Research in São Paulo regains momentum in 2024

The FAPESP Annual Report records over 27,000 supported projects, an 18% increase over the previous period and a record in the historical series.

Agência FAPESP – Research in São Paulo regained momentum in 2024. The more than 27,000 scholarship and grant projects funded by FAPESP exceeded the previous period by 18%, setting a record in the historical series. “Revenue increased by 22% to 1.134 billion in purchasing power parity [$PPP] terms, while funding spending grew by 30%,” said FAPESP President Marco Antonio Zago. These results are detailed in the 2024 FAPESP Annual Report, available on the Foundation’s website.

Three new Research, Innovation, and Dissemination Centers (RIDCs) were established in the areas of Applied Humanities and Social Sciences in 2024: the Center for Favela Studies (CEFAVELA) (project 22/12259-8), based at the Federal University of ABC (UFABC); the Center for Governance of Global Environmental Change (project 22/14558-2), based at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation School of Business Administration in São Paulo (FGV EAESP); and Bridge: Ecosystem Management for Sustainable Transitions (project 22/14561-3), based at the School of Economics, Business, Accounting and Actuary of the University of São Paulo (FEA-USP). A call for proposals was also launched to establish new RIDCs in the areas of Health Sciences, Biological Sciences, Agronomy, and Veterinary Medicine. The complete list of centers in operation and their respective areas of research is available at cepid.fapesp.br/centers. 

“FAPESP also increased the number of Applied Research Centers [ARCs]. Two new centers were created to develop solutions for citrus farming: one in partnership with Fundecitrus and the other with Citrosuco,” Zago points out. The results of the call for proposals to implement two Research Centers in Artificial Intelligence Applied to Health were also announced. Together with Claro, FAPESP launched a call for proposals to establish a center to develop solutions in 5G connectivity and generative artificial intelligence for smart cities, Industry 4.0, and agriculture. In 2024, FAPESP supported 27 ARCs in partnership with other companies. The list of ARCs is available at fapesp.br/publicacoes/2024/pastacpa.pdf. 

The Innovative Research in Small Businesses Program (PIPE) remains one of the country’s leading startup support programs. “Since its creation in 1997, FAPESP has funded 3,732 projects in around 2,000 startups and small businesses in 177 municipalities in São Paulo,” says Zago. To help supported startups expand in the market, the Foundation finalized its first public call to select investment funds committed to investing in PIPE companies. The registration of equity crowdfunding platforms and angel investor networks was also completed to expand and diversify financing options for companies in the program. Additionally, FAPESP strengthened its partnership with the Brazilian Innovation Agency (FINEP) and the São Paulo unit of the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (SEBRAE-SP) to accredit institutions or offices with internationalization programs for companies that benefit from the TECNOVA III Program, which is operated by FINEP.

Public policies

“FAPESP expanded its support for impactful public policy research, such as the Science Centers for Development [SCDs],” Zago points out. These centers bring together researchers from universities, research institutions, state departments, municipalities, and other government agencies to seek solutions to challenges in areas such as health, energy, agriculture, advanced manufacturing, smart cities, public safety, and the environment.

During the period covered by the report, 49 SCDs were in operation, 21 of which were announced in 2024. During the same period, the Foundation launched a call for proposals to establish new centers to conduct research on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in public services, regulatory issues regarding the São Paulo highway right-of-way, urban resettlements, and inclusive education. The complete list of SCDs can be accessed at fapesp.br/files/upload/16421/projetos-ccd2024.pdf. 

New programs

In 2024, the Foundation launched several new programs. One of them was the FAPESP QuTIa Program (Quantum Technologies Initiative), which aims to promote the advancement of quantum technologies, including sensors, communications, and quantum computing, while attracting global investment and talent to São Paulo. During the initial call for proposals, preference was given to researchers with international experience who wished to begin a career at an institution in São Paulo.

The first call for proposals for the FAPESP Program for the South Atlantic and Antarctic (PROASA) was also launched to promote innovative research in these two regions. The call aims to bring up to five early-career researchers, prominent in their fields, to São Paulo. “The proposals should cover all areas of ocean sciences: biological, physical, geological, chemical, and social oceanography,” said the FAPESP president.

In the call for proposals for the São Paulo State Research Infrastructure Support Program (PAIP), 134 proposals were approved, worth approximately $PPP 109 million for the acquisition of small- and medium-sized multi-user equipment. In a previous call for proposals in 2022, FAPESP allocated $PPP 181.5 million for acquiring high-value scientific infrastructure in three areas: Scientific Use; Technological Use and Innovation; and Databases, Archives, and Collections.

Human resources training

In 2024, the Foundation invested $PPP 138.5 million in the training of human resources for research. Noteworthy changes included the adjustment of scholarship amounts by up to 45%, the reimbursement of social security contributions to postdoctoral fellows, and the extension of postdoctoral fellowship durations from 24 to 36 months.

“The budget ceiling for Regular Research Grants was also updated from $PPP 120,698 to $PPP 241,935, not including the amounts from the Institutional Research Overhead. And it’s possible to apply for scholarships as a budget item from Scientific Initiation to Postdoctoral Studies, among other modalities,” says Zago.

In 2024, the Foundation held two FAPESP Interdisciplinary Schools: one on Exact and Natural Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and another on Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts. These events brought together 120 postdoctoral researchers supported by FAPESP and other Brazilian funding agencies with senior researchers from Brazil and abroad to exchange information on strategic topics in their respective fields. As part of the FAPESP 2024 Conference series, ten in-person meetings were held with internationally renowned researchers.

International cooperation

In 2024, 45 international agreements were signed with institutions in Germany, France, Portugal, Spain, China, and other countries, as well as with multilateral institutions. During the same period, meetings were resumed to explore international research partnerships. FAPESP Week was held in Illinois in the United States in April, in China in June, in Italy in October, and in Spain in November. In addition to São Paulo researchers, representatives of startups and small companies that benefit from PIPE and have internationalization strategies participated in the international events for the first time. These representatives were selected through a public call for proposals.

“In summary, 2024 was a year of significant progress in research, for funding, and for FAPESP itself, as the recovery from the pandemic period was consolidated, reinforcing an optimistic outlook for São Paulo’s science, technology, and innovation system,” the FAPESP president concludes.