Applications are open until July 30

Gerdau, one of the leading producers of long steel in the Americas and of special steel in the world and with over 120 years of experience, is bringing its Sales Acceleration Program to North America. This cost and equity-free, two-phase program supports startups in increasing revenue, exploring new countries, and potentially getting additional funding. Gerdau is looking for B2B startups that are fully funded with a market-ready product, service, or solution, with an active sales team and existing customer base.

Topics of special interest include:

• CO2 & Carbon Capture => Technologies that capture carbon or upcycle products for the automotive or construction industries.
• Value Chain Integration => Technologies with advanced usability and a simple integration layer allowing the ability to process and analyze data from different companies and ERPs in the same value chain. All with an aim toward the optimization of response times, inventory, logistics, demand management, or emissions.
• Recycling & Upcycling => Solutions targeting metals (ferrous and non-ferrous), construction waste and e-waste.
• Smart Building => Industrial proptech, add-on solutions for utility, building management, and resource optimization.
• Warehouse Technology => Sustainable solutions, inventory, picking optimization (applicable also for heavy and bulky items), and loading dock optimization (connection with delivery window and truck turnaround time are a plus).

Applications open until July 30 and selection day is scheduled for September 9. Successful applicants will gain targeted introductions to Gerdau’s suppliers and customers and receive intensive sales training from Alchemist Accelerator’s global network of over 30,000 entrepreneurs and mentors. The best-performing startups may also receive investment from Paris Ventures (Gerdau’s corporate venture capital operated by Touchdown Ventures) and/or opportunities to create joint ventures.

“Gerdau is an incredibly innovative company in its own right,” said Fernanda Ribero Bordin, Senior Manager for Innovation, Gerdau Next. “Yet we know we have to collaborate with smart and sustainable startups to stay competitive in our dynamic markets. We believe working with startups makes us more innovative and resilient, and a better partner to our suppliers and customers. We have designed this accelerator to provide optimal support for the best startups as they grow their businesses and realize revenue in our exciting ecosystem.”

Learn more or apply to Gerdau’s Sales Acceleration program at: https://www2.gerdau.com/acceleration

About Gerdau

Gerdau is a 120 year old, Brazilian multinational and one of the main global long and special steel producers. Guided by its proposition to empower people who build the future, the company is present in 10 countries and has over 30,000 employees. Gerdau is the largest recycling company in Latin America, transforming 11 million tonnes of scrap yearly, representing 73% of the steel it produces. Its North American operations supply the agriculture, energy, industrial, automotive, and manufacturing markets. Gerdau North America mills utilize efficient and clean production practices, including electric arc furnace (EAF) technology, and 98% of the steel produced is made from scrap metal. This makes Gerdau steel one of the greenest choices available. Gerdau’s shares are listed on the São Paulo (B3), New York (NYSE), and Madrid (Latibex) stock exchanges.

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