Businesses in the traction phase will be able to apply until June 17
The 8th edition of StartOut Brasil, a program to support the insertion of Brazilian startups in the most promising innovation ecosystems in the world, is open until June 17, 2019, for entrepreneurs interested in carrying out an immersion in Boston (USA) , in the website: https://www.startoutbrasil.com.br/ciclo/boston.
Carried out by the Ministry of Economy, Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE), SEBRAE and the National Association of Entities Promoting Innovative Enterprises (Anprotec), the program has already provided 91 consultations on internationalization and led 72 startups to participate in immersion missions in Buenos Aires, Paris, Berlin, Miami, Lisbon and Santiago.
According to Igor Nazareth, Undersecretary of Innovation at the Ministry of Economy, the program is extremely important for Brazilian startups, as they tend to look only at the domestic market. “StartOut Brasil seeks precisely to change this mentality, show the opportunities to gain new markets and support these startups in the internationalization process. The government's participation is necessary to help them awaken a global perspective, attract the necessary visibility for the expansion of their businesses and connect them with strategic partners', he says.
The program lasts about 20 months, with approximately two months of preparation, a week of immersion in the chosen ecosystem and another 18 months of support for promoting the export of the product/service, installation in the visited country, attracting investments, monitoring results, among other activities.
To participate, startups must have revenues (preferably above R$500 thousand per year) or have already received some type of investment, have traction in the domestic market and concrete conditions to internationalize, without compromising their local operations. It is also important that companies have 100% of the team dedicated to business and English.
Up to 20 startups will be selected, with 15 businesses in the “broad competition” category, which are startups that have never participated or participated in only one cycle of StartOut Brasil; and 5 startups in the “graduated” category, composed of companies that have already been in two or more immersion cycles offered by the program. The result will be announced on July 18 on the program's website.
Selection and preparation
After submitting the form, which must be completed in English, presenting specific data about the company and target market, each startup will initially be analyzed by evaluators from the organizing institutions, and the 40 best-positioned startups will be evaluated by specialists in the target market, in order to reach the 20 finalists.
To get the most out of what the destination has to offer, startups will go through a six to eight week mission preparation process. During this period, entrepreneurs receive expert advice on internationalization; access to Apex-Brasil's “Passport to the World” platform; connecting with mentors who know the target ecosystem; face-to-face workshop in São Paulo; and online pitch training sessions.
The immersion in the Boston ecosystem will take place between September 22 and 27, when startups will have an agenda focused on prospecting customers and investors and connecting to innovation environments, with visits to accelerators, incubators and local companies. They will also hold meetings with service providers; matchmaker-organized business meetings and a Demoday with investors.
Mission in Boston
The most populous city in the US state of Massachusetts was chosen as a destination for the next StartOut Brasil mission after evaluating the potential of the market, its size and ecosystem maturity. Boston proved to be an important "hub" of scientific-technological innovation and entrepreneurship.
The second largest Brazilian community in the United States, after Florida, is home to more than one hundred institutions of higher education, such as the renowned Harvard University and the important Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), cutting-edge technology parks and more than 400 high-tech companies just in the small perimeter of Kendall Square/Cambridge.
In addition, the region has an economy based on sectors such as renewable energy, efficient equipment, information technologies and software, and presents higher development rates than other states in the country, especially in the areas of technology, biotechnology, health and financial services.
Carried out by the Ministry of Economy, Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE), SEBRAE and the National Association of Entities Promoting Innovative Enterprises (Anprotec), the program has already provided 91 consultations on internationalization and led 72 startups to participate in immersion missions in Buenos Aires, Paris, Berlin, Miami, Lisbon and Santiago.
According to Igor Nazareth, Undersecretary of Innovation at the Ministry of Economy, the program is extremely important for Brazilian startups, as they tend to look only at the domestic market. “StartOut Brasil seeks precisely to change this mentality, show the opportunities to gain new markets and support these startups in the internationalization process. The government's participation is necessary to help them awaken a global perspective, attract the necessary visibility for the expansion of their businesses and connect them with strategic partners', he says.
The program lasts about 20 months, with approximately two months of preparation, a week of immersion in the chosen ecosystem and another 18 months of support for promoting the export of the product/service, installation in the visited country, attracting investments, monitoring results, among other activities.
To participate, startups must have revenues (preferably above R$500 thousand per year) or have already received some type of investment, have traction in the domestic market and concrete conditions to internationalize, without compromising their local operations. It is also important that companies have 100% of the team dedicated to business and English.
Up to 20 startups will be selected, with 15 businesses in the “broad competition” category, which are startups that have never participated or participated in only one cycle of StartOut Brasil; and 5 startups in the “graduated” category, composed of companies that have already been in two or more immersion cycles offered by the program. The result will be announced on July 18 on the program's website.
Selection and preparation
After submitting the form, which must be completed in English, presenting specific data about the company and target market, each startup will initially be analyzed by evaluators from the organizing institutions, and the 40 best-positioned startups will be evaluated by specialists in the target market, in order to reach the 20 finalists.
To get the most out of what the destination has to offer, startups will go through a six to eight week mission preparation process. During this period, entrepreneurs receive expert advice on internationalization; access to Apex-Brasil's “Passport to the World” platform; connecting with mentors who know the target ecosystem; face-to-face workshop in São Paulo; and online pitch training sessions.
The immersion in the Boston ecosystem will take place between September 22 and 27, when startups will have an agenda focused on prospecting customers and investors and connecting to innovation environments, with visits to accelerators, incubators and local companies. They will also hold meetings with service providers; matchmaker-organized business meetings and a Demoday with investors.
Mission in Boston
The most populous city in the US state of Massachusetts was chosen as a destination for the next StartOut Brasil mission after evaluating the potential of the market, its size and ecosystem maturity. Boston proved to be an important "hub" of scientific-technological innovation and entrepreneurship.
The second largest Brazilian community in the United States, after Florida, is home to more than one hundred institutions of higher education, such as the renowned Harvard University and the important Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), cutting-edge technology parks and more than 400 high-tech companies just in the small perimeter of Kendall Square/Cambridge.
In addition, the region has an economy based on sectors such as renewable energy, efficient equipment, information technologies and software, and presents higher development rates than other states in the country, especially in the areas of technology, biotechnology, health and financial services.
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