Event in São Paulo brought together more than 30 thousand people and 350 businesses created and managed in the favela
Anyone who looks at the favela only as a place of scarcity and poverty needs to start changing their lenses and start seeing the home of more than 17 million people as a focus of culture, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Yes, those who live in the hood have a lot of entrepreneurial spirit. Whether by opportunity or necessity, three out of every four people who live in favelas (76%) have, have had or intend to one day have their own business, points out a survey by Data Favela released on the first day of the Expo Favela, an event held between April 15th and 17th, 2022 in São Paulo (SP), and which had iFood as one of its sponsors.
The research also reveals that half of this population consider themselves entrepreneurs and 41% have their own business. “Instead of lamenting, favela residents are undertaking business, they are taking responsibility for their lives”, explained Renato Meirelles, founder of Data Favela to Notícias Concursos.
Those who went to Expo Favela were able to see up close the entrepreneurial spirit of those who live far from the expanded city center. At the event, asphalt investors connected and learned about the businesses created and managed in the favela.
More than 30 thousand people, including celebrities, politicians, executives from large companies, investors and the general public, visited to get to know the new entrepreneurs of the city up close.
“We were able to exchange and learn from entrepreneurs. It was an excellent opportunity for relationships and new connections, especially for the areas of socio-environmental impact and public policies, which have constantly sought dialogue with communities and the third sector”, says Danielle Sá, EMI coordinator at iFood. “Participating in the event honored and enriched us.”
'Silent social revolution'
In the exhibitor space, 350 entrepreneurs talked, exchanged experiences and sought financing for higher flights. Among the businesses present there were solutions for education, health, sustainability and the environment, culture, creative economy, mobility and logistics, gastronomy, communication, fashion, finance, among many other areas.
“This is the unfolding of a silent social revolution carried out by a former beggar who promised never to ask for money again. It’s not just a fair, it’s a movement that has no return”, said Celso Athayde, CEO of Favela Holding and creator of the event to Folha de S.Paulo.
iFood was also present in the conversation. Johnny Borges, Public Policy manager in the Communities area at iFood, spoke about the transformations in the ecosystem resulting from the relationship between business and society. To talk about the importance of education to avoid a technological blackout, Kelly Baptista, leader of the 1Bi Foundation, and Leonardo Oliveira, Branding and Reputation coordinator at iFood, led another talk.
In the field of mentoring, Camilla Gurgel, from the iFood innovation team, and Cleo Santana, Community Manager at foodtech, held two sessions on how to get an idea off paper and how to make a pitch "killer".
On the days of the event, iFood directed donations on the app to CUFA (Central Única das Favelas) to support the organization and also entrepreneurship in the favelas.
The story doesn't end here: the next chapter will be the premiere of the reality show Expo Favela – O Desafio, on Rede Globo, broadcast on 4/23, 4/30 and 5/7 during the É de Casa program. Ten startups were chosen and will present their businesses to four judges, who will choose a champion. To prepare, these entrepreneurs received support from mentors — and one of them was Cleo. Are you going to miss this one?
