The creation of new companies is a key element for the generation of work and income and, therefore, for the growth of a nation. After graduation, Brazilian students go looking for a job. Few choose to start a business as a career alternative. In addition, most incentive programs for starting innovative companies focus on already organized skilled workers. There is a gap between the university and the establishment of a company that is not covered by these programs.
Academic Working Capital is designed to help complete the Final Projects (TCC) of undergraduate courses with the potential to become solutions that contribute effectively to people’s lives. In addition to improving new businesses start-ups and new technologies, the program offers a professional alternative to recent graduates.
Groups of 2 to 4 students can participate, all over 18 years of age, in which at least one of the members – the author of the project that will give rise to the startup – is enrolled in the final stage of graduation. The proposal should be clearly characterized as a TCC that aims to establish an innovative startup, and can be a technology idea whose application in the market is not yet clear, or an application idea that still needs to develop the technology better to be viable.
AWC is divided into two main stages: in the first, the groups seek to validate their business vision and find their problem market fit, and in the other, they focus on prototyping and business development phase. Students participate in online and face-to-face workshops, where hands-on activities focus on product or business development. They receive guidance and follow-up throughout the program period; they have financial support to build the prototype; and, at the end of the cycle, they present their product or business to accelerators and investors at a Investments Fair.
projects
university students
states + DF
startups created
In 2020, the startup Mvisia, created in AWC 2015, was sold to the multinational WEG. In 2019, Anna Luísa Bezerra, from the AWC 2018 startup Aqualuz, was the first Brazilian to win the UN Young Champions of the Earth Award.
Learn more about the methodology used in AWC and the material and video-classes produced
