Sebrae Women in Business Award 2025: Heloise Duarte is among the winners from Minas Gerais
- Karla Lamounier (texto adaptado pela ESGpec)
- Sep 19
- 3 min read
Initiative recognizes female entrepreneurs with trajectories marked by protagonism, innovation and social impact.
On the last Friday of August, Heloise Duarte , co-founder of ESGpec, won first place in the Science and Technology category of the Sebrae Women in Business Award 2025 – Minas Gerais Stage . The awards ceremony brought together 21 finalists across the five categories of the Award, which celebrates women's leadership in business . In this edition, Minas Gerais had 365 registered entrepreneurs from different profiles and business segments, placing it among the five states with the highest number of entries. The awards ceremony was held at Sebrae Minas headquarters in Belo Horizonte.
The Minas Gerais entrepreneurs were recognized in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in the categories Individual Microentrepreneur (MEI), Small Business, Rural Producer, Science and Technology and International Business.
In Science and Technology, the winner was entrepreneur Heloise Duarte, from ESGpec , in Belo Horizonte. In the Individual Microentrepreneur (MEI) category, the winner was Cintia Oliveira , from the company Costuras do Imaginário, in Belo Horizonte. In the Small Business category, the winner was Amanda Carvalho , from Arquitetas Nômades, in São João Del Rei. In the Rural Producer category, the winner was Paula Curiacos , from Fazenda Três Meninas, in Monte Carmelo. Finally, in the International Business category, the winner was Camilla Sol , from Sol Saboaria, in Uberlândia.
Sebrae Minas' technical director, Douglas Cabido, opened the ceremony and highlighted the importance of the initiative for recognizing and strengthening female entrepreneurship.
"The Sebrae Women in Business Award has shown Brazil the potential of women who believe in themselves and transform challenges into opportunities. Each entrepreneur here today represents much more than a business. They are women who innovate, create impact, drive the economy, and above all, inspire other women. Count on Sebrae to continue your journey. We are here to support you and help you achieve ever greater success in your ventures," she emphasizes.
Arielle Rodrigues, manager of the Sebrae Delas program in Minas Gerais, emphasized that the Award "is a recognition of women's daily dedication and courage in moving forward, even in the face of challenges. In Minas Gerais, female entrepreneurship has been gaining momentum. The number of applicants has grown significantly, revealing innovative, creative, and inclusive businesses with enormous potential for transformation for the economy and society as a whole."
Stories of courage and protagonism
In the "Science and Technology" category, the winner was Heloise Duarte , founding partner of Belo Horizonte-based ESGpec, a technology company focused on the livestock sector. The company's mission is to offer digital solutions that help producers and cooperatives monitor sustainable practices and calculate their farms' carbon footprint.
"My passion for livestock farming began in my youth, on my family's farm. And since then, I've made it my mission: to connect the countryside and technology in a useful, accessible, and transformative way," he recalls.
Cintia Oliveira , winner in the MEI category, is the founder of Costuras do Imaginário, a Belo Horizonte-based social entrepreneurship brand focused on exclusive design. The business's mission is to create signature products—clothing, bags, pillows, and decorative items—with Braille prints and QR codes for easy scanning by the visually impaired.
In the Small Business category, the winner was Amanda Carvalho , from São João Del Rei, founding partner of Arquitetas Nômades. The social impact business was created with the purpose of transforming the lives of low-income families through housing improvements.
In the Rural Producer category, the winner was Paula Curiacos , from Fazenda Três Meninas, in Monte Carmelo, in the Cerrado Mineiro region.
Finally, in the "International Business" category, the winner was Camilla Sol , founder of Sol Saboaria, based in Uberlândia. The wellness and self-care company produces diffusers and scented candles, handmade soaps, scented water, and other vegan and sustainable products. The brand already exports to several countries, such as Peru and Colombia, and plans to expand further in the future.
About the Sebrae Business Woman Award
The Sebrae Women in Business Award (PSMN) is a Sebrae initiative, created in 2004, that aims to value and encourage female entrepreneurship in Brazil. The award is aimed at women who transform their realities through their businesses, recognizing not only their entrepreneurial success but also the social and economic impact they generate in their communities.
The grand finale of the Award will be held in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, during the Delas Summit 2025, which takes place on October 30th and 31st. The national winners will receive cash prizes — up to R$30,000 — as well as online mentoring (for the top-ranked candidates) and training through the Empretec program.
