Tecnopuc is the Science and Technology Park of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), a world-class university. Founded in 2003, we are one of the first science and technology parks in Brazil, and throughout our history, we have stood out as a vibrant and inspiring ecosystem that transforms knowledge into development, connecting talent and organizations across borders, generating innovation and entrepreneurship. Currently, the Tecnopuc community embraces over 300 organizations, including companies, government, research centers, startups, and professional and business associations, bringing together approximately 6,500 people. In 2023, we were recognized by the Triple E Awards as the fourth best global innovation ecosystem and the first by popular vote. Tecnopuc's actions are driven by four pillars: people, creativity, innovation, and impact. The essence of Tecnopuc lies in people. Highly qualified professionals converge in a collaborative environment, fostering the exchange of ideas and driving significant projects. The heterogeneity of experiences and perspectives catalyzes creativity, resulting in disruptive and visionary solutions. Innovation, Tecnopuc's trademark, manifests through the application of science and technology, enabling the emergence of innovative businesses that shape the future. The entrepreneurial spirit, nurtured and encouraged from the academic environment, drives economic and social development. The impact, Tecnopuc's legacy, transcends the growth of startups and companies, promoting positive transformations in society and the environment. Projects and initiatives are guided by a vision of sustainability, aiming not only for commercial success but also for collective well-being. Watch the institutional video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utCI2LI2zyE
Finalist
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem of the Year Award
Tecnopuc - PUCRS Science and Technology Park
Finalist Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem of the Year Award
Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul – PUCRS - Brazil
"The power of innovating together. "
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Summary
Key People
Br. Manuir José Mentges
President
Rectory ,
PUCRS
Br. Marcelo Bonhemberger
Vice-president
Rectory ,
PUCRS
Prof. Jorge Luis Nicolas Audy
Superintendent of Innovation and Development
Superintendence of Innovation and Development ,
PUCRS
Prof. Adriana Justin Cerveira Kampff
Vice-President of Undergraduate and Continuing Education
Rectory ,
PUCRS
Prof. Draiton de Souza
Vice-President of Research and Postgraduate Studies
Rectory ,
PUCRS
Prof. Andrea Bandeira
Vice-President of Health
Rectory ,
PUCRS
Prof. Mauricio Testa
Vice-President of Administration and Finance
Rectory ,
PUCRS
Flavia Fiorin
Director
Tecnopuc,
PUCRS
Acknowledgements
We are privileged and delighted to have countless partners on our journey. We are grateful:
To PUCRS – Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, whose vision for the future and ability to deliver on it built what is now Tecnopuc.
To the fundamental support of the Federal government, through the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation and FINEP, an agency dedicated to fostering innovation in Brazil; the State government, through the Secretariat of Innovation, Science, and Technology and FAPERGS – Rio Grande do Sul Research Support Foundation; and the Municipal government, through the Secretariat of Innovation.
To the universities – UFRGS, Unisinos, and UFCSPA, that collaborate alongside PUCRS in the Alliance for Innovation, giving rise to the Pacto Alegre (Alegre Pact), which in turn attracted South Summit Brazil to our state capital, in an ecosystem-wide movement that has placed our region on the global innovation map.
To all the researchers, professionals, entrepreneurs and young talents who build the future together with us every day.
Images
Inauguration of the new Tecnopuc Portal, a building that provides access to the other areas of the Park, in March 2025. The initiative is aligned with the Tecnopuc Anywhere project, which aims to expand the Park's operations.
In 2024, Tecnopuc hosted the IASP Latin America Conference, an event that brought together people of nine nationalities. Event ceremony with Ms. Luciana Santos, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of Brazil.
The Tecnopuc community attended South by Southwest (SXSW) 2025. The mission, carried out in partnership with CMPC, one of the companies that make up the Park's ecosystem, brought 16 people to Austin, Texas, including university researchers and entrepreneurs.
In 2025, the IPR - Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources of PUCRS inaugurated the first equipment that performs direct CO₂ capture in Latin America, with the capacity to remove 300 tons of CO₂ per year.
Facade of the Tecnopuc Portal, a building that provides access to the PUCRS Science and Technology Park.
During the May 2024 floods, Tecnopuc hosted the Porto Alegre City Hall Crisis Committee, the Rio Grande do Sul Departments of Innovation, Science and Technology, Education, Public Works, and Social Development, as well as companies whose headquarters were affected. The park also brought together entrepreneurs, researchers, and volunteers seeking solutions to the climate crisis.
Tecnopuc Open Office is held once a semester in partnership with PUCRS Carreiras. The event aims to bring together university talent and companies in the park.
Tecnopuc Experience is an annual festival focused on science, technology, and innovation. In 2024, the event had over 4,000 registrations, 140 speakers, and 12 hours of programming.
The De Volta para o Futuro initiative, led by Farol Social Hub, Tecnopuc's impact business vertical, supported impact businesses that aim to mitigate climate catastrophes with mentoring and investment.
A local newspaper publishes news about the election of Jorge Audy (on the left in the photo), superintendent of innovation and development at PUCRS and Tecnopuc, to the board of IASP - International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation.
Michel Couto, head of the Formô Hub, presents initiatives from the Innovative Territories project, which seeks to promote the development and transformation of the city's peripheries, at a Pacto Alegre meeting.
IMPACT STORY
Impacting lifes
For us at the PUCRS Science and Technology Park – Tecnopuc, impact is key. We connect people and organizations with diverse backgrounds, foster creativity, and drive innovation with a clear purpose: transforming science and technology into innovative businesses that generate real impact for society.
To this end, we have implemented a series of initiatives with our University to transform the reality of our region and the world. Because we believe in education as a driving force of transformation, our initiatives include talent development programs and support for business development.
In terms of talent development, we are proud of the more than 5,000 vulnerable young people who have participated in our technology training programs over the past four years, many of whom have been employed by companies within our own ecosystem or founded their own businesses and remained at Tecnopuc.
When it comes to supporting business development, we are proud to have been part of the history of more than 1,200 startups in our 22 years of operation. Among them, we highlight NoHarm, an AI solution for healthcare created during Henrique Dias's doctoral studies at the PUCRS Polytechnic School and which relied on our ecosystem to develop. Today, after five years in operation, it has already impacted more than 2.5 million lives and is present in more than 150 hospitals in Brazil, including free provision to the Unified Health System (SUS).
Being a global innovation ecosystem focused on making an impact is our way of contributing to building the future we aspire.
LEARNINGS
Lessons learned
Our 22 years as one of Latin America's leading science and technology parks have reinforced two lessons: innovation is created together, and the more diverse a group, the greater the impact it generates. Collaboration and diversity are at the heart of any innovation process that aims to make an impact.
It is up to us, as a global innovation ecosystem that integrates a world-class university, to foster connections between academy, business, government, and society capable of generating the transformations the world needs. From this perspective, leading innovation processes means, above all, being aware of the challenges of our time and uniting our community to contribute to building solutions.
A recent example was the floods that in May 2024 displaced more than 500,000 people and took the lives of 184 people. As the water rose rapidly, we provided spaces and mobilized the team to contribute solutions, forming a HQ that brought together government representatives, entrepreneurs, and researchers. Among the solutions developed in a short period of time is a platform to connect those in need with those who can help, supporting the management of shelters created to accommodate the homeless. In fact, the experience gained from this experience led one of the startups linked to our ecosystem to share its technology with the government of Valencia, Spain, to help address the flooding that occurred late last year.
This is how, with the experience gained throughout our journey, we act in the present to transform the future.
FUTURE PLANS
What's coming?
With the conviction that the future is being built today, collaboratively, we seek to expand our operations through Tecnopuc Anywhere, a project that aims to broaden our reach across different markets and investments. The proposal is to, through connections with companies and people worldwide, support the creation of more innovative businesses that, based on science and technology, seek to make a real impact.
Future and ongoing initiatives include strengthening our leadership in forging partnerships and generating business beyond physical environments, connecting innovation actors wherever they are; implementing technological platforms for interaction and collaboration among community members; and restructuring our physical environments to offer phygital experiences.
Integrated into our University's strategic planning, Tecnopuc Anywhere has brought partnerships that strengthen PUCRS's vibrant innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, such as the agreement with La Salle Technova Barcelona to promote research and entrepreneurship in artificial intelligence; the investment made by the British government to create a govtech hub at Tecnopuc; and the agreement with Escalab – the UFMG Technology Scaling Center – to create academic spin-offs.
In this sense, our intention for the future is to increasingly become an environment capable of generating global connections, fostering business, and supporting the development of talents that will transform their realities, as well as those of their communities, regions, countries, and, consequently, the world we share.
