The second edition of the Impact Lab, an acceleration program by Impact Hub Manaus, will invest R$600,000 in impact businesses that combine job and income generation, environmental conservation and social development in the Legal Amazon.
The second edition of the Impact Lab, an acceleration program by Impact Hub Manaus, will invest R$600,000 in impact businesses that combine job and income generation, environmental conservation and social development in the Legal Amazon. Registration is free and will be accepted until March 10th at the following link:
The initiative was born after an institutional survey in 2021 showed that 81.6% of ventures in the region were seeking external investment, but only 12.2% were able to access it. “Another relevant fact is that 42.9% of businesses indicated financial resources as the main demand, listing infrastructure, human capital and general connections as the ideal destination.
In addition, 59.2% of businesses were in the prototyping and organization phase, and 51% stated that they needed an investment of up to R$100,000 to advance their business plans. In the opinion of Marcus Bessa, co-founder of Impact Hub Manaus, this data shows that the ecosystem needs to mature.
“There are some businesses in more advanced stages that are becoming examples for new ones that are emerging, but we still do not have an organic and sustainable process for new businesses and, as they advance in stage, most of them fall by the wayside, sometimes due to internal organization, sometimes due to a lack of connection with the market”, he explains.
The latest survey by ABstartups found that only 3% of Brazilian startups are in the Legal Amazon. According to Pipe Social, when analyzed from the perspective of social impact, only 5% of businesses are in the North Region.
“We live in an era of great challenges, marked by the intensification of the global and climate crisis, which has provoked deep reflections on the role of companies in the world. In the Amazon ecosystem, these issues have highlighted the urgency of more responsible and strategic actions, broadening the perspective and actions of major players in their relationships with people, peers and the environment,” continues Bessa.
“We believe that, through entrepreneurship, we can create new possibilities for regional development, respecting our traditional knowledge, aligned with technology and innovation,” adds the entrepreneur.
2nd edition of “Impact Lab”
The second edition of “Impact Lab” will invest a total of R$600,000. The initiative offers specialized training, mentoring, strategic connections with the market, and seed capital ranging from R$30,000 to R$100,000 per business.
Enterprises that are in the Pilot phase (market testing phase) or MVP (“Minimum Viable Product”, in the market launch phase) and that operate in any of the nine states of the Legal Amazon can participate.
The businesses must focus on some segment of social and environmental impact, such as green technologies, forests and land use, water and sanitation, energy and biofuels, waste management, health and well-being, education, and financial services.
