Santa Catarina, a state in the south of Brazil, is making waves in the country’s tech ecosystem with its innovative and resilient spirit. The state has a history of overcoming challenges and turning them into opportunities for growth and development. With a diverse and vibrant mix of established and emerging tech companies, Santa Catarina aims to become a national model for tech advancement and expand its global reach.
A Hub Of Innovation And Entrepreneurship
The capital of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, is known for having the highest startup density per capita in Brazil. With a population of just 500,000, the city has produced some of the most successful tech ventures in the country, such as RD Station, a digital marketing firm acquired by software giant Totvs, and Neoway, a big data company purchased by B3 – both for around $340 million in 2021.
Florianópolis is also home to many other tech firms that predate the startup boom, as well as global players like Mercado Livre, Zoho, and Zucchetti. This creates a rich environment of collaboration and exchange of expertise among different actors in the tech scene.
Iomani Engelmann, president at local technology association ACATE and CEO at health tech Pixeon, attributes the growing appeal of the local tech scene to Santa Catarina’s historic and cultural trajectory, since a significant portion of Santa Catarina’s population has Italian, German or Portuguese heritage.
“Santa Catarina has always been a land of immigrants who brought with them a strong work ethic and a sense of community. They also faced many difficulties, such as lack of natural resources, extreme weather events, and isolation from the rest of the country. These factors forced them to be creative and innovative to survive and thrive,” he says.
A State With A Vision For The Future
Santa Catarina’s government is also committed to supporting and accelerating the state’s tech industry, which currently consists of 22,125 tech firms with a combined turnover of approximately $4.5 billion, accounting for 6% of the state’s GDP. This positions Santa Catarina as Brazil’s sixth-largest tech hub.
The state recently created its first Secretariat of Science and Technology, led by Marcelo Fett, a veteran of the sector. The secretariat aims to implement policies and initiatives that will foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the state, as well as attract more investments and talent.
“The goal is to double the contribution of the tech sector to the state’s GDP by 2026. To achieve this, we are working on several fronts, such as providing credit for entrepreneurs, expanding student loans and financial incentives for research-driven enterprises within the state, improving infrastructure and connectivity, and promoting internationalization and cooperation with other ecosystems,” Fett says.
One of the projects that the secretariat is developing is a digital platform that will connect all the stakeholders in the state’s tech ecosystem, such as entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, universities, incubators, accelerators, and public agencies. The platform will provide information, services, opportunities, and networking for anyone interested in joining or collaborating with the catarinense tech community.
A Global Player With Local Impact
Santa Catarina’s startups have already begun making a mark globally. Among them is Decora, a company providing 3D decor scenarios for retailers. Sold to US firm Creative Drive (a company now owned by Accenture) in 2018, the firm’s technology is now utilized by some of the world’s largest retailers, like Apple and Walmart.
Another example is Resultados Digitais (RD), which offers software solutions for small and medium-sized businesses to manage their online presence and marketing campaigns. RD has expanded its operations to several Latin American countries, such as Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, and Peru.
However, Santa Catarina’s tech companies are not only focused on external markets. They also have a strong social impact in their own state and country. For instance, Pixeon provides health care software that helps hospitals and clinics improve their efficiency and quality of service. Pixeon has also developed solutions to help fight the Covid-19 pandemic, such as an app that allows patients to schedule appointments online and avoid crowding in waiting rooms.
Another case is Cheesecake Labs (CKL), a software development company that works with clients from different industries and countries. CKL has also created several social projects that aim to empower local communities through technology education. One of them is Code:Nation (CN), a platform that offers free online courses on programming skills for anyone who wants to learn or improve their coding abilities.
“We believe that technology can be a force for good in society. That’s why we invest in projects that can make a difference in people’s lives and create opportunities for social inclusion and economic development,” says Marcelo Gracietti, co-founder and CEO of CKL.
Santa Catarina is a state that has proven its potential and ambition in the tech sector. With a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, a supportive government, and a global vision, Santa Catarina is poised to become a rising star in Brazil’s tech scene and beyond.
