Held at São Paulo accelerator Cubo Itaú, the Cubo Impact Summit featured a presentation of results and awards were handed out to outstanding people and organizations

On December 3, Fundo Vale held the Cubo Impact Summit at São Paulo-based startup accelerator Cubo Itaú. It was a special moment to celebrate this year’s achievements of the Vale Impact Network and the Cubo Impact Journey. The summit was attended by the leaders of the organizations involved in these initiatives: Gustavo Luz, executive director of Fundo Vale; Filipe Guimarães, head of the corporate area at Cubo Itaú; and Alexandre Amorim, co-founder of Ago Social. The event also included an awards ceremony to recognize the highlights of the year and there was a thought-provoking panel discussion. 

“We are facing a new agenda that prioritizes engagement, construction and education, especially in the field of entrepreneurship and impact businesses. It’s essential for us to work in partnership to turn this vision into reality,” said Gustavo Luz. 

Vale Impact Network 

Launched in 2024, the Vale Impact Network aims to engage Vale employees in the theme of positive social and environmental impact. The program includes a Mentoring Journey, which trains Vale employee volunteers to support impact businesses through talent development, technical guidance and the sharing of professional experiences. There is also an Investors’ Journey, which informs employees about investing in businesses capable of generating environmental and social benefits.

In 2024, the Vale Impact Network engaged more than 350 employees, eight Vale vice presidencies and 32 beneficiary companies. In the Mentoring Journey, participants did 80 hours of training and dedicated more than 110 hours to mentor companies. According to an internal survey, 90% of participating employees said they felt better prepared to be mentors and 100% of the entrepreneurs felt more confident in their businesses. The Investors’ Journey mobilized five impact investment funds and attracted more than 40 applications. 

Cubo Impact Journey

In 2024, Fundo Vale, in partnership with Ago Social and Cubo ESG, held an immersion program for startups called the Cubo Impact Journey. This program selected 32 innovative businesses out of 72 applicants from 13 different Brazilian states. The initiative began in May and included 20 hours of online meetings, as well as 50 hours of mentoring in collaboration with mentors from the impact ecosystem.

Transformative Impact 

A panel discussion called “Transformative Impact: The Protagonists’ Journey” was one of the highlights of the event. The moderator was Graziella Comini, associate professor at the University of São Paulo. The speakers included Felipe Rabaçal, co-founder of Allugg; Julia Preissler Pothin, operational excellence analyst at Vale; and Noanny Guimarães Maia, founder of Cacauaré. During their conversation, the panelists shared their experiences in the initiatives run by Fundo Vale and reflected on how their visions of impact have evolved, the role they play in the social and environmental ecosystem and the steps they are taking to expand their positive impacts.

Awards

Check out the 2024 award winners: 

Vale Impact Network partners: Jana Silva, ESG specialist, Cubo Itaú; Graziella Comin, associate professor, University of São Paulo; Janice Maciel, program coordinator, Amazon Journey; Juliana Vilhena, strategy, management and impact manager, Fundo Vale; Nathalia Cipoleta, senior sustainability analyst, Fundo Vale

Impact Investment Journey partners: Bárbara Ferraz, education analyst, Valia; Lucas Conrado, head of institutional relations, Estímulo 2020; Marco Gorini, co-founder and CEO, Din4mo

VP: Malu Paiva, executive vice president for sustainability, Vale

Mentor in Impact Mentoring Journey: Lucas Pereira, process technician, Vale

Group of mentors in Impact Mentoring Journey: Julia Pothin, Polyanna Franco and Thieres Rego (who mentored Ceres Seeding); Georgina Rosa, Maria das Graças and Ursula Ferreira (who mentored Cacauaré); Camila Silva, Hudson Silva and Denny Carion (who mentored F Carbon); Leonardo Souza, Mariana Assis and Vanessa Miranda (who mentored Ver o Fruto)

Companies participating in Cubo Impact Journey: Documento4doc, LunaVerde, Maneje Bem

“We dedicated ourselves intensely to these projects throughout the year. We realized that mutual collaboration within the impact ecosystem is essential to foster innovation aimed at building a new economic model – one that prioritizes respect for the environment and fair socioeconomic inclusion. I would like to thank all the partners and collaborators who have embraced our journeys and made a difference to these businesses. We are already planning to expand these programs in 2025, reinforcing our commitment to innovation and positive impact at scale,” said Giovana Gohr Serenato, the head of Fundo Vale’s innovation area.