The Aço Cearense Group is accepting applications from the following day: March 31st to May 12th, for the “2nd Open Innovation Call of the Inovar Program” – created with the objective of generating connections between startups and institutions throughout Brazil, to solve real challenges of the group’s companies, in Ceará, Pará and Tocantins: Aço Cearense Comercial, Aço Cearense Industrial, SINOBRAS, SINOBRAS Florestal and Instituto Aço Cearense. Startups and institutions with solution proposals that adhere to the challenges can participate, with a TRL (Technology Readiness Level) minimum 3. The selected startups and institutions must conduct Proofs of Concept (PoC), together with the Grupo Aço Cearense team, in which criteria such as desirability, viability and feasibility will be evaluated.
The 2nd Open Innovation Call of the Inovar Program brings four challenges:
Startups/institutions interested in participating can register clicking here.
"Subscribers will have the opportunity to scale their solution/technology, gain visibility and endorsement from Grupo Aço Cearense, and the possibility of being hired as a supplier or partner. Furthermore, startups and institutions will gain visibility, greater traction, and leverage in delivering their solutions to the steel industry, as well as the privilege of opening several doors for future partnerships with the Group," emphasizes Ian Corrêa, Vice President of Operations at Grupo Aço Cearense.
The Aço Cearense Group is the newest member of the National Association of Research and Development of Innovative Companies (ANPEI), which gives the company greater representation in participating in innovation incentive policies, alongside Brazil's largest and most influential innovative companies. The Inovar Program is part of a broader concept that seeks to develop the group's culture of innovation. Its efforts include its internal audience and, of course, multiple innovation ecosystems, with the vision of joining forces with key players working in innovation.
Learn more about the Program
The Inovar Program was created in 2021, a result of Strategic Planning, and works to consolidate a Culture of Innovation. In this context, the 2nd Open Call is part of one of the Group's Innovation Tracks – the Open Innovation Track, whose main objective is to connect GAC to various innovation ecosystems. In May 2022, during the 1st Open Call, four Challenges were presented, and it was a success! Now, new challenges are being proposed, and, once again, GAC is reaching out to various ecosystems in search of new solutions and partnerships!
Therefore, "The Inovar Program is a 100% initiative aligned with Grupo Aço Cearense's business strategy and focuses on developing our Culture of Innovation. Within this broader objective, we have specific goals, such as expanding our connections with innovation ecosystems, accelerating solutions through Intraempreendedoríssimo, increasing fundraising and tax benefits associated with innovation, and, of course, leveraging Innovation as a Cross-Cutting Skill throughout the Group," highlights Henrique Pereira, Innovation Manager.
Henrique further explains that "a significant investment is made annually on several fronts, across different Innovation Tracks. For example, through partner recruitment, PoC costs, Innovation Platform maintenance, team training, partnerships, and more. Considering 2021 and 2022, the Program invested millions of reais, including, of course, the amount dedicated to hiring startups and other institutions on the Open Innovation Track. We leveraged the positive results achieved since the implementation of the Innovation area at Grupo Aço Cearense, with the Digital, Squads, and Open Innovation Tracks, to renew our visual identity. In other words, we updated our landing page, URL, and the Inovar Program seal. In this context, we are once again expanding our connections with various innovation agents, partnering with specific ecosystems, and going far beyond our current boundaries," he concludes.
For more information, visit: http://programainovar.grupoacocearense.com.br/.
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