HOST CITY

Innovation
Innovation has always been part of Rio de Janeiro’s history. The ability to reinvent and embrace creativity is in the carioca DNA. The second largest city in Brazil and the third largest in Latin America – with more than 6 million inhabitants – Rio is home to large companies.

According to the Creative Industry Mapping, conducted by Firjan, Rio is the largest hub of Brazil’s creative economy. The state of Rio de Janeiro is the largest representative of the national creative industry, considering the percentage of GDP from this area of the economy – 3.8%, generating R$20.6 billion per year.

The city of Rio de Janeiro also has the largest number of professionals working in the area: 107,000 people.

UFRJ Science Park
Located in the ‘cidade maravilhosa’, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro is a leader in cutting-edge research, with more than 950 laboratories and 4,800 teachers. It is one of the largest development and technology hubs in the country, the UFRJ Science Park.

Since its inauguration, the Park promotes and fosters the generation of knowledge in an environment of cooperation between the academic community and resident companies. Its main objectives are promoting technological development in different segments and strengthening the connections between entrepreneurial initiatives.

Connecting the links of innovation networks enhances the generation of knowledge and value for society. The Park’s resident companies have signed more than 400 contracts with laboratories and professors of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, totaling an investment of more than R$150 million.

Currently, the Park is home to research centers of large multinationals, as well as small and medium-sized companies and UFRJ laboratories. COPPE’s Business Incubator is also part of this innovative environment. Created in 1994, the Incubator has as its purpose uniting a leading research and enterprising culture.

One of the pioneers in Brazil and source of inspiration for the creation of the Park, the Incubator is responsible for the formation of more than 80 companies in the country. The Park will also house Fiocruz’s drug research and development center, further strengthening the different interactions with the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

With an eye on the future, the Park has established partnerships with other national and international innovative environments, through interchange programs between companies.

The Park’s goal is to expand beyond its physical borders and attract companies from around the world, creating a dynamic and diverse ecosystem of interaction and support for innovation. The Park also has co-working spaces, events areas and rooms available for entrepreneurship projects of students and professors.

The Park believes innovation is a driving force for the development of technology and the promotion of well-being in society. This is the mission of the UFRJ Science Park.

‘Cidade Maravilhosa’
Rio de Janeiro has some of the most famous tourist attractions in Brazil and in the world. It was the first city to receive the title of World Heritage in the Cultural Landscape category from Unesco.

In addition to Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf, Ipanema beach and Pedra da Gávea, Rio has beautiful parks, such as the Botanical Garden, the Parque Henrique Lage and the Parque das Ruínas.

Please, click here for more information on the city’s main sights and plan your visit.