According to the Connected Smart Cities 2023 ranking, Paraná holds a prominent national position, with ten cities from the state, including Curitiba, among the top hundred in the overall ranking. Moreover, Paraná is recognized as a leader in sustainability and innovation in Brazil, as indicated by the renowned Bright Cities platform. These achievements stem from the robust efforts spearheaded by the State of Paraná’s Secretary of Innovation, Modernization, and Digital Transformation (SEI).
Established in January 2023 under the leadership of state deputy and former mayor of Ponta Grossa, Marcelo Rangel, the secretariat’s mission is to devise and implement strategies for innovation, digitalization, streamlining bureaucracy, and enhancing state public efficiency. According to Rangel, who also serves as a Councilor for CETRAN (State Traffic Council of Paraná) and Viaje Paraná (the state’s tourism portal), “Paraná has become a benchmark for Brazil, primarily due to the evolution of innovation within the state’s interior. We are democratizing innovation, making this sector more accessible and comprehensible, especially to those less privileged. Paraná stands out because it has managed to translate innovation into tangible improvements in people’s lives.”
Continually pursuing intelligent collaborations and investments for the state, SEI, in collaboration with other state administration bodies and institutions, showcases some innovative best practices that merit recognition.
Paraná Anjo Inovador (Paraná Innovative Angel)
Paraná Anjo Inovador is the largest public financial incentive project in Brazil aimed at startups. There is R$20 million in this first phase of the private sector incentive project. Startups will receive a subsidy of up to R$250.000 each. In the first edition of the program, 72 innovative projects from Paraná companies classified by law as startups were selected and approved for the development of innovative products, services and processes in the health, education, agriculture and public management sectors.
Investment in innovation promoters
Accreditation of innovation-promoting environments by the State System of Technological Parks of Paraná (Separtec). There are 188 environments spread across all regions of the state, totaling 42 cities in Paraná. The initiative is the result of a partnership between SEI, SETI, and the Araucária Foundation, integrating a strategy that includes the allocation of R$34 million for innovation promotion in all regions of Paraná through two public calls, with announcements open until February 2024.
Innovation Agencies
Allocation of R$15 million to Regional Agencies in 10 cities in Paraná. They were strategically set up to cover all regions of the state, in Paranaguá, Ponta Grossa, Guarapuava, Pato Branco, Cascavel, Foz do Iguaçu, Umuarama, Maringá, Londrina, and Jacarezinho. Additionally, SEI is supporting municipalities with low HDI in opening Municipal Innovation Agencies with 13 agencies in the accreditation announcement for innovation-promoting environments.
Óculos Amigo (Friendly Glasses)
Purchase of Orcam MyEye 2.0 glasses for all 147 students with total blindness in the state education system. Investment of approximately R$ 2.2 million, with resources from the Children and Adolescents Fund – FIA. The device is provided to the student for use in their daily life, not just in the school environment. The device features a smart camera capable of reading texts and translating them into voice messages, thereby assisting in the quality of life for students with visual impairments.
Ideathon Paraná
Between October and November, over 700 students from both public and private schools participated in the largest student innovation marathon in the state, held in Apucarana, Curitiba, Foz do Iguaçu, Jacarezinho, Maringá, Ponta Grossa, and Londrina. In each stage, winners were awarded in two different categories: students from the 6th to the 8th grade of Elementary School and from the 1st and 2nd year of High School. The evaluation of the pitches was carried out by mentors specialized in entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology. The chosen theme was Smart Cities.
Compagas
Companhia Paranaense de Gas is a public company responsible for channeled distribution of gas in Paraná State, with clients in residential, comercial, industrial and vehicular sector. It has 53000 clients and a distribution network of 860 quilometers.
Fomento Paraná
Fomento Paraná is a financial institution of the Government of Paraná and operates in the transfer of resources from credit lines from national institutions.
Using the lines of FINEP and BNDES, which already have very low rates, to encourage innovation, Fomento Paraná created the Fomento Inova program.
- Fomento Inova Zero Interest – Financing of up to R$500 thousand for research, development and innovation projects in micro and small companies, the interest rate can reach zero. The fee subsidy is made through the Micro and Small Business Innovation Fund of Paraná (Fime-PR), developed based on the General Law of Micro and Small Businesses, which provides differentiated treatment for small businesses.
- Fomento Inova – Financing for innovation projects in amounts above R$500 thousand, for medium or large companies.
Fomento Paraná is structuring the Venture Capital Fund for Micro and Small Companies of Paraná (FCR-PR), to function as seed capital for innovative ventures.
Copel, the largest energy company in Paraná, has always been at the forefront of the latest technology in the electrical sector and management. Some of the most relevant initiatives:
- CVC – Corporate Venture Capital Fund with an initial investment of R$ 150 million, focused on proposals from national and international startups for the development of energy solutions. In this investment model, Copel seeks strategic return in addition to financial gains.
- Entre Rios do Oeste thermoelectric plant, which generates energy from biogas from residual pig farming biomass.
- Implementation of Eletrovia Paranaense, the largest in Brazil, in two phases: 2018: 730 km, connecting Paranaguá and Foz do Iguaçu, with 11 charging stations; 2022: start of ticketing and interconnection from Joinville (SC) to Londrina (PR).
- Copel Volt: Open Innovation program to select startups from Brazil and the world, to develop, with financial and technical support from
Copel, the most innovative solutions to face challenges launched by the Company: two editions, 10 proofs of concept carried out, around R$ 3 million in investments. - Fleet electrification/decarbonization: gradual replacement of conventional light vehicles with electric vehicles. Today Copel has 20% of its fleet electrified
The BRDE LABS Program was created in 2020, with the purpose of accelerating the development of the innovation environment in the South Region.
The main objectives are to disseminate the culture of innovation, generate business through open innovation and promote the connection of different actors in the innovation ecosystem. In each edition, 10 companies from Paraná participate as anchors and experience the open innovation process, presenting their challenges for which solutions developed by startups are sought.
This BRDE initiative was recognized nationally with the Innovation Seal, when it was among the first three places in the award promoted by the National School of Public Administration (Enap), in its 27th edition. In the 2023 edition, with the theme “Green and Equity Innovation”.
Over these four years, 38 companies from different regions of the state of Paraná have participated in BRDE LABS. And 753 startups were captured, 49 were selected for acceleration and meetings with participating companies to study the feasibility of developing proofs of concept.
The Paraná Information Technology and Communication Company (Celepar), a pioneering entity in the public sector based in the state of Paraná, Brazil, is at the forefront of innovation in optimizing governmental services. Facing persistent challenges such as prolonged waiting times, bureaucratic complexities, and ineffective communication across government departments, Celepar, in collaboration with state leaders, has dedicated its efforts to enhancing citizen experiences and delivering increased value through innovation.
The objective is to revolutionize the delivery of public services, with a strong emphasis on achieving tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.
C.Lab
In its pursuit of innovation, Celepar developed an innovation hub dedicated to pioneering and development of transformative initiatives, through design thinking methodology.
Smart Call (Chamada Inteligente)
Recognizing inefficiencies in the Brazilian educational system, Celepar initiated the Smart Call project. This groundbreaking endeavor introduces an advanced student registration and facial recognition-based attendance system. Rolled out in 2022, the system employs the Escola Paraná application for student photo registration. The technology captures class photos, allowing teachers quick, efficient attendance management.
Piloted in 80 schools, Smart Call demonstrated impressive efficiency gains. Now operational in over 1,700 schools, the system prioritizes data protection in compliance with the General Data Protection Law (LGPD). This innovative approach underscores Celepar’s commitment to ethical practices while revolutionizing educational technology in Brazil.
