Betting on important partnerships focused on logistics and mobility, Latin America’s biggest innovation and entrepreneurship hub – Cubo Itaú – has increased the number of sponsor companies this year by 76%. The growth, represented by a leap from 17 to 30 companies, was an important weapon for the innovation center to support its ventures.
Hosting 120 startups in its headquarters and more than 300 by digital means, Cubo Itaú started to count with two new partners this year that helped the hub to enhance its operations. “When Wilson Sons and VS first visited here, they found out that a number of startups could work collaboratively with them. It is these interactions that will transform the country’s innovation ecosystem,” pointed out Pedro Prates, head of corporate and digital products at Cubo, to Gazeta do Povo.
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Cubos’ partnership with VS (Verzani e Sandrini) – a group focused on services provision, mainly in the health sector – will aim at developing digital solutions and training more than 42 thousand professionals while operating next to the health startups. But besides the health sector, the new partnership makes room for startups working with AI, data analysis and facial recognition; since VS also operates with security and risk analysis.
On the other hand, the partnership closed with the port operator Wilson Sons, will seek logistics and administrative opportunities. “In addition to meeting the specific demands of the company’s core business, we also have the possibility to bring innovation to other areas, such as commercial and human resources,” said Eduardo Valença, strategy and innovation manager of Wilson Sons to the media outlet, adding that the company is still making contacts and getting to know the startups’ projects.
Although Cubo Itaú has already important milestones to celebrate, the innovation hub is still bullish about the year – and expects to close new deals with sponsor companies still in December, according to Prates.
