Brazil needs to advance a lot in innovation, says BNDES president

 

Luciano Coutinho says that Brazil has weaknesses, but it can take advantage of its strengths to generate technological development and innovation.
 

Despite the maturing of the national science, technology and innovation system, Brazil still needs to make a lot of progress if it wants to become a major player in innovation in the international market. The country still has weaknesses, but it can take advantage of its strengths to explore the various opportunities that technological development has generated in terms of new businesses, in order to play a leading role in the global world.

These were the positions presented by Luciano Coutinho, president of the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), during the 14th Anpei Conference, an event held on April 28 and 29, in São Paulo.

"One of our weaknesses is that we have not yet developed a base of information and communication technology industries in Brazil, especially software and services, which are the main driver of innovation in the business complex", he pointed out. For the economist, Brazil is experiencing a privileged moment, since the economy has its fundamentals preserved, which allows the design of long-term strategies. "This transformation is in our hands. Many of the main emerging and developed economies had a strategic understanding of the role of innovation. The countries that did so, instead of retreating, advance in engagement. Brazil needs to follow these examples", he analyzed.

For him, several opportunities are opening up. He cited the strong technological acceleration in several fields, such as the explosion of mobile telephony, wireless systems, cheap and diversified processing devices, the potential of microelectronics, the new sociability promoted by the internet and the internet of things (in which small artifacts , sensors and radiofrequency emitting chips will allow the automation of various objects), smart grid systems, management of large databases, in addition to transformations in the field of life sciences, health, with new applications.

"Infrastructure and information systems are going to change the paradigm, and in these moments windows of opportunity arise. We need to think about how Brazil can capture some of these processes", he highlighted. For this, Coutinho defended that the country use its competitive vectors, such as the ability to explore oil in deep waters and innovations for agribusiness. "I see more opportunities than risks. The risk we run is that of inaction, of accommodation", he pointed out.

"We have the capacity to advance, to coordinate policies", he continued. He cited the Inova Empresa Plan as a positive example. Of the R$ 32 billion for investments until the end of 2014, R$ 16 billion have already been contracted. "Although the instruments have to be improved, the private sector is responding in an active way, which, I am sure, will generate a change in the situation in the next editions of Pintec", he highlighted. "I am convinced and confident that there is nothing in Brazil and in its business and science and technology system that prevents us from reaching a competitive place in the world", he concluded.