Last year, at the initiative of the entrepreneurship area, Natura went out to explore the world of startups and look for innovative ideas that could be leveraged. After evaluating several projects, five entrepreneurs were selected and invited to participate in a showcase to present their proposals. These were the first steps that led to the partnership with Já Entendi, an educational intelligence startup specialized in online training and development, which will contribute to the evolution of the training process for Natura consultants.
“In the realm of open innovation, this is a new topic. We did not yet have any structured initiative in terms of approaching the entrepreneurial ecosystem and startups,” says Marcela Martinelli, Entrepreneurship Manager at Natura. The interest in this niche emerged in 2014 due to characteristics such as speed and flexibility that this type of company offers. “We visited a series of incubators, technology parks, and accelerators to understand what the model was, how they interacted with startups, how Natura could contribute, and what we could gain from this type of partnership. From there, we began to build our own model,” she recalls.
In this process, Natura contacted the portfolios of various companies that were in incubators, accelerators, and technology parks. “We brought five companies into Natura and created space for them to present the solutions they could offer us, while also explaining what startups are and how they operate, also conducting an awareness action for Natura regarding this opportunity,” says Marcela. This is how Natura got to know Já Entendi and identified it as a potential partner. Both received support from an accelerator, Aceleratech, to enhance the quality of interaction and adaptation necessary for developing an effective project that met Natura's needs, respecting its culture, and expanding the potential of Já Entendi.
According to Gladys Mariotto, a PhD student in education, specialist in Arts, Philosophy, and Sociology, and CEO of Já Entendi, the support from the entrepreneurship area at Natura was fundamental for the success of the partnership. “They conducted this research, identified us, and invited us to come to the company. We would not have participated in this competition if it weren't for this referral. The rules were the same, and we had the capacity to compete against nine large companies. The support from the entrepreneurship area was crucial for our success,” she assesses.
For Gladys, several factors led to the choice of Já Entendi at the end of the process, including the care in service. “I, as CEO, went to Natura to present our proposal. This makes a difference in service. Larger companies that competed with us could not send their presidents because they didn’t have the time,” she explains.
The project developed by Já Entendi is in the pilot phase, but already represents a significant step in the history of both companies. “So far, the training aimed at consultants was much more about showcasing the quality of the products than providing sales arguments. What we are trying to do is understand the product we have in hand, the technology, and how to communicate this to the customer and turn it into sales,” Gladys reveals. “We have a very important focus on social impact, and this will help generate income for these people. Having the opportunity to improve the lives of 300,000 people is a significant motivation,” she concludes.
