For four months, Braskem Labs will bring together a group of 12 selected entrepreneurs and help them overcome the challenges of the business world. In addition to delivering strategic insight, management tips, and an analysis of each company's strengths and weaknesses, the mentoring meetings are also an opportunity to connect entrepreneurs with each other and with their projects. In some cases, a simple conversation can lead to a new customer.

This was the case of the companies Piipee, Wise Waste and Nanovetores, participants in the last edition of the program, in 2016. The dialogue between the entrepreneurs began during the collective mentoring sessions and meetings held with Braskem executives and market experts, leading to the development of new products in partnership. For the Braskem Labs participants, it was another chance to maximize their business.

Wise Waste and Nanovetores, for example, are jointly developing a nanotechnology-based product in recycled polymers. Piipee, also in partnership with Wise Waste, is seeking the best solution for releasing a final product with recycled material. The ideas discussed and the new products are still in the research phase, and are expected to launch in the Brazilian market between the second half of this year and 2018.

Created in Rio Grande do Sul, Piipee is a chemical-based product that reduces water consumption by up to 80% in toilets, replacing traditional flushing after urinating. "Braskem Labs is not merely spreadsheets and theory, but rather a very practical program in which we are truly connected to the market," said Ezequiel da Rosa, founder of Piipee.

Wise Waste offers solutions in reverse logistics and circular engineering across Brazil, working in the manufacture, consumption, disposal and recycling of plastic products. According to Guilherme Brammer, the company's founder, the program strengthened the meeting among the participants and assisted in the identification of new opportunities. "The program enabled the conversation between companies, which often face the same problems. The mentoring sessions and personal meetings were crucial for the understanding of where we could contribute to closing future deals. Furthermore, the acceleration by Braskem Labs was important because it gives credibility to our projects."

Nanovetores draws on sustainable nanotechnology for the development of nano- and microencapsulation systems for cosmetic and textile assets.

After participating in Braskem Labs, Piipee and Wisewaste also became Braskem's suppliers.

In its third edition, the program is an initiative by Braskem, the largest petrochemical company in the Americas, in partnership with ACE, considered the best startup accelerator in Latin America by Latam Founders.

Entries for the new edition of Braskem Labs can be submitted until May 24, at www.braskemlabs.com.br .

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.