The Institute for Innovation, Science and Technology Support (Inaitec), of which the Palhoça City Hall is one of the founders, joined a mission by the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, this October.
One of the main focuses of the mission was participating in Expand North Star, one of the world's largest and most prestigious international technology and entrepreneurship events, which concluded on Saturday (19). The event brought together more than 100,000 participants, including startups, investors, business leaders, and industry enthusiasts, ready to explore the latest global technology trends and innovations.
Inaitec's executive director, Diego Chierighini, participated in a panel during Expand North Star titled "Creating a culture of innovation." The panel discussed the importance of developing a sustainable mindset that empowers entrepreneurs to thrive in Brazil's dynamic technology landscape. "We talked about Brazil's innovation market at that panel, and I think it was very important, especially for positioning Brazil at a highly relevant international fair," highlights Chierighini. "It is essential to share our experience in a global environment that allows us to establish valuable connections with major investors and technology leaders," he adds.
In addition to Inaitec and Apex-Brasil itself, representatives from Sebrae and Acate were also present in the Santa Catarina mission. "The presence of these Santa Catarina entities, and more specifically from Greater Florianópolis, greatly strengthens the market in southern Brazil and our Metropolitan Region," the director notes.
Diego Chierighini also shares that it was a unique opportunity to promote the institution. "It was important to show what Inaitec does, what our differentiators are, what we believe the innovation environments of the future look like – which is basically what we already do today at Pedra Branca. We even had the opportunity to compare with some local environments in Dubai," comments Chierighini. "What they are building there, we have been doing for 14 years here at Inaitec, with development and results, with 2,420 active companies," he adds.
Startup in the spotlight
Five companies from Inaitec's innovation ecosystem accompanied the Santa Catarina mission: Zoome Produções LTDA, Forpay Digital Bank, Saguaro Comunicação, Pronutra do Brasil, and Eurotec Technology, which received special recognition by qualifying as a semi-finalist in the Supernova Challenge, one of the most important startup competitions in the world. "We managed to show a little of our market, not just to Dubai and the United Arab Emirates, but to everyone, because people from all over the world were there," celebrates the executive director.
In addition to the technology event, the mission also visited locations such as Dubai Business Women Council, Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park, In5 Tech, Difc, DTec – Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Dubai Commercity HQ, providing a comprehensive view of global technology trends and business opportunities. "The Inaitec mission to Dubai was a success. The event provided networking opportunities, learning, and international visibility for our incubated startups," concludes Diego.
For the Mayor of Palhoça, Eduardo Freccia, the mission consolidates Palhoça's position as a reference in the technology sector. "The inclusion of Inaitec in such an important mission confirms Palhoça's vocation. We have created a consistent innovation ecosystem, with lean and well-structured legislation, attracting entrepreneurs with an innovative mindset and generating jobs with high added value," the mayor evaluates.
