From February 18th to 20th, 15 companies from the Amazon region will gather in Manaus for the beginning of the activities of the PPA Acceleration Program. O Inaugural Workshop and Workshop on Innovation in Business Models and Construction of Impact Indicators is the first of several meetings related to the Program, whose objective is to provide the necessary support for the development of these startups, selected through a Call for Impact Businesses carried out by PPA in 2018.
This first activity will connect the participating businesses, presenting the structure, services and benefits offered by the Program. In addition, the group participates in a two-day workshop to support the construction and improvement of business models and result and impact indicators. The Workshop will be facilitated by the Sense-Lab and Social Move, Program partners and creators of the Model C for impact business.
The PPA Acceleration Program is coordinated by Idesam and supported by USAID and CIAT and has a partnership with several other institutions, with the purpose of helping businesses reach new stages of development and maximize their capacities to generate a positive social and environmental impact in the Amazon . For this, Idesam will provide support and monitoring services, mentoring, thematic workshops, legal and accounting support, scholarships, management tools, among other benefits.
Through periodic meetings, the mentoring program should connect impact entrepreneurs who are just starting to design their businesses with successful executives from PPA member companies. “We believe that the interaction and exchange of experiences between companies with different profiles can generate learning, recommendations and contacts that will be fundamental for the development of startups”, highlights economist Ana Carolina Bastida, member of the Acceleration Program coordination team.
One of the companies benefiting from the Acceleration Program is 'Da Tribu', which develops sustainable fashion accessories with latex produced using forest technology, generating income for riverside families in Pará. Since 2009, the company has been seeking to reduce negative impacts on the textile industry by through a sustainable line of accessories that value Amazonian biodiversity, rescue local culture and generate income for riverside families. 100% Amazonia, Awí Amazon Fruits, Broto Tecnologia Agrícola, Coopmel, Chocolates De Mendes, Da Tribu, Ecopanéis, Tipiti, ManaosTech, Onisafra, Sustente Ecosoluções, Ração +, Peabiru and Manioca will also participate in the program.
“We are very excited about the start of our Business Acceleration Program. The proposal is to support the maximum development of startups over the next 12 months. The entire structure and content was built in a customized and bespoke manner, according to the demands raised by each participant”, highlights Mariano Cenamo, Executive Coordinator of PPA and one of the creators of the Program.
One of the entrepreneurs eager for the three-day training is Jair Arruda, from Boa Vista do Ramos (AM) and founder of Coopmel, a cooperative that produces honey from stingless bees and still faces challenges such as product certification and structuring logistics to be able to export to new markets.
Currently with more than 60 cooperative families, Arruda intends to increase honey production, spread knowledge about the colonization of stingless bees, which consequently promotes the conservation of the Amazon forest and increases the families' income without having to deforest more areas. "We have to seek certifications to sell outside the state, but my big problem is logistics, as there is a market for the product and our price is affordable", says Arruda, who will participate in the Program seeking help in the management of the company and in the your strategic planning.
During the acceleration program, entrepreneurs can also apply for scholarships or logistical support to participate in conferences, fairs, courses or training events that have the potential to contribute to the development of their company. The feasibility of coworking spaces and support in the creation of visual communication materials are other benefits of the program.
