:: Check out the special coverage
Innovating in the public sector is not easy, but the second day (21/05) of the Jubilee Symposium IOC 125 Years showed that it is possible. The morning was marked by reflections on the role of Science and Technology Institutions (ICTs) and on entrepreneurship in the scientific environment.
Held in the auditorium of the Arthur Neiva Pavilion, on the Manguinhos campus of the University ofiocruz, in Rio de Janeiro, the two panels brought together representatives from public universities, funding agencies and emerging companies to discuss challenges and lessons learned in the Brazilian innovation ecosystem.
The event highlighted that transforming science into innovative solutions requires coordination between public policies, institutional structures and development strategies.
The first round table, 'The Role of ICTs in Technological Innovation', was moderated by the technical advisor of the Vice-Presidency of Production and Innovation in Health of the Fiocruz (VPPIS/Fiocruz), Ramon Neves.
The discussion highlighted the actions of the Technological Innovation Centers (NITs) and the difficulties faced by public institutions in transforming scientific knowledge into impactful solutions.
Opening the panel, the intellectual property supervisor at the University of Campinas (Unicamp), Elisama Campelo, defended the importance of educational actions, including on apparently simple concepts, as a starting point for promoting an innovative environment.
“Sometimes it seems like we are stating the obvious, but it is the obvious that needs to be said. That is why, at Unicamp, we developed a project called 'Trilha do Conhecimento', which explains everything from what intellectual property is and the basic concepts, to creating a company — including business modeling and other more complex subjects,” he explained.
In addition to educational initiatives, according to her, the advancement of innovation at Unicamp is also due to the restructuring of management. The specialist explained that modernizing the NIT in light of the Legal Framework for Science, Technology and Innovation was crucial to overcoming difficulties.
“Before, we had many problems, such as turnover and lack of professionals. The new legislation, however, brought mechanisms that helped to overcome these challenges,” he reported.
Elisama cited article 9 of Law 13.243/2016, which allows the NIT of ICTs to be operated in partnership with foundations. At Unicamp, for example, management is currently carried out in conjunction with the Unicamp Development Foundation (Funcamp), which, according to the expert, has generated agility in hiring, purchasing and other bureaucratic processes.
Federal prosecutor Deolinda Costa, who is part of the national science, technology and innovation team at the Attorney General's Office (AGU), reinforced that researchers should stay close to their ICT's NIT and always consult it in case of doubts.
“The NIT is a safe haven for researchers. They need to seek advice from the NIT. It is one of the most important bodies in an ICT when it comes to science, technology and innovation,” he said.
For the prosecutor, who worked at Fiocruz between 2004 and 2023, the rapprochement between academia and private companies was, for a long time, not seen favorably, which compromised the innovative potential of research.
“We deconstructed these ideas and came to the conclusion that this interaction between the public and private sectors was necessary,” he added.
Finally, the coordinator of the Research and Innovation Support Platform of IOC, Aline Moraes, presented an overview of the culture of innovation at the Institute.
In her speech, she emphasized the importance of maturing technologies with potential for social impact, highlighting success stories, such as acute diarrhea diagnostic kit, made in partnership with the Institute of Molecular Biology of Paraná (IBMP), and the larvicides in capsule form against Aedes aegypti, fruits of collaboration with the University of New Mexico (UNM). Both innovations already generate royalties for the IOC.
“We need to think about intellectual protection and establishing partnerships. Our purpose is to support the generation of innovative products, processes and services to meet the health needs of the population,” he said.
The second panel of the morning, entitled “Science-based Entrepreneurship”, brought together representatives from the Study and Project Financing Agency (Finep), the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), the startup Escalab and the company Nanonib to discuss possible paths between academia and the market.
The meeting was moderated by VPPIS's Technology Management Coordinator, Celeste Emerick. The speakers all shared the importance of public policies and structured environments to transform scientific knowledge into innovation.
Finep's Superintendent of Applied Research and Technological Development, André Nunes, highlighted the agency's role in enabling high-risk scientific projects. He recalled that, for many years, the resources of the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT) were contingent, which limited the implementation of public policies for innovation.
The situation changed with the approval of Complementary Law No. 177/2021, which prohibited the contingency of the fund's resources, ensuring more regular and predictable transfers.
FNDCT resources are intended to finance research, technological development and innovation projects throughout the country, from the acquisition of scientific equipment at universities to support for startups and technology-based companies.
“Finep finances the entire innovation chain, from basic research to the introduction of the product into the market. For each stage, we have an appropriate instrument,” he explained.
The manager also presented Finep's main support instruments and mentioned programs such as Centelha, aimed at emerging companies, and Mulheres Inovadoras, which promotes female entrepreneurship.
Next, the member of the UFMG Technological Transfer and Innovation Coordination, Frank Gomes, argued that ICTs need to strengthen their indirect strategies, and not just their direct ones.
Direct strategies are those aimed at training and providing practical support to entrepreneurs, such as mentoring and incubators, while indirect strategies are responsible for creating conditions so that these ventures can grow with legal security and university support.
“If these entrepreneurship programs do not find fertile ground within the institution, they die right there. That is why we need to look at indirect strategies,” Gomes pondered.
To close the morning, representatives of innovative companies shared their trajectories. Escalab CEO Maria Paula de Oliveira stated that innovation-promoting environments, such as her own company, can guide beginning researchers, offering support in strategic decisions and connections with the market.
Nanonib director Joel Passos also highlighted the role of public investment in enabling high-risk technologies, as demonstrated by the trajectory of his own company.
The event is available in full at YouTube channel of IOC.
:: Check out the special coverage
Innovating in the public sector is not easy, but the second day (21/05) of the Jubilee Symposium IOC 125 Years showed that it is possible. The morning was marked by reflections on the role of Science and Technology Institutions (ICTs) and on entrepreneurship in the scientific environment.
Held in the auditorium of the Arthur Neiva Pavilion, on the Manguinhos campus of the University ofiocruz, in Rio de Janeiro, the two panels brought together representatives from public universities, funding agencies and emerging companies to discuss challenges and lessons learned in the Brazilian innovation ecosystem.
The event highlighted that transforming science into innovative solutions requires coordination between public policies, institutional structures and development strategies.
The first round table, 'The Role of ICTs in Technological Innovation', was moderated by the technical advisor of the Vice-Presidency of Production and Innovation in Health of the Fiocruz (VPPIS/Fiocruz), Ramon Neves.
The discussion highlighted the actions of the Technological Innovation Centers (NITs) and the difficulties faced by public institutions in transforming scientific knowledge into impactful solutions.
Opening the panel, the intellectual property supervisor at the University of Campinas (Unicamp), Elisama Campelo, defended the importance of educational actions, including on apparently simple concepts, as a starting point for promoting an innovative environment.
“Sometimes it seems like we are stating the obvious, but it is the obvious that needs to be said. That is why, at Unicamp, we developed a project called 'Trilha do Conhecimento', which explains everything from what intellectual property is and the basic concepts, to creating a company — including business modeling and other more complex subjects,” he explained.
In addition to educational initiatives, according to her, the advancement of innovation at Unicamp is also due to the restructuring of management. The specialist explained that modernizing the NIT in light of the Legal Framework for Science, Technology and Innovation was crucial to overcoming difficulties.
“Before, we had many problems, such as turnover and lack of professionals. The new legislation, however, brought mechanisms that helped to overcome these challenges,” he reported.
Elisama cited article 9 of Law 13.243/2016, which allows the NIT of ICTs to be operated in partnership with foundations. At Unicamp, for example, management is currently carried out in conjunction with the Unicamp Development Foundation (Funcamp), which, according to the expert, has generated agility in hiring, purchasing and other bureaucratic processes.
Federal prosecutor Deolinda Costa, who is part of the national science, technology and innovation team at the Attorney General's Office (AGU), reinforced that researchers should stay close to their ICT's NIT and always consult it in case of doubts.
“The NIT is a safe haven for researchers. They need to seek advice from the NIT. It is one of the most important bodies in an ICT when it comes to science, technology and innovation,” he said.
For the prosecutor, who worked at Fiocruz between 2004 and 2023, the rapprochement between academia and private companies was, for a long time, not seen favorably, which compromised the innovative potential of research.
“We deconstructed these ideas and came to the conclusion that this interaction between the public and private sectors was necessary,” he added.
Finally, the coordinator of the Research and Innovation Support Platform of IOC, Aline Moraes, presented an overview of the culture of innovation at the Institute.
In her speech, she emphasized the importance of maturing technologies with potential for social impact, highlighting success stories, such as acute diarrhea diagnostic kit, made in partnership with the Institute of Molecular Biology of Paraná (IBMP), and the larvicides in capsule form against Aedes aegypti, fruits of collaboration with the University of New Mexico (UNM). Both innovations already generate royalties for the IOC.
“We need to think about intellectual protection and establishing partnerships. Our purpose is to support the generation of innovative products, processes and services to meet the health needs of the population,” he said.
The second panel of the morning, entitled “Science-based Entrepreneurship”, brought together representatives from the Study and Project Financing Agency (Finep), the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), the startup Escalab and the company Nanonib to discuss possible paths between academia and the market.
The meeting was moderated by VPPIS's Technology Management Coordinator, Celeste Emerick. The speakers all shared the importance of public policies and structured environments to transform scientific knowledge into innovation.
Finep's Superintendent of Applied Research and Technological Development, André Nunes, highlighted the agency's role in enabling high-risk scientific projects. He recalled that, for many years, the resources of the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT) were contingent, which limited the implementation of public policies for innovation.
The situation changed with the approval of Complementary Law No. 177/2021, which prohibited the contingency of the fund's resources, ensuring more regular and predictable transfers.
FNDCT resources are intended to finance research, technological development and innovation projects throughout the country, from the acquisition of scientific equipment at universities to support for startups and technology-based companies.
“Finep finances the entire innovation chain, from basic research to the introduction of the product into the market. For each stage, we have an appropriate instrument,” he explained.
The manager also presented Finep's main support instruments and mentioned programs such as Centelha, aimed at emerging companies, and Mulheres Inovadoras, which promotes female entrepreneurship.
Next, the member of the UFMG Technological Transfer and Innovation Coordination, Frank Gomes, argued that ICTs need to strengthen their indirect strategies, and not just their direct ones.
Direct strategies are those aimed at training and providing practical support to entrepreneurs, such as mentoring and incubators, while indirect strategies are responsible for creating conditions so that these ventures can grow with legal security and university support.
“If these entrepreneurship programs do not find fertile ground within the institution, they die right there. That is why we need to look at indirect strategies,” Gomes pondered.
To close the morning, representatives of innovative companies shared their trajectories. Escalab CEO Maria Paula de Oliveira stated that innovation-promoting environments, such as her own company, can guide beginning researchers, offering support in strategic decisions and connections with the market.
Nanonib director Joel Passos also highlighted the role of public investment in enabling high-risk technologies, as demonstrated by the trajectory of his own company.
The event is available in full at YouTube channel of IOC.
The non-profit reproduction of the text is allowed as long as the source is cited (Comunicação / Instituto Oswaldo Cruz)
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