Rio de Janeiro will host the main meeting of Startup20 Brazil in April 2024, an event focusing on technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship, promoted by the official Startup engagement group within the G20 – the group of the world's twenty largest economies. The event will bring together representatives from startups, public officials, the private sector, and innovation leaders from around the globe. The program will include panels on innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as technical visits to innovation hubs, universities, and research centers in Rio.
"We are thrilled to host a gathering that addresses innovation and entrepreneurship, one of Rio de Janeiro's vocations. Innovation is in our DNA. During the event, we'll have the opportunity to showcase the Rio startup scene to the world and simultaneously forge a powerful alliance to boost the growth of the technology and innovation ecosystem here in Rio and in Brazil," stated Lucas Padilha, president of the Rio G20 Committee and Coordinator of International Relations for Rio City Hall.
For Chicão Bulhões, Municipal Secretary of Economic Development, Innovation, and Streamlining in Rio, this initiative demonstrates Rio de Janeiro's strengthening as an innovation hub:
"We are reaping the rewards of daily work that started with an idea: to transform the city into the innovation and technology capital of Latin America. Once again, we will be at the center of discussions on such relevant topics, both for today and for the future."
Startup20 is an official engagement group of startups within the G20. It acts as a facilitator of global technology ecosystem dialogues, aiming to raise macroeconomic concerns to G20 leaders.
"The G20, which will have Brazilian presidency next year, will be the greatest window of opportunity in history for small and medium-sized enterprises and startups. It will be the ideal moment to show that both the city and our country represent the future of global innovation, taking the lead in entrepreneurship and technology," affirms Ingrid Barth, President of the Brazilian Association of Startups (ABStartups).
Startup20 will hold three meetings in Brazil. The first gathering will take place in one of the states in the Amazon rainforest in February 2024. The second meeting will occur in Rio in April, and the last one will be in São Paulo in June.
According to Alexandre Vermeulen, President of Invest.Rio, the presence of Startup20 in Rio de Janeiro acts as a catalyst for the innovation market.
"By hosting this meeting, our city becomes an attractive hub for investors and entrepreneurs. Discussions and collaborations within the G20 stimulate the exchange of ideas and the search for solutions, boosting the local ecosystem and fostering investment acquisition that can propel technological and economic development in the region. It's a unique opportunity to showcase Rio de Janeiro's potential to the world."
G20 Brazil 2024 will be the main forum for international economic cooperation, comprising 19 countries and the European Union, representing approximately 85% of global GDP. To prepare the city for the meeting of G20 leaders and heads of state on November 18 and 19, 2024, Rio City Hall has established the Municipal G20 Organization Committee, a coordinating body directly linked to the Mayor's Office. The Rio G20 Committee is responsible for coordinating municipal activities and events related to Brazil's G20 presidency – starting December 1, 2023 – and the economic group's summit meeting.
