Registration: 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Conference: 9:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Sofitel Rio de Janeiro Copacabana
Av. Atlântica, 4240 Copacabana
Rio de Janeiro
Brazil
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2013 Latin American Cities Conferences: Rio de Janeiro

AS/COA held a conference on entrepreneurship and innovation in Brazil.

Registration: 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Conference: 9:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Sofitel Rio de Janeiro Copacabana
Av. Atlântica, 4240 Copacabana
Rio de Janeiro
Brazil
Live Broadcast

Live broadcast

Share

Overview

ADVANCING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION

In collaboration with: Endeavor Brasil, IAG PUC-Rio, Latin American Venture Capital Association (LAVCA), U.S. Consulate General Rio de Janeiro, and 21212

Rio de Janeiro is attracting billions of dollars in investments leading up to the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, as well as a result of recent offshore oil discoveries. But infrastructure and oil are not the only sectors booming in the state. Entrepreneurs are choosing Rio de Janeiro as a base to found startups, and a flourishing technology scene is emerging as large foreign companies build world-class research centers.

Americas Society/Council of the Americas, in partnership with Rio Negócios, held a half-day conference in Rio de Janeiro focused on entrepreneurship and innovation, recreating Silicon Valley in Latin America, and technology in Rio de Janeiro.

Panelists:

  • Sergio Cabral, Governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro
  • Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro
  • Maria Silvia Bastos Marques, President, Municipal Olympic Company | Download a PDF of Bastos Marques' presentation.
  • Francisco Alvarez-Demalde, Founder and Partner, Riverwood Capital Partners
  • Guruduth Banavar, Vice President, Industry Solutions Research, IBM Corporation
  • Karin Breitman, General Manager of the Brazil R&D Center, EMC Corporation
  • Scott Cutler, Executive Vice President, Global Listing, NYSE Euronext
  • Kevin Efrusy, Partner, Accel Partners
  • Marcelo Haddad, CEO, Rio Negocios
  • Eduardo Klingelhoefer de Sá, Head of the Department of Investment Funds, Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES)
  • Marcio Kumruian, Founder and CEO, Netshoes
  • Felipe Matos, COO, Startup Brasil | Read an AS/COA Online interview with Matos.
  • Juliano Seabra, Managing Director, Endeavor Brasil
  • Susan Segal, President and CEO, AS/COA
  • Marco Stefanini, Founder and President, Stefanini IT Solutions
  • Benjamin White, Founder, 21212 Digital Accelerator

Event Information: Diogo Ide | dide@as-coa.org | 1-212-277-8352
Sponsorship Opportunities: Ana Gilligan | agilligan@as-coa.org | 1-212-277-8364
COA Corporate Membership Information: Monica Vieira | mvieira@as-coa.org | 1-212-277-8344
Press Inquiries: Adriana La Rotta | alarotta@as-coa.org | 1-212-277-8384

In partnership with:

Agenda

Download a PDF of the agenda.

Americas Society/Council of the Americas, in partnership with Rio Negócios, will hold a half-day conference in Rio de Janeiro focused on entrepreneurship and innovation. The format of the panels is Davos-style.

08:30 – 09:00h                      Registration

09:00 – 09:15h                      Welcoming Remarks

Susan Segal, President & CEO, Americas Society/Council of the Americas

Marcelo Haddad, CEO, Rio Negócios

09:15 –09:45h                       Keynote Speakers

Sergio Cabral, Governor, State of Rio de Janeiro

Eduardo Paes, Mayor, City of Rio de Janeiro

09:45 – 10:45h                     Entrepreneurship: Latin American Start-ups

Although the Brazilian economy is growing slowly, startups are booming in Brazil. This panel will discuss some of the issues faced by entrepreneurs, including access to capital, red tape, and lack of skilled workers. What are the opportunities and challenges entrepreneurs deal with in Brazil and Latin America? How do entrepreneurs get seed funding/advice for start-ups? How do they access funding follow-on A, B and C rounds? 

  • Francisco Alvarez-Demalde, Founder and Partner, Riverwood Capital Partners
  • Márcio Kumruian, Founder and CEO, Netshoes
  • Eduardo Klingelhoefer, Head of the Department of Funds, BNDES
  • Benjamin White, Founder, 21212 Digital Accelerator
  • Moderator: Susan Segal, President and CEO, Americas Society/Council of the Americas

10:45 – 11:50h                       Can a Silicon Valley be Recreated in Latin America?

Brazil’s federal and state governments are launching programs to foster entrepreneurship and innovation. This panel will discuss whether Latin America can recreate a Silicon Valley ecosystem. What does it take to recreate a Silicon Valley in Rio de Janeiro? How is the ecosystem created? Do the appropriate opportunities for exits exist to ensure the venture capital life cycle? What should be the relationship between government, academia, and the private sector to help support the growth of the ecosystem in Brazil?

  • Kevin Efrusy, Partner, Accel Partners
  • Scott Cutler, Executive Vice President, Global Listing, NYSE Euronext
  • Felipe Matos, COO, Startup Brasil
  • Moderator: Juliano Seabra, Managing Director, Endeavor Brasil

11:50 – 12:50h                        Innovation & Technology in Rio de Janeiro

Investments in technology have increased dramatically in Rio de Janeiro mostly as a result of the oil and gas industry. This panel will discuss whether Rio can expand such investments to other areas, including information technology, public management, nanotechnology, etc. Can Rio de Janeiro become the new technology hub? How can the city leverage the World Cup and the Olympics to attract new investments in technology? What are the current policies being implemented in Rio de Janeiro and the rest of Brazil to foster technology innovation?

  • Guruduth Banavar, Vice President, Industry Solutions Research, IBM Corporation
  • Karin Breitman, General Manager of the Brazil R&D Center, EMC Corporation
  • Marco Stefanini, Founder and President, Stefanini IT Solutions
  • Moderator: Marcelo Haddad, CEO, Rio Negócios

12:50 – 13:10h                      Closing Remarks
                                              Maria Silvia Bastos Marques
,
President, Municipal Olympic Company

13:10 – 13:40h                      Networking Reception

Speakers

Dr. Guruduth Banavar
Vice President, Industry Solutions Research, IBM Corporation

Dr. Guruduth Banavar is the vice president of Industry Solutions in IBM’s Research Division. He leads a team that applies advanced technologies to industry problems across the spectrum of IBM’s business areas. Previously, Banavar was the chief technology officer of IBM’s Public...

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Maria Silvia Bastos Marques
CEO, Municipal Olympic Company

Maria Silvia Bastos Marques is the CEO of Empresa Olímpica Municipal (Municipal Olympic Company), the body of the city council of Rio de Janeiro responsible for coordinating the execution of all projects and activities in the city related to the 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic...

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Dr. Karin Breitman
General Manager of the Brazil R&D Center, EMC Corporation

Dr. Karin Breitman is the general manager of the R&D Center at EMC Brazil. Prior to joining EMC, Breitman worked as a professor of computer science in the Informatics Department of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in...

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Sérgio Cabral
Governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Sérgio Cabral is the governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Previously, he was a senator for the state of Rio de Janeiro from 2003 to 2006, where he served on the Committee on Aging, and he was a state representative of Rio de Janeiro from 1990 to 1998. He has also...

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Scott Cutler
Executive Vice President, Global Listing, NYSE Euronext

Scott Cutler is the Executive Vice President of NYSE Euronext. Before joining NYSE Euronext, Cutler worked as the Head of West Coast software for Cowen and Company, Vice President of Thomas Weisel Partners, and as an attorney at Cooley Godward Kronish LLP. He is a regular...

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Kevin Efrusy
General Partner and Partner, Accel; Founder, Corio

Kevin Efrusy is a general partner and partner at Accel and the founder of Corio, where he focuses on efforts in Brazil and Latin America. He served as the first chief executive officer and president at IronPlanet and also served twice as an entrepreneur-in-residence at Kleiner...

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Marcelo Haddad
CEO, Rio Negócios

Marcelo Haddad is the CEO of Rio Negócios, the investment promotion agency for Rio de Janeiro. In this role, he is responsible for attracting and facilitating inward investment to the city. Previously, Haddad was the project director for the secretary of economic development...

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Eduardo Klingelhoefer de Sá
Head of the Investment Funds Department, Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES)

Eduardo Klingelhoefer de Sá is the head of the Investment Funds Department at the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES). He joined the bank in 1985 and has worked in different areas, including industry and capital markets. He structured over 35 private equity and venture capital...

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Marcio Kumruian
Founder and CEO, Netshoes

Marcio Kumruian is the founder and CEO of Netshoes. He is one of the most successful e-commerce entrepreneurs from Latin America. Having founded Netshoes in 2000, Kumruian was one of the pioneers in pure player e-commerce, focusing resources on a simple goal: provide the best...

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Felipe Matos
COO, Startup Brasil

Felipe Matos is the chief operating officer of Startup Brasil, a project established by the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation aimed to support digital start-ups in Brazil. He is also the founder of Startup Farm, the largest digital accelerator in Latin...

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Eduardo Paes
Mayor, Rio de Janeiro

Eduardo Paes is the mayor of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At the age of 23, Paes began his political career heading the municipal district of Jacarepagua and Barra. Three years later, he was elected to the Municipal Assembly, and in 1998, he was elected to the National...

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Susan Segal
President and CEO, Americas Society/Council of the Americas

Susan Segal was elected president and CEO of the Americas Society and Council of the Americas in August 2003 after working in the private sector with Latin America and other emerging markets for over 30 years. A passionate supporter of Latin America, she joined the organizations...

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Marco Antonio Stefanini
Founder and President, Stefanini IT Solutions

Marco Antonio Stefanini is the founder and president of Stefanini IT Solutions. He serves as the president and chief executive officer of Stefanini Consultoria e Assessoria em Informática S/A and as director of TechTeam Global Inc. He has been named as one of the most influential...

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Benjamin White
Founder, 21212 Digital Accelerator

Benjamin White is the founder, an entrepreneur, and an angel investor of 21212 Digital Accelerator. He is also currently a partner of 77 Ventures and serves on the advisory board member for RecordSetter, a website and media company dedicated to tracking and celebrating human...

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