50 startups from 13 different countries have been selected as finalists for the second edition of South Summit Brasil, setting a new record for participation.
The competition has moved closer to globalization with the selected startups coming from countries such as Spain, the United States, Argentina, Israel, Colombia, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Germany, Uruguay, Zimbabwe, Chile, and France.
The second edition of South Summit Brazil, scheduled in Porto Alegre between March 29 and 31, has the slogan “Shape the Future”.
Co-organized by IE University, the competition has the institutional support of the Government of Rio Grande do Sul, and aims to be a reference point for innovation and sustainability.
The Brazilian final
The startup competition has seen over 2,000 startups present their projects, with a rigorous selection process resulting in the selection of 50 finalists.
A committee of recognized investors and experts evaluated the submissions based on criteria such as innovation, viability, scalability, sustainability, human resources, and potential interest for investors.
Although Brazil continues to have the highest number of startups with 29 projects, its presence has decreased from 68% to 58%.
The most notable change is the emergence of the United States, which has six selected startups, whereas last year there were no American representatives.
Spain has two projects that have made it to the final phase of the competition.
The Spanish startups that made it to Brazil’s final round of the Startup Competition are Airway Shield, from Santander, and Fregata Space, from Barcelona.
- Airway Shield is the world’s first device for endotracheal intubation that protects clinical staff while facilitating the procedure.
- Fregata Space monitors the environmental health of the Earth through satellite images and automatic learning to detect pollutants in the air, water, and soil.
The 50 selected startups belong to different industries, including enterprise, fintech, industry 5.0, sustainability and ESG, and health.
South Summit Brasil 2023 will have eight stages, and over 400 international speakers will talk about the latest trends in innovation and entrepreneurship. More than 150 high-level investors and over 80 investment funds worldwide are expected to attend this year’s edition.
