Assessment of public research, development and innovation programs for small business: the Brazilian experience

Authors

  • Bruna Fassarella Instituto Federal do Espírito Santo
  • Érika de Andrade Silva Instituto Federal do Espírito Santo
  • Márcia Elisa Echeveste Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
  • Júlia Nicchio Boschetti Instituto Federal do Espírito Santo
  • Júlia Fernandes Instituto Federal do Espírito Santo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-8085.2022.e91189

Keywords:

Assessment of innovation public programs, Small Business, TECNOVA-ES

Abstract

The first decade of the 2000s was quite fertile for the institutionalization and regulation of frameworks for innovation policy in Brazil. One of the instruments of this policy, the Grants for innovation, that is, the financing of innovation activities in companies with non-reimbursable resources, was used by the Funding Authority for Studies and Projects (Finep) in partnership with State Governments. As the states expanded the execution of grants for innovation programs, a latent demand for funding institutions is the evaluation of supported projects. This article presents a framework for assessing the impacts of public Research, Development, and Innovation (R&D&I) programs covering: culture of research innovation and cooperation dimension; economic dimension; and social dimension. We apply the framework to assess a Brazilian public program - TECNOVA-ES- aimed at small firms and executed in the Espírito Santo State, in southeastern Brazil. The results showed that over 85% of the projects would not have been developed without public funding. This program stimulated the establishment of partnerships with universities, customers, and suppliers, enabled the commercialization of new products, and allowed for the generation of an average of 3 new formal jobs per firm. We have shown that, in all dimensions assessed, the results are in line with the goals of the Program, and it is critical to the Brazilian innovation policy. 

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Published

2023-02-16