Embratur announces the 10 projects selected for the next stage of the challenge to improve the experience of foreign tourists at Brazil's airports

Startups chosen in the "Brazilian Welcome Challenge" will present solutions to improve the international visitor's journey; Pitch day on August 8th

16/07/2024 - EmbraturLAB has selected the 10 startups that will take part in the pitch day of the Brazilian Welcome Challenge, an initiative that seeks to improve the experience of foreign tourists at Brazil's airports. The action is a partnership between Embratur and the Ministries of Tourism and Ports and Airports, with resources from the National Civil Aviation Fund (FNAC).

The president of Embratur, Marcelo Freixo, celebrated the commitment of startups to come up with innovative solutions to make the tourist experience the best it can be. "When foreigners arrive in Brazil, they want to be happy and have incredible experiences. And this should start right at our gateways: the airports. The first impression remains, and tourists who leave the airport with a good experience will be more inclined to visit more attractions and return home talking about the differential of Brazilian hospitality," explains Freixo.

The startups selected are: Atena ESG (SP), Audima (RJ), Autaza (SC), Blumaps (SC), Filazero (SE), Macnica DHW (SC), Mover Tech Ltda (RS), Opensenses (SP), Peoplexperience (SP) and Strelo Aeroportos (BA). The six criteria evaluated for choosing the startups considered the business model; scalability, which analyzes the potential for growth, expansion and scale of the business; the team; the adherence of the proposal; the relevance of the project to the digital transformation of the tourism sector; and the potential social/environmental impact.

In pitch dayAt the event, which will take place on August 8, each company will have five minutes to defend their solutions, followed by a period for the Selection Committee to ask questions. Two companies will be selected and will receive R$ 50,000 to carry out the proof of concept.

The projects must solve at least one of the 17 challenges proposed, with the help of technology. These include providing adequate shelter for pets during travel; providing real-time information to international travelers; encouraging tourists to consume local products and visit national destinations when there is a connection between flights; and automating processes in order to optimize baggage handling.

Technical cooperation

The "Brazilian Welcome Challenge" is also a delivery of the technical cooperation agreement (ACT) signed between Embratur and the Airports Association of Brazil (ABR) in October 2023, which deals with actions and strategies to expand the supply of flights to Brazil and increase the number of foreign tourists in the country. The ABR will take part in the final selection and will help coordinate with the airport concessionaires to carry out the concept tests.

Check out the schedule for the next stages:

08/08 - Pitch day

16/08 - Publication of finalists

23/08 - Demoday (day when startups present their projects to a panel of judges)

01/09 - Start of proof of concept

30/11 - End of proof of concept