“Innovation is part of the essence of Unicamp”, stated its rector, professor Antonio José de Almeida Meirelles, when commenting on the highlight of the Campinas Innovation Ecosystem as top 3 in the National Innovation Award (PNI). Innovation Business Mobilization Initiative (MEI), the award is awarded by the National Confederation of Industry (CNI) and the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae). The speech was recorded during the signing of the partnership between the Inova Unicamp Innovation Agency and the National Institute of Industrial Property, creating a support network between the institutions.
The choice of the Campinas Innovation Ecosystem as one of the best of the country in practices to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship derives from its results and the union of more than 40 actors, presented by professor Newton Frateschi, deputy secretary of the Municipal Secretariat for Economic Development in Campinas at an event at Unicamp.
“In an ecosystem like Campinas, with more than 20 nationally and internationally renowned Science and Technology Institutions, integration between actors is especially important. The success of one of them reverberates in the ecosystem as a whole”, he assesses.
For the executive director of Inova Unicamp, it is recognition of the work developed by universities, accelerators, innovation centers, Science, Technology and Innovation Institutions (ICTs), investors, coworking spaces, municipal government and other governance entities. Unicamp was highlighted as a regional innovation center due to the integration that the agency promotes between the University and the business sector and the volume of business results focused on innovation.
“This award crowns the pioneering work of the Inova Unicamp Innovation Agency together with all the actors in the Campinas Innovation Ecosystem. We are committed to stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship with activities that promote sustainable socioeconomic development, expanding the impact of teaching, research and extension”, said Ana Frattini.
Inova Unicamp and Unicamp’s innovation environment
The Inova Unicamp Innovation Agency is the Technological Innovation Center (NIT) responsible for transferring technology generated at the University, for research projects in collaboration with the business sector, promotion of entrepreneurial culture, contact with Unicamp's daughter companies and management of the Scientific and Technological Park.
In the Park, located in an area of 100 thousand square meters urbanized in campus in Campinas, there are more than 40 companies hosted. Its management also includes partners from these companies and other ICTs. Unicamp's Technology-Based Business Incubator (Incamp) has already graduated 55 of them in the last 20 years, and maintains contact with agents that encourage the formation of companies based on science and technology.
Inova also makes contact with Unicamp's daughter companies, founded by its students, alumni, teachers and staff. Its latest report presents 1131 registered companies, 1019 of which are active daughter companies, generating 38 thousand direct jobs and R$16 billion in revenue. The data also shows that 43,9% of them are based in Campinas.
Inova also operates, together with other ecosystem agents, in the Fundação Fórum Campinas (entity that brings together ICTs in the region) and in the Unicamp Ventures group, formed by founders of Unicamp's daughter companies. He also works on the Municipal Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (CMCTI), promoting research and innovation in the municipality.
“Innovation is already part of our history, and now it is being awarded the award. When Campinas enters the Top 3 of innovative ecosystems, it is proof that Unicamp's efforts are paying off. We hope to soon become the most entrepreneurial city in Brazil based on scientific and technological innovation”, adds the rector.
Unicamp already holds the title of most entrepreneurial university, published in the 2021 general ranking of universities organized by the Brazilian Confederation of Junior Companies (Brasil Júnior) and prepared by the Junior Enterprise Movement (MEJ).
What is an Innovation Ecosystem?
An Innovation Ecosystem (IE) is an environment that promotes articulation, interaction and cooperation between its different actors to stimulate initiatives and relationship networks of mutual benefit, with innovation as the main focus.
In the Innovation Ecosystem category in a consolidated stage, the 7th National Innovation Award highlighted the structured, organized and systematized profile, with a history of activities, support from public policies to encourage innovation and results recognized by the local, regional, national and even international community .
The award and its objectives
The National Innovation Award (PNI) is an initiative of the Business Mobilization of Innovation (MEI). It is carried out by Sebrae and CNI, with the support of the Financier of Studies and Projects (FINEP) and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCT). Among its objectives are the recognition of successful innovation efforts and their management in organizations and Innovation Ecosystems operating in Brazil and the establishment of a knowledge base regarding Innovation Ecosystems and their management in various sectors of organizations.
To participate, the Campinas Ecosystem went through a self-diagnosis process. Among the prizes, you will receive a personalized evaluation report, with feedback, identification of strengths and opportunities for improvement. The other two finalists were the Regional Innovation System of Western Paraná (Iguassu Valley), winner in the category, and the Innovation Ecosystem of Curitiba (Vale do Pinhão).
