IAM

What IAM does

IAM Founder (legally IAM LAB RESIDÊNCIA DE STARTUPS LTDA., CNPJ 41.458.256/0001-24) is a São Carlos, Brazil–based startup residency program that delivers a free, equity-free, 18-week structured program for early-stage founders who already have a functional prototype or MVP. Operated by an LLC with 39 employees and headquartered inside the Onovolab innovation hub (Rua Aquidaban, 1, São Carlos/SP), the program combines weekly Office Hours, Weekly Meetings with market guests, and periodic Demo Days to connect selected startups with mentors and potential investors. Delivery is primarily online with optional in-person activities in São Carlos.

The company does not sell a software product, does not operate a proprietary technology platform, and does not generate revenue from participants — participation is free and the program does not take equity in participating startups. The business model is sponsorship and donation-led: third-party Patrocinadores recruited by IAM finance the program and may also contribute mentorship and strategic support. Go-to-market is community-led, anchored on a self-serve online application portal at iamfounder.com.br, supplemented by referrals through partners Onovolab, WikiLab Coworking São Carlos, and Greek Colab (Atena Colab). Target participants span early-stage founders, scientists and academic researchers (leveraging São Carlos' unusually high PhD density), and creative or 'inventive' individuals pursuing improbable ideas that conventional accelerators tend to reject.

Beyond program operations, IAM holds no disclosed funding rounds, no acquisitions, no subsidiaries, no public listing, no regulatory actions, no patents, and no reported revenue. Geographic scope is domestic Brazil with explicit global remote-participation openness, while the entity retains the contractual right (per Regulations dated 2025-07-23) to open additional physical support sites (Novas Sedes) beyond São Carlos.

Name

IAM

Legal name

IAM LAB RESIDÊNCIA DE STARTUPS LTDA.

Website

https://iamfounder.com.br

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IAM Founder is a São Carlos, Brazil–based, equity-free startup residency program running an 18-week curriculum (Office Hours, Weekly Meetings, Demo Day) for early-stage founders with an MVP, funded by sponsors and delivered primarily online with optional co-working at the Onovolab innovation hub.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Residency Program

NAICS

Office Administrative Services (5611)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSANAHAD

Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs

Financial & Insurance/Private Equity & Venture Capital/Corporate Venture Capital (CVC)

Keywords

• Startup residency program
• Entrepreneur mentorship network
• Innovation community building
• Early-stage startup accelerator
• Founder support ecosystem

Headquarters

HQ city

São Carlos

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Program Sponsorship & Donations: The program is funded by donors and sponsors (Patrocinadores) recruited by IAM, who may also contribute mentorship and strategic support. The program itself is free for selected startups. No revenue is generated directly from participants; the company operates as a non-profit or social-purpose entity funded by third-party sponsorship.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IAM Founder operates a free, equity-free 18-week (4-month) startup residency program that connects early-stage entrepreneurs with mentors, investors, structured programming (Office Hours, Weekly Meetings, Demo Day), and physical workspace at Onovolab in São Carlos, Brazil. The program targets founders who already have a functional prototype or MVP and is delivered primarily online with optional in-person components, accepting applicants globally but operating mainly in Brazilian Portuguese.

Product overview

IAM Founder is a single unified offering — a free, equity-free startup residency program that provides a structured 18-week (4-month) program connecting early-stage entrepreneurs with workspace, mentorship, investor networking, and peer community. The program is conducted primarily online with optional in-person activities at its São Carlos headquarters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IAM Founder - Programa de Residência de Startups An 18-week (4-month), free, equity-free startup residency program for early-stage entrepreneurs who already have a functional prototype or MVP. Participants are admitted via a two-stage selective process (online application + interviews), and gain access to Office Hours, Weekly Meetings, Demo Day events, a curated mentor and investor network, dedicated workspace at Onovolab in São Carlos, and a peer community of inventive founders.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OnovolabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnovolab is the primary host and institutional partner of IAM Founder. The program headquarters (Sede do Programa de Residência) is located within Onovolab's facilities at Rua Aquidaban, 1, São Carlos. Onovolab serves as a key anchor of the São Carlos innovation ecosystem and provides physical workspace for resident startups. The partnership is central to IAM's value proposition as a place-based residency program.
• WikiLab Coworking São CarlosminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWikiLab Coworking São Carlos is listed as a partner on the IAM Founder website. It appears to provide supplementary co-working options for residents, complementing the primary Onovolab location. Details of the partnership scope are limited in the source material.
• Greek Colab (Atena Colab)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGreek Colab (also referred to as Atena Colab) is listed as a partner on the IAM Founder website. The partnership appears to be ecosystem-related, with Greek Colab likely serving as an additional co-working or community space partner in the São Carlos region.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Liga Ventures: Brazilian corporate innovation and startup acceleration platform connecting startups with large enterprises and investors. Comparable in its accelerator-style cohort programs and Brazilian sponsor-driven funding model.
• WOW Accelerator: Brazil-based accelerator program with structured mentorship and Demo Day events for early-stage founders. Comparable in cohort structure, mentor network, and Brazilian ecosystem focus.
• ACE Startups: Brazilian startup accelerator running early-stage programs with mentoring, investor access, and Demo Days. Closely comparable to IAM in cohort model, founder target, and Brazilian ecosystem positioning.
• Startup Farm: Brazil-based early-stage startup accelerator operating cohort-based programs with mentorship and investor connections. Directly comparable in structure, target audience, and Brazilian market focus.
• Artemisia: Brazilian impact-focused accelerator supporting early-stage ventures with structured programming, mentorship, and investor connections. Comparable in cohort-based residency model and Brazil-centric operations.
• Cubo Itaú: Brazilian corporate innovation hub and accelerator hosted in São Paulo with sponsor/corporate backing and structured programming for early-stage startups. Comparable in place-based residency and sponsor-funded model.
• InovaAtiva Brasil: Brazilian large-scale startup acceleration program with mentor matching, investor access, and structured cohort programming. Comparable in early-stage founder support and Brazilian ecosystem focus.

Broad incumbents

• Y Combinator: Global benchmark for early-stage startup accelerators, running cohort-based programs with Demo Days, mentor networks, and investor introductions. Comparable program architecture; broader geographic scale and equity-based funding model.
• Antler: Global early-stage program with active Brazil presence, running structured residencies that connect founders with mentors and investors. Comparable in residency-style cohort structure and international applicant pool.
• Techstars: Global accelerator network running structured mentorship-driven programs for early-stage startups with corporate and investor connections. Comparable in accelerator structure and cohort-based delivery; far larger and equity-funded.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iamlabventures

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IAM