startupi

The benefits of visualizing data are well recognized; mapping points of activity and collaborating on projects are likewise useful. Being more agile, involving local development and being open for contributions are some of the benefits.

In consideration of this, and considering also creating a useful reference for investors, who provide access to management and capital for local entrepreneurs, Startupi and WikiMapps have joined forces to create a collaborative map of Brazilian startups.

WikiMapps is a group coordinated by Professor Vasco Furtado of the Federal University of Fortaleza. One of his favorite examples of collaborative maps built using WikiMapps is WikiCrimes, cited by Clay Shirky (author of “Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations” and speaker at CIRS) as an example of the concept of “cognitive surplus.”

Cognitive surplus, as exemplified in WikiCrimes, is the cognitive capacity to get things started, instead of working robotically during the day and passively watching TV at night. Cognitive surplus is something that people in this digital age seem to have plenty of. We believe that this new collaborative map of Brazilian startups will literally help put us on the map, showing and sharing the capacity for getting digital things done that we Brazilians have.

On the collaborative map of Brazilian startups you can map digital entrepreneurial efforts that you are familiar with. To use the map, you only need a gmail login. Owners of startups who previously used the form on Startupi to get in touch with us have already been invited via email, and their startups were entered for them on the map. They can adjust their entries to fine tune their information.

Once logged in, it’s also easy to enter new startups (adding the company name, web address, physical address, description and tags) and to add video and photos. You can also comment on each startup, which is represented by a marker, and indicate your favorites or give points to ones you know and like. In the menu you can navigate through all the startups in the system.

So get in there, startups and digital entrepreneurs! Put yourselves on the map!