The National Education and Research Network (RNP) was one of the institutions selected by the Call for Catalisa ICT, of the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae) which aims to create mechanisms to assist innovative technology-based businesses. The initiative proposes to be a journey of acceleration, which offers researchers training in management, mentoring, promotion of projects and approximation between academia and the market.

Launched in January of this year, the national call selected researches with potential to become innovative businesses. These researchers will develop Innovation Plans and, if pre-selected, will be assisted by Science and Technology entities, which will provide a series of services to promote the research projects.

These entities could be accredited in two ways: as a Technological Innovation Center (NIT) and as Laboratories. RNP will act on both fronts, through its Technological Innovation Management, for intellectual property protection and technology transfer services, and through RNP Testbeds service, which offers distributed platforms for experimentation, research, testing, measurement and network homologation, through specialized R&D consultancy in different ICT platforms (Information and Communication Technologies). 

“One of our objectives is to be close to the main actors at the national level linked to the innovation ecosystem, present in the Catalisa ICT project”, informs RNP's Research and Development manager, Gustavo Dias, referring, in addition to Sebrae, to other accredited institutions, such as Anprotec and Fortec.

How does the service to innovative businesses work?

According to Gustavo Dias, after the result of the accreditation of the two RNP mechanisms, which has already been contemplated with a first list of researchers with their respective innovation plans, RNP will contact such researchers to align the understanding and needs of both, to then define if they are able to carry out the services.

If these conditions exist, the researchers will draw up a plan with, on average, 18 hours, to effectively carry out the consultations. All services provided by NITs and Laboratories must be completed by March 2023.

About Catalisa ICT

Catalisa/ICT is an initiative articulated by Sebrae, in partnership with entities of the national innovation ecosystem, with the objective of accelerating and promoting innovative technology-based businesses, to leverage the generation of wealth and well-being for society.

Catalisa/ICT comprises a journey of acceleration with several stages, lasting approximately four years. More information about the Sebrae initiative is available at Sebrae's website.

Questions can be sent by email at catalisaict@anprotec.org.br.