Knowledge-Intensive Business Services in Brazil: Entrepreneurship in a Stimulating Scenario

The economic development and competitiveness of a nation are related to the capability of its companies to innovate and to upgrade. The consequent interest in the results has contributed to the establishment of national policies that encourage the creation and maintenance of favorable scenarios for innovation. Thus, Brazil has been implementing improvements since 1980's focusing on industrial development. An important step towards promoting innovation in Brazil was the passage of the Technological Innovation Act, Law No. 10,973 on Dec. 2, 2004. This document was meant "to provide incentives to increase innovative activities, as well as to facilitate scientific and technological research by private companies, especially by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)." In this scenario, a group of academic researchers gathered to initiate a business. They had at that time, besides scientific knowledge, some promising results, which have encouraged them to submit their project to a funding agency in Brazil (FINEP) that focused on projects for the development of medicines for neglected diseases. After funding approval, they applied to an incubator program with well -established relations with universities. The business model is based on two complementary goals: development of products for technology transfer and scientific knowledge-based services. At this time,the support of two other Brazilian funding agencies (FAPESP and CNPq) is essential for a healthy and sustainable growth. After funding approval, they applied to an incubator program with well-established relations with universities. The business model is based on two complementary goals: development of products for technology transfer and scientific knowledge -based services. At this time, the support of two other Brazilian funding agencies (FAPESP and CNPq) is essential for a healthy and sustainable growth. After seven years, under the same corporate constitution and relocation to its own building, the company has overcome challenges and is now known as a knowledge-intensive service business, acting as a facilitator, carrier, or source of innovation, interacting symbiotically with clients, and providing scientific solutions to pharmaceutical, veterinary and cosmetic industries, via an innovative model, for Brazil. This article gives reflections on the nature and the relevance of innovation in Brazil as well as the experience of researchers and entrepreneurs who offer chemical solutions to industries.