“The Power of Partnership”: U.S. State Department and Amazon Team Up to Support Women Entrepreneurs in Brazil

Written by Karina Rudolph Mas, VSFS Intern at the U.S. Department of State

Through valuable partnerships, the Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) supports women entrepreneurs around the world, equipping them with the knowledge, resources, and networks they need to overcome the many challenges associated with establishing and scaling a successful business. Can be provided at home. In Brazil, the U.S. State Department recently worked with Amazon to expand coverage. This partnership has allowed AWE Brazil to more than triple the size of its collective of female entrepreneurs, from about 25 to her 90. These women come from very diverse socio-cultural, regional and business backgrounds and represent 25 of Brazil’s 26 states.

AWE was founded in 2019 by the Department of Education and Cultural Affairs to support a variety of U.S. government initiatives to empower women around the world. Thanks to AWE’s public-private partnership, this three-month program combines online learning with her 100 Million Learner Bootcamp on Global Entrepreneurship; innovation. Developed by Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management, it includes weekly facilitation sessions to help localize content, workshops and presentations from experts in the field, pitch practice and competitions. I am. In Brazil, AWE and Amazon collaborated to provide more than 200 of his AWE alumni and program mentors with workshops and programs highlighting the value of e-commerce, and in particular the Amazon Marketplace, in a rapidly evolving and technology-influenced economy. Provided access to Amazon learning products. Although the women and businesses that participate in the AWE program vary, the intricacies of e-commerce and how to successfully market your business online have proven universally valuable.

Ana Pérez Nascimento, winner of AWE’s post-program pitch competition, co-founded and co-owns Pretas na Ciência, a company dedicated to combating sexism and racism in science. As a black female chemist involved in the development of her cosmetics products, she feels that her career in STEM has affected her demographics, even though women make up the majority of university degree earners in Brazil. I lamented how little there was. Nascimento explained how Pretas na Ciência began for her as a project, but AWE taught her how to transition it into a business. A winner of the AWE Pitch Contest, she is currently working with Amazon to develop her website to build a larger network of women in STEM fields. This website aims to guide and empower these women through the difficult job market by providing informative workshops and matching them with potential employers. Since completing the AWE program, Pretas na Ciência has expanded its reach internationally and partnered with both the United Nations and Garnier on valuable work on women’s empowerment.

Another member of AWE Brazil’s newest group of graduates is Anna Carolina de Sousa Bernardes, who is also the winner of the pitch competition. Her company, Uai Português, is a language school that aims to teach Portuguese to foreign speakers. De Sousa Bernardes started working as a language teacher at a local university in 2018, but after the COVID-19 lockdown forced education to move online, she decided to focus primarily on online teaching. I decided to start my own independent business. She credits her AWE program with giving her the confidence and training she needed to see herself as an entrepreneur. Uai Português currently has over 300 of her students from all over the world, including many refugees who came to Brazil for the first time since its founding. Inspired by Amazon’s e-commerce and online marketing-focused training, de Sousa Bernardes now has a new course in addition to his published podcasts, YouTube lessons, and social media presence. We are working on creating and expanding our business.

Studio Kuhn also emerged from AWE Brazil’s newest group. Founded by AWE alumnus Caroline Kuhn, the brand aims to combat the fashion industry’s growing waste problem through the unique and sophisticated upcycling of old textiles and damaged treasures. Kuhn praised her accomplishments, explaining how difficult it is to be recognized and respected as a female entrepreneur in Brazil.

Technical training received as a member of the AWE program. This training helped her develop an innovation plan for her own business. Her plans have now gone beyond protecting the environment and creating a positive impact on society. With support from AWE and Amazon, Kuhn achieved this impactful goal by involving vulnerable people in rural areas in the production cycle and developing opportunities for educational exchanges and creative experiences.

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With this partnership, AWE expands its reach to women like Nascimento, de Sousa Bernardes, and Kuhn across Brazil, and joins a far-reaching group of 270 collaborative women empowered through AWE’s strategic business education in Brazil. We are building a large network. Many of our alumni say how much they value the support of their fellow AWE alumni and how much the program has provided them with an inspiring sisterhood of women supporting women. The public-private partnership with Amazon allows AWE to continue to invest in and expand to more women around the world.