Government and CNI establish "Embrapa" for the industry
DCI
The Government and the National Confederation of Industry have agreed upon the creation of a new company to develop innovative projects for the productive sector. According to the Minister of Science and Technology, Aloízio Mercadante, the new company will follow the model of the Embrapa (Brazilian Enterprise for Agricultural Research) and its relation with centers of excellence of research, but aimed for the industrial development. The name suggested by the Minister is Brazilian Enterprise for Industrial Research (Embrapi).
"We have to innovate to be competitive", said Mercadante, after meeting with representatives of large national companies. He explained the new company will gather research centers selected and evaluated whose mission will be to support the small and medium enterprise to develop industrial innovation. "It will be a public-private partnership, with the participation of the CNI, the Ministry of Science and Technology and other equipment of the Government", he added. The company will be presented in August at the innovation summit. Besides the Embrapi he mentioned the creation of a joint venture with the German Fraunhofer Research Institute.
The participation of the Government and the private sector has not yet been defined, but, according to the Minister, it will be the companies that will lead the management of the activities of the Embrapi. The Government will have a golden share with a right to veto the budget and its application. The President of the CNI, Robson Braga de Andrade, said R$ 40 million to R$ 50 million (US$ 25 million to US$ 31.3 million) will be required for the constitution of the Embrapi. "It is feasible; it is not a major investment for the private sector", he said. Most of the cash intended for innovation will come from investment funds, whose resources shall be administered by the new company.