Desafio Brasil: Campinas regional finals occurs next Friday

Next Friday (August 5, 2011) occurs in Campinas the regional finals of Desafio Brasil (Brazil Challenge). The challenge is designed by Intel and organized by FGV-CEPE (Private Equity and Venture Capital Research Center of Getúlio Vargas Foundation). The pre-selected teams will be judged by several venture capitalists and experienced entrepreneurs. The three best startups will compete on the nationals in São Paulo. This challenge has been occurring in Brazil since 2006 and is the most complete and comprehensive startups’ challenge in the country. It intends to foment entrepreneurship and the connection between startups and the venture capital industry in Brazil and abroad.

The main criteria will be business feasibility, innovation, technology and potential to attract investments and become a global business. The best high tech projects will be awarded with up to R$100k and a 20h mentoring program with some local and Silicon Valley professionals, including legal assistance and business plan consultancy. According to Rubem Saldanha (Intel’s Education Manager in Brazil) “the Desafio Brasil is a competition that offers the opportunity to develop the entrepreneurs and high tech students that will transform a technological innovation project into a viable business. The mentoring program intends to prepare the teams to present the project to real investors. Therefore, it’s not just a competition, but actually a way to prepare and expand the potential of the attendees”.

After the nationals, the Brazilian winners will represent the country in the Latin America phase. The final challenge will occur at UC Berkeley in November, with financial awards and lots of international venture capital and media exposure.

The teams that will pitch their projects next Friday are the following:

•  Alkem Equipamentos Industriais
• BoraNegociar.com
• E-Social Consultoria em Marketing
• VideoVivo

 In Campinas, the event is supported by Inova Unicamp, Inventta, StartupFarm and Unicamp. You can apply to watch the event at Unicamp (DGA’s Auditorium) thorough the email contato@desafiobr.com.br sending your name, ID (RG), phone number, city and company/university. The event will be also webcasted at http://eventials.com/desafiobr, starting at 1:30pm.

The regional phase of the Desafio Brasil in Campinas is another great step to foment and endorse the role of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem in Brazil. At least two of the finalists (VideoVivo and BoraNegociar) have also attended the first Startup Weekend Campinas (May, 2011). Besides have co-organized May’s event, I have worked as a judge of the Desafio Brasil during the first phase and have mentored two teams elected after the first screening, one on the regional finals! Let’s wait and see the results of the challenge and all the action here!