Idea to Product Latin America

Introduction

Do you want to develop businesses marketing new and exciting innovations? Is working on multi-disciplinary teams for you ideal? Does creating and presenting your innovation to an audience sound energizing? Not the least, do you want to win valuable prizes?

Then Idea-to-Product Competition Latin America is the opportunity you have been looking for.

The Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora and the Centro de Empreendedorismo e Novos Negócios da Fundação Getulio Vargas – FGVcenn will promote in 2014 the 7th edition of the Idea-to-Product Competition – Latin America. The Idea to Product® Competitions, founded at The University of Texas at Austin, are early-stage technology commercialization plan competitions that aim for unique product ideas with clear market demand that use innovative technologies.  The goal is educating and developing the next generation of technology entrepreneurs. The program is particularly interested in matching technologies resulting from a university’s fundamental research programs with potential markets. The winning team will be automatically invited to participate in the Idea-to-Product Global, with the winners from others local competitions. The Latin American contest wishes to bring to Brazil a representative from each of the most important schools from all 33 countries in the region.

Idea-to-Product Latin America is an innovative competition inspiring the innovative spirit in students around Latin American countries where participants develop a technology commercialization plan to confirm the validity and market potential of a new, innovative, and competitive product. Students then present the commercialization plan to a group of knowledgeable judges. I2P’s mission is to create a competitive Latin American forum in which to enhance cross-disciplinary studies in entrepreneurship, research, technology & emerging markets.

– Hosts –

UFJF – Federal University of Juiz de Fora

The Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF) was established in 1960 by an act of Brazilian former President Juscelino Kubitscheck. At that time, different colleges functioning in the city of Juiz de Fora were officially integrated by the Government to constitute a University. In the earlier years, the courses offered were Medicine, Engineering, Economic Science, Law, Pharmacy and Dentistry. Later, the courses of Geography, Languages & Literature, Philosophy, Biological Sciences, Social Science and History were also opened.

Throughout its more than 50 years of existence, the Federal University of Juiz de Fora has undergone significant growth, strengthening the quality of undergraduate and graduate education while, at the same time, maintaining the University’s role as an agent of community development.

Centro de Empreendedorismo e Novos Negócios da FGV

The Center for Entrepreneurship and New Ventures (FGVcenn) of Fundacao Getulio Vargas (FGV) was created in June 2004 with the mission of building an entrepreneurial spirit at the School of Business Administration of São Paulo (EAESP). The FGVcenn gathers people from diverse backgrounds to study, generate and propagate multidisciplinary knowledge about entrepreneurship. Beyond being responsible for entrepreneurship education, the Center is responsible for generating Brazilian knowledge on the field of entrepreneurship through events, competitions, publications, courses and research. FGVcenn aims to change culture and make people aware of their potential as entrepreneurs.

About FGV

Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV), founded in 1944, is a world renowned center for quality education dedicated to promoting Brazil’s economic and social development. With eight schools, two research institutes, technical assistance projects and a publishing unit, FGV is ranked one of the top 25 Think Tanks and Top 100 higher education institutions in the World.

Rene José Rodrigues Fernandes, Competition Director

Mr. Fernandes is the Senior Project Director for the Centre for Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation (FGVcenn) at Fundacao Getulio Vargas. He is also Commercial Director for the newspaper Jornal Integracao. Mr. Fernandes has worked for Espírito Santo Ventures, in Lisbon, Interbanc Consulting and for CEPAM, a public sector consultancy.

At the Centre for Entrepreneurship he is the director for several projects, including the business plan competition “FGV Latin Moot Corp”, the best practices prize “Premio Empreendedor de Sucesso” and the Latin American version of the “Idea to Product Competition”. His research focus the competitiveness of high growth entrepreneurial ventures, start-up companies and entrepreneurship education.

Division: Centre for Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation (FGVcenn).

Title: Senior Project Director.

Education: BSBA – Escola de Administração de São Paulo (FGV-EAESP); MSc – Escola de Administração de São Paulo (FGV-EAESP).

Expertise: Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital.

E-mail: rene.rodrigues@fgv.br