Minas Gerais and Santa Catarina Set Historic Investment Records in Science and Innovation in 2025

In 2025, the Brazilian states of Minas Gerais and Santa Catarina achieved unprecedented milestones in funding science, technology, and innovation, signaling a robust commitment to advancing research and economic growth.

Minas Gerais government broke its own record for the fourth year running, forecasting more than R$ 560 million in investments for 2025 alone, following an allocation of over R$ 530 million in 2024. This brings the total investment in the sector to surpass R$ 1 billion between 2024 and 2026, surpassing constitutional targets. These funds support impactful initiatives such as the Compete Minas program, which enhances innovation within the mining sector, and the Cientista Empreendedor program, which approved 22 proposals with over R$ 9.7 million aimed at transforming academic research into startups. Notably, the Laboratórios Certificadores initiative allocated R$ 20 million to improve technological infrastructure and reduce production costs, while the Laremar project utilizes nuclear magnetic resonance to certify food and agricultural products, boosting export potential for local producers.

Simultaneously, Santa Catarina's Foundation for Research and Innovation (Fapesc) reached a historic investment peak surpassing R$ 200 million in 2025. This record funding supports 70 public calls—the highest in its nearly three-decade history—fostering research across health, agribusiness, technology, and environmental sectors. Fapesc emphasizes international collaboration by connecting local researchers with foreign institutions and enhancing scholarship programs to nurture scientific talent across academic levels. These investments are designed to improve the local economy and quality of life by fostering innovation, creating jobs, and developing high-value products and services.

Mila Corrêa da Costa, Minas Gerais’ Secretary of State for Economic Development, highlighted that these strategic investments "enable businesses to innovate and compete in national and international markets." Both states demonstrate the synergy between government, academia, and industry to convert knowledge into practical solutions with societal benefits.

This combined effort from Minas Gerais and Santa Catarina positions them as key innovation hubs in Brazil, with sustained investments helping to secure their future competitiveness and contribute to socio-economic development.