Ceará Shines as Finalist in 2025 Finep Innovation Award Amid National Innovation Push
Ceará's innovation efforts earn finalist status in the 2025 Finep Innovation Award as Brazil's national innovation recognition continues to evolve.
- • Ceará’s Centro de Inovação Cadeia Criativa de Sobral was a finalist in the 2025 Finep Innovation Award Northeast stage.
- • Finep contracted nearly R$ 3 billion for 750 innovation projects in the Northeast from 2023 to 2025.
- • Startup Infomarket and Federal University of Ceará presented notable AI-based projects at the award ceremony.
- • The 9th National Innovation Award introduced a new Lei do Bem category to highlight impactful innovation projects.
- • National and regional initiatives boost Ceará's innovation ecosystem and visibility in Brazil.
Key details
Ceará's innovation landscape gained prominent recognition in 2025 as its 'Centro de Inovação Cadeia Criativa de Sobral' was named a finalist in the Northeast stage of the Finep Innovation Award. Presented on October 17 in Recife, this project aims to fortify Ceará's innovation ecosystem by providing robust infrastructure tailored to the creative economy and technology sectors, thus expanding opportunities for local talent and businesses. Backed by the State Secretariat of Science, Technology and Education (Secitece), Finep, and Sobral’s Municipal Secretariat of Labor and Economic Development, it exemplifies regional innovation strength.
Finep reported that between 2023 and October 2025, nearly R$ 3 billion has been contracted for 750 projects across the Northeast, marking a significant increase compared to the 2019-2022 period. The event also spotlighted Ceará-based startup Infomarket, a finalist for its AI-driven tool optimizing market operations, and the Federal University of Ceará’s three pioneering projects, including AI applications in cancer image analysis and food technology advancements.
This regional success aligns with national ambitions underscored by the 9th National Innovation Award (PNI), whose application deadline closed on September 21, 2025. Co-hosted by the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), Sebrae, and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), the PNI introduced a new category recognizing projects funded by the Lei do Bem, Brazil’s key federal innovation policy. Secretary Daniel de Almeida Filho highlighted how this fosters a culture of innovation and incentivizes research and development. Winners will be celebrated at the 11th Industry Innovation Congress in March 2026.
These initiatives collectively emphasize Ceará's rising role in Brazil's innovation ecosystem and demonstrate the impact of strategic public-private collaboration in technology and creative sectors.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.