SC on the global route: foreign delegations and business missions mark internationalization initiatives

This week, the Santa Catarina ecosystem welcomes a group from Canada – in March, it was the Swiss’ turn to visit the state. Recently, ACATE launched missions for events such as London Tech Week and Collision. / Photo: ACATE Disclosure

[FLORIANÓPOLIS, 03.04.2024]
SC Inova newsroom, with information from the Press Office

Santa Catarina receives this week, at the invitation of the Santa Catarina Technology Association (ACATE), a delegation from Canada arriving to learn about the local technology ecosystem and participate in events in Florianópolis and Blumenau. The delegation arrived on Sunday (31) and will remain until April 7, made up of 12 members, including representatives from universities, entrepreneurs and professionals linked to the Canadian Research Support Fund. The mission is carried out in partnership with the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce.

The delegation’s program includes visits to innovation centers, Blusoft, the Federation of Industries of the State of Santa Catarina (FIESC), the Itajaí Innovation Center, ESAG at UDESC and the MIDITEC incubator. In addition, they will participate in the International Business Fair (FIN), a multisectoral event in Florianópolis that brings together a business fair, lectures and mentoring on internationalization, as well as different environments and tools for global business.

“We want to show the size of our technology ecosystem and present the country’s strength in this area. Many countries see Brazil as a risky investment, but by showing our reality, with 1700 companies associated with ACATE representing 70% of the state’s technology revenue, we hope they realize Santa Catarina’s potential”, comments the Vice President of Internationalization at ACATE, Henrique Bilbao.

In 2023, during the Startup Summit, the ACATE branch in Canada was opened. With this initiative, which involves the opening of a legal entity on Canadian soil, ACATE seeks to expand business opportunities for Santa Catarina companies abroad.

Last March, it was the turn of a delegation from Switzerland to discover the innovation environment in Santa Catarina, with visits to Joinville and Florianópolis. The mission’s objectives include attracting new investment projects and providing financial support for innovative projects, in addition to promoting reconnection with Brazilian stakeholders who support internationalization (academia, technology parks, accelerators, investors, entities, multipliers). The delegation included managers from the Economic Development Agency of the Canton of Bern), from the Biel/Bienne Innovation Park, as well as the director of Brasil GGBa – Invest Western Switzerland.

INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS

Last week, ACATE launched two international missions with the aim of connecting Santa Catarina’s innovation ecosystem to external markets, with participation in events such as London Tech Week, from June 10th and 14th in the English capital, and the Collision Conference, between June 17th and 20th, in Toronto (Canada). The missions aim to create relationships so that entrepreneurs from Santa Catarina can establish partnerships, businesses and connections on a global level.

Last March, the entity went on a mission to the USA to participate in the largest creative economy festival in the world, South By Southwest (SXSW). Over 10 days, 15 people participated in the event and made technical visits to companies such as Dell, Apple, Google, Meta, Salesforce, Miro, Whole Foods Market and also Austin City Hall.