contribution that can vary between R$ 1 million and R$ 6 million per company, depending on technology, focus and other business directions.
To participate, companies must have a technological character, that is, the use of technology has to be a highlight in the product or service offered and must bring innovation to the market.
Applications close on the 28th of October. The selected companies must make a presentation to the examining committee, which can be in person or by videoconference. If selected as finalists, company representatives will be invited to present their businesses in person at Embrapa Headquarters.
2017 Edition
Held for the first time in 2017, the program had 42 applicants and 7 finalists – among them, the company GIRA – Gestão Integrada de Recebíveis do Agronegócio S/A, which received investments from the fund managed by Cedro Capital in 2018. “The experience of being selected and participating in the first Pontes para Inovação was one of the best decisions we made as a company. Companies that bring a disruptive model to agribusiness like ours really need institutional support. Not only for the capital invested by Cedro Capital but also for Embrapa's support and decades of knowledge. All this guarantees a great differential against our competitors”, declares Gianpaolo Zambiazi, founder of the company Gira.
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