MEC and EMBRAPII will have innovation units in 30% of Federal Universities

The Brazilian Industrial Research and Innovation Company (EMBRAPII) will accredit up to four groups of researchers from Federal Universities to work as an EMBRAPII Unit. Those selected will receive up to R$12 million from the Ministry of Education (MEC) to carry out RD&I (Research, Development and Innovation) projects in partnership with industry. The announcement of the Public Call was made by the Minister of Education, Milton Ribeiro, this Thursday (04).

The Call for new EMBRAPII Units is one of MEC's ​​proposals to unite companies and university research. The expectation is to leverage the invested resources and generate more than R$30 million in innovation projects, as EMBRAPII's financing model requires financial compensation for projects from the business sector. The Ministry of Education and EMBRAPII plan for 30% of Federal Universities to be part of the EMBRAPII ecosystem.

“The call is part of the MEC’s action plan to expand research and innovation at the university. My wish is that theoretical knowledge from the University can be transformed into something practical. It is science applied in a way that impacts society”, highlights the Minister of Education, Milton Ribeiro.

All groups of researchers from Federal Universities in the following areas can apply: agriculture, agro-industrial processes, food technologies; generation and transmission of electrical energy, including renewable energy; chemical; bioeconomy; industrial processes; sustainable mining; mobility, including electromobility.

Six departments of federal universities were part of the EMBRAPII ecosystem from 2014 to 2020 (Campina Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa de Catarina and Rio de Janeiro, Uberlândia and Minas Gerais). Together, they developed 247 projects in partnership with 130 companies, resulting in 135 requests for Intellectual Properties and R$430 million invested in innovation, with R$250 million leveraged from the business sector.

In the second half of 2020, due to a strategic decision by the MEC, eleven Units were accredited in 10 Brazilian states. Thus, expanding the interaction capacity of Federal Universities with companies and contributing to increasing innovation and national competitiveness.

“An important gain achieved by the project throughout its existence was credibility. Regarding companies, we went from practically zero to around 800 supporters in six years. In relation to EMBRAPII Units, we grew from three experimental units to 61, more than half of which are linked to the Ministry of Education, uniting the academic sector with industry. We are sure that companies are satisfied with the operating model at federal universities”, highlights the CEO of EMBRAPII, Jorge Guimarães.

Training 4.0 Program

In addition to promoting connection with the industrial sector to innovate, the entry of new Federal Universities into the EMBRAPII ecosystem is a milestone for the professional training of students and researchers. As part of the Ministry of Education's Training 4.0 program, launched in October 2020, the new four EMBRAPII Units will have the mission of training them for the 4.0 world. Learning occurs from real experience and involves students in industrial innovation projects at all phases of innovation, based on real experience. The proposal is to train them for the job market and provide, in addition to technical knowledge, the development of socio-emotional skills, important tools to face crises and evolve throughout their professional career. The goal is to benefit more than 10 thousand students in 5 years.