By Rafael Ribeiro, executive director of ABStartups
Creating a startup in Brazil five years ago was a real challenge. To begin with, few understood what the term “startup” meant. Even the first enthusiasts also struggled to advertise their business, win over the first customers, attract investment, learn more about innovation and other essential tasks for any entrepreneur. All of this required time and money, two elements that are scarce in the cycle of any startup. Whoever survived that time, today is probably a great reference in his sector.
Years later, technology has advanced, new opportunities have arisen and the environment is much more conducive to the foundation of new ventures. I am not saying that being an entrepreneur now is easy, but I assure you that it is less complicated than it was in the past. This is explained because today, in 2017, Brazil has a much more mature startup ecosystem.
But what does this mean in practice? First, our infrastructure has evolved a lot. We have numerous accelerators, investment funds, entrepreneurship support organizations and various personalized services to assist startups (such as legal or communication advice, for example).
However, one of the biggest benefits for entrepreneurs in 2017 is the excess of information. Unlike the first years of the decade, today we have many more entrepreneurs in the country, which provides a sharing of knowledge that is extremely rich. We also have universities with courses and methodologies aimed at startups and several events with qualified content.
To foster this exchange of ideas between different market agents, regional communities are formed within Brazil. For example, we have Sururu Valley (in Alagoas), San Pedro Valley (in Minas Gerais), StartupSC (in Santa Catarina), among others. other ecosystems.
This union is fundamental for everyone who is inserted in these communities. They give you the opportunity to discuss common themes, learn or teach something and possibly even close deals and win an investment. An entrepreneur never achieves success alone, so it is very important to have this proactivity to make new relationships and exchange information.
According to data from ABStartups, states such as São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Santa Catarina and Pernambuco stand out with a large number of innovative ventures. It is no coincidence that these regions have a strengthened ecosystem, with much sharing of ideas. Our expectation is that communities like these will spread throughout Brazil over the next few years.
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