EMBRAPII: Promoting university-industry interaction and industrial technological innovation in Brazil

Abstract

The article discusses the development of science and technology in Brazil, characterized by a sharp contrast between scientific development and the evolution of technological innovation, a common situation in Latin American countries, where the vast majority of industries do not have R&D centers and do not practice open innovation. In Brazil, the challenge has been faced by the Brazilian Industrial Research and Innovation Company (EMBRAPII), a private institution conceived in 2013 and recognized as a Social Organization (OS) by the Federal Government, with which it maintains commitments through a Management Agreement, with the mission of apply official resources, sharing risks and costs in the development of companies' projects. Research groups from universities and other institutions are accredited constituting EMBRAPII Units (UEs), authorized to sign RD&I contracts with companies. There are currently 76 UEs with around 6,000 researchers, developing 1,560 projects, contracted by 1,081 companies for a total of R$ 2.14 billion applied, of which 49.1% comes from companies, 32.7% non-refundable resources from EMBRAPII and 18 .2% of the economic contribution of the EUs. The rapid evolution of the model was due to the characteristics of agility, flexibility and lack of bureaucracy, as well as the availability of highly qualified research groups in the UEs and the decision to share risks and co-financing projects. The trust and adhesion of companies are facilitated by the condition of a Social Organization whose mission is to promote the competitiveness of companies by supporting industrial innovation in Brazil. Also noteworthy is the development of projects by Brazilian companies in international cooperation with companies and agencies from several countries, opening up possibilities for joint action to be explored within the MERCOSUR space.