By Kristen Nozell, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Creative Business Cup Brasil, a worldwide entrepreneurial competition for new business ideas, is going global this week after announcing the winner of the national stage earlier this month, Bliive, a social network aiming to foster the exchange of ideas and education from person to person.
From the 212 entries submitted, only ten finalists were selected at the national level, and only one was selected to compete in the international round, which is currently taking place in Denmark.
Now in its second year, the competition is supported by entrepreneurship institute Endeavor, Nacão Creativa and Global Entrepreneurship Week Brazil, all of which work to foster entrepreneurial growth in the country.
This national winner of the competition is a new social network called Bliive, founded by twenty-three year old Lorrana Scarpioni from the southern state of Paraná. The network allows users to exchange time and skills, rather than money.
A user could offer an hour-long guitar lesson to another user, for example, earning points in return, which can be used to purchase a lesson or task from another user in the network. The network has only been functioning for two months but already boasts 10,000 users.
Turning the platform profitable is the challenge facing the young entrepreneur, but she already has ideas, such as creating paid subgroups or networks for the employees of a company or institution.
Among the other national finalists was São Paulo-based startup, appropriately called Cochilo (nap in Portuguese) that aims to make ‘naptime’ more accessible for stressed professionals by constructing cabins available to rent for naps around the city. The Can Game, a website that aims to help autistic children develop their cognitive and social skills, was another finalist.
All of these finalists will receive coaching and funding, and the nominee for the global entry will continue on to compete for one of three winning spots, with the first place price receiving US$50,000. All three will receive coaching from established consultants and entrepreneurs, but all nominated businesses will benefit from exposure to potential investors. The grand winner will be announced in Copenhagen after a three-day event, on Wednesday, November 20th.
Read more (in Portuguese).
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