BNDES increases credit for innovation
O Estado de S. Paulo
The policy of incentive to investments in technological innovation of the National Development Bank (BNDES) will be extended, from August, to the small and micro enterprises. The offer will be made through the BNDES Card, which will allow the acquisition of services like patent registrations, knowledge transfer and development of products. "We chose the card as a tool for the innovation due to its greater flexibility in the operations", explains Ricardo Albano Dias Marques, Manager of Operations of the BNDES Card.
In order to make the new line available, the BNDES started last week the accreditation of the institutions that will accept the card as form of payment for their services. "In the first stage, we are inviting nearly 20 entities. This group is formed, mainly, by universities and research institutes. Our purpose, however, is to increase this network of accredited institution as much as possible", adds Marques. The expectation of the BNDES is to have the already offering the innovation line at the beginning of August.
Created in 2003 with a clients base that exceeds 200 thousand clients, the BNDES card has a credit limit of R$ 500 thousand (US$ 259.1 thousand) and it is offered through three issuing banks: Banco do Brasil, Bradesco and Caixa Econômica Federal (CEF). One same company can have one card from each of the three institutions. The interest rate is 1.5% a month, with the possibility of making the payment in up to 48 installments. Companies with an annual income of up to R$ 60 million (US$ 31.1 million) can apply for the card.