Paráiba's New Tech Park and Paraná’s Innovation Funding Boost Local Ecosystems
Paraíba opens new tech park with R$32 million investment while Paraná allocates R$55 million to municipalities to boost local innovation ecosystems.
- • Governor João Azevêdo inaugurated the Parque Tecnológico Horizontes de Inovação in João Pessoa with over R$32 million invested.
- • The park supports over 100 startups and includes incubators and coworking spaces in a historic building.
- • Paraná allocated R$55 million to 48 municipalities, including Umuarama, to foster innovation projects.
- • Funding in Paraná aids equipment purchases, innovation environments, and entrepreneurship programs under Law 22.107/2024.
- • Both initiatives aim to strengthen local science, technology, and entrepreneurship ecosystems in Brazil.
Key details
On December 18, 2025, Governor João Azevêdo inaugurated the Parque Tecnológico Horizontes de Inovação (PTHI) in João Pessoa, Paraíba, marking a major advancement in the state’s science, technology, and innovation landscape. The park, housed in the historic Colégio Nossa Senhora das Neves building and covering 3,542 square meters, aims to be a hub for startups, incubators, and coworking spaces, supporting over 100 local startups. The government invested more than R$ 32 million in the project, including funds for property acquisition, renovations, and innovation grants. Beyond fostering innovation, the initiative emphasizes urban revitalization and heritage preservation. Key government agencies, including the Secretary of Science and Technology, are housed in the park, which seeks to merge academic expertise with young entrepreneurs' innovative potential. The park's program has been in development since 2021 with formal establishment in 2023, and a call for startups to join the hub will launch in January 2026.
Meanwhile, in Paraná, the state government is distributing R$ 55 million across 48 municipalities to enhance local innovation ecosystems. One notable recipient is the city of Umuarama, which received nearly R$ 900,000 through the Pacto Pela Inovação and Fundo a Fundo initiatives. This funding supports the acquisition of technology equipment like laptops and 3D printers and facilitates the development of innovative environments, entrepreneurship programs, and initiatives spanning scientific dissemination and digital inclusion. The program, grounded in Law 22.107/2024 and overseen by the Tribunal de Contas do Estado, is designed to decentralize investments and empower municipalities with direct resource transfers, circumventing bureaucratic hurdles.
These coordinated efforts in Paraíba and Paraná demonstrate Brazil’s commitment to fostering regional innovation ecosystems by providing infrastructure, financial support, and policy frameworks. Paraíba’s newly inaugurated tech park and Paraná’s broad funding strategy collectively aim to position these states as vibrant centers for technological development and entrepreneurship.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
