The ventures Asproc, Arcafar, Da Tribu, and MEU are the winners of the “Natura Amazon Challenge: Businesses for Standing Forests.” The pre-acceleration program, conducted by Natura and Artemisia, was created to support entrepreneurs with socio-environmental impact solutions focused on the Amazon region. The selected startups stood out among 140 evaluated businesses and will receive exclusive mentoring from Artemisia, a pioneering organization in promoting social impact businesses in Brazil.
The program was based on the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to recognize startups working on issues related to biodiversity, standing forest economy, education, infrastructure, and well-being. The entrepreneurs of the four winning solutions and 13 other ventures selected by the program underwent a high-impact immersion for five days in the Amazon, with experiences, training, and a visit to an agro-extractive community in Pará.
“Supporting entrepreneurship to create innovative solutions and investing in knowledge to transform the natural heritage of the Amazon into a social heritage for local inhabitants is absolutely critical,” says Guilherme Leal, co-founder of Natura and one of the evaluators of the startups, formed by program mentors and invited specialists.
The program was praised by the participants. “We had the opportunity to meet other ventures that also face difficulties but continue to expand, without neglecting the care for the forest,” says Tainah Fagundes, founder of Da Tribu, from Belém, which offers training and job opportunities for low-income women through sustainable fashion and forest technology.
For Clarissa Melo, creator of MEU (originally called the University Entrepreneurship Movement), the experience provided personal growth, in addition to professional. “We aim to solve problems, and when you really have the opportunity to visit communities and meet people, the experience becomes more intense,” she states. The startup has a methodology that connects university knowledge to small entrepreneurs and their needs, aiming to develop urban and rural students and entrepreneurs. The business, operating in Manaus, intends to reach other cities in the interior of Amazonas.
Another winner of the Challenge, Asproc (Association of Rural Producers of Carauari) seeks to enhance the production chain of pirarucu – a native fish of the Amazon – in riverside communities in the Médio Juruá region (AM). “The idea is to improve technology to develop new products and reach other markets. Since Natura works with production chains in the Amazon, we see this program as an opportunity to gain new information and experiences,” explains project collaborator, Adevaldo Dias.
Also recognized, Arcafar (Regional Association of Rural Family Houses of Pará) offers a technical course in agro-industry to young people from various regions of the state. The rural family houses provide comprehensive training, tailored to the local reality, aiming to qualify these young people and offer income and work alternatives, so they can remain in the region and benefit it through sustainable agriculture that does not harm the environment.
“The participating businesses came from various places in Brazil, offering solutions with a lot of synergy to the context of the Amazon. For some, the experience in a riverside community was unprecedented, which allowed for the exchange of experiences with local residents and producers for a deeper understanding of the local economy,” says Paula Sato, Project Manager at Artemisia, who accompanied the entire training process over the five days. “Access to tools and content about business, provided by Artemisia, allowed for the development of a critical perspective among entrepreneurs regarding their solutions for rapid evolution. Everyone showed a strong focus on generating socio-environmental impact in the region, and a strong sense of collaboration among participants strengthened throughout the immersion,” she concludes.
The “Natura Amazon Challenge: Businesses for Standing Forests” is part of the Amazon Program, created by Natura to promote new business models for the region, with investments in science, technology, and innovation, institutional strengthening, and fostering entrepreneurship. “We believe that it is possible for the forest to have more value standing than cut down and that the Amazon can be a global reference in innovation, business, and solutions for a more sustainable world,” says Renata Puchala, sustainability manager at Natura.
For Maure Pessanha, executive director of Artemisia, the alliance between two players who are references in their respective segments brings visibility to a matter of utmost importance for the country. “We are very happy to be able to bring the concept of social impact businesses to a region that is vital for the development of the planet. We at Artemisia believe that this model has the potential to change the quality of life of people and, in the specific case of the Amazon, also present the world with innovative solutions that combine social and environmental impact,” analyzes the executive.
