São Paulo in the Sibratec
Agência FAPESP
The Secretariat of Development of the State of São Paulo executed an agreement with the Ministry of Science and Technology, through the Studies and Projects Financing Agency (Finep), for the formation of the São Paulo Network of Technological Extension. As per the partnership, São Paulo will start integrating the Brazilian System of Technology (Sibratec) that foresees R$ 6 million (US$ 3.16 million) in investments for the performance of services of technological support to the micro and small enterprises (MPEs, in Portuguese) of São Paulo.
According to the agreement, Finep and the Government of São Paulo will provide, for a period of 18 months, R$ 3 million (US$ 1.58 million) each to finance the improvement of products and productive processes, with the purpose of increasing the competitiveness of SMBs in the areas of plastics, rubber, treatment of surfaces, furniture, footwear and clothing, among others. According to the Secretariat of Development, the objective is to cater to nearly 800 companies until the end of 2010, integrating the Sibratec to other priority projects such as the Local Productive Arrangements and the Technological Parks.
Currently, the services of technological support are rendered by the Institute of Technological Researches (IPT), through the Mobile Units Program and the Program of Technological Support to Exportation. With the adhesion to the Sibratec, besides increasing the amount of the investment, that went from R$ 1.2 million (US$ 655.7 thousand), in 2008, to R$ 6 million (US$ 3.16 million) up to 2010, the College of Technology of Marília, the Foundation for the Technological Development of Engineering of the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo and the Renato Archer Center for Technology Information - CTI will integrate the system for execution of services.