HARDS is a Software/Hardware accelerator result of the spin off of the CERTI Foundation, CVentures and mainly the accelerator Darwin Startups created in 2015. Nowadays it is positioned as an ecosystem of evolution for startups in the Industry 4.0 segment.

Hards is more than an Acceleradora/Micro VC is a community of entrepreneurs, mentors and corporations that aims to bring innovation to the market. Through training, prototyping infrastructure, financial investment and privileged access to the market and logistic distribution channels, an environment has been created that allows early stage startups to grow for rapid penetration and more Sustainable market.

The HARDS Acceleration program has emerged to complement the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Santa Catarina. The state already had incubators and technology parks with a focus on software market startups, as well as incentive programs for entrepreneurship, which seek to meet the most novice projects. It lacked, therefore, a program that would serve companies that have products and services geared to the physical world ready to accelerate, but which were not yet prepared to receive investors.