Check out an interview with Felipe Couto, planning manager at BRDE
Santa Catarina was one of the states where ABES and BNDES launched, in the second half of 2014, the Innovative MPME development line. The launch was also carried out in Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná, with the support of the BRDE bank (Banco Regional de Desenvolvimento do Extremo Sul) and, in São Paulo, with the participation of the Paulista Development Agency (Develop SP) to support micro, small and medium-sized businesses that innovate in the IT sector, financing the investments necessary for the introduction of innovations in the market, through the promotion of incremental improvements in their products and/or processes.
The ABES Portal, which has already interviewed Tatiana Henn, assistant planning manager for new projects and businesses at BRDE do Paraná, now features an interview with Felipe Castro do Couto, who occupies the same role at the Santa Catarina branch.
What are the main objectives of BRDE in SC?
Promote and lead actions to promote economic and social development, supporting government and private initiatives, through planning and long-term technical, institutional and credit support.
What is the profile of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) companies in the State?
These are companies that operate at the forefront of the sector, offering solutions for the most diverse segments of the economy, whether industry, agriculture, services and e-commerce.
How many companies have already hired the Innovative MPME line in your state? What is the volume of resources released?
In Santa Catarina, 29 companies benefited, representing a total of R$ 35 million in financing contracted in the Innovative MPME line. Of this total, we estimate that 80% were allocated to the ICT Sector. It is important to note that in addition to MPME Inovadora, we also contracted a significant amount of operations in the FINEP Inovacred line.
Based on the main difficulties that companies had to release funds, what guidance would you give them to get approval of the funding line?
The main challenge is to present a consistent business plan, correctly identifying the items and respective amounts that will be financed. From the point of view of credit risk assessment, as some operations are carried out without the binding of real guarantees, greater attention will be given to the management capacity of the entrepreneurs, history and growth prospects of the company.
In your opinion, how will the MPME Inovadora line contribute to the development of the ICT sector in the state?
The BNDES MPME Inovadora line is being an important instrument for fostering innovation, especially for technology-based companies. The partnership with ABES was very important for this performance, as it brought the BRDE closer to the sector, after a long history of difficult access to long-term credit due to the requirements of financial institutions. For this, the creation of the BRDE INOVA program was also fundamental, which introduced differentials in our internal process, allowing BRDE to adapt to the particularities of technology-based companies, whose credit risk assessment profile and possibilities of offering guarantees are very distinct from more traditional sectors of the economy.
What are the prospects for granting resources for IT companies in your state in 2015?
Our expectation is to surpass the performance presented last year, since companies will need to increase efficiency and competitiveness, through innovation, to face the most adverse macroeconomic conditions.
How do you rate the Innovative MPME line in view of the increase in interest rates in Brazil?
Despite the cost increase compared to last year, the line will remain in very attractive conditions, especially when compared to other credit options available on the market.
The ABES Portal, which has already interviewed Tatiana Henn, assistant planning manager for new projects and businesses at BRDE do Paraná, now features an interview with Felipe Castro do Couto, who occupies the same role at the Santa Catarina branch.
What are the main objectives of BRDE in SC?
Promote and lead actions to promote economic and social development, supporting government and private initiatives, through planning and long-term technical, institutional and credit support.
What is the profile of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) companies in the State?
These are companies that operate at the forefront of the sector, offering solutions for the most diverse segments of the economy, whether industry, agriculture, services and e-commerce.
How many companies have already hired the Innovative MPME line in your state? What is the volume of resources released?
In Santa Catarina, 29 companies benefited, representing a total of R$ 35 million in financing contracted in the Innovative MPME line. Of this total, we estimate that 80% were allocated to the ICT Sector. It is important to note that in addition to MPME Inovadora, we also contracted a significant amount of operations in the FINEP Inovacred line.
Based on the main difficulties that companies had to release funds, what guidance would you give them to get approval of the funding line?
The main challenge is to present a consistent business plan, correctly identifying the items and respective amounts that will be financed. From the point of view of credit risk assessment, as some operations are carried out without the binding of real guarantees, greater attention will be given to the management capacity of the entrepreneurs, history and growth prospects of the company.
In your opinion, how will the MPME Inovadora line contribute to the development of the ICT sector in the state?
The BNDES MPME Inovadora line is being an important instrument for fostering innovation, especially for technology-based companies. The partnership with ABES was very important for this performance, as it brought the BRDE closer to the sector, after a long history of difficult access to long-term credit due to the requirements of financial institutions. For this, the creation of the BRDE INOVA program was also fundamental, which introduced differentials in our internal process, allowing BRDE to adapt to the particularities of technology-based companies, whose credit risk assessment profile and possibilities of offering guarantees are very distinct from more traditional sectors of the economy.
What are the prospects for granting resources for IT companies in your state in 2015?
Our expectation is to surpass the performance presented last year, since companies will need to increase efficiency and competitiveness, through innovation, to face the most adverse macroeconomic conditions.
How do you rate the Innovative MPME line in view of the increase in interest rates in Brazil?
Despite the cost increase compared to last year, the line will remain in very attractive conditions, especially when compared to other credit options available on the market.
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