Innovation projects to have US$ 56 million in investments
Valor Econômico
The Brazilian Service of Support for Micro and Small Enterprises (Sebrae), the National Confederation of Industry (CNI) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT) announced yesterday a program that foresees direct funding above R$ 100 million (US$ 56 million) in support to innovation projects of Brazilian companies. The funds will be intended for 20 centers installed in industrial federations to attract, prepare and support the managers in developing innovative projects. It is expected that the initiative leads to the creation of nearly 2.4 thousand projects in the short term.
In the agreement, Sebrae and CNI have already committed themselves to investing R$ 48 million (US$ 26.7 million) in the launch of actions to induce businessmen to invest in innovation, and in advising on the development of projects. In addition, the Ministry will allocate between R$ 50 million (US$ 27.8 million) and R$ 60 million (US$ 33 million) in resources to support the management of innovation projects.
Such resources will come from National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT), by means of a public notice scheduled for the next week. "The idea is that companies may be able to develop a robust innovation plan", said Luiz Antonio Elias, Executive Secretary of the Ministry. On his turn, Carlos Alberto Santos, technical director of SEBRAE, pointed out the program will help demystify the meaning of innovation, regarded by the companies as something very sophisticated. "At the end, a few billion Reais will be generated by this initiative", he said.
According to the President of the CNI, Robson Braga Andrade, Brazilian companies can no longer consider the BNDES (National Development Bank) as the only financing channel within the goal of the country to grow more than 5% in the coming years. He said Brazil will require R$ 600 billion (US$ 333 billion) in credits for investments at such foreseen growth rate.