As the CEO of SOSA Brazil, I’ve seen firsthand the tremendous potential Brazil holds in the world of deep science and technology. Yet, as the global landscape is increasingly defined by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced innovation, we cannot afford to be complacent. That is why I co-authored the article, "Brazil at the Crossroads of AI: Lessons from the World’s Deep-Science Titans" with Soumitra Dutta (President of the Portulans Institute).
My central message, supported by our research, is clear: Brazil must now decide whether to seize this moment and launch itself into the global vanguard of deep tech or risk letting this immense opportunity pass us by.
The Journey: How Soumitra Dutta and I Wrote This Roadmap
Writing this analysis was an intense process of dissecting global success stories and applying those lessons to the unique Brazilian context. Soumitra and I focused on why Brazil, despite its strengths, still occupies an intermediate position in global innovation rankings (52nd in the Global Innovation Index 2025 and 44th in the Network Readiness Index 2024).
Our collaboration aimed to create a practical, hybrid strategy. We recognized that while Brazil has made significant strides - moving up 15 places in the Network Readiness Index since 2019 due to investments in 5G rollout and undersea cables - we still struggle to bridge the gap between deep science and global economic impact.
My expertise, rooted in SOSA Brazil’s mission of driving open innovation, strongly informed the final section of our roadmap. We realized that while the global titans provided blueprints for capital and regulation, Brazil must focus on strengthening the frameworks that connect companies, startups, and research institutions for the co-development of solutions, which is essential for accelerating the adoption of AI and advanced technologies.
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Leveraging Our Unique Brazilian Strengths
We must remember that Brazil is not starting from zero. We have unique strengths that provide a strong foundation for an AI leap:
Research Excellence: Institutions like Embrapa produce world-class research in AI-driven agriculture, logistics, and environmental science. For example, Embrapa’s AI-powered crop-disease detection systems are already widely used in regional agribusiness.
Innovation Corridors: High-tech parks in Campinas and the Porto Digital district in Recife are already fostering incubators and prototyping labs.
Infrastructure: Our recent infrastructure upgrades, particularly the nationwide 5G rollout, have significantly improved digital connectivity.
Three Titans, One Hybrid Strategy
To accelerate, we examined the strategies of the three global leaders who have pulled ahead in deep science:
The US Model: This shows us the power of capital and collaboration between private enterprise and elite universities, mobilizing over USD 100 billion a year in venture capital. For Brazil, this means mobilizing risk capital at scale.
The Chinese Model: China proves the effectiveness of mission-oriented strategy through Five-Year Plans, using public procurement and tax incentives to support national champions and focus resources with laser precision.
The UK Model: The UK shows the value of regulatory agility, utilizing Regulatory Sandboxes to allow startups to test innovations safely, which de-risks market entry and attracts international investors.
By adopting a hybrid approach, we can tailor these lessons to our scale and needs.
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My Five-Point Roadmap for Global Leadership
Our article lays out a clear five-point roadmap to close the structural gaps that persist:
1. Amplify Commercialization
We must change the incentives so that universities focus on licensing revenues and spin-off valuations, moving discoveries out of academic journals and into industry partnership.
2. Mobilize Patient Capital
We need a deep-tech fund, potentially seeded by federal reserves or pension contributions, to sustain long-horizon, high-risk investments in areas like AI and quantum computing.
3. Nurture Talent Pipelines
We must attract and integrate world-class talent, offering competitive fellowships and fast tracks for residency to reverse brain drain and embed expertise in local startups.
4. Expand Adoption Programs
We need a bold, coordinated initiative - an "AI Leap" - to co-finance pilot projects and use the power of public procurement in priority sectors like agribusiness, logistics, and energy.
5. Strengthen Open Innovation
This is where my work at SOSA comes in. We must solidify the frameworks that connect corporations, startups, and research institutions to co-develop solutions, accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies across the economy.
The path ahead requires political determination and sustained investment. I believe Brazil is ready to transform from a regional competitor into a global leader in AI and deep science.
To understand the full details of this essential national strategy, I invite you to read the complete article, Brazil at the Crossroads of AI: Lessons from the World’s Deep-Science Titans, co-authored by myself and Soumitra Dutta.
