The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) of the Swiss Confederation, through swissnex Brazil and the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovations and Communications (MCTIC) renewed the agreement for the implementation of the “Academia-Industry Training” (AIT) programme for three additional cycles, between 2020 and 2023. The AIT is an initiative that fosters the cooperation in research, innovation and internationalisation between Switzerland and Brazil. The first edition of the AIT was held in 2014 and has happened every year since, supporting over 100 entrepreneurs over six editions. The University of St.Gallen (HSG) responsible for the academic cooperation between Switzerland and Latin America, the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) are partners of the programme and work in close collaboration for the activities’ organisation.
In November 2019, the Joint Committee on Cooperation in Science and Technology met for the fourth time in Brasilia to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation signed between Switzerland and Brazil in 2009. The meeting has also been the opportunity to reinforce the commitment to the continuity of the scientific cooperation initiatives created between the two countries in the past decade.
On that occasion, two memorandums of understanding were signed between the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and Innosuisse (Swiss Innovation Agency) with their Brazilian counterparts, CNPq and EMBRAPII, respectively. Between October 2014 and September 2019, the SNSF has supported 78 research projects involving scientific collaboration with Brazilian researchers. Brazil has shown to be a leading research partner in Latin America for Swiss academics interested in the region.
In 2020, the Academia-Industry Training was officialised in the science diplomacy projects’ triennial agenda between Brazil and Switzerland. This renewal shows the importance of the programme, that offers the necessary tools to support science-entrepreneurs to bring their research outside the labs, adding value to scientific and technological research developed with public financing that has a positive impact on society. For each edition of the AIT, up to 10 participants from each country are selected, which have all travel and accommodation costs funded.
The programme consists of two intense camps, one week spent between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and another one in Switzerland a few months later. This is a unique occasion to experience a foreign market, with its associated challenges and opportunities. Entrepreneurs have the chance to participate in workshops on business skills, pitch training, mentoring sessions and various networking events with their peers and industry players.
The AIT is currently in its 7th edition and open for application until June 22nd, 2020. Since its creation in 2014, it has welcomed more than 100 entrepreneurs who have given highly positive feedback about the learning and networking opportunities enabled by the programme. swissnex Brazil and the Leading House play a central role for the AIT, from the selection of candidates to the organization of both camps.
“The swissnex Brazil AIT camp program was for me not only an opportunity to get acquainted with the Brazilian startup ecosystem and the Brazilian culture but it was also and more importantly a fantastic opportunity to meet great people sharing a drive to change the world for the better. I loved it. ” Jonathan Fiorentini – hiLyte Power
It was THE moment in my life, not just professionally but in my personal too! Now I can see myself as the science-entrepreneur that I am!
– Ana Carolina Ferronato, NetWord Agro