Arquivos do Mês: July 2026

Recife has been nominated to represent Brazil in the inaugural edition of the WIPO City of Innovation, an international award promoted by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized agency of the United Nations focused on innovation, creativity, and intellectual property protection.

Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its Intellectual Property Division, made the nomination, selecting three Brazilian cities for the initial stage of the competition. WIPO will evaluate the applications and is expected to announce the finalists by the end of September.

The award ceremony is scheduled for October 12 in Geneva, Switzerland, during the 6th UN Mayors Forum.

Recognition of an innovation-driven strategy

Recife’s nomination reflects recognition of a structured strategy to leverage innovation as a driver of economic and social development.

The city’s model is based on collaboration between:

• universities
• research centers
• startups
• companies
• public authorities

This integrated ecosystem seeks to transform knowledge into practical solutions, generating jobs, opportunities, and social impact.

Key initiatives and public policies

Recife’s application highlights several initiatives focused on strengthening innovation, applied research, and intellectual property, including:

• NITRO Program: developed in partnership with Porto Digital, aimed at strengthening Technology Innovation Centers (NITs), increasing IP filings, and accelerating technology transfer
• NIT Recife Network: part of the UniverCidade Program
• CORETO Program: promoting innovative entrepreneurship
• Municipal policies on open innovation, digital transformation, and startup support

These initiatives reinforce Recife’s strategy to foster a dynamic innovation ecosystem and knowledge-based economy.

Intellectual property as a development driver

The WIPO City of Innovation award evaluates how cities leverage intellectual property to:

• drive innovation
• promote sustainable development
• support the creative economy
• expand opportunities for entrepreneurs and researchers

Recife’s participation highlights the growing role of intellectual property in building more innovative, competitive, and sustainable cities.

Brazil ranks among the world’s top seven economies in investment in intangible assets, with total investment of US$ 312 billion in 2023, according to the report “Brazil in the Global Landscape of Intangible Investments” published by the Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office (BPTO).

Intangibles represent a significant share of GDP

According to the report, intangible investments already account for 7.6% of Brazil’s GDP, a level comparable to traditional sectors such as:

• agriculture (6.0%)
• financial sector (6.6%)
• and above extractive industries (3.7%)

This highlights the growing importance of assets such as software, databases, brands, industrial designs, and research and development (R&D) in the Brazilian economy.

Strong performance in trademark investments

One of the key highlights is Brazil’s position in trademark-related investments. The country ranks 5th globally, with approximately US$ 79 billion, surpassing economies such as France, Italy, and Spain.

Trademarks account for around 25% of Brazil’s total intangible investments, a higher share than that observed in the United Kingdom, underscoring their strategic importance in the business environment.

Underestimation remains a challenge

Despite these figures, the report indicates that approximately 72% of intangible investments in Brazil are not captured in National Accounts.

This is due to international accounting standards that treat expenditures on assets such as brands and organizational capital as expenses rather than investments — a pattern also observed across other economies.

Global trend: intangibles drive growth

Globally, the data reveal a structural shift: since 2008, investments in intangible assets have grown, on average, more than three times as fast as tangible investments.

By 2025, these investments exceeded US$ 10 trillion, consolidating their role as a key driver of the global economy.

Strategic implications

The rise of intangible investments reinforces the role of intellectual property as a core driver of competitiveness.

For Brazil, key priorities include:

• improving measurement frameworks
• strengthening innovation policies
• increasing private sector participation
• ensuring effective IP protection

Beyond investment levels, the real challenge lies in converting intangible assets into sustainable economic value.

Brazil has consolidated its position as the leading innovation hub in Latin America, accounting for 45.6% of all patent filings in the region, according to data from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

The figure places the country ahead of major regional economies such as Mexico, Argentina, and Chile, reinforcing its prominence within the regional intellectual property landscape. However, the data also reveals a more nuanced scenario: despite its leadership, innovation in the region still heavily depends on foreign players.

Mexico ranks second with approximately 34% of filings, while Argentina and Chile hold significantly smaller shares. Together, Brazil and Mexico account for nearly 80% of all patent applications in Latin America, highlighting the geographic concentration of innovation in the region.

High dependence on foreign technology

One of the most relevant findings of the report is that over 85% of patent filings in Latin America are made by non-residents, particularly companies from the United States and Europe.

This indicates that although Brazil leads in volume, a substantial portion of the technologies protected within its territory originates abroad, limiting the country’s ability to capture economic and technological value.

At the same time, there are encouraging signs: the share of local applicants has been gradually increasing. The data show growing participation by Latin American inventors and companies, suggesting a gradual strengthening of the region’s innovation capabilities.

Universities play a growing role

Another key highlight is the increasing participation of universities and public research institutions in patent filings. While their contribution has expanded, the private sector’s relative share has declined.

This dynamic suggests that a significant portion of high-value innovation still originates within academia, but faces challenges in reaching the market and generating large-scale economic impact.

Strategic challenge: turning science into business

The scenario reinforces a critical point for Brazil: the need to convert scientific output into applied innovation and competitive advantage.

In a global landscape where intangible assets and intellectual property are central to the knowledge economy, increasing the participation of domestic companies in developing and exploiting technologies will be essential to:

• enhance industrial competitiveness
• reduce external dependence
• strengthen local value chains
• attract strategic investments

Beyond leading in filing volume, Brazil’s challenge lies in transforming this position into a sustainable economic advantage.

Strategic Insight

Brazil’s leadership in patent filings reflects a relatively structured intellectual property system, but also exposes a typical gap found in emerging economies:

• strong scientific base
• limited market-oriented innovation

In this context, public policies, incentives for business innovation, and effective technology transfer mechanisms will be key to balancing the system.

Additionally, the scenario highlights the importance of institutions such as the Brazilian PTO (INPI) in fostering a more efficient, predictable, and innovation-driven environment.