Program is based on “smart money” logic and aims to connect startups to the market, as well as monitoring the development of businesses at each stage
The Amazon Journey, a platform for promoting impact businesses supported by Fundo Vale, has launched Sinergia Investimentos, a new corporate venture capital (CVC) mechanism. The program will provide knowledge and connections that are fundamental for these businesses, with the aim of mitigating operational risks. The CVC approach reinforces a smart money logic, bringing in the market itself as an investor of financial resources and as a partner in sharing expertise.
The program has a distinctive “Capital Evolution” approach, which is based on the understanding that startups evolve in different ways, and capital needs to be adapted to each strategic moment of a business. The initiative is led by the Amazon Journey, in partnership with accelerators Darwin Startups and Amazônia B, and Cventures, the corporate venture arm of the CERTI Foundation.
“We have noticed that there is a significant gap in the region’s ecosystem when it comes to bringing large companies closer to local bioeconomy businesses. This results in difficulties accessing the resources offered by these large companies. Among the reasons are the scarcity of local businesses ready for these partnerships, but also difficulties for these players in identifying these businesses, connecting with them and establishing relationships with them,” explains Marcos Da-Ré, director of the CERTI Foundation’s Green Economy Center.
Sinergia Investimentos’ first acceleration round will involve eight startups: Amazonique, AeroRiver, AMA SKN, DCO Sustentável, Mazô Maná, Mombora, Restauragro and Hylaea. Following acceleration, they will be able to receive investments ranging from R$300,000 to R$1 million, through a stake of between 3% and 15%, depending on the stage each startup is at. The program will help these startups connect with industrial companies in the Food & Beverage, Cosmetics, Green Fine Chemicals and Cross-Cutting Technologies sectors. The acceleration process will be divided into collective and individualized thematic sprints for each startup.
“The Capital Evolution mechanism is very promising, as it was conceived with an ecosystem approach. Involving large companies in the various stages of startup development is a smart way to promote the resilience and longevity of businesses that aim to generate a positive impact on the Amazon, helping keep the forest standing,” says Gustavo Luz, Fundo Vale’s director.
Sinergia Investimentos’ next round will be accepting applications in June to support other Amazon bioeconomy startups.
About the Amazon Journey
Since its inception in 2018, the Amazon Journey has been an ongoing effort to promote sustainable business opportunities in the Amazon region. Originating from a series of studies about the Amazon ecosystem carried out by the CERTI Foundation and the Amazon CERTI Institute, the initiative took shape in 2020, with pilot cycles that paved the way for the Journey’s first large-scale cycle, which began in January 2023 and is due to continue until the end of 2025.
This new cycle is taking place through the Amazon Journey Platform, financed and supported by Fundo Vale, Bradesco, Itaú Unibanco, Santander, CLUA and Porticus. By integrating these efforts, the Amazon Journey seeks to expand business opportunities based on forest biodiversity and promote impact entrepreneurship that generates economic, social and environmental value, while helping preserve the Amazon.
In addition to encouraging the appreciation of biodiversity and fostering connections between industries and sustainable chains, the Amazon Journey stimulates innovation and entrepreneurship in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
By 2025, the initiative aims to have mobilized 20,000 talented entrepreneurs, trained more than 3,000 of them, created at least 200 new businesses and strengthened 100 innovative companies in the Amazon.