University students pitch in to save ailing small businesses

As the Covid-19 pandemic took hold in Brazil, Vera Barbosa feared for the survival of her business. The owner of a confectionery store in Campinas — the second-most populous city in the state of São Paulo — she was running out of ideas to keep her doors open and hold on to her eight employees. Until help came from a group of young students. Ms. Barbosa, 52, changed her entire strategy after receiving consultancy from marketing students of Transforme SP, a project seeking to assist small businesses during crises caused by the pandemic.

By way of donations, junior companies in São Paulo state carry out solutions developed by university students.

In Brazil, junior companies are non-profit organizations set up by universities, encompassing a wide range of areas. They give students the opportunity to make contact with the business world and put their classroom knowledge to the test. Transforme SP is considered a true success among the country’s junior...