Innovation Diplomacy Program
What is the PDI?
The Innovation Diplomacy Program (PDI), launched by the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty) in 2017, aims to break stereotypes associated with Brazil's image abroad and showcase the country as a producer of knowledge, products, and services in cutting-edge technological sectors. The PDI brings together technological promotion activities developed by the Ministry's posts abroad, guided by three institutional missions:
- Promote Brazil's image as an innovative nation.
- Foster connections between Brazilian and foreign partners.
- Engage actors from Brazilian innovation ecosystems in internationalization processes.
The Program is based on identifying a knowledge gap between the perception of external agents and Brazil's actual technological production capacity, which adversely affects the real side of the Brazilian economy by impacting the commercialization of technological products and the attraction of investments and talent to the sector. Additionally, it is noted that various actors in the National System of Science, Technology, and Innovation (SNCTI) have not developed a mindset focused on internationalization, which can lead to technological lag and loss of economic opportunities.
The existence of a network of 60 posts with Science, Technology, and Innovation Sectors (SECTECs) provides the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with external reach to facilitate connections, gather information, and develop analyses of great value to the SNCTI. Posts without SECTECs are also authorized to propose and execute activities within the scope of the PDI. These activities are equally accounted for in this report.
Decree No. 10,534, of October 28, 2020, which instituted the National Innovation Policy, stipulated that among the guidelines of the National Innovation Strategy (ENI), in the axis of disseminating the culture of entrepreneurial innovation, should be the promotion of the "Country on the international stage as an innovative nation." The PDI was considered by the Innovation Chamber as a strategic action of the federal government to achieve this objective. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Program is listed as one of the projects in the "Institutional Strategic Planning" until the end of 2023 and has been included in the Ministry's "Open Data Policy." In 2020, the PDI became part of the MEI Tools, a platform of the National Confederation of Industry's Business Mobilization for Innovation, which gathers updated information on support instruments for members of Brazilian innovation ecosystems.
For more information, refer to the Innovation Diplomacy Program Reports for 2023 and 2022.
Program for 2024
For the PDI 2024, 234 initiatives were approved (166 in 2023), in 50 posts located in 36 countries, which will be carried out throughout 2024. Budget resources for the PDI were authorized for 85 initiatives (36% of those approved), totaling R$2.88 million.
From a geographical perspective, posts in Europe will have 100 projects (42% of activities), followed by North America with 47 projects (20%), and Asia with 41 projects (17%). In Latin America, 29 projects were approved (12%); in Oceania, 9 (3%); in Africa, 4 (1.7%); and in the Middle East, 4 (1.7%).
The 10 technological segments that will be most addressed in the projects are: environmental technologies, healthtechs, biotechnology, communication technologies, energy, agritechs, artificial intelligence, bioeconomy, aerospace, and fintechs. Among the approved activities, there is a predominance of in-person seminars (39), webinars (30), innovation ecosystem mappings (29), participation in trade fairs (22), and startup missions (21).
Check the planned activities on the following interactive map: