Brasilia, September 25, 2023: The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Brazil, in partnership with Grupo +Unidos, have selected three Brazilian female entrepreneurs to receive seed capital. The selection took place during the closing ceremony of the third edition of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), which took place earlier this month in São Paulo. The winners are among a group of 90 women from 25 Brazilian states participating in the 2023 AWE Program.
The first-place winner, Ana Nascimento (RJ), from the “Pretas na Ciência” project, received a seed investment capital of R$ 17,000. Karoline Kuhn Crizel (RS), from Studio Kuhn, came the second place and received R$12,000 to boost her business. In third place, Anna Karolina de Sousa Bernardes (MG), from the “Uai Português” project, received R$ 8,000 to invest in her company.
The event was attended by the U.S. Ambassador to Brazil, Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, entrepreneur Monique Evelle, CEO of Rede Mulher Empreendedora, Célia Kano, and representatives from Sebrae, Amazon, UNDP and companies associated with Grupo +Unidos.
Entrepreneurship and female empowerment are part of bilateral policies and programs between Brazil and the United States. By seeking opportunities to strengthen their economic potential, women contribute positively to greater stability, security and prosperity in their respective communities and societies.
AWE is a program of the U.S. Department of State that has already empowered around 25,000 women in 80 countries. The initiative, brought by the U.S. Embassy and Consulates to Brazil in 2021, is implemented by Grupo +Unidos and has the pedagogical support of the social startup “Somos Todas Marias”, which includes activities in business education, helping participants to acquire marketing strategies to leverage the economic potential of their businesses, and mentoship with specialized professionals in the market. In 2023, AWE trained 90 women from the five regions of Brazil, representing 24 states and the Federal District.
About Grupo +Unidos:
+Unidos, a non-profit association, is a collaborative social investment fund created by the US Embassy, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The Group, made up of major companies operating in Brazil, has been working since 2008 to empower young Brazilians through the development of initiatives aimed at education and technological training, proposing a new way of thinking about the social responsibility efforts currently being made in the country.
For more information, visit: www.maisunidos.org
