UFRJ SCIENCE PARK NEWS - DECEMBER

UFRJ Science Park News

The Newsletter of the Science Park at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) is a monthly publication which circulates information about the major activities undertaken at the institution as well as events of interest.

COMPETITIVENESS

UFRJ SCIENCE PARK STARTS DEBATE WITH COMPANIES, LABORATORIES AND ACADEMIA TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES AIMING AT INCREASING COMPETITIVENESS WITHIN OIL EXPLORATION FIELD IN BRAZIL

Given the scenario of economic instability in the country and the world crisis caused by the decrease in the price of the oil barrel, leaders of the Science Park, Coppe, UFRJ and of oil and gas companies started, in November, a working group to foster initiatives aiming at boosting competitiveness in the exploration industry. The initial idea is to create a document to be presented to promoting and regulation agents that focus on thematic priority areas so as to increase competitiveness, research strategies and funding expectations of research, development and innovation within the sector.

SUSTAINABILITY

FUNDO VERDE (GREEN FUND) OPENS, IN DECEMBER, FIRST STRETCH OF BIKE LANE IN UFRJ SCIENCE PARK

Until the end of December, the Science Park will have a 1.4 kilometer bike lane – the first of three stages of a project to deploy bicycle lanes in the whole area. The goal of this initiative is to decrease the flow of private cars in the area and, thus, contribute to the sustainable infrastructure projects carried out by the university. The bike lane is an initiative of The Fundo Verde, a laboratory installed within the Park area and supported by ICMS (Brazilian State Excise Tax) relief resources derived from the University’s electrical usage, an annual fund of around 7 million reais. The tax money is delivered back to the University under the condition of being reinvested in environmental projects designed to reduce electricity consumption and to generate sustainable alternatives. Among the initiatives implemented by the Fundo Verde we have the biodiesel van – produced with cooking oil collected from UFRJ restaurants–; the campus bike lane, the hydrogen bus and the electric car.

SUCCESS

GT2, A COMPANY FROM COPPE BUSINESS INCUBATOR, GIVES A PRESENTATION TO INVESTORS AT EMTECH BRAZIL

GT2 was one of the 15 startups that were chosen to give a presentation at the Venture Point of EmTech Brasil, which is a conference on emerging technologies of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and which took place in November 18-19 in Rio de Janeiro. GT2 operates in the energy sector, namely in the areas of: generation and transmission of electric power, support systems for the production of oil and gas, fuel refining and end use of fossil and renewable energy. Venture Point is a round of investments promoted by Finep (Studies and Projects Financial Supporter), by the Brazilian Agency for the Promotion of Exportation and Investment (Apex-Brasil) and by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

CONSTRUCTION WORK

AMBEV BEGINS CONSTRUCTION WORK OF ITS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT UFRJ SCIENCE PARK

Works for the construction of the Ambev’s Research and Development Center are already full steam ahead in the UFRJ Science Park. The Center will be opened in 2016 and its goal is to develop new products, ranging from beer to tea. This will be the seventh R&D center of the Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) group, to which Ambev belongs. AB Inbev is the largest beer conglomerate in the world; it operates with leader brands such as Stella Artois, Quilmes, Corona, Bohemia and Brahma in 17 countries. The R&D Center of Ambev will house 50 researchers as well as an Experimental Brewery on the ground floor of the new building.

LEARN MORE

■ FINALIST - Forebrain, a graduate company from Coppe/UFRJ Business Incubator, is one of the finalists for the Anprotec Prize for the 2015 Best Incubated Company. The Brazilian Association of Science Parks and Business Incubators (Anprotec) is the most relevant institution in the innovation and entrepreneurship areas in Brazil.

■ VISITS - In November, over 100 people visited the UFRJ Science Park and Coppe Business Incubator. Among them were representatives of the UK Embassy, students from Pedro II high school and students from the Catholic University of Temuco, in Chile.

■ POST-INCUBATION - The post-incubation program of the UFRJ Science Park made press headlines the entire month of November. The project consists of structuring the growth of the companies that left national business incubators less than a year ago. It also aims at aiding business articulation and innovation development. The Science Park is going to help them with facilities and infrastructure by offering tiered prices for space use. Four companies have already submitted formal requests for settling in the Park based on a recent tender.