Apex-Brasil Hosts Virtual Startup Program to Immerse Brazilian Startups in New York City Business Ecosystem

BRASÍLIA, Brazil, April 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, Apex-Brasil, the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, is hosting its first virtual "StartOut Brasil" program in North America, to present Brazil's most promising startups to the New York market. The event will feature a comprehensive agenda of sessions to ultimately promote U.S. investment in 17 Brazilian startups that generated a combined revenue of USD $23.9 million last year.

"Brazil's government-led StartOut program – focused on the internationalization of its most innovative startups – is a unique opportunity to immerse Brazilian startups in the U.S market," said Isabel Fontoura, Apex-Brasil's Internalization Coordinator. "Together with our partners – the National Association of Entities Promoting Innovative Enterprises (Anprotec), Sebrae, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Special Secretariat for Productivity, Employment, and Competitiveness for the Ministry of Economy – we are inspired and excited by the opportunity to bring together Brazilian startups and U.S. investors from the New York market for an entire week of virtual experiences – highlighting Brazil as a startup ecosystem to watch. Each of the 17 participating companies represent some of the best and brightest innovators that Brazil has to offer. I look forward to watching as they demonstrate their ability to learn, network, and expand into new international markets." 

Before participating in StartOut Brasil, interested startups first undergo a rigorous selection process by a board of market experts, investors, mentors, entrepreneurs, and consultants. Of the total applicant pool, the jury ultimately chooses up to 20 candidates for each immersion cycle. After being thoroughly vetted, the selected startups then receive two-months of internationalization training, mentorship, and rehearsals with experienced professionals in order to prepare them to pitch to U.S. investors on "DemoDay" (April 15). This year, StartOut New York features a wide variety of game-changing Brazilian startups that specialize in some of the newest areas of technology today, from artificial intelligence to enterprise tech to cybersecurity and more.

Throughout the week, the startups in the StartOut NY cycle will participate in diverse daily activities, organized based on the following categories:

• Learning: Sessions that prepare startups for requirements of international investment.
• Mentoring: Personal mentoring opportunities with executives from the host market (New York).
• Pitching: Pitch training with industry specialists.
• Investment: Access to investors and investment funds.
• Business assistance: Curated agenda of business meetings with the support of a local matchmaker.
• Counseling: Counseling regarding the internationalization process.

After completing the StartOut program, each startup will receive personalized follow-ups from program sponsors in order to maximize New York-based business opportunities and improve their international expansion strategy. With support from Apex-Brasil's international offices, the National Association of Entities Promoting Innovative Enterprises (Anprotec), Sebrae, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Special Secretariat for Productivity, Employment, and Competitiveness for the Ministry of Economy, StartOut strives to go beyond the "immersion week" and give Brazilian startups all the tools necessary to start a global operation and facilitate exports with interested global consumers.  

Through efforts like StartOut New York, Apex-Brasil is focused on underscoring on a global stage the critical role the country of Brazil plays as a burgeoning innovation hub. Just consider that 50% of Fast Company's "Most Innovative Latin American Companies of 2021" are currently based in Brazil. What's more, as Apex-Brasil recently announced, the country has maintained its overall rank on the 2021 Bloomberg Innovation Index and jumped four places on the 2020 Global Innovation Index, which is underscored further by a stark increase in the number of startup unicorns in the country – from only seven unicorns less than two years ago to 19 today, a 156% increase. 

Please visit: https://www.startoutbrasil.com.br/english/. Here, you can learn more about how StartOut Brasil has expanded since the program's launch in 2017 to introduce Brazilian startups to 11 international markets, including London, Shanghai, and Toronto. By 2021, an estimated 270 startups will have participated in the program.

To learn more about Apex-Brasil, please visit: http://www.apexbrasil.com.br/en/home.

About Apex-Brasil

The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad, and to attract foreign investment to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy.  Apex-Brasil organizes several initiatives aiming to promote Brazilian exports abroad. The Agency´s efforts comprise trade and prospective missions, business rounds, support for the participation of Brazilian companies in major international trade fairs, arrangement of technical visits of foreign buyers and opinion makers to learn about the Brazilian productive structure, and other select activities designed to strengthen the country's branding abroad. Apex-Brasil also plays a leading role in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) to Brazil, by working to identify business opportunities, promoting strategic events and lending support to foreign investors willing to allocate resources in Brazil.

Media Contacts
Andre Castro
Apex-Brasil
[email protected] 
+55 (61) 2 0270574

McKenzie Naylor
Ruder Finn – PR on behalf of Apex-Brasil in the U.S.
[email protected]
+1 (212) 593-6434

SOURCE Apex-Brasil