As part of its digital transformation strategy, Hydro is expanding its successful relationship with startups, through the “Minera Startup” program. Carried out in partnership with Açaí Valley, the program reaches its second edition with the purpose of stimulating entrepreneurs in the State of Pará that have a focus on innovation, contributing to local development. Minera Startup provides a progressive process of integrating participating startups with the company.

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“Hydro seeks innovation solutions for its operations through startups and, on the other hand, these entrepreneurs become partners in a global company. We offer mentoring, we give access to the professional environment of a large company, which is essential, since a startup in the initial phase is less likely to enter the radar as suppliers. Generating this opportunity is our way of strengthening this ecosystem that brings together entrepreneurship, innovation and startups ”, says Leoncio Rodrigues Bitar Neto, Hydro's Digital Solutions manager.

“It is with great satisfaction that we managed, despite the adversities that the pandemic brought, an initiative of this size for our region. Not only to give visibility to our startups but also to bring investors closer and bring maturity to the ecosystem as a whole. Thus, we continue to be sure to play the best role and put our State on the country's innovation circuit ”, analyzes Antônio Carlos Correia, president of Açaí Valley.

Interested in participating in the program should consult the rules of the notice on the Hydro.com website and register for the selection process until January 8, 2021.

The contact email with the event organization is minerastartup@gmail.com

To access the link to the startups registration form just click here .

Minera Startup

Selection process - the initial stage of Minera Startup is a selection process, in which a series of requirements are evaluated, such as having a team of at least two members aged 18 or over and having solutions preferably aimed at Augmented Reality, Digital Office , Internet of Things (IoT) applied in the industrial environment, among others.

Structured program focused on business solutions - Minera Startup is a collaboration between Hydro, Açaí Valley and startups. The program has seven stages of integration, and at the end, startups that present solutions that meet the defined scope can sign a contract with Hydro. The steps are:

• Conducting the "pitch", where startups present their proposals for solutions and business models for various Hydro areas and professionals;
• Disclosure of selected startups to advance the discussion of possible proofs of concepts with Hydro's areas that have shown interest;
• Presentation, for the selected startups, of the existing challenges in each interested area, and discussion of a possible scope for carrying out the proof of concept;
• Definition of the scope of the proof of concept between startup and Hydro's internal area;
• Delivery of the technical and commercial proposal for the proof of concept;
• Evaluation of Hydro's supplier prerequisites and hiring process for the startup to perform the proof of concept;
• Execution of proof of concept at Hydro as defined scope.

  About Hydro

Hydro is a global aluminum company with production, sales and commercial activities throughout the production chain, from bauxite mining, alumina refining, power generation to the production of primary aluminum, laminated products, extruded products and recycling. The company has 35 thousand employees. In Brazil, Hydro has a fully verticalized aluminum chain and its assets are integrated, adding value from bauxite mining to the preparation of finished aluminum products. In Pará, operations include Mineração Paragominas bauxite mine; the largest alumina refinery in the world, Alunorte, located in Barcarena; 51% stake in Albras, an aluminum factory also located in Barcarena; and a 5% shareholding in Mineração Rio do Norte, one of the largest bauxite mines in the world. Hydro's extruded units and precision tubes are installed in São Paulo and Santa Catarina.

  About Açaí Valley

Açaí Valley is the Pará Association of Technology and Innovation of Pará, active since 2014. The association seeks to foster entrepreneurship, technology and innovation in the State, with the aim of strengthening and developing the ecosystem and all the stakeholders that are part of it as well as startups , investors, accelerators, incubators, researchers, educational institutions, government and etc. Among the actions of the Açaí Valley community, there are monthly events, lives, meetups, happy hours, pitch days, hackathons and the Startup Weekend event in Belém, which gave rise to the community. Pará is responsible for 24% of startups in the Northern region of Brazil, behind only the State of Amazonas (29%), according to the Brazilian Startup Association (Abstartups). The capital, Belém, has more than 40 mapped startups, in addition to two incubators   and three accelerators. The most common segments of startups in the region are communication and media (8.3%), health and well-being (6.2%) and internet (6.2%). Most of the businesses are in operation.