BrazAfter going through an ample renovation that cost R$ 1.1 million and tripled the size of its installations, the Technological Company Incubator Center (Cietec) of São Paulo published a tender for 78 new undertakings that may also be financed by FAPESP. Those interested in a place in the incubator should collect the bidding instructions by September 20 at the Cietec, located at the premises of the Energy and Nuclear Research Institute (Ipen), at the Cidade Universitária in São Paulo. Bids should be sent to Cietec for pre-selection by September 24. The final result will be published on February 28, 2002. Further information is available at the website www. ipen.br/cietec/cietec.html.
The largest incubator center in the country, Cietec houses 53 undertakings characterized by technological innovation in products, services, or processes. Among these undertakings, eight are financed by FAPESP within the Small Business Innovation Research (PIPE), and another 17 are being examined. Altogether, the finance sums up more than R$ 1.5 million, equivalent to 60% of the money borrowed by incubated companies in the market. “FAPESP is the Cietec’s biggest projects supporter”, says Sérgio Wigberto Risola, manager of the Cietec. “Our mission is to support technology-generating companies”.
Various types
Risola expects 350 interested parties to compete for the 78 new vacancies in the fields of biomedicine, biotechnology, information technology, chemistry, the environment, nuclear technology, instrumentation, materials engineering and software. Companies can choose between four types: projects hotel (or pre-incubation), resident, associated or software company. The projects hotel supports the creation of businesses that are unable to start up immediately. “Very often, entrepreneurs have a good idea, but they have no money. We help them to raise it”, explains Risola. The resident company incubator is intended for constituted undertakings that already master the technology, have the minimum capital, and an established business plan. An area of 50 square meters is given to them.
The associated company incubator has a similar profile, with the difference that these companies have their offices elsewhere and use the Cietec to form a technological bridge with universities and research centers. Finally, the software incubator focuses exclusively on projects in this segment.The incubated companies have complete infrastructure available for their businesses. Besides the Cietec’s installations, they also have the support of technology, marketing, and selling consultants, legal and patent advice. “The most important thing, perhaps, is the ability to gain access to all the knowledge produced at USP, the Ipen and the IPT (Technological Research)”, says Risola.
Worldwide interchange
Established in September 1996, the Cietec was chosen by the National Association of Organizations Promoting Advanced Technology Undertakings (Anprotec) as a reference in marketing and selling from among the 145 incubators in the country. “We want to disseminate our knowledge to the other Brazilian incubators”, says Risola. This interchange will gather strength during the World Company Incubators Conference (WCBI), to be held from October 23 to 26, in Rio de Janeiro, combining all Brazilian incubators and the best specialists from other countries.
