Fapespa celebrates 14 years of supporting science, technology and innovation

The Amazon Foundation in Support of Studies and Research (Fapespa) was created 14 years ago to advance research in science, technology and innovation in the state of Para. to projects, such as StartUp Pará and Barómetro da Sustentabilidade.

According to the 2020-2023 Multi-Year Plan Evaluation Report, the target has been exceeded. In 2020 alone, Fapespa has released 323 important studies to support the productive sectors, and aid decision making by various agents.

innovative business

Maria Trindade, Startup Pará Program Coordinator, spoke about efforts to promote innovative entrepreneurship exclusively from state resources.

“Fapespa provides technical and financial support through the StartUp program to submit proposals for innovative ideas or companies (startups) that make major changes to the sustainable development of the country. We currently have 27 entrepreneurs selected on the first call, in two ways: new thinking/action; and acceleration/project After the final selection, these ten of each method will be able to receive financial support and qualitative benefits in order to improve their proposals, to reach the market with more security and to obtain their development with a greater chance of success”, points out the coordinator.

The StartUp Pará program is implemented by Fapespa, as well as the State Departments for Science, Technology, Vocational and Technological Education (Sectet); Planning and Management (SEBLAD). Since June 2021, the Guama Foundation has implemented the technical implementation.

Wallace Gomez Leal is a neuroscientist and one of the beneficiaries of StartUp Pará. “This program is great and research and innovation have never been treated like they are now. As a university professor, there was a moment when I wanted to turn my research output into something that could enter the market, both in terms of income generation but also for the benefit of the population,” he adds.

The researcher intends to convert the startup company into a company to make the products available in the market. “I am developing a substance in the Startup program at Neuroprotect, (my startup), which is a substance that protects the brain of people who have had CVA (cerebral vascular accident), a bio-product derived from Amazonian plants, a natural nerve protector. Startup Pará, it makes the effectiveness possible. It was a great learning experience. I would like to congratulate the Pará government for this wonderful program, because that’s how we started to approach big centers like São Paulo, where a lot has been invested in innovation, and to developed countries like the United States and Germany,” Wallace evaluates.

The program is also investing in solutions to avoid wasted water consumption, identify and monitor Alzheimer’s disease, and products to extend the shelf life of foods on the shelves among participants. One third of the projects selected are coordinated by women entrepreneurs, highlighting the significant participation of women.

“This initiative will maintain and expand the market share of innovative or technology-based businesses, improve the quality of goods and/or services, increase production capacity, and develop future generations of employment in the country’s economic development., to generate solutions that can have a positive impact. On the quality of life of all Pará residents, Maria Trindade emphasizes.

Social and Environmental Indicators

Roberto Toma, Director of Environmental Research at Fabispa, highlights the Sustainability Scale, a tool for indicators of human and ecosystem well-being in the Pará region.

Initially developed in Canada, it aims to monitor progress in a particular territory and monitor the degree of sustainability of municipalities to see if they are experiencing regression or progress in different situations, such as infant mortality, maternal death, number of doctors in that city, number of hospital beds Pregnancy in childhood and adolescence, degree of extreme poverty in the municipality, activity rate, child labor, per capita income in the municipality, child labor, illiteracy degree, school drop-out rate, level of internet access, access to electricity, number of reports of thefts, and murders”, citing About Roberto, referring to social indicators.

Regarding the environment, the indicators deal with the degree of deforestation, the population in the house with running water, the bathroom, the number of hot spots and household garbage collection, for example.

“The purpose of these indicators is to provide subsidies to the state government to develop policies consistent with the specific reality of each municipality, based on the diagnosis. The barometer is a measure of problems in the city, it shows the reality to the manager who often does not see it,” sums up the director.