Registration is now open for the second grade of Future Females Business School, a program offered by the British Government’s diplomatic mission in Brazil through the UK-Brazil Tech Hub. The program is free, available online, and will start on June 14th. In the first edition, the program supported 55 startup founders.
The second class will have lessons in Portuguese and create 50 vacancies for Brazilian entrepreneurs with technology-based businesses with a positive social or environmental impact. The program lasts 12 weeks and provides training, mentoring and communication so women entrepreneurs can start and grow their digital businesses with a global impact.
The second edition of the program will be provided in Portuguese with videos, quizzes, handouts, mentoring, meetings and all resources available to those who do not speak English.
Women are underrepresented in the Brazilian technology and innovation ecosystem. According to the Brazilian Startup Association, only 12.6% of Brazilian startups have women among the founders and 26.9% of Brazilian startups do not have women on the team.
Additionally, only 3% of Brazilian SMEs access international markets, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, which excludes the vast majority of Brazilian entrepreneurs from the benefits of increased productivity, competitiveness, and revenue. The Future Females Business School program will help Brazilian women change these numbers, connecting entrepreneurs with a global support network of founders, mentors, investors and experts for the same purpose.
The first batch of Future Females Business School in Brazil received applications from more than 700 technology initiatives led by women from all regions of Brazil and beyond. The 55 accredited startups are active in various sectors, such as: agtechs, edtechs, fintechs, retail and e-commerce, the creative economy, healthtechs, HRtechs, lawtechs, climatechs, and services.
Most companies started between 2019 and 2020 and have as many as 20 customers. During the 12 weeks of the program, participants develop their global businesses, supported by a community of women entrepreneurs who create a safe space to share knowledge, doubts, and goals. More than 100 individual training and 32 group orientation sessions were carried out.
“The tremendous success of the first category of the Future Women Program in Brazil inspires us to continue supporting more Brazilian women by adopting impactful technologies. The pressing challenges we face in the country and in the world will only be solved when more women come forward. Decision-making, proposing solutions. Innovative with different perspectives, “says Andrea Motta, Director of UK Brazil Tech Hub.
Who is this program for?
The program is ideal for Brazilian entrepreneurs who have a technology-based idea or business at an early stage that creates a positive social or environmental impact, and addresses social issues such as poverty, inequality and / or environmental issues such as those related to climate change.
The program is comprehensive, and transgender and non-bisexual women are encouraged to apply. We also welcome founders and co-founders who support female digital entrepreneurship. Brazilians residing in any region can apply and we encourage the enrollment of more women from the North, Northeast, Midwest and rural cities outside of the Brazilian capitals.
Or is it not even a program?
The program lasts for three months and consists of 10 modules that lead entrepreneurs on a journey to start and grow digital businesses with a global impact. Participants will learn how to write an effective business plan, how to find and reach ideal clients, and how to use technology to build their digital presence and reach. The program also features guest experts – serial entrepreneurs, CEOs, and mentors – who cover critical personal development topics, how to overcome the fear of failure and how to discover your true passion.
The program is available online, and at the end, there will be a virtual graduation event, where certificates of achievement will be delivered and all participants will be able to communicate and celebrate their achievements and work!
What is the tech hub between the UK and Brazil?
The UK-Brazil Technology Center is part of the UK-Brazil cooperation program on digital access. The UK-Brazil Technology Center aims to support the development of Brazilian ecosystems for impact technologies through digital skills training and entrepreneurship, digital inclusion, and support for the growth of startups “Technology for Good”. The UK-Brazil Technology Center is part of the International Technology Hub (ITHN) network that also operates in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Indonesia and Israel.
What are the women of the future?
Future Women is a movement created to increase the number and success of women entrepreneurs with technology in the world. Since its inception in August 2017 in Cape Town, South Africa, it has grown exponentially. It currently boasts a presence in 36 locations around the world, hosting regular events for its shared community of over 80,000 members and offering training programs such as Future Females Business School.
How to apply?
Registration is done through a form where information about the business is shared. Candidates approved in this first phase will be invited for a one-on-one interview with a member of the program team. This interview will help validate the idea and direction of the business, ensuring that the program is the best fit for the candidates.
