- Despite the fact that economic activities in Brazil have been decentralized over recent decades, São Paulo remains the country’s main hub for knowledge-intensive activities
- The graph to the left shows that almost half of all formal jobs in knowledge-intensive activities were located in São Paulo in 2023. Minas Gerais, the second-highest ranked state, is home to less than 10% of these jobs, followed by Rio Grande do Sul (8.5%), Paraná (7.7%), and Santa Catarina (7.4%) with even lower percentages
Data
São Paulo is Brazil’s main hub for knowledge-intensive activities
*Corresponding to high and medium-high technologically intensive sectors according to the OECD
- Another way to measure this centralization is the presence of startups in the state of São Paulo, and among them, deep techs. A 2024 survey by the Brazilian Startups Association revealed that 40.7% of Brazilian startups were based in São Paulo alone, followed by Minas Gerais (8.9%), Santa Catarina (8.5%), Rio de Janeiro, and Paraná (both with 8.4%)
- When it comes to deep techs, the concentration is even greater, with more than half (55%) located in São Paulo in 2024, according to a report by consultancy Emerge. These companies, which operate at the forefront of technology and carry out intense research and development activities to overcome the high risks and complex challenges of their area of operations, have the potential to generate significant social and economic impacts
- The high concentration of these companies in São Paulo has been attributed to the presence of prestigious universities and research institutions in the state, many associated with public and private innovation environments, in addition to supportive initiatives, especially at the state level
Sources
First graph Brazilian Ministry of Labor & Employment – Annual Social Indicators Report (RAIS): 2023
Second graph Brazilian Startups Association (Abstartups). Startup Ecosystem Map. 2024.
“DEEP TECHS REPORT, BRAZIL 2024”.
Prepared by FAPESP / DPCTA / GIP
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