JBS announces commitment to achieve Net Zero by 2040.

Startups, community-based businesses, organizations, and companies engaged in impactful projects aimed at forest preservation, biodiversity conservation, and the socio-environmental development of the Amazon, as well as income generation and quality of life improvements for rural and riverside communities, are invited to apply for a new business call. This opportunity is presented by the AMAZ Impact Accelerator, supported by the JBS Fund for the Amazon, which is currently accepting applications for innovative projects to be accelerated and potentially receive up to R$ 600,000 in investment. Applications are open until 6 p.m. (Brasília time) on May 4, and can be submitted through the website amaz.org.br/chamada2022, where the full regulations of the initiative are also available. Eligible initiatives include those that are already operational, such as market test prototypes; products in the launch phase; or products in the funding or expansion phase. These initiatives may belong to sectors such as food, beauty and cosmetics, biotechnology, sociobiodiversity products, sustainable agriculture and livestock, sustainable forestry management and production, ecotourism and community-based tourism, handicrafts, fashion, transportation, logistics and communication, financial services, market access and commercialization platforms, education, impact entrepreneurship, climate change mitigation and adaptation, environmental services, and carbon markets, among others. Selected projects will receive an initial investment of R$ 200,000 each, with the possibility of an additional investment of up to R$ 400,000 at the end of the six-month acceleration process. Benefits include a mentorship and follow-up program, development of an impact thesis and business modeling, and access to AMAZ's network of investors and partners. Joanita Maestri Karoleski, president of the JBS Fund for the Amazon, emphasizes the fund's support for bioeconomy initiatives in the Amazon, highlighting the successful case of AMAZ, which enhances innovative businesses contributing to the conservation and development of the Amazon region. Mariano Cenamo, CEO of AMAZ, notes the challenging conditions and nascent ecosystem that entrepreneurs face in the Amazon, underscoring AMAZ's role in supporting these entrepreneurs with capital, knowledge, connections, and more to boost their growth. The goal is to foster and practically create an ecosystem of impact and innovation in the Amazon. AMAZ was among the first six projects selected by the JBS Fund for the Amazon in June of the previous year. Established in September 2020, the Fund aims to promote conservation and preservation actions in the Amazon biome, improve the quality of life of local communities, and advance the scientific and technological development of the region.