Part of DCMS' International Tech Hub Network.
Overview
Challenge
Tackle gender inequality in the digital economy, empowering women to lead digital transformation in Brazil
Solution
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Future Females Business School in partnership with the UK-Brazil Tech Hub
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3 month virtual incubator offering 10 modules of content to help transform ideas into practice
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Connections with the UK and global opportunities
Impact
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Total of 200 women entrepreneurs supported
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Over 200 tech solutions for development challenges created
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Improved access to global markets for Brazilian female entrepreneurs
Background
Women are under-represented in the Brazilian technology and innovation ecosystems: according to research by Abstartups (Associação Brasileira de Startups), only 12.6% of Brazilian startups have at least one woman among their founders, and these companies receive less than 3% of all VC funds. Only 3% of Brazilian MSMEs reach international markets, thereby excluding the majority of female-led startups from the benefits of increased productivity, competitiveness, and revenue of going global.
Programme
The Future Females Business School is a three-month virtual incubator supporting aspiring female entrepreneurs to develop the technical and personal skills needed to transform their ideas into profitable and sustainable tech-enabled businesses with a positive social or environmental impact. It plugs participants into a supporting global network of successful business owners, mentors, investors and experts.
The Programme will support 200 Brazilian female founders of tech-based enterprises across four cohorts in 2021. Following an online application, shortlisted candidates are invited to interview with Future Female specialists who evaluate the project's maturity and alignment with the programme.
The first cohort received over 700 applications, resulting in the selection of 50 female Brazilian entrepreneurs based in 26 different cities in Brazil or abroad with projects or early-stage startups in tech for good.
Taking part in the programme has improved my performance and growth as an entrepreneur. The presented methodologies have helped me improve many aspects of my company, including a fresh perspective on analysing competition and doing market research.
Letícia Araújo, founder of
