Amorim Cork Ventures challenges entrepreneurs and launches 2nd call for applications

Lisbon was the place chosen for the new prospecting phase of Amorim Cork Ventures, a business incubator set up by Corticeira Amorim. Amorim Cork Ventures was established about a year ago and has received more than 140 applications. The entrepreneurial training program will be held in the Portuguese capital with a view to facilitating the access of entrepreneurs with innovative ideas, applications or business proposals for the cork industry, thereby preventing great opportunities from being lost due to geographical constraints.

The second call, launched today, will extend until October 15th. That call will be implemented in partnership with Beta-i. The program includes training courses and various workshops, which will begin in late October at Beta-i's premises. The decision about the projects that will be supported will be taken in the first week of December.

According to Paulo Bessa, managing director of Amorim Cork Ventures: "In considering an application, we will continue to focus on the principles of selection that were set as priority at the time the incubator was launched, including the level of design innovation, the importance of cork in the business project and the export potential of the products/goods and, last but not least, the profile of the entrepreneur or entrepreneurial team."

The track record of Amorim Cork Ventures in its first year of business is extremely positive. In addition to having received 140 applications, two startup companies have already been formed and other 10 projects are in incubation. The company is supporting the development of these projects, which are expected to be completed by the end of the year - prototyping, market analysis and business plan development - and then a decision will be made whether or not to set up a startup company.

Several project proposals submitted in response to the first call that took place earlier this year are worth mentioning. These projects have to do with building and construction, housing solutions and industrial cooling solutions and the majority of proposals makes use of insulation corkboard (a 100% natural product with a darker colored grain). Support was given to a number of proposals in the fields of footwear, biocomposites, interior design, smooth/urban mobility and sport that were submitted in the first phase of the competition.

Amorim Cork Ventures is particularly suited to support startups and gives entrepreneurs access not only to funding, but also to a wide range of know-how and management skills as well as a network of contacts in different industries and countries. Those interested in participating in this selection phase that has just been announced, should submit their application by October 15 by using the link www.amorim.com/corkventures.