INPI invests in strategies to strengthen the industrial property culture in Brazil

Author Pietra Macedo

The Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office (INPI) is investing in new strategies to strengthen the culture of Industrial Property (IP) in Brazil, leveraging the knowledge generated by the country’s science and technology institutions. The goal is to link IP protection with investment in research and innovation, which is largely funded by the State Research Support Foundations (FAPs) and federal funding agencies such as the Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDES – Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social) and the Funding Authority for Studies and Projects (FINEP – Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos). To achieve this, innovation funding calls now include IP training or the filing of IP protection applications as a prerequisite or a classificatory criterion. This strategy aims to increase IP registrations, while also providing legal security for the commercialization of innovations, benefiting companies, research institutions, and the regions in which they operate. In 2024, the INPI has already participated in seven funding calls and plans to expand its involvement in 2025, aiming to further impact society and enhance the visibility of IP in the country.

Several Brazilian states are aligned with this strategy. In Paraná, the “Prime” funding call requires the filing of patent applications with the INPI as a selection criterion for researchers and companies, bridging academic research with the market. In Goiás, the state adopts a diversified approach, with the “Support Program for Innovation Environments in Higher Education Institutions,” which uses the number of patents filed with the BPTO as a qualification criterion, and the “Innovation Trails: Support for Startups II” program, which focuses on companies with advanced technological projects, while also promoting gender equity with the “ELEVE – Incubation and Acceleration” call aimed at female entrepreneurs. In Santa Catarina, the focus is on the commercialization of technologies, with the “Intellectual Property Incentive Program” financing IP registration costs and providing support to overcome commercialization challenges.

These actions by the INPI and its state partners demonstrate a collective effort to foster innovation in Brazil, using IP as a strategic tool to transform academic knowledge into economic and social impact. The expectation is that by integrating IP into public innovation policies, the results will be long-lasting, contributing to sustainable development and strengthening the country’s competitiveness.

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