Startups in the PPA Acceleration Program begin their business plans

Fifteen startups in the Amazon region gathered from  February 18-20, 2019 in the Impact Hub in Manaus, and started working on theories of change and establishing indicators for their enterprises.  The companies are part of the PPA’s Acceleration Program and were selected in late 2018 during the First Amazon Impact Investment Forum (FIINSA).

“It was very gratifying to participate in PPA’s first workshop and witness the entrepreneurs’ enthusiasm,” said USAID’s Alexandre Alves  “It was three days of intense but rewarding work for participants who are now more prepared for challenges they face promoting sustainable development and biodiversity conservation in the Amazon. This was the first of four workshops taking place in 2019, with the expectation upon the end of the year that the entrepreneurs and their businesses will be on their way to successfully reach objectives and fulfill their missions.”

The Business Model Innovation and Impact Indicator Building Workshop was developed as a partnership with Sense-Lab and Move Social to demonstrate a new way for companies to develop their businesses and think about the impact management chain, guided by the so-called C-Model.

These startups, from the States of Amazonas and Pará, connected in groups, interacting and exchanging information that may lead to new business opportunities. They also advanced in modeling their businesses.

“It is the first time such a strong group of entrepreneurs and startups have gathered to solve social-environmental problems of the Amazon from the perspective of their businesses.  The solution for ending deforestation requires innovative solutions for the region’s economy. The Amazon needs a new economy, and this economy starts now.” said Mariano Cenamo, Co-founder of Institute of Conservation and Sustainable Development of the Amazon (IDESAM) and PPA’s Executive Coordinator.

Read more at PPA website