SAP Supports Sustainable Start-Ups in Brazil
The Emerging Entrepreneur Initiative from SAP invests in young entrepreneurs and helps them drive their business while also promoting sustainability, growth, and innovation.
Vanessa Vilela Araujo has always been a big fan of cosmetics and had dreams of running her own company since her childhood. Today, she is the founder and CEO of the successful cosmetics company Kapeh, which produces sustainable cosmetics from coffee beans. With the support of the Emerging Entrepreneur Initiative, Kapeh has been able to grow its presence to more than 200 shops in 18 Brazilian federal states.
As one of more than 50 emerging entrepreneurs, Kapeh receives technology, mentorship, and access to capital through the Initiative. With this support, Araujo can optimize her day-to-day business operations and make them more transparent. As a result, she is proving that an environmentally and socially sustainable company like Kapeh can be successful and competitive in the cosmetics market. Araujo explains that as an emerging entrepreneur, her wish is for companies – regardless of their size – to be aware of the impact they make.
Setting a Path for Sustainable Raw Materials
A sustainable business model is one of the fundamental requirements for participating in the initiative and plays a key role in working with SAP. Taking the example of Kapeh, Araujo ensures that the origins of the coffee beans are strictly controlled, the production process is environmentally friendly, and the Brazilian employees’ labor rights are respected.
The Emerging Entrepreneur Initiative was launched in India and Brazil in 2013, and will expand to Kenya in 2014. Today, more than 50 emerging entrepreneurs have joined, more than 200 mentor hours have been completed, and nearly US$4 million in revenue has been generated by participating entrepreneurs.
About SAP:
As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP (NYSE: SAP) helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device – SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable more than 248,500 customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably. For more information, visit www.sap.com.
