TEDx, a subsidiary of the US-Canadian TED Talk events, is coming to Belo Horizonte, Brazil, this Saturday, October 4.
The meeting will convene a host of experts spanning science, business, art, and media to discuss how to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis.
The TEDx Countdown edition comes at a time of Brazilian leadership around global climate responses, with the country due to host the COP30 climate conference in November this year.
Here’s a look at the speakers who will contribute to the event:
Paula Harraca
Paula Harraca is a leading voice in Brazilian business, sitting on the advisory board of the American Chamber of Commerce in Brazil.
Originally from Argentina, Harraca has lived in Brazil for 14 years.
After a 20-year career at ArcelorMittal, rising from a trainee to Chief Future Officer, Harraca is now president of Ânima Educação, a leading private higher-education institution.
Wendel “Del” Afonso
Del Afonso is the founder and CEO of Harmony Baby Nutrition, a company using science to revolutionize baby nutrition.
Harmony harnesses biotechnology to create breast milk components which remove the need for cow’s milk in baby formula.
Before starting Harmony, Afonso was an expert on infant nutrition, helping to treat thousands of babies with dietary restrictions.
He also has an MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management and a Master’s Degree in Food Science.
Celso Moretti
Celso Moretti is an agricultural engineer and specialist in plant production with over 30 years of experience in agribusiness.
Moretti earned his Doctorate in Plant Sciences at the Federal University of Vicosa before venturing into agribusiness.
He worked for the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Embrapa, for 15 years, rising to the position of CEO and President, where he led a team of 2,000 researchers across 43 research centers.
Ariane Santos
Ariane Santos is the CEO and founder of Badu Design, a business oriented around social and environmental impact.
All of the company’s products are created from industrial waste, contributing to its goal of developing circular economies.
Badu Design also aims to foster female entrepreneurship and train women who find themselves in situations of social vulnerability.
Santos is an authority on Environmental and Social Governance (ESG), having served as Vice-President of ESG at the World Trade Center in Curitiba.
Lud Silva
Lud Silva is an ESG consultant, helping organizations to include sustainable practices in their operations.
She has over 10 years of experience helping to develop and implement ESG strategies into the processes of private companies, governments, and civil society organizations.
Silva now works at Ambipar, one of Brazil’s largest environmental solutions providers which focuses on waste management, developing circular economies and decarbonization.
Thais Lazzeri
Thais Lazzeri is founder and director at FALA, an impact-focused media studio which aims to advance change in areas like climate change, human rights, and democracy.
Her work has received international acclaim, including Thomson Reuters Foundation’s Stop Slavery Award which was given for Lazzeri’s work on human trafficking.
Lazzeri is a journalist by trade and was selected in 2025 for the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship’s Global Program, recognizing her work in developing collective solutions to global challenges.
Flávia Mendanha
Flávia Mendanha has over 20 years working in public schools in Brazil.
She is a teacher, biologist and environmental project coordinator, offering insights into how to foster impact at the grassroots level.
Her activism focuses on bringing together schools and communities through local initiatives which aim to create a global impact, often in the environmental space.
Otávio Kaxixó
Otávio Kaxixó is a medical doctor and documentary filmmaker.
He was the first person from the Kaxixó Indigenous group to graduate in Medicine at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG).
Kaxixó is an activist dedicated to public health initiatives for Indigenous groups in Minas Gerais and his documentaries cover social issues among Indigenous communities.
He is also a vocal defender of the River Pará.
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The TEDx Belo Horizonte 2025 will be held on October 4 at 2pm in the city’s Palácio das Artes.
Disclosure: This article mentions a client of an Espacio portfolio company.
Featured image description: TedX Belo Horizonte stage
Featured image credit: @tedxbelohorizonte via Instagram
