technology in Brazil

Traditional exporter of raw materials and center of foreign investment in the productive sector, Brazil is now seeking to attract capital for cutting-edge research in areas such as oil and information technology.

"The biggest challenge for Brazil is innovation. We are very competitive in agriculture, aviation, oil and gas. But our industry has a weak culture of innovation ", said recently the Minister of Science and Technology, Antonio Mercadante.

"We encourage the industry to innovate (...) and we bring research centers (foreign) who will apply for patents in Brazil," he added.

A research centers is Cenpes installed by the Brazilian oil giant Petrobras in the northern suburbs of Rio. Another is the Digital Port in Recife, capital of the state of Pernambuco (Northeast), a technology park that houses nearly 180 institutions and companies specializing in information technology.

The Cenpes, established in 1970 and located on the campus of the Federal University (UFRJ), has invested $ 700 million (€ 484 million) since 2005 to attract international companies working in the Brazilian oil industry such as French or American GE Schlumberger, Halliburton and Baker Hughes.

"The most important suppliers of Petrobras, in Brazil saw a good business opportunity and recognizing the quality of Brazilian universities, come to establish an intellectual partnership with us to complement our commercial relationship," said the press responsible Research and development of Petrobras, Carlos Tadeu Fraga.

Among the projects to be developed, he cited research in biotechnology, biofuels and environment.

Petrobras has invested 2.6 billion dollars (1.8 billion euros) for research and development from 2008 to 2010 and provides huge investment to exploit oil found in very deep waters in the Atlantic Ocean, in a thick layer of salt.

His current proven reserves of 14 billion barrels of crude could more than triple the oil buried at sea and make Brazil one of the largest exporters of crude oil.

With a consumer market booming, Brazil offers good opportunities for foreign high-tech companies.

"Brazil is a good option for investment in Latin America in the field of technology. Here there are good professionals who can ensure that companies who invest have a greater guarantee of market penetration, "said the AFP Luis Anavitarte, an expert on emerging markets Gartner consultant.

The port of Recife Digital was founded ten years ago in order to give a boost to the sector of information technology and create jobs in the state of Pernambuco (northeast), one of Brazil's poorest .

Among the companies are installed including multinational Accenture, IBM and Motorola.