New Science & Technology Pole Opens in Feira de Santana Amid Startup Challenges in Scientific Innovation
Feira de Santana opens its first Science and Technology Pole offering free courses, while startups in Rio Grande do Norte tackle the challenges of turning scientific research into sustainable businesses.
- • Funtitec and Associação São Brás inaugurated Feira de Santana's first Science and Technology Pole offering free courses in digital tools and AI.
- • Courses include Basic Computer Skills, Office Suite, and Artificial Intelligence with 120 slots available.
- • Startups in RN highlighted challenges translating scientific research into marketable businesses during GO!RN 2026.
- • Microciclo combats misconceptions about bacteria-based environmental technology; Isnano focuses on nanotech balancing science and commerce, and inSystem LTDA struggles with market readiness expectations.
Key details
On September 18, 2026, Feira de Santana saw the inauguration of its first Science and Technology Pole in the Mangabeira neighborhood, a collaborative effort between Funtitec and Associação São Brás. The facility aims to decentralize public innovation policies and expand free technological training to local residents, offering courses in Basic Computer Skills, Office Suite, and an Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with 120 total spots available in the first semester. Registration is conducted in person at Associação São Brás. Funtitec's director-president, Antônio Carlos Daltro Coelho, emphasized that this initiative seeks to generate real development and income opportunities for the community.
While community-focused technological training gains momentum in Feira de Santana, startups in Rio Grande do Norte (RN) face distinct hurdles in translating scientific research into viable business ventures. During the GO!RN 2026 event on September 18, leaders from startups like Microciclo, Isnano, and inSystem LTDA discussed the complexities of transforming innovation into sustainable products. Microciclo, which develops bacteria-based solutions to degrade oily waste, struggles to overcome market misconceptions and educate potential customers about the environmental benefits, as highlighted by Marbella Maria Bernardes. Isnano, specializing in nanotechnology, balances scientific rigor with commercial demands but encounters operational challenges such as invoicing, according to co-founder Ednaldo Gomes. inSystem LTDA noted difficulties aligning developmental stages of their technologies with market expectations for ready-to-use solutions.
This dual narrative reflects Brazil's evolving landscape of scientific innovation, where community empowerment through accessible education intersects with the entrepreneurial challenges of converting research into market-ready technologies. The GO!RN 2026 event, organized by Sebrae-RN with over 40 partners, showcased a vibrant ecosystem of entrepreneurs, researchers, and professionals working to bridge these gaps.
This article was translated and synthesized from Brazilian sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
