By FERNANDO NOGUEIRA DA COSTA*

Achieving technological autonomy in Brazil requires a multidisciplinary and integrated approach, involving education, infrastructure, public policies, financial incentives and international collaboration.

The Brazilian economy, despite being one of the largest in the world (8th) and having made great strides in sectors such as agriculture, mining, oil extraction and aviation, still has technological gaps in several strategic industries. In these areas, Brazil depends on multinationals to attract investment, transfer technology, or needs to import advanced products and technologies to meet the demands of the domestic market.

For example, in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), although the country has a growing software industry and a booming startup sector, it still depends on multinationals for the supply of hardware, semiconductors, and advanced communication technologies, such as equipment for 5G networks. Much of the telecommunications equipment, electronic components, and advanced computing systems are imported, with emphasis on countries such as the United States, China, and Taiwan, which dominate the global semiconductor market.

Brazil has a pharmaceutical industry that specializes in the production of generic drugs, but it still depends on multinationals for the development of innovative drugs, vaccines, and advanced biotechnologies. The country imports a large part of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and technologies for the production of biomedicines. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted this dependence, when Brazil had to import vaccines and materials for their production.

Semiconductor production is crucial for several industries, including electronics, automotive, and telecommunications. Brazil does not have a significant semiconductor industry and relies on imports to meet demand.

Semiconductors are imported mainly from Asian countries that dominate global production. Brazil needs to attract multinationals or develop local capabilities to reduce this dependence.

Regarding Advanced Renewable Energy Technologies, although Brazil is a world leader in hydropower and has a growing base of wind and solar energy, the production of high-tech equipment for these sectors, such as wind turbines and state-of-the-art solar panels, depends on multinational companies. Advanced equipment and technologies, such as solar inverters, high-efficiency turbines, and energy storage technologies, are imported from countries such as Germany, China, and the United States.

Embraer is a regional aviation powerhouse, but Brazil relies on multinationals for cutting-edge technologies in the aerospace defense industry, such as radar systems, missiles, satellites, and advanced combat aircraft. To develop more advanced capabilities, Brazil needs to import or partner with companies from countries such as the United States, Israel, and Russia. They have more advanced technologies in these sectors.

The Brazilian automotive industry is large, but the production of electric, hybrid and autonomous vehicles requires advanced technologies. Here, it is in its early stages. Most of the technologies related to lithium batteries, electric motors, and artificial intelligence systems for autonomous vehicles are imported from countries such as China, Germany, and Japan.

Nanotechnology is an emerging field with applications in sectors such as medicine, electronics, and advanced materials. However, Brazil has not fully developed this industry and depends on imports and partnerships to advance. Equipment, materials, and know-how in nanotechnology are imported, with emphasis on partnerships with companies and research institutions from countries such as the United States, Japan, and Germany.

Brazil has made advances in artificial intelligence, mainly in the service and fintech sectors, but it depends on foreign technologies for more advanced applications in robotics, industrial automation, and applied artificial intelligence. Most of the advanced robotics systems and AI platforms used in Brazilian industries are developed by foreign companies, generally from the same countries mentioned above.

The Brazilian economy, despite its advances in several industries, depends on foreign technologies and the presence of multinationals in strategic sectors. Importing products and attracting global companies are essential to fill these gaps, while the country works to develop its technological capabilities and reduce external dependence in the long term. Public policy initiatives focused on innovation, research and development, as well as international partnerships, will be crucial to strengthening Brazil’s technological base in these areas.

For Brazil to achieve a certain technological autonomy, it is necessary to implement a series of coordinated actions and strategic policies, from the formation of human capital to the development of infrastructure and the promotion of innovation.

The basis for any technological development is education and the training of human capital in quantity and quality. It is crucial to invest in the quality of Basic Education, especially in areas such as Mathematics and Exact Sciences, in addition to digital literacy. Higher Education must also be strengthened, with an emphasis on Engineering, Computer Science, Biotechnology, and other critical technical areas.

It is essential to expand the training of researchers, engineers and specialized technicians. Postgraduate programs must be expanded and aligned with the country's strategic technological demands.

With the rapid advancement of technology, it is necessary to promote continuing education and professional retraining programs to ensure the workforce remains up to date and capable of dealing with new technologies.

The government should offer tax incentives and subsidies for companies to invest in Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I), creating a favorable environment for innovation. Public policies (such as the Lei do Bem: Law 11.196/2005) offer tax benefits to companies that invest in research.

Collaborations between universities, research centers and the private sector should be promoted to develop innovative technologies and solutions. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) help transform scientific discoveries into marketable products and services. It is necessary to develop and expand technology parks, incubators and startup accelerators to support the creation and growth of technology-based companies.

A key objective is to expand and modernize telecommunications infrastructure, ensuring universal access to high-speed internet and expanding fiber optic networks, 5G, and other essential communications technologies. Investing in the creation and modernization of research centers and laboratories with advanced infrastructure will support research in strategic areas such as biotechnology, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy.

The New Industry Brazil, that is, the policy of reindustrialization), is guided by aspirational goals related to each of its six missions.

1 - Ensuring food and nutritional security for Brazilians involves strengthening agro-industrial chains (mission 1).

2 - In the health area (mission 2), the goal is to increase the country's production share from 42% to 70% of national needs in medicines, vaccines, equipment and medical devices.

3 - To improve the well-being of people in cities (mission 3), it will invest in sustainable infrastructure, sanitation, housing and mobility.

4 - To make the industry more modern and disruptive, there is a goal to digitally transform (mission 4) 90% of all Brazilian industrial companies (today it is 23,5%) and triple the share of national production in new technology segments.

5 - Among the goals established with a focus on the bioeconomy, decarbonization and energy transition and security (mission 5) is to increase the share of biofuels in the transport energy matrix by 50% — green fuels currently represent 21,4% of this matrix.

6 - Finally, in the area of ​​defense (mission 6), the aim is to achieve autonomy in the production of 50% of critical technologies in order to strengthen national sovereignty.

In short, achieving technological autonomy in Brazil requires a multidisciplinary and integrated approach, involving education, infrastructure, public policies, financial incentives and international collaboration. Building an environment conducive to innovation, combined with the development of internal capabilities in strategic areas, will allow the country not only to reduce its dependence on foreign technologies, but also to position itself as a global leader in key sectors.

*Fernando Nogueira da Costa He is a full professor at the Institute of Economics at Unicamp. Author, among other books, of Brazil of banks (EDUSP). [https://amzn.to/4dvKtBb

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