Sustainable Soy in the Cerrado Program (PSSC)

Round 1PROJECTS

Sep 21

Written By PwC AgTech Innovation • Cargill • CPQD • Embrapa • Embrapii

Promoting entrepreneurship for a sustainable, deforestation-free soy supply chain

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The development of sustainable agricultural technologies for the soy supply chain is the focus of the Sustainable Soy in the Cerrado Program (PSSC), which grew out of a partnership between the innovation hub PwC AgTech Innovation and the Land Innovation Fund, with strategic support from Cargill, Embrapa, Embrapii and the Telecommunications Research and Development Center (CPQD). The PSSC offers the participating startups mentoring, networking with business executives, and information exchanges with their peers, access to thematic classes and technical-scientific support from a team of researchers from the Cerrado Fellowship Program, as well as direct contact with farmers active in the For Farmers Program. The startups also receive financial support from the Startup Finance Facility to implement their solutions.

"The PSSC is designed to offer participating companies the financial, technological and knowledge support they need to create innovative solutions for sustainable agricultural development, free from deforestation and conversion of native vegetation," explains Ashley Valle, director of the Land Innovation Fund. "The program itself is an innovation, in that it integrates all the links in the agricultural supply chain, supporting and connecting key partners to spur positive impacts for solutions to the demands of the global agricultural, climate and environmental agenda," she adds.

2023 Edition:

After four cycles, the PSSC gains thematic breadth, new strategic support and a contribution of US$600,000 from the Startup Finance Facility to foster up to twenty innovation projects for smart agriculture for the climate and free of deforestation, with the possibility of increasing revenue with the entry of new partners interested in supporting the innovation ecosystem. The new edition of the PSSC will have cycles lasting one year and selected startups eligible to receive financial support of up to US$50,000 for the creation, development and implementation of innovative solutions that contribute to a sustainable soy supply chain, free of deforestation and conversion of native vegetation.

Photo Credit: AgTechGarage Archive

The Program:

In this latest edition of the Program, Cargill is responsible for adding market value by validating and evaluating solutions, as well as providing support at events and workshops, and engaging with farmers to bring entrepreneurs and growers closer together. Embrapa is the charge of the ongoing support by experts to develop the solutions, participating in the analysis of proposals, mentoring and masterclasses.

The Brazilian Company for Industrial Research and Innovation (Embrapii) is responsible for connecting startups and entrepreneurs with research centers to carry out the selected projects, as well as co-financing specific initiatives with grants. One of the Embrapii units, the Telecommunications Research and Development Center (CPQD) supports entrepreneurs working with Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Connectivity, IoT and other technologies that fall within the institution's area of expertise.

"The PSSC connects farmers, researchers, experts, and the market, allowing entrepreneurs to access all sorts of expertise to develop, test and scale-up their solutions," explains José Tomé, CEO at AgTech Garage and a partner at PwC. "The unprecedented intersection of For Farmers with the Cerrado Fellowship, and the financial support from the SFF, plus the participation of three of the country's leading research and development institutions - Embrapii, CPQD and now Embrapa - as well as support from a trader like Cargill, places our Program on the frontier of innovation within the entrepreneurial ecosystem," he adds.

Results achieved:

Since it was launched in March 2021, the Sustainable Soy in the Cerrado Program has received 253 applications from 17 states in Brazil, as well as the Federal District. Throughout all five cycles so far, 28 startups have been selected to join the program's portfolio, with solutions covering entire farms, from crop fields to standing forests. Of this total, 18 projects implemented by 22 startups have been selected for financial support from the Startup Finance Facility. In addition, startups selected into the portfolio received more than R$2.4 million in additional funding from partner institutions to refine their solutions. 29 researchers from the Cerrado Fellowship and 20 farmers from For Farmers participated in the program.