All posts by : communication.amaz

Text: Maxi Media Communication

Image: Disclosure/Tribo Superfoods

A symbol of the Amazon and beloved in the global superfood market, açaí is today one of the strongest production chains in the Brazilian bioeconomy. In Pará alone, the state that produces the most of the fruit in the country, more than 150,000 families depend directly on the activity to generate income. The product, which has already won over nutritionists, athletes, and consumers worldwide for its nutrients and distinctive flavor, is now taking a new step towards innovation: it is entering the world of tokenization.

THE Tribe Superfoods and the ForestiFi, both startups supported by Amaz Impact Accelerator, completed the first tokenization operation for açaí, carried out in Igarapé-Miri (PA). The private issuance raised R$$ 200,000 in resources, with the sale of 8,000 tokens, all acquired by qualified investors. The amount will be allocated to the local production chain, strengthening the relationship between producers, industry, and the market.

Tokenization is a blockchain-based technology that allows a real asset—such as an açaí harvest—to be transformed into a digital asset, the "token." Each token represents a fraction of the asset's value, allowing investors to support the operation and receive returns tied to the actual production performance. More than just a way to raise capital, tokenization ensures traceability and transparency throughout the entire chain: from the producer to the end consumer.

According to Maurício Pantoja, co-founder of Tribo Superfoods, this innovation aims to solve a historical problem in the açaí supply chain: the low value passed on to small producers.

“Açaí is a product with high demand, but it's treated as a commodity. Small producers end up losing profit margins, while the consumer at the end of the chain is willing to pay more for a fruit with quality, provenance, and a positive impact. Tokenization ensures that this difference in value is distributed fairly, benefiting those who truly care for the forest,” explained the businessman.

THE Tribe Superfoods The company operates by producing pure, additive-free açaí pulp, which is sold to other companies, including for export. ForestiFi, in turn, was responsible for structuring and issuing the tokens. According to Macaulay Abreu, co-founder of the investment platform, the operation seeks not only to raise capital but also to test and improve a scalable investment model for the socio-bioeconomy chains of the Amazon.

“The açaí supply chain has enormous potential for investment initiatives via tokenization. This initial operation helps us understand the specific challenges of the sector and plan for increasing investment volumes in the coming years,” he stated.

According to Macaulay, tokenization also brings direct efficiency gains for the operator, in this case, Tribo Superfoods, allowing for the anticipation of resources and
guaranteeing immediate working capital for the purchase of production from the cooperatives. "Before, payments could take days. Now we can pay on the same day, which makes it easier for producers and gives agility to the operator," he explained.

For producers in Igarapé-Miri, the advancement of tokenization represents a milestone for a chain that sustains thousands of families and keeps the local forest-based economy alive. Producer Leubaldo Costa, from the Caepim cooperative in Igarapé-Miri (PA), emphasizes that açaí has always played a central role in the municipality. According to him, the fruit is both the staple food for families and the main economic engine of the region.

“"Açaí ensures that we can clothe our children, send them to school, improve our homes and our transportation. It helped the municipality overcome periods of great difficulty. Today, it's what keeps our families going," he stated.

Leubaldo emphasizes that the partnership with Tribo Superfoods has contributed to strengthening this sustainable model. According to the producer, the company brought technical knowledge and new tools to enhance the quality and value of the product, along with the community's own commitment to good production practices and environmental preservation.

“We already produce with awareness and respect for the forest. Tribo has arrived to add to that, with innovation and new experiences, strengthening what we already do. This model brings hope for a fairer income and a better future for producers and the forest,” he concluded.

Partnerships that yield good results.

Tribo Superfoods and ForestiFi are startups being accelerated by Amaz Aceleradora de Impacto, a program whose mission is to boost businesses in the Amazonian socio-bioeconomy and promote sustainable development in the region.

Both companies began their acceleration journey this year, and the initiative reinforces one of the program's pillars: fostering strategic connections between entrepreneurs, investors, and local communities to strengthen business models that generate positive impact and income in the forest.

“Beyond strengthening each of the supported and invested businesses individually, Amaz's objective as an ecosystem facilitator is to enable collective solutions – that entrepreneurs and businesses find a collaborative and safe environment to implement innovations that leverage their positive impacts and also their business model. The joint operation between Tribo and ForestiFi demonstrates that, when well-articulated and intentional, cooperation has the potential to generate a significant competitive advantage for the sector,” explains Gabriela Souza, operations manager at Amaz.

Text: Maxi Media Communication

Image: Courtesy of Tucum

In 2025, the tucum Celebrating 12 years of a journey dedicated to valuing the art, knowledge, and cultures of indigenous peoples, the platform has been consolidating itself as the first indigenous marketplace in Brazil, with cultural curation, long-term relationships, and socio-environmental impact.

Tucum is one of the businesses in the portfolio of Amaz Impact Accelerator., This initiative, coordinated by Idesam, aims to foster startups with socio-environmental impact in the Amazon. The brand joined the acceleration program in 2019, while still in the business organization phase, and has since been expanding its structure, processes, and impact capacity. In addition to financial support, Tucum received customized mentoring and continues to be monitored as it consolidates itself as a B2C micro-enterprise, that is, a small business that sells directly to the end consumer.

“AMAZ’s support is defined according to the needs of the business. Balancing collective constructions with individual depth, the work with Tucum, from 2019 to 2025, reflects how much we must adapt our journey and portfolio management to the stage the business is in, generating strategic value, enabling connections and market access, according to its capacity, in constant expansion,” explains Gabriela Souza, leader of New Businesses at Idesam and of operations at Amaz.

Tucum's journey began in 2013, stemming from its founder, Amanda Santana's, experience with the Kayapó and Krahô peoples, an experience that transformed her vision of art, territory, and ancestry. This encounter gave rise to the idea of creating a business capable of bringing people and cultures closer together, sharing knowledge from the forest and recognizing Indigenous art as a technology of life, memory, and resistance.

Today, Tucum works in partnership with hundreds of indigenous communities across all regions of Brazil, mobilizing more than 2,500 artisans who find in Tucum's purpose a direct channel for commercialization, autonomy, and income generation. In the Amazon, this work encompasses nine states, 56 territories, and four conservation units.

This progress occurs in a context where measuring socio-environmental impact in the Amazon is a challenge shared by the entire ecosystem, due to the vastness of the territories and the time required for real change. Even so, AMAZ's portfolio already demonstrates significant results, with a total area of influence estimated at 6.4 million hectares and more than 1,959 families impacted. The accelerator's portfolio includes 16 businesses operating in the areas of tourism, cosmetics, fashion and art, food products and ingredients, agriculture and reforestation, and logistics.

Art and activism go hand in hand.

For Washamani Mehinako, a talented artist from the Kaupuna village – located in the Alto Xingu territory – inspiration comes from nature and the cultural traditions of his people. He learned from his uncle, Anapuatã Mehinako, how to make pieces inspired by animals, symbolizing the deep spiritual and cultural connection of the Mehinako people with nature. Furthermore, Washamani creates masks that represent the spirit of the blue macaw, guardian of the rivers and fish. The canvases are influenced by body paintings, with graphic designs and fish scales and fish eyes, symbols deeply rooted in Mehinako traditions, especially in festivals and rituals.

“Since I met Amanda, she has embraced my work and placed my paintings in the store. Tucum helps me not only with sales, but also with promotion, making my name reach further. It embraces the art of many peoples of Brazil, and I am in the middle of this network. I hope that the partnership remains strong, so that my works continue to travel and reach more people,” declared the artist.

Throughout these 12 years, the collections, exhibitions, experiences, and training processes developed by the company have been invitations to rethink consumption, aesthetics, and the very idea of development, placing indigenous peoples as protagonists in building more diverse, plural, and possible futures. Tucum holds the Origens seal and opened a physical store in Rio de Janeiro in 2024.

“For 12 years, Tucum has celebrated the Amazon daily, valuing and honoring the peoples who keep our great forest standing. At a time when climate change is becoming increasingly urgent, recognizing, listening to, and walking alongside the guardians of the forest is essential to mitigating its impacts. This is Tucum's mission, as we understand the importance of becoming allies of indigenous causes today,” said Amanda.

Text and Image: Idesam Communication

Idesam ends 2025 having won two awards at the 10th edition of Large Jaraqui, one of the main awards in the Amazon startup ecosystem. The ceremony was held this Tuesday (9), at the Amazon Biobusiness Center. The recognition is granted annually by the Jaraqui Valley community, which brings together entrepreneurs and initiatives focused on innovation and creating connections between businesses in the region. This year, the award had 19 categories. 

In this edition, the Priority Bioeconomy Program (PPBio), from Suframa and coordinated by Idesam, was awarded in the Startup Investments category, while Amazônia Agroflorestal, a spin-off of Idesam, won in the Legal Amazon and Amapá Startup category. 

In addition to the awards, Amaz Aceleradora in the "Accelerator" category and Idesam in the "Innovation Institute" category were among the top three organizations, reinforcing Idesam's relevance in different stages and links of the entrepreneurship and innovation environment in Amazonas. 

The award recognizes projects, institutions, and leaders who contribute to the development of Manaus' innovation ecosystem. The final evaluation is carried out by an independent jury composed of representatives from the innovation community. 

Idesam's technical director, André Vianna, celebrated the recognition from the ecosystem and highlighted the institute's work across various aspects of the innovation ecosystem. "This is a very special award because it comes from the community itself. It's recognition of the work we've been doing and shows the diversity of Idesam's activities in the different links of the innovation ecosystem.". 

Representing the Agroforestry Amazon, Nayara Diniz also highlighted the importance of this year's achievement. “It is an honor to receive this award. It represents recognition of the work of the partner producers in Apuí, the technicians in the field, and the entire commercial team that takes Apuí Coffee from Amazonas to the world. This year, we had the opportunity to stand out among the 15 best robusta coffees in Brazil, and this is the result of collective work, done with dedication and respect for the Amazon.”. 

PPBio leader Karol Barbosa highlighted the role of partnerships in achieving the results. “The Jaraqui Valley award is a celebration of innovation, so the Priority Bioeconomy Program has been working for the past six years together with wonderful partners who help us, and we don't do anything alone.”. 

The 10th edition of Jaraqui Graúdo was supported by Platinum Sponsor Idesam; Gold Sponsors Amaz, PPBio and F7Live; Bronze Sponsors Osten Digital, Residuum and Almaden; and Startup Sponsors Grupo Navegam, Rosh, Faço a Conta and Apoena Produtos do Amazonas, who contributed to the award ceremony and to strengthening the Amazonian innovation ecosystem. 

Text: Maxi Media Communication

Image: Courtesy of MOMA

The Brazilian cosmetics market continues its strong expansion and shows no signs of slowing down. Projections indicate the sector will reach US$23 billion in revenue by 2025, maintaining an average annual growth of 4.55% until 2030. Today, Brazil holds the position of the third largest beauty market in the world.

In this scenario dominated by big brands, companies like MOMA They are gaining ground by focusing on offerings aligned with the new demands of the public. Natural ingredients, transparency in the production chain, recyclable or biodegradable packaging, and formulas free of microplastics and petrolatum are decisive factors for a growing segment of consumers concerned with more sustainable and ethical choices.

The brand, founded by pharmacist Vivan Chun, combines research focused on performance, Amazonian biodiversity, and socio-environmental impact to create products that connect self-care, science, and the forest.

“I had been developing cosmetics as a hobby since 2012, but I still didn’t see myself as an entrepreneur. That only changed when I started working with regenerative agriculture and agroforestry. It was there that I understood that the rural farmer is, in essence, a great entrepreneur,” she said.

The turning point came after the pandemic, when Vivian saw the possibility of connecting her knowledge in formulation with production chains in the Amazon. "I realized I could unite purpose and impact: using the cosmetics I already created, now adding communities and generating transformation at the grassroots level," said the businesswoman.

Today, MOMA works directly with inputs produced by indigenous communities, riverside communities, and family farmers, in networks such as Inatú Amazônia, which supplies the copaiba oil used in the moisturizer's formulation. Co-founder of the brand, Marisa Taniguchi, emphasizes that the collaboration goes beyond the commercial aspect and contributes to strengthening the entire production chain in the region.

“The partnership with MOMA strengthens our network because it increases the visibility of our products. This type of collaboration generates new market opportunities, opens doors for strategic connections, and values the work of extractive communities. When initiatives like this are combined with local efforts, we strengthen socio-biodiversity and show that it is possible to develop the Amazon with respect, responsibility, and shared benefit,” he stated.

The product combines natural active ingredients such as Cumaru, Aloe Vera, Andiroba, and Cupuaçu Butter, offering deep hydration, rapid absorption, and a velvety touch. The formula highlights the smoothness provided by copaiba, rich in β-caryophyllene, and the natural aroma of cumaru, with subtly vanilla notes.

Beyond its connection to the forest, the brand continuously invests in research and development. “In practice, R&D means improving formula, texture, color, aroma, and user experience; seeking out more refined and safe ingredients; investing in clinical research; and exploring new active ingredients. It's constant innovation,” explained Vivian.

Acceleration that drives business expansion and helps measure impact.

The brand strengthening process also gained momentum with the acceleration program led by Amaz, an impact accelerator coordinated by the Institute for Conservation and Sustainable Development of the Amazon (Idesam). MOMA had already participated in other programs such as 'Amazon at Home, Standing Forest' and 'More Forest', before being one of the companies selected in Amaz's 2023 Business Call.

The 2024 acceleration journey was structured around strategic and operational pillars, culminating in financial support and market visibility. “The program began with an intense focus on performance management and internal controls through workshops and process modeling, which we combined with efforts directed towards understanding the market and positioning the brand,” explains Rafael Ribeiro, acceleration leader at Amaz.

“During these processes, we gained maturity, connections with other entrepreneurs, visibility, and access to sales channels, such as the partnership with Mercado Livre. With the investment, we were able to launch products, improve the website, hire people, implement systems, and structure processes,” reported the brand's founder.

With a strengthened foundation, Vivian outlines the next steps for the brand: new product launches, improved packaging, and communication focused on specific skincare categories. In the socio-environmental field, we are advancing in formalizing purchase contracts with supplier communities, ensuring predictability, security, and continuous income.

“The expansion of MOMA needs to go hand in hand with valuing the forest and the people who live from it. Our commitment is to grow without losing our connection with those who make all of this possible,” he reiterated.

Text: Maxi Media Communication

Image: Disclosure/Amaz

A pioneer in investing in and accelerating impactful businesses in the Amazon, Amaz Impact Accelerator, coordinated by the Institute for Conservation and Development of the Amazon (Idesam), is the only Brazilian initiative among the finalists of the... GAEA (Giving to Amplify Earth Action) Awards 2026, an international award from the World Economic Forum that recognizes innovative solutions to global climate challenges.

The GAEA Awards evaluates organizations from different countries and sectors that demonstrate scalable solutions to global climate challenges. The award recognizes innovative collaborations across multiple sectors (public, private, and philanthropic) that address systemic changes related to climate and nature.

In the inaugural edition, held last year, five pioneering initiatives were awarded in different categories. Among the winners are Built by Nature (BbN), a network to promote the use of sustainable wood and other natural materials in construction, reducing the sector's carbon footprint, and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), a philanthropic union between the public and private sectors to accelerate access to clean energy and promote a just energy transition.

The award process includes nomination, selection, and final shortlisting phases. Winners don't just receive a trophy; upon being awarded, they join the GAEA community, gain visibility, connect with potential partners, and gain access to the Forum's platforms to amplify their impact.

“We are very happy to be shortlisted for the award among so many relevant initiatives worldwide. This recognition goes to all the entrepreneurs in our ecosystem who work to conserve and restore forests and improve the lives of thousands of people, making the bioeconomy a reality every day in the Amazon,” notes Mariano Cenamo, CEO of Amaz and co-founder of Idesam, the Institute for Conservation and Sustainable Development of the Amazon, which has been working in the Brazilian Amazon for over 20 years and coordinates the Amaz Impact Accelerator.

Amaz supports businesses operating in diverse areas ranging from logistics to technological and innovative solutions.

Amaz celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2025 with impressive numbers: it evaluated over 500 potential startups, accelerated 52 businesses, invested in 29 companies, and maintains 16 active companies in its portfolio.

The businesses accelerated by Amaz operate in different sectors of the Amazonian bioeconomy, such as sustainable logistics, food, fashion and indigenous art, natural cosmetics, community-based tourism, environmental regeneration, and technological and innovative solutions that have benefited 1,959 families and 45 social organizations and generated, in 2024 alone, R$ 4 million in payments to partners in the Brazilian Amazon.

The portfolio is intentionally diverse, reflecting the multiple stages of maturity and territorial profiles of the region. The accelerator operates through a blended finance model, which combines philanthropic and private resources.

The journey to creating the accelerator began in 2018 with an Idesam pilot program called Partners for the Amazon (PPA), which supported more than 30 businesses focused on the bioeconomy, sustainable production chains, and waste management. The program evolved into the current structure of the accelerator, which, through its first fund, carried out three business acceleration cycles via call for proposals and initiated direct investments.

“The great differentiator of Amaz is really being a business accelerator with many years of experience in the Amazon, due to the work developed by Idesam for over 20 years in the region. This learning has allowed us to develop processes and solutions for the impact ecosystem, from the operational aspects of the businesses to the more resilient type of investment that these types of ventures demand,” analyzes Gabriela Sousa, operations leader at Amaz.

Text: Maxi Media Communication
Image: Daniela Tipiti/Amaz

During COP30, held in the heart of the Amazon in Belém, those on the ground in the forest promoting transformations and turning the gears that actually make the bioeconomy happen have the floor. Outside the official spaces in the green and blue zones, there are places like Bem Cafeinado, a store created by Liane Dias in the Reduto neighborhood, which expands the dialogue between the various actors in the impact ecosystem with discussion groups about sustainable businesses.

“The idea is to connect important partners with people who are truly involved in the much-talked-about Amazonian bioeconomy, and promoting this integration is fundamental to avoiding fanciful narratives about climate change and the socio-bioeconomy,” argues the entrepreneur.

Paula Macedo, business portfolio manager at Amaz Impact Accelerator, an initiative coordinated by Institute for Conservation and Sustainable Development (Idesam), He explained how to overcome the challenges of accessing philanthropic and private capital during a conversation with producers and entrepreneurs working with coffee, one of the nation's passions that has been suffering the impact of climate change with drought and heat, which are harming crops in Brazil and around the world.

“Philanthropic capital is becoming increasingly scarce globally and is not enough to solve all social and environmental problems. At Amaz, we work with a fund originating from philanthropic and private capital to support businesses that are already promoting change in rural Amazonia. With this fund, we have already been able to evaluate more than 500 businesses and currently have 16 assets in our portfolio,” explained the manager.

Another Idesam initiative to foster impact businesses in the Amazon, launched at FIINSA COP 30, Zoma – a generator that aims to support entrepreneurs, researchers, and community-based and technology-driven businesses committed to a standing forest economy – was also discussed through Renato Rebelo, leader of Zoma.

“Zôma is about supporting entrepreneurs who are still at the beginning of their journey, those who have an idea, a prototype, or a product, but haven't yet been able to access the market. We want to prepare this foundation for growth and for an economy that values a living Amazon,” Renato explained during the chat.

The proposal is to act as an Amazonian venture builder, that is, a generator that not only accelerates but also structures businesses from the initial stages. Selected participants will have access to mentoring, technical and administrative support, marketing, legal and financial assistance, as well as connections with investors and strategic markets.

On the other hand, producers from the Mixed Cooperative of Family Farming of the Barreta Hub (COOPERMAB), in Vigia de Nazaré, a municipality in Pará known as the capital of Tucupi, but which was also the place where the first coffee seedlings and seeds touched Brazilian soil, brought their experience with wild coffee to the table.

“These are centuries-old trees located on our territory. The cooperative was informally established in 2021, and today we have 50 families involved in artisanal fishing and the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, and greens. We are also working to incorporate coffee, because currently we only have the ancestral trees in the middle of our forest, without any management practices,” commented Maria Souza, a member of the cooperative.

The cooperative already supplies Bacuri pulp, a native Amazonian fruit, to businesses like Aruanas, which produces food with regional flavors. Aruanas emerged from the restlessness of young Luise Lima, who, tired of seeing products in Belém supermarkets with ingredients like blueberries, such as cereal bars and jams, decided to roll up her sleeves and bring the taste of the Pará Amazon to the city's shelves.

“There are things that don’t fit in the packaging. Aruanas already helps in the recovery of 30,000 square meters of degraded areas with agroforestry systems. In addition to bringing the flavor of our land into the regional market,” points out the impact entrepreneur.

Text: Maxi Media Communication

Image: Courtesy of Casa Niaré

In the year it hosts COP 30, Belém has gained another space to strengthen the traditional populations of the Amazon and the forest economy: the Niare House, which will also function as a hub for business, culture, and technical support for entrepreneurship among indigenous, riverside, extractive, and quilombola communities, connecting ancestral knowledge and innovation to the development of a new generation of socio-environmental impact businesses.

Located on Rua Bernal do Couto, in the Umarizal neighborhood, Casa Niaré brings together a shop, gallery, and a collaborative environment focused on training, commerce, cultural exchange, and networking among forest leaders, investors, organizations, and companies committed to the regenerative economy.

The initiative is led by forest entrepreneurs and long-standing partners of the Amazonian ecosystem, including Tucum and Mazô Maná, both impact businesses accelerated by Amaz, alongside two other forest-based business brands, Urucuna and Da Tribu. During COP30, Casa Niaré will launch the Niaré Journey, which will offer mentorship to indigenous and community entrepreneurs, with support in management, marketing, communication, and certifications.

For Amanda Santana, founder of Tucum and creative director of Casa Niaré, the space serves to consolidate a network that has been working for years to value Amazonian peoples and knowledge. “Casa Niaré comes as a legacy of COP30. More than just a space, we want to create a community that will lead the indigenous socio-bioeconomy, demonstrating the value of the standing forest,” she stated.

Initiatives led by forest communities are gaining prominence in Brazil and around the world, with solid organizational models and innovative businesses with growing economic potential that are fundamental to keeping the forest standing, generating income, and strengthening the territories.

Casa Niaré has the support of Amaz Impact Accelerator, coordinated by Idesam, which evaluates, invests in, and supports impact businesses in rural Amazonia. Gabriela Souza, New Business Leader at Idesam and manager of Amaz, emphasizes that the initiative reinforces the work of impact businesses in the forest and expands their presence in partner communities.

“The initiative is coordinated by two businesses in the AMAZ portfolio with a strong track record of impact and presence in partner communities, from production structure to governance. We see the House as a strategy for embedding these impacts, focusing on the protagonism of entrepreneurs who are still underrepresented in initiatives to promote and provide technical support,” he pointed out.

Schedule

Between November 13th and 15th, there will be roundtables and thematic dialogues bringing together forest leaders, experts, organizations, and companies committed to the socio-bioeconomy. On November 13th, from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM, the panel "Carbon and Bioeconomy Intersections: Converging Paths to a Regenerative Economy of the Amazon" will take place, with discussions on the role of carbon as an instrument for community empowerment and territorial development.

On November 14th, at 9 am, the debate "Ethical Contracts for the Socio-bioeconomy in the Amazon" will take place, focusing on building good practices and transparent agreements that prioritize fair relationships between communities, companies, and partners. Also on the 14th, from 2 pm to 4 pm, the meeting "Markets and Investments: Allies of the Socio-bioeconomy of the Amazon" will promote connections between indigenous leaders, forest entrepreneurs, funds, and organizations that invest in regenerative and collaborative development models.

Closing the agenda, on November 15th, from 10:45 AM to 12:30 PM, the panel "Native Rubber from the Amazon: Multisectoral Strategies for Strengthening the Supply Chain" brings together representatives from communities, the market, and experts to discuss paths for innovation, valorization, and expansion of the native rubber supply chain as a strategic asset for the regional bioeconomy. All meetings have limited spaces for up to 40 people and are designed to promote open dialogue and direct connections between the audience, guests, and hosts.

More than just a physical address, Casa Niaré represents a platform connecting forest communities with a new generation of sustainable businesses, reinforcing the idea that keeping the forest standing is the path to a just and habitable future for all.