Ana Carolina Merighe has been active as an entrepreneur since she was 9 years old, producing and selling her own handcraft products.

That entrepreneurial spark intensified with the certificate in Global Business Management. Upon completing the program at UC Berkeley Extension, Merighe stayed in the San Francisco Bay Area, "building my relationships with this vibrant ecosystem and analyzing potential partnerships and business opportunities," she adds.

Merighe took this wealth of knowledge back to her native Brazil, determined to nurture the entrepreneurial spirit in her local community. And from this determination arose her first startup, Innoveur, which aims to help other startups and investors to evolve, connect and succeed. "Seeing the results and impacts in the entrepreneurs' lives is more than rewarding," she says. "And seeing this market evolve so quickly in the past year while being an active part of this movement is amazing." But Merighe is not stopping there: She's actively building a new startup with an eye toward launching it in the near future.

She says that the guidance and knowledge provided by her instructors was paramount in her success today. "The support of my instructors in providing connections with the local market and tips on how to succeed were priceless," Merighe says. "Today, a significant part of my work involves working with international investors, innovators and entrepreneurs. The experience of taking the course with international students and having the chance to deeply understand their mind-set and values and cultures are the biggest assets of the program. Besides, with all of those friends from all over the world, I will never have to go to the tourist spots. I will always have a friend there!"