Recently I went to the theater and heard something that I had not heard for a long time, said by the protagonist of the play: “We validated our show in Porto Alegre. Because, if it works here, it will be a success all over Brazil!” With this phrase by Lúcio Mauro Filho, a lot went through my head.
There are those who look at this with caveats, but, as a good entrepreneur, I see the half -full glass – always! The gaucho is critical, demanding, hardworking and puts the bar up there, yes. And no wonder Rio Grande do Sul is one of the most innovative states in the country. According to the Fiec Innovation Index of the States, RS occupies the 3rd National Place in Innovation, with emphasis on Science and Technology, Infrastructure and Human Capital. There are numerous entrepreneurial stories of global reach and renown, with a secular cultural protagonism that lasts to this day.
It is also the stage of South Summit, which begins this Wednesday (9) and found in Porto Alegre a fertile soil to settle. The event brings together thinkers, entrepreneurs, investors, questioners, restless, curious – all connected by the desire to innovate, discover and, above all, build a better world for everyone.
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As a specialist in mergers and business acquisitions, it was in Porto Alegre that I founded the galapos for 15 years. We evolved, shape, adapt and expand. Today, we serve customers throughout Brazil, but we follow with about 20% of our concentrated base in the state where it all started, and where we maintain our official headquarters.
Through government incentives, we have already made more than $ 4 billion in technological innovations. We impact thousands of companies, generating value and concrete results, with more than a hundred mergers and acquisition transactions. We brought investments to Rio Grande do Sul and to Brazil, while bringing Brazilian innovations – many of them from Rio Grande do Sul – to the United States, Spain, Germany, Japan, England, France, Portugal, Canada, Switzerland and so many other countries.
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Brazil, by the way, has a gigantic potential in this field. Today we are the largest startup ecosystem in Latin America, with over 14,000 active startups according to Abstartups, and we occupy the 24th global innovation position between 132 countries, according to the Global Innovation Index 2023. With more investment, encouragement and collaboration between public and private sectors, we have everything to be in the coming 10 years.
Galapos is an XP company, part of the largest ecosystem in the Latin America financial market – which, by the way, was also born in Porto Alegre. We are proud to be part of this story. And it is with this pride that we are bringing our partners – a portion of more than 20,000 XP investment advisors – to know, on loco, the size of the opportunity to work with innovation and entrepreneurship in the small, medium and large companies in Brazil. This is one of the main paths of growth and development of the Brazilian financial market – and also XP.
We become a key piece in a market that increasingly needs intelligent solutions for transforming businesses. We believe in the strength of evolution and adaptation. We dream big and see that the impact we have on a company shapes individuals – and transforms society. That’s what we believe!
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I can already see a near future in which mentors, corporations, investors, entrepreneurs, executives and professionals from all areas look at the entrepreneurship scene, Rio Grande do Sul and South Summit just as the protagonist of the play looked at our state and to Brazilian culture: “We need to be there to work in Brazil – and in the world!”
