Programs and Instruments for Promoting Innovation with Technology-Based Companies in Brazil

The need to stimulate technological entrepreneurship has been one of the biggest challenges faced in Science, Technology and Innovation Policies in Brazil. Therefore, the present research sought to carry out a comparative study of different programs and instruments to foster innovation for smaller companies coordinated by the Federal Government and operated through its Autarchies, Public Companies and Social Organizations. The following programs were used as research objects: (1) STARTUP BRAZIL; (2) STARTUP-INDUSTRY CONNECTION; (3) EMBRAPII – SEBRAE PROGRAM; (4) FINEP STARTUP; (5) STARTUP – INDUSTRY CONNECTION 4.0; (6) CONECTA STARTUP BRAZIL. We sought to investigate the following aspects: (1) proposed objectives; (2) profiles of targeted companies; (3) promotion frequency; (4) available financial resources; (5) fostering technological cooperation with STIs, and (6) mobilization of actors from innovation ecosystem. The research’s results demonstrated that there were upgrades in strategies to foster innovation. New programs started to establish new rules with the purpose of stimulating and/or conditioning partnerships’ formation among companies and institutions present in the innovation ecosystem.