State publishes new notice for investment of up to R$20 million in startups

The State Government, through the Secretariat for Innovation, Modernization and Digital Transformation (SEI), published this Tuesday (30) the new notice of the Paraná Anjo Inovador program, which will allocate up to R$20 million in subsidies for Paraná companies classified by law as startups. The deadline for project registration runs from May 7th to May 27th.

Paraná Anjo Inovador is the largest financial incentive program in Brazil with public resources aimed at startups. This second notice will select up to 80 startups to receive a financial contribution of up to R$250,000 for the development of innovative products, services and processes. Projects with the following themes will be supported: Smart Cities; Sports; Social Innovation; Inclusive education; Support for Innovation for Micro and Small Businesses; Combating Climate Change; Food Safety; and Sustainable Agriculture.

The Secretary of Innovation, Marcelo Rangel, explains that the objective of Anjo Inovador is to support entrepreneurs who are starting their project and who have an innovative solution. “Many projects end up halfway through precisely because of the lack of money. Paraná is a hotbed of innovation and we have worked hard to support innovative people from Paraná. No other state does what we do, being a true angel investor, with direct financial support in projects that can benefit people’s lives, generate jobs and development”, he states.

The first notice, launched in 2023, selected 68 startups to support projects focused on innovation and new solutions. Adding the two phases, the State Government will invest almost R$40 million through the program, aiming to advance the modernization of Paraná and the development of solutions of public interest aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Organization of Nations United (UN).

REGISTRATIONS – Proposals must be submitted from May 7th to May 27th. The conditions for selection are available in the notice, already published in the Official State Gazette. They include having headquarters in Paraná, active registration with the State Commercial Board, corporate purpose that includes activity compatible with the development of the project proposal, financial compensation at a minimum limit of 5%, payment performance and having gross revenue of up to R$16 million in previous calendar year.

The classification of startups will be carried out by the Evaluation and Monitoring Committee, made up of the Secretariat for Innovation, Modernization and Digital Transformation, the Secretariat for Science, Technology and Higher Education (Seti) and the Paraná Council for Science and Technology (CCT). The evaluation criteria are also available in the notice, but they involve a level of innovation, a team with complementary skills and the existence of an investment plan.

FIRST NOTICE – In 2023, the Innovative Angel included startups working in the areas of Health, Education, Agriculture and Public Management.

In the health sector, an example is Hyla Biotec, created by biologist Maria Luiza Ferreira dos Santos, 30 years old, doctoral student at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz). The startup is working on creating a device capable of detecting breast cancer quickly, with minimal invasiveness and at a low cost. The project incentive helps the company maintain the team for technology development, in addition to purchasing the necessary inputs for the next stages of the project.

For agriculture, the IrriGate created an irrigation system and soil analysis controlled using sensors installed underground. In this way, irrigation is carried out in the right way, with exact water control regardless of climate variation, soil type and cultivation, being monitored by the producer only using the cell phone application. The project resources are used to improve technology, in addition to expanding the company by hiring employees, creating a physical headquarters and increasing publicity.

Other examples are Cattusfrom Toledo, which developed a more comfortable and hygienic bathroom for cats and which also benefits their owners, and the Country Artfrom Curitiba, which aims to develop a platform that allows artisanal producers to enter the digital market and offer their products directly to consumers.