P U B L I C I D A D E

ABRIR
FECHAR

P U B L I C I D A D E

ABRIR
FECHAR
03 de março de 2017
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A path for the future

Corporations gather themselves around startups that develop constructive solutions for cities

ACE, that was elected three times the Best Startup Accelerator of Latin America by the LatAm Founders is leading an unprecedented program to select and support the development of startups focused in urbanistic innovations for Brazilian cities. The W.I.P. (Work in Progress) is a program that aims to find new solutions to bring better quality of life, sustainability and efficiency to Brazilian cities in the next years. To do so, it has the participation of Gerdau, InterCement, Tigre and Vedacit as supporters and partners in this project.

Applications were filed until the beginning of January, attracting 100 interested companies. In January, the phase of analysis of all participants was started. The second phase includes interviews and presentation of the finalists to the Committee formed by executives from ACE and the sponsoring companies, for evaluation. The result and the selected companies will be disclosed in the beginning of March.

The process of acceleration starts in April. At the end, six companies will be selected to pass through this program.

Four areas of interest were defined in the program: Residence Environment; Industrial/Commercial Environment; Innovation in External Services and Services with Aggregate Value. “We really hope to impact positively once again the ecosystem. I am happy to know that we have giants of the construction market at our side. This brings us more safety. We will have soon important startups with us”, says Pedro Waengertner, founder of ACE.

“There is an urgent demand not attended by urbanization solutions not only due to the habitation deficit but also to the overpopulation of big cities. Due to the size and the sponsors of the project, the program starts with the focus in present global-size solutions for these questions. We are very excited with the possibility of causing a real impact in the GDP through the union of startups and big corporations.

It is a daring project from ACE and all its partners, not only by putting together giants of a single area but also due to its purpose”, points Waengertner.

According to recent data from a survey carried out by the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, two thirds of the population of the planet (5.5 billion persons) may have difficulties to access potable water in 2025. In 2100, the human capacity of extracting copper from the soil will be lower than the demand.

According to the UM, the global constructed area will be three times larger than the current. World projections such as these leaded the program to start the development of “Tomorrow’s Urbanization”: the process of startup acceleration is part of the innovation strategy of Gerdau. We understand that—with this team work—we will discuss solutions that may attend our necessities and those of our clients.

One of the most critical points of the current scenario is the increase in power demand, construction flexibility and infrastructure costs. If these are not enough reasons, the program wants to help the society as a whole, which is also searching for triggers for a new urban model, more intelligent, sustainable and connected. For the startups, this is a unique opportunity of working side by side with these companies, having access to their mentors/ executives, to their working markets and to the acceleration expertise of ACE.

From the idea to the practice

According to Thiago Ururahy, from ACE Corp Head of Products, the company was already carrying out a program of startup acceleration with InterCement. “The partnership for the program came from the perception that filing was more comprehensive than the specific business actions that InterCement was trying to develop. But they were quite innovative ideas for the industry of Civil Construction.

We made the contact with the other partners (Tigre, Vedacit and Gerdau) along the year and structured the program”, says him.

The companies that will take part in the acceleration program carried out by the team of ACE will access the methodology, integrated working space, dedicated accelerator and direct contact with the entire net of mentors and partners of ACE. Startups that stand out will have the chance of passing to a second phase of acceleration, with capital input. “Total time of the ACE Start program will include four months. In this program, the startups will go through the validation process of product, sales channels and market. The acceleration may be carried out in the ACE Campus located in São Paulo or in the regional hubs (Curitiba, Goiânia and Rio de Janeiro)”, explains the executive.

 

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