Forbes: Santa Catarina's contribution to Brazil's technological ecosystem

Segundo recente matéria da Forbes, Santa Catarina, localizada no sul do Brasil, está determinada a elevar sua posição no cenário de inovação do país, aproveitando fatores únicos que a diferenciam de outros estados. O epicentro da cena de inovação do estado é a sua capital, Florianópolis, conhecida por ter a maior densidade de startups por habitante no Brasil. Portanto, com uma população de apenas 500.000 habitantes, a cidade emergiu como a força motriz por trás do boom tecnológico do estado, concentrando-se predominantemente em modelos B2B. Ou seja, nos quais as empresas projetam sistemas para outras organizações em vez de consumidores finais.

Florianópolis: A cradle of successes

Florianópolis foi o berço de empreendimentos bem-sucedidos que passaram por algumas das maiores fusões e aquisições do Brasil. Como a RD Station, uma empresa de marketing digital adquirida pela gigante de software Totvs, e a Neoway, uma empresa de big data comprada pela B3, ambas por cerca de $340 milhões em 2021. Além disso, o estado abriga empresas de tecnologia estabelecidas que antecedem o boom das startups e também recebe empresas emergentes e gigantes globais como Mercado Livre, Zoho e Zucchetti.

“Faced with its challenges, such as the lack of significant oil or mineral reserves and the absence of vast agricultural lands, added to natural adversities such as droughts, floods and hurricanes, Santa Catarina had to turn to an alternative economic base to guarantee growth ”, said Marcelo Fett, a veteran of the sector and the first Secretary of Science and Technology of Santa Catarina. In this way, the creation of the secretariat supports the collective objective of the Santa Catarina ecosystem of accelerating the state's technology industry. Which is currently made up of 22,125 technology companies with a combined turnover of approximately $4.5 billion. And thus, it represents 6% of the state's GDP.

Therefore, this places Santa Catarina as the sixth largest technological hub in Brazil. The objective now is to double this contribution by 2026. Through measures such as granting credit to entrepreneurs. As well as, the expansion of student loans and financial incentives for research-oriented companies within the state. More details on this to be revealed later this year. “[Santa Catarina] is a state with a lot going for it, especially when it comes to technology. And it needs modernization to go even further”, said the state governor, Jorginho Mello, in an interview with the journalist Angelica Mari, from Forbes.

Entrepreneurial spirit driven by scarcity

Inherently risky in their personal lives, immigrants have contributed to the local entrepreneurial spirit, Engelmann said, adding that their willingness to take risks, combined with the scarcity of opportunities rooted in local culture, has catalyzed the creation of countless startups. “We are a state made up of immigrants, who depended on mutual aid to survive. This naturally promotes entrepreneurship and association, generating tangible results”, he noted.

Outra razão fundamental pela qual o ecossistema tecnológico em Santa Catarina é tão significativo em comparação com seu PIB é a escassez, de acordo com Rafael Assunção, sócio de uma empresa de fusões e aquisições com sede em Florianópolis, Questum. “O estado tem um número limitado de empregos corporativos, especialmente em comparação com estados como São Paulo ou Rio. Além disso, existem universidades de alta qualidade que formam inúmeros talentos. Que não são necessariamente absorvidos pelas grandes corporações”, disse Assunção. Acrescentando que esse cenário resulta em uma situação única. Com oportunidades limitadas, o empreendedorismo se torna um dos poucos caminhos viáveis.

Assunção makes a comparison between Santa Catarina and Israel, emphasizing how limitations can boost innovation. “Both places, although distinct in nature, are marked by a scarcity of resources. In other words, it makes people think outside the box”, observed the investor.

Therefore, this ecosystem driven by scarcity in Santa Catarina and the lack of a large consumer market led to the proliferation of B2B startups. In this way, these companies tend to be more capital-efficient and customer-centric: rather than relying on large sums of external capital, these startups focus on creating real value for customers. “This set of characteristics makes [local startups] particularly attractive to investors and strategic partners, as they offer solutions tested and validated in the market,” noted Assunção.

Sectors with High Growth Potential

When asked about specific sectors with high growth potential, Assunção pointed to fintechs and retail techs. “These sectors are poised to benefit from new technologies, especially with the current wave of innovation around artificial intelligence. They handle transactional volumes and vast data, serving consumers increasingly hungry for personalized experiences,” he said.

Preparing for a global market

The next frontier for Santa Catarina's technology sector, according to ACATE's Engelmann, is global reach. “We are well positioned and it is time to fly our flag internationally. In other words, showing that global expansion is an integral part of the journey of local entrepreneurs”, he highlighted.

Startups from Santa Catarina have already started to make their mark globally. Among them, Decora, a company that provides 3D decoration scenes for retailers, is a successful example. Sold to the American company Creative Drive in 2018. The company's technology is now used by some of the largest retail chains in the world. Like Apple and Walmart. “The large and complex Brazilian market encourages entrepreneurs to create world-class solutions,” said Assunção.

Challenges and opportunities

One of the challenges for this Brazilian ecosystem is to develop the ability to better narrate and promote its success stories. According to Questum’s Assunção: “While the state may not have gigantic success stories like Silicon Valley… It has hundreds of smaller but significant victories that are worth celebrating.”

Article in English on Forbes.