With the sign-up period for its third edition open until May 14, Braskem Labs already shows consistent results in the promotion of entrepreneurs from all over the country, whether in the development of business management capabilities or in the generation of business and new opportunities for participants.

According to a survey conducted by Braskem, 100% of the participants of the 2016 edition stated that the program contributed to their growth as entrepreneurs.

The benefits of the program for entrepreneurs go beyond mentoring, as approval in it opens doors in negotiations and facilitates access to other companies. Four of the projects participating in the 2016 edition received investments from third parties during the same year and another four are expected to receive contributions soon. Thanks to the initiative, 48 relevant business relationships were established for the 12 entrepreneurs, while Braskem Labs generated effective business for half of them.
 
"When we started Braskem Labs, we were faced with everything we had already done. This is because we were able to detect the failures of what did not work. Today, we concluded that the program was quite transformative and, in general, was an "injection" of maturity for our business," said Onicio Leal Neto, founder and CEO of Epitrack.

In addition to the development of their business, two companies implemented joint creation projects with Braskem and two became petrochemical suppliers. "For the company, this is a unique opportunity to support businesses with the potential to grow. In addition to the training we offer, we can use the knowledge of our mentors and Braskem's networking to open new doors for the participants," said Luiz Gustavo Ortega, Social Responsibility Leader at Braskem.

One example is WiseWaste, a participant in the 2016 edition, which developed, alongside Braskem, a solution for the recycling of flexible packaging (from cookies, snacks, soft drink labels, etc.) that were previously considered non-recyclable.

The partnership with Braskem also opened doors for Nanovetores, which specializes in the use of nanotechnology to encapsulate high-performance cosmetic ingredients. During the mentoring process, an opportunity was identified to transpose the cosmetic ingredient into the textile market, thus expanding the company's field of operation.

Sign-up period open
The sign-up period for the third edition of Braskem Labs is open until May 14 at www.braskemlabs.com. The purpose of the program is to find and accelerate the growth of businesses that offer innovative solutions based on chemistry, plastics and the combat against the Aedes aegypti mosquito, with social impacts. Twelve companies will be selected to receive mentoring for four months.

About Braskem
Braskem is the largest manufacturer of thermoplastic resins in the Americas, with an annual output of over 20 million metric tons, including the production of other basic chemical and petrochemical products, with an annual revenue of R$54 billion. With the aim of improving the lives of people, creating sustainable solutions in chemistry and plastics, Braskem is present in over 70 countries, with 8,000 members, and operates 41 industrial units located in Brazil, the United States, Germany, and Mexico - the latter in partnership with the Mexico-based company Idesa.