EDP, a company that operates across the country’s electricity industry, is bringing together all its startup acceleration initiatives in each of the countries where it operates into a single global program. After the success of the EDP Open Innovation and EDP Starter Brazil and Spain projects, the group has decided to create the Starter Acceleration Program.

Enrollment begins on April 2 and the program is looking for startups with innovative technologies that can be applied across the energy industry and the Company’s value chain. The initiative will be backed by the ACE and LMarks accelerators, which specialize in innovation and entrepreneurship.

 “EDP Brazil has been developing a local entrepreneur ecosystem for the past two years. With the global reach of the Starter program developed by ACE and LMarks, this year we will have a significant opportunity to reach out to incredible startups around the world and offer even more support to Latin American startups. This is an exciting opportunity to encounter new solution for the energy sector”, said Livia Brando, executive manager of Strategy, Innovation and Ventures at EDP Brazil.

This year’s program will be scouring the world for startups and the program will now have modules focusing on three separate regions - Europe (Madrid, Spain), Latin America (São Paulo, Brazil) and North America (Houston, USA) - regions where EDP has a strong market presence and recognized experience in Innovation. The 10 startups selected in each module will undergo a week of immersion to develop pilot projects alongside EDP, with support from Company experts and mentorship from the accelerators. This stage will end with a Demoday, where startups will make their pitch.

At the startups with the greatest potential will be invited to the final event at the November Web Summit, in Lisbon. The startups reaching this phase will have a stand at the Web Summit, one of the world’s largest innovation, entrepreneurship and technology events, where they will be able to market solutions and propsect for business opportunities. The top ranked startup will win 50 thousand Euros.

“We are very pleased to be partnering exclusively with EDP in Latin America in order to achieve world-class corporate innovation and help EDP discover new business models, markets and ventures. We strongly support any company that wants to work with the best technology partner, regardless of their location. This approach allows us to attract the best talent and ideas and speed up market validation. Innovating alongside our partners is part of ACE’s DNA. Together, we can build a productive relationship that helps the electricity industry move forward through technology”, said Pedro Waengertner, founding partner of ACE.

At the Starter Acceleration Program is looking for projects in six categories, in line with EDP’s strategic areas,: Clean Energies, Customer-centric Solutions, Digital Innovation, Energy Storage, Smart Grids and Innovation in Internal Processes. Startups will be supported throughout the program and will have access to mentorship from innovation specialists across the world and EDP Ventures analyses of potential investments.

At the program’s first module is being held in June in the city of Madrid; followed by São Paulo, in July; and Houston, in September. Startups have until May 6 to enroll at edpstarter.com/acceleration.

About EDP Brazil

EDP has over 20 years’ experience and is one of the biggest private-sector companies operating across the entire value chain. The company has over 10,000 direct and indirect staff and is involved in energy Generation, Distribution, Transmission, Sales and Services. The company has six hydro power plants and one thermal power station that serve around 3.4 million people in the states of São Paulo and Espírito Santo. The Company recently acquired a majority stake in CELESC, from Santa Catarina. In Brazil, the company is noted for its Innovation, Governance and Sustainability and has been included in the B3 Business Sustainability Index (BSI) for 13 consecutive years.

About ACE

ACE has been an entrepreneurship ecosystem pioneer since 2012, focusing on helping startups and major companies to become exponential organizations. Between consultancy and investment, the company portfolio includes over 600 business owners, 250 accelerated startups, 55 innovation programs and 30 of the world’s biggest corporations. It operates globally across a variety of markets, including health and finance, working with companies such as Google, BTG, Natura, Itau and others.

About L Marks

L Marks is one of the foremost consultants in applied innovation and has created the UK’s largest network of business accelerators. It has also launched over 50 innovation programs across Europe, Israel, Janap and the US. It works with some of the world’s biggest brands, including BMW, Lloyd of London, Arsenal and British Airways, to identify their challenges and transform them into growth opportunities. Its collaborative and results-oriented programs offer information and access to startups. These programs also bring its pioneering technologies to companies to help improve their operations and entrepreneurial spirit, as well as the customer experience.