E-book and Printed Book
The History of Innovation in Brazil – Challenges and opportunities.
A journey through time, from the perspective of those who participated or participate in the history of innovation in Brazil.
Sponsors
Since WEG’s foundation in 1961, technological innovation has always been a strategic direction aimed at developing increasingly efficient products, improving quality and productivity, reducing costs and raw material usage, and enhancing production processes to achieve greater operational efficiency and the lowest possible environmental impact. This approach makes the company more competitive, helps it enter new markets, and contributes to building a more efficient and sustainable world.
Attentive to sustainability trends, WEG has developed solutions to increase energy efficiency, renewable energy—particularly photovoltaic solar and wind energy—electric mobility, digital solutions, and connectivity. These are current examples of how WEG generates value and demonstrates its ongoing commitment to innovation through sustainable solutions. WEG invests heavily in research, development, and innovation, and each patent filed represents a continuous effort to innovate and differentiate itself in the market. We have been able to make significant technological leaps, ensuring the development of unique solutions that grant us technological exclusivity and strengthen our position in the markets where we operate.
WEG’s strategic partnership with universities, R&D institutes, and startups, both in Brazil and abroad, is a fundamental pillar for progress and excellence in innovation. This collaboration strengthens our technological leadership and makes us more competitive in the market while attracting talent whose expertise and creativity are essential for developing new products and technologies.
Innovation at WEG is based on research and development activities. That is precisely why contributing to the construction of the history of research, development, and innovation in Brazil fills us with satisfaction. We are proud to participate in the publication of this book and showcase the technological evolution and continuous, sustainable growth across all our business areas. This growth is not limited to financial results but is also evident in the expansion of our product and service portfolio, the internationalization of the company, market expansion, the increase in our R&D+I team, the number of patents filed, the volume of established partnerships, the creation of numerous opportunities for personal and professional development, and, last but not least, the construction of a better society.
Sebastião Lauro Nau
Technology Innovation Management Manager - WEG Motors
Rodrigo Fumo Fernandes
Executive Director – WEG Industrial Motors
Itaipu Parquetec, the technological and entrepreneurship development branch
of the Itaipu Binacional hydroelectric plant, supports this publication as it aligns with its
statutory mission.
This work reinforces the connection between innovation and sustainable
development, a strategic role that Itaipu Binacional fulfills in Brazil’s technological
transformation while being the world’s largest generator of clean and renewable
energy.
Itaipu Parquetec, in turn, is the most comprehensive park for sustainable solutions in energy transition and future technologies, with a mission to transform knowledge and innovation into social well-being.
In this same direction, this book discusses fundamental topics such as the innovation ecosystem, governance for innovation, intellectual property, and human resource development.
The theme of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance) is increasingly relevant, and this publication addresses how innovation can drive environmental and social transformation. In this regard, technological density is crucial for keeping up with energy transition options. At Itaipu Parquetec, we have 11 Competence Centers, including Hydrogen and Battery Centers, which are mutually reinforced through Open Technologies, Territorial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Energy Management Solutions. This aligns with the section of the book that analyzes innovations in energy, providing valuable insights for managing large energy and technology projects. Additionally, the business aspect—from pricing to legal security in R&D+I relations—is a constant reinvention in the national technology market.
We also have a remarkable governance structure, with high-level verification councils and first-line risk defense and prevention systems, covering support activities such as hiring, procurement, and personnel management. This creates a trustworthy innovation environment, where uncertainty is naturally part of the process—a topic that the book expertly explores.
Supporting this publication offers Itaipu Binacional and Itaipu Parquetec a unique opportunity to strengthen their connection with Brazil's technological and sustainable development. This not only reinforces Itaipu’s image as a leader in clean energy but also reaffirms its commitment to innovation, human development, and international cooperation.
Prof. Colombo
Superintendent Director – Itaipu Parquetec
I have always believed that innovation is part of human nature, whether driven by necessity or the desire to reach beyond. We are all part of this continuous pursuit. However, transforming innovative Brazilians into entrepreneurial Brazilians is one of our greatest challenges today, as is developing and improving an environment that fosters and accelerates this transformation. Only then can innovation become a tangible lever for economic and sustainable development, capable of transforming lives and society as a whole.
Understanding the history of the development of Brazil’s science, technology, and innovation ecosystem is essential for reflecting on how far we have come and where we need to go. This is certainly a continuous journey that requires direction. This book is a significant contribution to guiding this journey and, more importantly, helping us reflect on the path we need to take and the environment we must build to transform innovation into economic value.
In 2020, Cisco launched its digital acceleration program, Cisco Brasil Digital e Inclusivo, which is based on four key pillars: which has as its main pillars the promotion of innovation, support for strengthening the national industry, development of essential skills, and digital inclusion in Brazil. We believe that investing in local entrepreneurship not only drives economic development but also creates opportunities for all.
As Cisco celebrates 30 years in Brazil in 2024, we take pride in supporting initiatives and projects that contribute to the growth of the country’s innovation ecosystem. We recognize the importance of these efforts in advancing Brazil’s competitiveness and economic development. That is why we are pleased to support the publication of this book, which not only tells the story of innovation in Brazil but also reinforces the significance of our innovation ecosystem.
After computing and the Internet, the arrival and popularization of artificial intelligence mark the beginning of a new digital era, one that will bring profound transformations and serve as a new milestone in human history. We hope this book inspires a new generation of innovators and entrepreneurs, helping transform Brazil into a global hub of excellence in innovation and technological development in this new age.
Rodrigo Uchoa
Director of Digitalization – Cisco Brasil
Innovation plays a crucial role in society by driving progress, improving quality of life, and addressing global challenges. In the business context, the dynamics of innovation are essential for a nation's competitiveness and economic growth, as they foster the creation of new products, processes, and business models that can transform entire sectors and create new opportunities.
Effective innovation management in companies can lead to significant technological advancements, offering competitive advantages and increasing efficiency. Companies that invest in innovation can stand out in the market, reduce costs, better meet customer needs, and explore new revenue opportunities.
The Triple Helix theory of innovation suggests that collaboration between academic institutions, the business sector, and the government is fundamental to successful innovation. This model catalyzes innovative initiatives by combining academic knowledge, the implementation capacity of the private sector, and regulatory and financial support from the government.
Furthermore, intellectual property is an important strategic tool, as it protects innovations and ensures a competitive advantage. Patents, trademarks, and copyrights help preserve the value of inventions and creativity, preventing unauthorized copies and ensuring that creators can achieve returns on their investments in research and development. Additionally, intellectual property serves as a rich source of technological information.
Certainly, combining expertise in new business development, innovation, and intellectual property creates a significant strategic advantage. These competencies complement each other to generate robust and competitive solutions.
It is in this context that ii Intelligence for Innovation Consulting was founded,
with the differentiator of integrating these competencies in one place to create solutions
for business clients, managers of Technology Innovation Centers (NITs), and
government entities. Our mission is to optimize internal processes, strengthen market
positions, and continuously maximize growth potential and sustainable impact.
Believing that innovation is the smartest strategy for a changing world, we could
not fail to support this important initiative—the publication of this book, which tells the
story of innovation in our country. It is a pleasure to be among the co-authors and
contribute to this work.
Patricia Leal Gestic
Executive Director and Lead Consultant – ii Intelligence for Innovation Consulting
Carrying out all stages of innovation management within any company, knowing that with each cycle, new knowledge will be acquired because innovation is a constantly changing process, has always been fundamental to consistent and continuous business growth. With today’s technological advances, this innovation management is becoming increasingly urgent and necessary. This book is a valuable tool to support this management based on historical learning and knowledge of current laws and regulations.
But is innovation just about knowing the processes involved and the best tools for good innovation management? Is knowing the laws and regulations enough to innovate?
Certainly not! In the innovation process, the main thing is knowing how to involve people. And people are more complex than machines! Complex because they are free to decide using their intelligence and emotions. With each free decision, human beings must submit all their emotions to their intelligence in order to choose the best path. However, this is often not what happens, and emotions such as fear, for example, prevent people from choosing innovative paths and, out of convenience and fear of the new, they remain where they are without advancing to new destinations.
To combat human vices and weaknesses, there are virtues that arise from each person’s decision to overcome their limitations in order to freely seek new paths and solutions to live new experiences and produce innovations. With this certainty of theimportance of knowing and living each human virtue, the Smart Technology Center (CTSMART) was born before I9 HOJE. In 2026, it will celebrate its 10th anniversary, with the mission of bringing the value of human virtues through technology. CTSMART is a private, non-profit Science and Technology Institute that seeks to fulfill its mission through R&D+I and Education at all levels, always focusing on Data Science for the Energy, Industry, and Education sectors.
I9 HOJE is CTSMART’s first spin-off. In 2020, the Institute wrote textbooks on maker education based on STEAM – an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics, representing a group of interconnected disciplines crucial for innovation, problem solving, and economic growth, often taught with an interdisciplinary approach to develop essential skills for the modern world and face global challenges. Our unique feature is that human virtues are presented to children through dialogues between characters and according to their ages. In 2021, the books were already in the hands of thousands of elementary school students, from 1st to 9th grade. In 2022, I9 HOJE was created to disseminate the maker methodology and other educational and technological solutions that may be developed with a focus on preschool, elementary, and high schools. In addition, it mainly trains teachers in the methodology, the so-called Jugaad Team of Innovators (https://equipejugaad.com.br). In 2026, the methodology will be applied to more than 10,000 students in six states in Brazil, and we already serve children from 3 years old, in kindergarten, to 17-year-olds in the 11th grade.
I9 HOJE is delighted to sponsor this work, which is printed by the publisher CTSMART – which is a source of immense pride for us, as ICT was born thanks to the support and total commitment of Luis Frade, the organizer of this work – and which, in its Portuguese-language version, has already sold dozens of copies through the website and has also been downloaded thousands of times for free via the link https://inovacaobrasil.ctsmart.org.
We have no doubt that this English version will help reach an even larger audience of people who need to know how the history of innovation has evolved to the present day in Brazil and, above all, how our laws and regulations work so that investors and entrepreneurs from other nations can come and develop the country, generating jobs and creating innovative products and processes.
Finally, you can always count on CTSMART as a private ICT capable of performing R&D+I in partnership with companies that seek to innovate constantly and with I9 HOJE to disseminate innovative technological solutions and educational methodologies in the education sector that bring students the technology of the present and, above all, that of the future! Always with a focus on human development, promoting virtues through technology and innovation!
Robson Hilario da Silva
President of CTSMART and CEO of I9 HOJE
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