Ministers of State for Science, Technology and Innovation discuss the region’s ecosystem at the South Summit

The final day of South Summit Brasil’s programs at the RS Innovation Phase, the official government space at the event, hosted the Ministers of State for ST&I (Consecti) meeting. The meeting was moderated by Consecti President, Rafael Pontes Lima, and attended by Rio Grande do Sul’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology (Sict/RS), Alsones Balestrin, and Consecti Vice President, Marcio Oliveira.

The space was a meeting point for country representatives of the secretariats, where they discussed topics of interest to the Brazilian innovation system. One of the points raised was the inclusivity of the district, which works with health, agribusiness, education and many of the central themes of the community. The present trustees presented their challenges and the main projects implemented by each secretariat.

“This space is very rich for us to discuss issues of common interest and to increase the exchange of information between our countries, which are diverse and numerous, but at the same time they face similar challenges in many aspects,” Ballestrine said.

Breaking protocol, Balestrin invited the representative of the Brazil Festival of the South by Southwest (SXSW), the world’s largest innovation event, held annually in Austin, Texas. Tracy Mann thanked the host and told how the event changed the city of Texas, which is currently the fastest growing by population in the United States. “I have no doubts that it was innovation that made this possible,” Tracy said. SXSW receives, annually, about 70 thousand participants.

summit of southern brazil

Held since 2012 in Madrid, Spain, the South Summit is a global platform for innovation and bringing together start-ups, companies and global investment funds. It has already transferred investments estimated at 8.8 billion US dollars. The Brazilian version is coordinated by the Government of Rio Grande do Sul, South Summit Spain and IE University, with support from the City of Porto Alegre.