Professional & Cultural Visits

At Summit Global Education, the world becomes your classroom. Our multi-city programs include structured visits to startups, small-tech firms, established companies, and cultural institutions, giving students firsthand insight into how organizations operate in different cultural and economic contexts. As you travel, these experiences are paired with curated cultural explorations — from historic sites and museums to local festivals and neighborhood markets.

Professional and cultural visits are built into the syllabus, with preparatory briefings and follow-up discussions that link each stop to course themes. Whether you’re hearing from a product team at a fast-growing company, touring a creative district shaped by local traditions, or meeting with business leaders adapting to global markets, each city becomes a new chapter in your comparative study of innovation and collaboration. These visits broaden your perspective and strengthen the skills you’ll need in an interconnected, innovation-driven world.

Purpose of professional visits:

Professional visits are a cornerstone of every Summit program. They are not optional extras — they are built into the curriculum to connect classroom learning with the realities of how people work, create, and solve problems in different parts of the world.

In a Summit Study Abroad program, that might mean sitting down with a small-tech team in one city to see how they collaborate across borders, hearing from a design studio in another city that works with international clients, or visiting a multinational company or NGO adapting its strategies for new markets. Each stop provides a living case study in how local culture, economic realities, and available resources shape innovation and execution.

At Summit Global Education, they are designed to:

• Provide firsthand exposure to local culture, industries, and economic environments.
• Build meaningful connections with professionals and organizations in your field of interest.
• Deepen understanding of global business challenges, innovations, and opportunities.
• Strengthen your resume or CV with relevant, real-world experience.
• Foster personal growth through interaction with diverse cultures and perspectives.

Before each visit, professors provide context on the organization and its relevance to course themes. Afterward, daily debrief sessions turn observations into analysis, helping students link what they’ve seen to academic concepts, cultural frameworks, and their own developing perspectives.

By the end of the program, these experiences form a comparative portfolio of real-world examples gathered across multiple cities — resources students can draw on long after the trip in coursework, job interviews, and their professional lives. They make theory tangible, sharpen cross-cultural skills, and show what global collaboration looks like in practice.

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Companies & Organizations:

At Summit Global Education, the educational experience is enhanced by the professional and cultural visits that take place in each city along the journey. During our upcoming study abroad programs, students will have the unique opportunity to learn directly from leading companies, startups, small-tech firms, NGOs, and cultural institutions across multiple destinations.

Below is a list of companies that students have visited in the past on Summit Global Education programs, along with new visits we are planning for upcoming Summit programs.

European visits:

In the past, we have organized a range of professional visits for our students in Europe. Below, you will find a list of some of these visits. Please note that these visits may vary depending on the location and program.

Note: In addition to visiting established companies and institutions, Summit’s programs emphasize direct interaction with entrepreneurs, business leaders, and cultural innovators. These small-group conversations take place in different cities and contexts, giving students candid insights into early-stage challenges, market entry strategies, and the realities of working across varied cultural and economic environments.


Representative Past & Possible Future Visits:

Barcelona – 22@ Innovation District & Pier 01 Barcelona Tech City:  Inside one of Europe’s fastest-growing startup hubs, students meet founders tackling challenges in smart mobility, clean energy, and fintech. Discussions focus on scaling strategies, talent acquisition, and partnerships with public agencies.

Mobile World Capital Foundation:  Learn how Barcelona leverages its role as host of the Mobile World Congress to build global visibility and attract talent.

Berlin – Factory Berlin & Urban Tech Labs:  Students connect with early-stage companies in AI, mobility, and sustainability, hearing directly from entrepreneurs about adapting products for global markets. These coworking ecosystems bring together founders, creatives, and corporate innovation teams.

Paris – Station F Startup Campus:  At the world’s largest startup campus, students explore accelerators, venture funds, and incubators supporting thousands of entrepreneurs. Conversations cover everything from raising capital in Europe to building multicultural teams.

Numa Paris (Innovation & Acceleration Hub):  Insights into open innovation programs connecting startups with multinational partners.

London – Level39 (Canary Wharf):  Europe’s largest accelerator for fintech, cybersecurity, and retail tech. Meet founders and see how London maintains its position as a global finance and startup capital.

BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) – Insight into how a global media leader adapts to digital platforms, engages diverse audiences, and innovates in content delivery for an international market.

Google for Startups London Campus:  Engage with entrepreneurs leveraging Google’s network, mentorship, and funding programs to scale internationally.

Prague – CzechInvest:  The government’s business and investment development agency, supporting international startups entering Central Europe – StartupYard:  Central Europe’s oldest startup accelerator, with alumni in AI, cybersecurity, and IoT.

Budapest – Design Terminal: Hungary’s leading innovation agency, running acceleration programs for early-stage companies with global ambitions.  – A38 Cultural & Innovation Space – A creative hub that doubles as a cultural venue, showing how cities can merge art, tech, and entrepreneurship.

Lisbon – Startup Lisboa:  One of Portugal’s most successful incubators, supporting startups in tourism, fintech, and creative industries.  –  Web Summit HQ – If the timing aligns, students get an insider’s perspective on organizing one of the largest tech events in the world.

Madrid – La Nave Innovation Center:  A former warehouse turned hub for startups in health tech, mobility, and urban solutions.  – IE Business School Venture Lab – Case discussions with student founders and professors on scaling companies from Spain to global markets.

Athens – BlueGrowth Piraeus:  A startup competition and incubator focused on maritime and blue economy innovation. – Impact Hub Athens – A social innovation community supporting entrepreneurs addressing local and global challenges.

Estrella Damm Factory:  A deep dive into how a heritage brand maintains relevance in a crowded global market. Discussions included sustainability in production, logistics innovation, and leveraging cultural identity in brand storytelling.

FC Barcelona Museum & Camp Nou  An exploration of how one of the world’s most famous sports clubs operates as a global brand, monetizing media rights, merchandising, and fan experiences while preserving a strong local identity.

Codorníu Cava Producers  A case study in blending tradition with innovation, from heritage branding to product diversification and wine tourism as an export strategy.

SEAT Factory  This tour offered insight into advanced manufacturing processes and supply chain coordination at scale. Students observed cross-departmental collaboration, automation, and lean production methods in action, discussing how European automotive firms adapt to shifts in consumer demand and environmental regulation.

OECD Headquarters  Students engaged with policy experts to understand how international cooperation shapes economic frameworks that influence startups, trade, and innovation. This visit reinforced the link between macro-level policy and the micro-level realities of running a global business.

UNESCO Headquarters  At UNESCO, students examined the intersection of cultural heritage, education policy, and international development — and discussed how global institutions support cross-border collaboration, a skill set critical for founders scaling internationally.

German Parliament (Reichstag Building)   Beyond its historic and architectural significance, the Reichstag visit prompted conversations about how governance, regulation, and political stability influence business climates. Students connected these discussions to entrepreneurship in highly regulated markets. 

BMW Motorcycle Factory (Berlin). An inside look at German engineering excellence, automation in manufacturing, and how R&D integrates with production to maintain brand leadership.


More companies to be added soon...

NOTE:  Alongside larger site visits, the Summit program creates space for smaller, more personal meetings with founders and early-stage teams. These informal discussions open the door to honest insights about scaling ideas, navigating local regulations, and adapting products for diverse markets — the kind of perspective that rarely comes from a presentation alone.

Brazilian visits:

Over the years, Summit Global Education has arranged a diverse range of professional visits in Brazil. While specific destinations vary by year and program, our focus is now on connecting students with the people and organizations shaping Brazil’s innovation landscape.

In addition to formal visits, students also meet directly with individual entrepreneurs and small startup teams. These candid, small-group conversations are often the most memorable moments of the program — offering unfiltered insights into launching and scaling ventures, navigating emerging markets, and building creative solutions to local challenges.


Representative Past & Possible Future Visits:

Cubō Itaú (São Paulo) – One of Latin America’s most influential startup hubs, connecting fintech, mobility, and e-commerce innovators with investors, corporate partners, and mentors.

Inovabra Habitat (São Paulo) – Bradesco Bank’s innovation ecosystem where startups collaborate with corporate teams on open innovation challenges.

Circular Brain (São Paulo): A pioneering circular-economy startup based in the São Paulo region, Circular Brain uses a SaaS platform to connect electronic manufacturers, recyclers, logistics providers, and consumers. Their systems manage traceability, environmental compliance, and even tokenization of e-waste — a smart circularity solution transforming how electronics are recycled in Latin America.

Solinftec (Ag-tech Robotics):  Solinftec develops AI-powered, solar-driven agricultural robots (such as the Solix) that autonomously monitor fields, detect pests, and apply targeted treatments—drastically reducing herbicide use. A visit offers insight into how agritech startups scale precision farming in Brazil’s vast agricultural sector.

Natura &Co Innovation Hub (São Paulo) – Brazil’s largest cosmetics company and a global leader in sustainable business practices. Known for integrating biodiversity, ethical sourcing, and community partnerships into its products, Natura offers students a chance to see how a legacy brand maintains its entrepreneurial spirit. A visit may include discussions on sustainable supply chains, product innovation rooted in the Amazon’s biodiversity, and how Natura leverages design and storytelling to compete in global markets.

São Paulo Innovation District (Butantan Research & Innovation Cluster):  This sprawling urban innovation zone brings together the University of São Paulo, biotech, energy, and technology research institutes. It houses incubators, fab labs, and R&D facilities, making it an ideal location to study public–private partnerships that drive deep-tech and environmental innovation.

Artemisia (São Paulo) – A pioneering impact business accelerator working with startups tackling social and environmental challenges in areas like health, education, and urban mobility.

Fábrica de Startups (Rio de Janeiro) – An accelerator and innovation lab supporting early-stage ventures in tourism, retail, and sustainability.

Globo Labs – Media Innovation & Digital Content: Behind Brazil’s largest media network is an R&D unit experimenting with AI-assisted news production, immersive sports broadcasting, and OTT streaming platforms. Students meet with Globo Labs teams to see how a century-old broadcaster keeps pace with digital disruption.

PROJAC – Rede Globo (Rio de Janeiro):  Latin America’s largest television production center, home to Brazil’s iconic telenovelas and media innovations. Students explore how Globo’s content shapes culture, politics, and consumer behavior, while touring massive production facilities that rival Hollywood in scale.

BNDES – Brazilian Development Bank (Rio de Janeiro):  One of the world’s largest development banks, BNDES plays a pivotal role in financing major infrastructure and innovation projects. Discussions highlight how the bank has supported industries like aerospace (Embraer) and renewable energy, offering a case study in public–private collaboration.

BVRio – Environmental Markets & Blockchain Traceability:  Visit Brazil’s Environmental Exchange to explore how market-based mechanisms drive sustainability. Learn about projects like the timber blockchain that certifies sustainable forest products and its expansion to Africa’s Congo Basin. Discuss how carbon credits, circular economy models, and reverse logistics are reshaping environmental compliance.

COPPE/UFRJ – Applied Research & Prototyping Labs:  Located on the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro’s Ilha do Fundão campus, COPPE’s lab network offers IP-free prototyping for companies in clean energy, sustainable mobility, and waste management. Students tour research spaces and meet engineers applying R&D to real-world startup collaborations.

Cidade do Samba – Samba City (Rio de Janeiro):  Behind Rio’s Carnival is a sophisticated creative industry. This visit reveals how samba schools use project management, design, and advanced production techniques to build large-scale cultural events that drive both tourism and local economic development.

SuperVia – Urban Transport Innovation (Rio de Janeiro):  SuperVia’s aerial cable car system connects previously isolated favelas to the wider city, transforming mobility and access to opportunity. Students meet with management to discuss how infrastructure projects can drive social inclusion and urban regeneration.

Complexo do Alemão Commercial Association (Rio de Janeiro)
In partnership with ESPM faculty, this initiative supports entrepreneurship in Rio’s “pacified” communities. Students explore grassroots business strategies aimed at creating sustainable economic growth in historically marginalized neighborhoods.

Beleza Natural (Rio de Janeiro):  A high-impact social enterprise founded by Leila Velez, Beleza Natural scaled from a single salon to a national brand serving low-income women. Students learn how inclusive hiring, community reinvestment, and strong brand identity fueled rapid growth in a competitive market.

Mercadão de Madureira (Rio de Janeiro): Brazil’s largest popular market offers lessons in informal economies, supply chains, and cultural commerce. A guided tour with local experts reveals how small traders compete and innovate in this vibrant business ecosystem.

Rio Ponto Cine - using culture to spur development  Using art to change society.  This project in Guadalupe, one of the poorer neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro is extremely interesting.  Learn more about the project online here:  http://www.pontocine.com.br/ 

Rio Negócios – Investment Promotion Agency (Rio de Janeiro):  The city’s official agency for attracting foreign investment. Students discuss how Rio positions itself to global investors, using case studies like Microsoft’s expansion into the Brazilian market.

Porto Maravilha – Urban Redevelopment (Rio de Janeiro):  A $3 billion regeneration project transforming Rio’s port district into a mixed-use hub of culture, business, and residential space. Students engage with planners on topics like sustainable design, public–private financing, and urban economic strategy.


More companies to be added soon...

NOTE:  Alongside larger site visits, the Summit program creates space for smaller, more personal meetings with founders and early-stage teams. These informal discussions open the door to honest insights about scaling ideas, navigating local regulations, and adapting products for diverse markets — the kind of perspective that rarely comes from a presentation alone.

 

*Note: the above list is given here to indicate the TYPE of visits students might engage in.  None of these visits are guaranteed for the upcoming program, and many other visits may take their place.  The list shown above is indicated here just to give potential students an idea about the type of visits we are planning for our students, and the level of academic involvement.   Additional Cultural activities & Tours can be found our "Detailed Itinerary" pages for the upcoming program.