The EDP Starter program, which is holding its first Brazilian edition this year to foster the development of local startups, has reached another milestone: the selection of the five teams that will continue in the program until December, and which will have the opportunity to pitch their projects to prospective investors during a Demo Day.

After a week of sharing and mentoring with EDP Brazil experts, Kyvo Design-Driven Innovation specialists and market mentors, the 10 finalists had the opportunity to pitch their business models. Their performance during the presentation and throughout the first stage of the program, as well as the projects compatibility with the premises of the EDP Starter project, were the main selection criteria for this round.

The entrepreneurs behind startups Cart‹o Solar (SC), CUBi Energia (SP), Dooak (SP), Enercred (MG), and Nexo Capacita‹o Digital (RS) have reason to celebrate. Their projects have been selected and will now advance to the second incubation round, in which they will consolidate their business model and develop a prototype for their products or services.

The selected projects propose innovative solutions such as staff training through Virtual and Augmented Reality; a platform with distributed energy solutions for end-customers with UX - User Experience; energy credit sharing; new financial transaction models such as Blockchain; and energy efficiency management and monitoring.

"Competitors were highly qualified, which made the selection process even harder, but also very exciting, because the solutions presented by the teams were highly relevant to the electric power sector. EDP Starter Brasil has been a success and proves that startups are a crucial part of open innovation development. And in collaboration with EDP, they may bring innovation into the energy sector," says EDP Director for Innovation Livia Brando.

In addition to specialized technical support, they will have access, until the end of the year, to the EDP area at WeWork - one of the largest coworking office networks in the world, which has recently opened its first unit on Avenida Paulista, S‹o Paulo. The CEO of the most outstanding team will have the opportunity to visit Silicon Valley with StartSe, one of the largest entrepreneurial ecosystems in Brazil.

More about EDP Starter Brazil

A successful initiative in Europe since 2012, the EDP Starter program arrives in Brazil to help early-stage startups whose projects are either energy-related or adaptable to the energy sector. Created by EDP Brasil, a company engaged in energy generation, transmission, trading, services and supply, the program will offer a comprehensive package of opportunities for the development of innovative projects.

Benefits to incubated companies include a specialized acceleration and development program, mentoring from market specialists and EDP technicians, and a global partnership portfolio to foster new business opportunities.

EDP Starter Brasil has also partnered with Kyvo Design-Driven Innovation, a Brazilian innovation consulting firm that uses Service Design as a tool for improving people experiences, whether in service consumption or in digital systems such as websites and apps. The company will not only play a crucial role in selecting and developing the startups, but will also assist the companies throughout the program with its specialized mentoring team.

Meet the selected startups

Cart‹o Solar

The goal of this startup is to promote mass access to renewable energy by means of of a country-wide solar energy network that will allow retail purchasing. It also uses Led Energizado, a bulb that does not consume energy.

Area: Smart Grids

Website:https://cartaosolar.com.br/

CUBi Energia

This startup works with the industrial sector to analyze and manage energy consumption. It has its own hardware (CUBi EGG), a low-cost, high-connectivity and versatile tool.

Area: Analytics, Big Data, Internet of Things

Website:https://www.cubienergia.com

Dooak

A collective investment platform with blockchain transactions for solar energy projects. The idea is to connect investors who want to diversify their portfolio with people who need funding for their solar energy projects.

Area: Energy Transactions and Blockchain

Website:www.dooak.com.br 

Enercred

It provides household consumers with a clean, cheap and sustainable energy subscription. It achieves this by means of a platform that shares energy credits generated in a renewable energy plant. The credits are converted into discounts on the consumer electricity bill.

Area: User Experience for new energy services

Website:https://www.enercred.com.br

NEXO Capacita‹o Digital

It creates Virtual Reality simulators on smartphones to reduce occupational accidents and training costs.

Area: Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

Website:www.nexo.art.br