Description of Challenge:

The industry is constantly seeking development in its infrastructure, technological development and empowerment of people aiming at a higher competitiveness in all its segments such as foodstuff, metal-mechanical, automotive, chemical, pulp and paper, civil construction, information technology to name a few. This involves new equipment and technologies to match the development of higher aggregated value products and more efficient production processes with environmental and social responsibility issues.

Opportunities for Startups:

• » Environment, natural resources and energy efficiency: Solutions in processes to increase the industrial productivity with low environmental impacts and efficient use of water and energy; new materials, bio-materials or a combination of different materials (metal, ceramics, polymers) to promote additive manufacture and production based on compounds from renewable sources or alternative raw materials to petrochemical sources and other environmentally sustainable technologies for generation of new products; solutions for waste treatment / reutilization.
• » Internet and Information Technology: Solutions to promote the connection of legacy systems and automation solutions with information technology systems (ex: cloud computing, connectivity); end-to-end tracking.
• » Logistics: Production in commuting time; low-cost mechanized and/or robotized solutions for identification / tracking in different industries.
• » Planning and Management: Planning systems and production control integrated to sales forecast, more efficient management and optimization of administrative processes including the generation of new governance models; solutions in employees’ training and education;
• » Automation and Robotization: Solutions and new technologies for increase of efficiency and production quality; development of simulators and optimizers of online/off-line processes;
• » Production, sales and market: Technologies for customized production to consumers’ needs; development of fast forecast mechanisms of consumers’ demand and preferences; real time data analysis system integrating sales, customer service, logistics and planning, aiming to assure the product availability and information for decision-making by generating shorter response time in cases of sales variations; new systems focusing on increase of productivity and performance;
• » Solutions promoting employees’ greater safety;
• » Solutions exploring synergies between different industries throughout the chain (e.g. sharing of silos, integrated logistics);
• » Inventory: Applications of automatic identification of consumables and control of inventories thereof.
• » New methods and Technologies such as for instance, nanotechnology applications (ex: nanomaterials, nanodevices), laser, plasma, artificial vision among others.