Advising Entrepreneurs through Shell Startup Engine Brazil

For some years, Regen Studio's founder Yvo Hunink, has had the opportunity to participate as a mentor in Shell Startup Engine Brazil — hosted by the Amsterdam-based StartupBootcamp. The accelerator focuses on empowering entrepreneurs who are passionate about making a positive impact on the world. Through mentorship, resources, and a collaborative network, the program helps these startups refine their ideas and bring them to life.

At Regen Studio, we believe that guiding these startups on their journey is crucial. We have partnered with several amazing organizations, helping them sharpen their focus, their propositions and their designs. Our role is to stand by their side, offering support and ensuring that their innovative ideas reach their full potential.

Considerations

However, we know that working with a company like Shell raises important questions. Can we truly promote regenerative practices whilst participating in the program financed by an organization that has made numerous questionable decisions throughout it's lifetime? It’s a valid concern, and one we take seriously. From our perspective, major corporations like Shell must be part of the transition to a healthier planet. Without their involvement, meaningful change becomes much harder to achieve. That said, our collaboration with Shell is purely about supporting startups—there’s no financial gain or contractual obligation between Regen Studio and Shell in this relationship.

We don’t agree with all of Shell’s global strategies, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t dedicated individuals within the Shell ecosystem who genuinely care about the environment. We’ve seen this firsthand in our work with Shell at the Dutch Blockchain Coalition, and we’ve encountered similar passion at the Shell Startup Engine. These are people who want to make a difference, and Regen Studio is here to help them—and the startups they mentor—reach their goals.

The amazing startups we have mentored

The first startups Yvo mentored, even before Regen Studio formally existed, is umgrauemeio. They’ve developed innovative fire detection software and are expanding their focus to measure critical ecosystem parameters like biodiversity, water quality, and soil health. Working with Osmar Bambini, who is always full of new regenerative ideas for the future, was truly a please and even led to Yvo visiting Osmar at the AgTech Hub in Piraçicaba

Another incredible initiative is Nosso Mangue, led by Mayris Nascimento. Her project is all about protecting the mangroves in Alagoas, in the north of Brazil. These mangroves are crucial to the local ecosystem, and Mayris is working tirelessly with her community to ensure their survival. Regen's help has been mainly to supply Mayris with knowledge about how the carbon market functions, and how she could generate credits as an additional income. Yvo and Mayris met physically during the accelerator’s investment game in São Paulo, where a promise was made to go and visit the mangroves and helping Nosso Mangue out with trash collection, tree planting or protecting the local species of fish that the locals depend on for their food.

This year, we’re also excited to be supporting Gabrielle Ribeiro from Télos, a startup revolutionizing on-the-job learning. Télos is creating opportunities for underprivileged communities to gain high-demand skills, transforming lives and empowering communities in the process of filling in important corporate skill gaps. This year's program has just started, but already Yvo and Gabrielle have met up in São Paulo to discuss the power and the danger of AI in education and drawing up new ideas, where Gabrielle's passion for educating people showed she has her regenerative fundamentals just right.

Our principles

Each of these startups embodies the principles of regeneration, and we’re proud to be part of their journey. Our experience with the Shell Startup Engine Brazil has been supporting individuals and organizations that want to implement regenerative innovations, and ensuring they take root and flourish. In the end, our participation in this program is a reflection of our belief in collaboration and the potential for positive change—even in unexpected places.

By working together, we can drive the kind of impact that will lead to a more sustainable and regenerative future. We will surely keep advising entrepreneurs through Shell Startup Engine Brazil.

Also looking for mentorship or project consultancy? Contact us!.