2023-07-27 19:13:46
The contribution is in line with the company’s diversity and inclusion strategy, which aims to support plural and innovative businesses in the technology area
Curitiba, July 27, 2023 – Positivo Tecnologia, a Brazilian hardware technology and services company, announced an investment of BRL 3.6 million and became the newest shareholder of WE Ventures, the first Corporate Venture Capital fund in Latin America 100% dedicated to business investment led by women. In addition to Positivo Tecnologia, other major players support the initiative, including Flex, Grupo Multi, Suzano, Porto Seguro, AgeRio, Magnamed and Grupo Sabin.
The fund, developed by Microsoft Participações in partnership with Sebrae Nacional and M8 Partners, relies on the technical consultancy of Bertha Capital, which aims to lead the gender equality movement in the entrepreneurship sector in Brazil and balance the scenario in world economy. Positivo Tecnologia’s first contribution to the fund is part of the Strategy and Innovation unit that was recently implemented in the company to encourage the growth and diversification of innovative businesses, while at the same time strengthening a new moment of transformation for the company.
As a strategic investor, Positivo Tecnologia will also contribute market knowledge to the fund and support it in the process of selecting and developing startups. “The investment in the WE Ventures fund aims to expand diversity in the innovation ecosystem, in addition to fulfilling our purpose of using technology to boost lives and accelerate businesses that are innovative, sustainable and human”, says Leandro Rosa dos Santos, Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at Positivo Tecnologia.
The application of resources is foreseen in return for the Information Technology Law, which grants tax incentives to companies in the technology sector that invest in Research and Development. The federal government uses this mechanism to encourage investments in innovation in the technology sector for Brazilian industries with fundamentally national production. Since 2018, the legislation allows investment in FIPs (Equipment Investment Funds) authorized by the CVM (Securities Commission).
The WE Ventures Fund
With the main thesis aimed at financing women entrepreneurs and promoting access to capital for technology startups with female leadership, the fund offers networking and relationships with the main players in the sector, including the companies that idealized the initiative, the fund’s investors and startups. that are part of the WE Ventures ecosystem and WE Impact, the program’s Venture Builder.
“Investing in female entrepreneurship contributes to greater equality, generating economic empowerment and quality business. There are several data and studies that prove this. Even so, the flow of investments in startups created by women is much smaller than for male entrepreneurs. Our mission is to change this reality, offering not only financial investment, but also resources and mentoring so that businesses led by women prosper”, explains Franklin Luzes, Vice President of Innovation, Transformation and Startups in the Accelerated Growth Phase at Microsoft Brazil.
Contributions range from R$ 1 million to R$ 5 million. To date, WE Ventures has invested in four startups: Pack ID, Mobees, Smarkets and WEImpact. The fund has already received more than 1,200 registered startups and has already raised more than R$ 60 million.
Marcella Ceva, CIO of WE Ventures, reinforces the importance of encouraging female entrepreneurship in Brazil. “With WE Ventures, we seek to encourage the participation of women in the technology and innovation market, to, at the same time, include women in STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and drive the digital transformation of the country” , explains the CIO.
WE Ventures relies on the technical consultancy of Bertha Capital, responsible for creating a development journey for invested startups. In this way, it is possible to understand the pain of the beneficiary startups and connect them with the other shareholders, promoting cross business within this network that includes, in addition to the WE portfolio, the investees of more than 10 investment funds (FIPs) active in the WE portfolio. Bertha Capital.
According to Márcia Cavalcante, head of Open Innovation at Bertha Capital, the partnership with a large company such as Positivo Tecnologia helps women leaders to assume an increasingly important role in the innovation ecosystem.
“Positivo Tecnologia’s commitment to promoting companies that promote diversity and inclusion multiplies the potential for us to promote valuable connections, inserting the lens of gender into this equation. The journey we build together with the corporation never ends in investment; it is much more regarding investing intelligently, seeking not only to boost these new businesses, but also to lead a real transformation in that production chain”, explains Márcia.
The next step in this new partnership is to define what other characteristics will be sought within the universe of female-led startups, such as the main verticals to be worked on and the identification of the stage of the business.
“Our investment does not end when the financial contribution is made. The startup that becomes part of our innovation ecosystem receives all the necessary support so that it continues to grow and evolve in its main purpose. The selection of initiatives that support the diversity agenda encourages us to continue investing in initiatives that strengthen the role of women in innovative businesses”, concludes Graciete de Lima, responsible for CVC at Positivo Tecnologia.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation in the era of the intelligent cloud and the intelligent edge. Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. The company has been in Brazil for 34 years and is one of the subsidiaries of Microsoft Corporation, founded in 1975, which is present in over 190 countries. From July 2021 to June 2022, the company invested more than US$ 15 million in donations and discounts for non-profit entities, impacting more than 2,000 institutions with software donations, discounts for purchases and support for training projects. With the launch of the Microsoft For Startups Founders Hub, 443 new startups were approved, totaling 703 supported startups, which together have consumed USD 11,898,488.00 of Azure cloud credits.
Sobre o Women Entrepreneurship (WE)
Women Entrepreneurship (WE) is a Microsoft initiative, launched in November 2019, which aims to encourage female entrepreneurship in the country and offers investment, mentoring and consultancy for the development of startups led by women. As part of the initiative, Microsoft Participações, in partnership with Sebrae Nacional and M8 Partners and in association with Bertha Capital, structured the WE Ventures fund, which focuses on investing in startups with at least 20% female participation and at least a woman in a leadership role. Contributions range from R$ 1 million to R$ 5 million. To date, WE Ventures has invested in four startups: Pack ID, Mobees, Smarkets and We Impact. The fund has already received more than 1,200 registered startups and raised a total of BRL 60 million.
About Positivo Tecnologia
Positivo Tecnologia is a Brazilian technology company that develops, manufactures and sells computers, cell phones, tablets, devices for smart homes and offices, servers and other solutions for IT infrastructure, in addition to payment machines and educational technologies. It also offers integrated services in the leasing of IT and mobility equipment, in addition to technical support. The set of products and services is aimed at end consumers, companies, schools and public institutions. The Company was founded in 1989, has administrative headquarters in Curitiba (PR), factories in Ilhéus (BA) and Manaus (AM), in addition to presence in Argentina, Kenya, Rwanda, China and Taiwan. The portfolio of brands and businesses comprises Positivo, Positivo Casa Inteligente, Positivo Servers & Solutions, PositivoSEG, VAIO, Compaq, Infinix, 2A.M and Educacional – Ecossistema de Tecnologia e Inovação. Additional information can be obtained at www.positivotecnologia.com.br. For the latest news regarding Positivo Tecnologia, visit the Press Room, as well as the Company’s profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
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