In 2023, ICLEI South America added professionals with over 10 years of market experience to the team to further enhance the work carried out with its associated local governments. Among them is Erika Azevedo, Senior Fellow for Innovation for Sustainability.

Passionate about the business environment and partnerships, Erika has over 20 years of experience in international trade. She served as Country Manager at Coventry University and was the Latin America Representative for the British innovation agency Connected Places Catapult. In this role, she led strategic partnerships between academia, the public and private sectors, startups, and large companies, focusing on urban innovation and sustainable mobility. Regarding her move to ICLEI, Erika believes it is “an opportunity to work with purpose, using innovation to improve the population's quality of life.”.

At present, Erika is leading for ICLEI the second round of the ICLEI Innovation Acceleration Programme, themed “Sustainable Innovation for the Promotion of Resilient and Circular Food Systems in Porto Alegre and other cities in the Foodtech Alliance RS”.”. In this round, the startups Bioplix PD&I – Soluções em transformação, Igapó, Olive+, Nutrindo Soluções LTDA, and Fazendas Bioma are being accelerated. “The connection established by ICLEI Innovation with local governments, large companies, universities, innovation funding agencies, and startups creates the ideal environment for economic growth and sustainable development.”

For Erika, “innovation for sustainability plays an essential role at the current time, where there is an urgent need to establish a new development model aligned with the 2030 Agenda”. The challenges are enormous, she assesses, but “there are great opportunities when innovation and sustainability go hand in hand, as innovative solutions broaden competitiveness and improve new production models, generating a positive impact on the environment and the quality of life of the population”.

Read the full interview with Erika Azevedo below:

– Who is Erika Azevedo?

I am passionate about the business environment and partnerships, with over 20 years of experience in international trade. I hold a degree in Languages and an MBA in Strategic Business Management. I spent a significant part of my career at the British Consulate-General in São Paulo, supporting trade and investment between Brazilian and British companies. During this period, I established a strong network within the business community and the public sector, identifying and promoting business cooperation between Brazil and the UK. I worked as Country Manager at Coventry University, developing a close relationship between the private sector and academia. I served as the Latin America Representative for the British innovation agency Connected Places Catapult, where I led strategic partnerships between academia, the public and private sectors, startups, and large corporations, focusing on urban innovation and sustainable mobility.

– What are the main experiences you've gained throughout your career that you believe will contribute to your work with ICLEI?

Throughout my career, I've had the opportunity to support trade and investment between Brazilian and British companies, identifying opportunities and strategically managing business in large national and international companies. Another area I believe will contribute to my work with ICLEI is managing relationships with clients and strategic partners. Over the years, I've been able to build relationships and partnerships with innovation funding agencies, third-sector organisations, universities, as well as private companies and local governments in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Argentina, and the United Kingdom.

– How did you get to know ICLEI and what are your expectations regarding the partnership?

I met ICLEI in 2021 when we worked together on projects related to urban innovation and sustainable mobility. It was an immediate synergy. We worked with different markets in Latin America (Mexico, Argentina and Brazil), as well as with the UK. The partnership was a success, and the invitation to contribute to ICLEI's innovation agenda was a great joy for me. I am very excited about the great transformative potential we can generate together.

– In a few words, how would you summarise this opportunity?

An opportunity to work with purpose, using innovation to improve the quality of life for the population.

– In the current context, where unfortunately the UN's forecast is that the Planet is set to reach the 1.5ºC warming mark within the next five years, with severe impacts for territories, how do you understand the importance of the innovation area focused on sustainability? What are the opportunities and challenges?

Innovation aims to solve problems, ease, and improve people's lives. Innovation for sustainability plays an essential role in the current moment, where there is an urgent need to establish a new development model aligned with the 2030 Agenda. The challenges are enormous, ranging from changing the population's mindset regarding sustainable practices to new business models based on the ESG pillars. At the same time, there are great opportunities when innovation and sustainability go hand in hand, as innovative solutions enhance competitiveness and improve new production models, generating a positive impact on the environment and the quality of life of the population. An example of this is the current round of ICLEI Innovation, where 5 innovative solutions for food systems were selected for the acceleration journey: “Sustainable Innovation for the Promotion of Resilient and Circular Food Systems in Porto Alegre and other cities of the Foodtech Alliance RS.” The connection established by ICLEI Innovation with local governments, large companies, universities, innovation promotion agencies, and startups creates the ideal environment for economic growth and sustainable development.

– How do you understand the current innovation environment in South America from the perspective of building solutions for sustainability problems? In your opinion, is there room for progress? How and which areas could benefit most?

The innovation environment in South America is rapidly strengthening, and a large part of this development is due to internationalisation. And not in the sense of exporting products and services. I am referring to partnerships with foreign institutions, which can happen in various ways such as Joint ventures, technological development, benchmarking, etc. This movement expands business opportunities for innovative South American companies, while simultaneously enhancing the local innovation environment.

– An achievement.

Build a professional career with purpose.

A passion.

Conectar pessoas.

– A dream.

To see the implementation of innovative and sustainable solutions generating a positive impact on people's lives.

– ICLEI is…

The place for strategic connections that provides concrete changes.