Enel’s Open Innovation reaches Brazil

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An all-round approach to innovation, ranging from start-ups to large companies, and from universities and research centres to projects designed by individual innovators. Enel’s Open Innovation makes its way across the ocean and reaches South America with Energy Start Brazil, a programme that promotes the development of new green energy technologies.

The start-ups have twelve months to apply to the programme and submit their projects. In order to participate, companies must have developed a prototype in one of Enel’s topics of interest: Internet of Things, electric mobility, energy storage, distributed generation, energy efficiency, energy infrastructures for smart cities and public lighting.

The best projects will be selected by an Advisory Board, which will evaluate the company's strategic fit with the Group, as well as its business model, team composition, development stage and growth potential.

 ‘The programme combines the experience that Enel has acquired in supporting start-ups with the Group's international presence,’ explained Luciano Tommasi, Head of Enel’s Start-Up Initiatives Unit. ‘Good ideas have no borders or nationalities. We therefore decided to launch Energy Start in Latin America – starting from Brazil, which represents a promising growth platform for us. We believe that the proposals of innovative start-ups can respond to two needs: improving operational efficiency and developing new products.’

The selected companies will take part in the “incubation” stage, during which they will continue developing their project with the help of Enel’s expertise. At the end of the training programme, Enel may decide to invest in the start-ups, enter into partnerships to distribute their products and services, become a client or help them to attract other possible investors.

Energy Start is part of the Open Innovation initiatives that have already been launched by Enel in Europe, with the European platform Startup Europe Partnership and accelerator programs such as INCENSe. Further information on the programmes is available on www.startup.enel.com.