The UNILA-LatAm team began its work on the Funding front for the IGEM Global 2023 edition in mid-2022, with a view to participation and empowerment to make the request for sponsorship. That’s why we decided to establish ourselves as an NGO (Non-governmental organization), dedicated to the promotion and propagation of synthetic biology, representing a significant milestone in the autonomy and motivation of our team. Beyond being a bureaucratic process, it was an affirmation of our commitment to bring an entrepreneurial spirit to the core of the team.

This autonomy enhances our ability to shape our path, direct our efforts, and have a broader impact on the synthetic biology landscape, and seeing the good results that this brought us we did a document on How to institutionalize, sharing how our process went, considering regional and bureaucratic aspects and how it could be a way of scaling up the project.

The pursuit of sponsorship approval from Itaipu Binacional was a journey marked by dedication and effectiveness in promoting our project. We worked meticulously in creating engaging materials, highlighting not only the scientific goals but also the transformative potential of our initiative. The sponsorship request was a compelling narrative that resonated with Itaipu's vision to drive development in various knowledge areas.

This partnership with Itaipu is not just financial, it is a stamp of approval that validates our mission and shows the significance of our work. We believe that collaborating with one of the largest power plants in the world not only strengthens our project but also inspires a sense of responsibility and excellence in our initiatives.

However, even with Itaipu's sponsorship, we faced additional financial challenges. The quest for complementary resources propelled us to act as a cohesive team, determined to ensure that our project reached its full potential. Faced with the need for additional funding, the team came together to organize a raffle, an initiative that not only raised the necessary funds, but also strengthened the bonds within the team. This collective effort demonstrates the importance of teamwork not only as a tool to overcome financial challenges, but also as an essential pillar for the success of our project in this year's iGEM.

In summary, the establishment of the CNPJ - identified as the National Register of Legal Entities in Brazil - the partnership with Itaipu, and the financial challenges overcome through collaboration showcase not only our resilience but also the vitality of the entrepreneurial spirit that permeates our team. These experiences not only shape our present in iGEM but also carve out a solid path for the future of our NGO and its contributions to synthetic biology.

Sponsorship

Inaugurated in 1984 on the border between Brazil and Paraguay, the ITAIPU hydroelectric plant is internationally recognized as the largest generator of clean, renewable energy in the world.

But the role that this great powerhouse of clean, renewable energy plays for our community and for Brazil as a whole is not limited to energy generation. The ITAIPU hydroelectric plant is present in countless projects throughout the city of Foz do Iguaçu and neighboring municipalities, being an instrument of progress through support and collaboration.

And it is with great pride and gratitude that we, the UNILA-LatAm team, have our project sponsored by this great company, to which we offer our most sincere thanks. As a company built by its employees, we would like to thank each individual who has believed in our purpose and contributed to taking our work forward.