Seven Brazilian startups are in the next phase of Starter Business Acceleration 2021 | EDP Brasil

After evaluating 736 entries from around the world, the Starter Business Acceleration, an open innovation program from EDP, a multinational that operates in the entire value chain of the electricity sector, announced the 30 startups that have moved to the next phase of its 2021 edition. Brazil is the country with the most representatives: seven startups, who will participate in Pitch Online on June 16th and 17th.

The 30 startups selected come from 14 different countries and will be given the opportunity to present their solutions and co-create with the different EDP business units in Brazil, Spain, the United States and Portugal, which together serve around 12 million customers. Those selected for each module of the program will contact all partners, regardless of their location. In addition to the Latin America module, the program has subdivisions in North America and Asia/Europe.

Brazil was the third country with the most registrations in 2021. One of the new features of the current edition was “Refer a Startup”, in which EDP employees could refer a startup and compete for a number of gifts/awards, as well as a meeting to discuss the future of innovation in the company with the CEO of EDP in Brazil, João Marques da Cruz. This dynamics resulted in 11 nominations, of which a startup reached the pitches phase of the contest.

After the semifinal, 10 startups will be chosen overall to build up the Global Module and the Grand Final, when the winner will be announced, who will receive a prize of 50 thousand Euros. In addition, startups can still be evaluated by EDP Ventures, the EDP Group's venture capital investment vehicle, to receive financial support, in addition to market knowledge and experience. During the program, startups will be given access to benefits, such as advice from mentors and experts linked to the energy industry, experts in innovation, to support the pilot and give it international projection.

“We had a very high level in the 2021 edition. We believe that this ecosystem is at a high point of maturation, increasing the level of dispute and making our decision even more difficult. Those 30 startups, including the Brazilian ones, show us solutions related to fundamental issues for the future of the sector”, says Andrea Salinas, Innovation Director at EDP in Brazil.

Starter Business Acceleration analyzes initiatives in seven categories: customer solutions, digital innovation, energy storage, clean energy, smart power grids, energy access and innovative business processes. EDP Ventures in Brazil has already invested in 3 companies that participated in the program in previous years, Dom Rock, Colab and Time Energy. In 2020, the program had the North American startup Yotta Energy as the big winner. The initiativeis an open Innovation project by EDP managed by Beta-i, a collaborative innovation consultancy based in Lisbon (Portugal).

Brazilian startups in the next phase

Brax Electric: Predictively monitors electrical installations and their assets through an ultrasonic sensor. Uses Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and advanced software;

Edsun: platform that raises funds from micro investors to invest in the private sector of photovoltaic systems, resulting in for investors and cost reduction for clients;

Fu2re Smart Solutions: seeks to democratize cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence, creating products that help create value for the company;

Kartado: developed a solution to connect field workers to company management using smartphones or tablets and helping to automate processes through technology;

Litros de Luz (Liters of Light): installs solar lighting solutions (poles, lanterns and internal lights) made with simple materials such as plastic bottles and PVC tubes;

NeuralMind: offers a solution that automatically analyzes and drills down a property record, then providing information, analyzing documents and setting up database;

SolarZ Technology: connects hardware-free solar power plant manufacturers with electricity companies throughout Brazil, simplifying the after-sales work of solar power plants.