From a meeting room in Barcelona to the world: how Ecomiles took its first steps toward internationalization
The second day at the Smart City Expo World Congress was a turning point for Ecomiles. Walking through the halls of Fira Barcelona, a discovery completely reshaped our vision of the European market: we found direct competitors.
As CIO, I took on the role of "mystery customer" and immersed myself in European sustainable mobility solutions. Each conversation revealed valuable insights about pricing, market strategies, and positioning. The reality check was necessary — and productive. We realized that our technology not only competes but has unique differentiators that can set us apart in this landscape.
Partnerships that multiply opportunities
The biggest takeaway of the day came from the synergy with other BitS2025 participants, especially with Raphael from Greenplat. We realized that our solutions don't just coexist — they complement each other perfectly.
Where I I faced challenges in reaching certain contacts and prospects, he stepped in. And vice versa. This connection created real opportunities for upselling and revenue sharing that would have taken us months to build on our own.. The interoperability between our platforms opened doors to conversations about integrated decarbonization projects that none of us would have been able to make viable independently.
Learnings beyond business
What stood out to me the most was the collaborative spirit of the delegation. Every conversation in the event halls turned into shared learning. Bruna (ESGpec) absorbing insights from more experienced founders, Flávia (RefilMe) unlocking solutions to operational challenges in Brazil, Vinícius (iNeeds) connecting with Brazilian municipalities in Barcelona — all of this created an environment of collective growth.
Fun fact: I found out that Raphael and Vinícius are practically neighbors in Brazil — both companies are on the same street. We had to come to Barcelona to realize that.
European market entry strategy
The conversation with Larissa (SibImpact) reinforced something we had already been sensing: for a Brazilian startup, entering the European market directly by selling to end customers is extremely challenging. The key lies in building strategic alliances — with research centers, innovation hubs, and local partners who already know how it works.
For Ecomiles, this means rethinking our go-to-market strategy in Europe. Having a disruptive solution isn't enough; we need allies who can validate our technology and open doors within the local ecosystem. It's a game of patience and relationships, not speed.
The innovation thermometer
As Vinícius point it out, this event works as a thermometer. It helped us see exactly where we stand in the global sustainable mobility space—and where we should focus next. We understood where we're strong, where we need to evolve, and most importantly, with whom it makes sense to build strategic partnerships.
Next steps
We left this day with three clear takeaways:
- Our technology has a place in the global market — but to compete in Europe, we need to refine our positioning and pricing strategy.
- Strategic partnerships are essential — especially with players who complement our solution and help us access larger corporate clients.
- International expansion depends on local alliances — we must identify and cultivate relationships with European hubs, accelerators, and research centers that can open doors for us.
The journey is just beginning. But for the first time, Ecomiles' internationalization has gone from being an abstract idea and became a concrete plan, with clear steps and potential partners already mapped out.
This article documents Ecomiles' participation in BitS2025 - Brazilian Impact Techs in Spain, an initiative by Findeslab and Bcome.global, in partnership with the Espírito Santo Research and Innovation Support Foundation (FAPES), Sebrae, and the Innovation Diplomacy Program (PDI) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.