After spreading across the main economic centers in Brazil, incubators will now start motivating the birth of new companies in small cities across the country as well.
This matter will be one of the themes discussed in the XIV National Seminar of Technological Parks and Business Incubators, to take place from the 8th to 12th of November in the city of Porto de Galinhas, in the northeastern state of Pernambuco.
The meeting, which happens every year, normally takes place in the south, southeast and midwest regions of Brazil, where the main industrial and technological hubs are located.
This year, however, the meeting will take place in the Northeast to motivate technological development in the region.
“This is the year of technology in the state of Pernambuco,” stated one of the directors at the National Association of Institutions promoting Advanced Technology Ventures (Anprotec), Josealdo Tonholo.
According to Tonholo, the greatest concern of this meeting will be to verify which way is it possible to stimulate the creation of micro and small companies in the small cities so that they generate income and stimulate local development.
The theme of the seminar will be “Entrepreneurism and innovation fostering sustained development”.
The incubators are technological centers, normally connected to universities and schools, where the future entrepreneurs receive orientation and support to start their businesses.
“More than a way of generating successful companies, the incubators are a way to guarantee very well sustained regional development,” he explained.
Preliminary information from Panorama 2004, an annual research carried out by Anprotec, shows that there are currently approximately 260 incubators in operation in the country, 30% more than last year.
They assist 1,700 incubated companies and have launched another 1,400 companies in the market.
One of the main attractions of the seminar is going to be the publishing of Panorama 2004.
Carried out for the last 8 years, the research reveals a lot of information about technological parks and the incubator movement in the country, such as the number of companies and of jobs generated, sectors in which they are participating, number of technological parks in the country and the sector’s revenues.
The meeting at the city of Porto de Galinhas will bring together 700 participants, 300 of which are members of Anprotec, which organises the seminar with support from the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae) and the technological park Porto Digital.
At the seminar there will also be politicians, academics, researchers, entrepreneurs and representatives from local productive arrangements (APLs), conglomerates of companies in the same place interacting in business, cooperation and learning.
Amongst the lecturers there will be the chief minister of the Government Communication and Strategic Management Secretariat, Luiz Gushiken; the minister of Science and Technology, Eduardo Campos; the federal representatives Ricardo Zarattini and Roberto Freire, relater and author of the Law of Innovation in Brazil.
There will also be representatives from international entities in the areas of science and technology and entrepreneurship such as Robert W. Price, from the Global Entrepreneurship Institute, from the USA.
Anprotec Prize
Created in 1997, the Anprotec Prize aims to award the incubators, projects, companies and technological parks that distinguished themselves the most in the year.
“It is a prize which opens many doors for the companies, bringing them closer to research and finance organizations,” said the director.
During this year’s seminar the prize will be given in five categories: Incubator of Technology Companies, Incubated Company, Graduated Company, Innovative Project and Technology Park of the year.
Service
XIV National Seminar of Technological Parks and Business Incubators
From 8 to 12 of November, 2004
At the Summerville Beach Resort – Porto de Galinhas / Pernambuco.
Information and enrolment
www.parqueincubadoras.com.br
ANBA ”“ Brazil-Arab News Agency