3rd infoDev Global Forum on Innovation & Entrepreneurship &
XIX National Seminar on Science Parks and Business Incubation
Innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E) are the structural axes of a development agenda capable of coping with the challenges of the new world context and expectations of a more sustainable and cohesive society. It is a moment for setting out solutions that are, at one and the same time, daring and sensible for I&E’s contribution to this international effort, as well as for determining the means required to make it operational.
With this objective in mind, two very significant events are planned: the infoDev Global Forum on Business Incubation and the National Seminar on Technological Parks and Business Incubators. In the period extending from October 26 to 30, 2009, the city of Florianópolis (SC) will be the world capital of I&E, receiving approximately one thousand leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals and scholars from various parts of the world.
A Strategic Partnership
Cooperation – the very reason for being of the global I&E movement – has facilitated a conjugation of efforts on the part of the Information for Development Program, a World Bank initiative, the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Association of Entities Fostering Innovative Undertakings (Anprotec) and the Brazilian Service of Support to Micro and Small Businesses (Sebrae). In September 2008, infoDev established a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Science and Technology of Brazil (MCT), the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (SEBRAE), and the Brazilian National Association of Science Parks and Business Incubators (ANPROTEC). Through this partnership, Brazil joined infoDev's Donors Committee and announced its intention to host the 3rd infoDev Global Forum on Innovation & Entrepreneurship in 2009.
The overriding theme of Innovation and Entrepreneuriship for Development will guide the process of reflection among the participants in these events. The Global Forum will be charged with proposing a participative vision of business in the interest of world development, and the National Seminar will seek ways of transforming innovative micro and small businesses into sources of economic and social leverage, always under the prism of investment and internationalization.
The objective of the events is to discuss policies targeted at innovation, identifying the principal mechanisms for fostering and strengthening public- private partnerships; the role of business incubators in the development of such sectors as agribusiness and clean energy; the types of investment that can and are being made in new innovative companies; internationalization strategies that stimulate cooperation among innovative undertakings; and the attractiveness of technology parks for public and private investment.
The scenario for these two complementary events is one of the 10 most dynamic cities in the world, according to Newsweek magazine. Florianópolis has gained notoriety as it simultaneously brings together technology, industry and tourism. These characteristics have given the capital of Santa Catarina a well deserved reputation as the “Brazilian Silicon Valley”.
About the Hosts
infoDev is a partnership of international development agencies, coordinated and served by an expert Secretariat housed in the Global ICT Department (GICT) of the World Bank, one of its key donors and founders. It acts as a neutral convener of dialogue, and as a coordinator of joint action among bilateral and multilateral donors—supporting global sharing of information on ICT for development (ICT4D), and helping to reduce duplication of efforts and investments. infoDev also forms partnerships with public and private-sector organizations who are innovators in the field of ICT4D
The Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT) was created in 1985 in order to deal with topics related to the national scientific and technological legacy, while defining national science and technology policies, innovation, the information sciences and research and development. The MCT coordinates the implementation of programs and measures aimed at consolidating National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy. The objective of this policy is to transform the sector into a strategic component of Brazilian economic and social development, in such a way that the benefits of this process can be distributed fairly to all of society. MCT is also charged with implementation of the National Program of Support to Business Incubators and Technological Parks (PNI), which is designed to bring together, coordinate, improve and publicize institutional and financial support activities targeted to undertakings at business incubators and technological parks.
The BrazilianService of Support for Micro and Small Enterprises (Sebrae) is a private nonprofit organization that has the role of fostering competition and sustainable development of micro and small scale undertakings. The institution was created in 1972 as a result of pioneering initiatives that had the objective of stimulating entrepreneurship in Brazil.
Anprotec is an association that represents the interests of business incubators, technological parks and innovative undertakings in Brazil. Its activities are based on the fostering of activities in the areas of training, coordination of public policies and generation and dissemination of knowledge. The Association has a long 21-year history and now brings together 255 associated entities, representing approximately 400 incubators and 6,300 innovative undertakings which, taken together, employ approximately 33,000 people in all parts of Brazil.
CERTI (Centers of Reference in Innovative Technologies) is a private nonprofit organization created in 1984 to provide support to companies in incorporating knowledge and technology into their products and processes. As an institution of science, technology and innovation, CERTI was founded with the objective of performing applied technological research in a framework in which Brazil required significant leaps forward in terms of quality and development of its own innovative know-how, particularly in the area of the information sciences and state-of-the-art technologies. The Foundation has partnerships with universities and research centers in the country and abroad, including UFSC, MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in the United States and the PTB (Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt), in Germany.
Santa Catarina Network for Fostering Technological Entities is an institution representing business incubators and science parks located in the State of Santa Catarina. Recepet have the mission of promoting new technology through development and consolidating the business incubators. This reflected on the brand that passes on to growth and union to showing the importance of business incubation and incubator’s clients.
REGISTRATION
Anticipate your registration and get benefit with discount !
The registration fee is waived for members of infoDev's Global Network of Business Incubators (2 members per listed organization). Registration for the Global Forum includes training sessions, plenaries, site visits, conference materials, airport/conference center transfers, opening reception, lunches, farewell dinner, and a certificate of participation. For a list of Global Network members, please visit www.idisc.net.
The above regulation for waived registration fee does not apply to Brazilian institutions.
For registration fees click here
CLICK HERE TO START REGISTRATION
CONTACT us
For any questions related to general event management and to seek sponsorship opportunities, please do not hesitate to contact infoDev's Global Forum Task Manager, Ms. Felicia Haladner, at fhaladner@worldbank.org.
For more information on this event, visit www.infodev.org/globalforum2009 or http://www.gf-bns.net/ingles.