WE ARE RIO DE JANEIRO
CAPITAL OF INNOVATION AND JOY
Latin America is the world’s new tech frontier. In 2021, more than $20 billion in venture capital was invested on the continent and 18 unicorns were created in the region, half of them in Brazil.
With the growth of fintechs in the country and the opportunities opening all over the continent, Rio de Janeiro has worked and invested in projects to become the most intelligent capital city in Brazil and a pole for technology and innovation in Latin America.
To achieve this objective, Rio bases itself on three pillars: facilitate, attract, and qualify. Creating laws, simplifying bureaucratic processes, reducing taxes, and developing projects to qualify manpower, the city has attracted companies in this sector, thus becoming the perfect scenario for the growth of startups.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROJECTS
PORT
TECHNOGICAL
DISTRICT
Latin America’s largest technology and educational hub proposes to bring together companies, startups, investors, academia, and research centers in the same space, providing connections and business opportunities among the different agents in the innovation ecosystem. In addition, the Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics (IMPA), one of the world’s greatest references in teaching, for the first time will have an undergraduate degree in Mathematics, focusing on technology. This is innovation and opportunity going hand in hand!
KNOWLEDGE
SHIPS
The Knowledge Ships or Naves do Conhecimento project is one of social and digital inclusion which promotes courses of training and qualification, mainly in the areas of technology and information. Located in the North and West Zones of the city, these units also promote cultural events, workshops, and internet access, all free of charge. The project has already received international awards, such as the Visionary of The Year Award.
TAX
BENEFITS
This initiative reduces the ISS Municipal Service Tax rate from 5% to 2% for technology companies established in the Porto Maravilha Port region. This benefit has already attracted dozens of companies and is helping to the make the lives of entrepreneurs easier.
GREEN
ECONOMY
Aimed at creating favorable conditions for an environment in sustainable finance and attract more and more companies who have adopted ESG practices, the City of Rio has developed several actions to consolidate itself as a hub for green assets.
Thus far:
• We attracted the first headquarters for the Air Carbon Exchange, platform which deals in carbon credits
• We launched the Reference Center for Tomorrow’s Finances (Centro de Referência de Finanças do Amanhã) in partnership with the CVM (Brazilian SEC) and with the Museum of Tomorrow (Museu do Amanhã);
• We held the world’s first auction of urban micromobility
• We sent a bill on Neutral ISS to the Municipal Council proposing tax incentives for the carbon credit market
SANDBOX.RIO
A project which allows innovative products, services and processes still not qualifying under current city rules, to be tested using a temporary authorization in a controlled environment. During the test period, the activity will be monitored to collect data which will be useful for future regulation purposes. In other words, more legal security for entrepreneurs and more innovation for the city
CRYPTO RIO
Work group created to transform Rio into a “crypto friendly” city, establishing an ecosystem favorable for investment and development of technology based on blockchains and crypto assets. Starting in 2023, Rio will be the first city in the country to accept payment of taxes in crypto assets and several global crypto companies have chosen the city for their Brazilian headquarters.
RIO CENTER
OF OPERATIONS
(COR)
A pole which concentrates, manages, monitors, and integrates the city’s urban operations, all in real time. Poised to receive and expansion financed by the Public-Private Partnership, the COR will expand its capacity, and soon have 125 screens permitting access to 10,000 new surveillance cameras, 4,000 with facial recognition and 3,000 more points of connection with traffic lights to control traffic, waste, rain and flooding.
REBUILDING
DOWNTOWN
Surrounding by places which occupy history book pages, Downtown Rio displays the marks and transformations which have taken place over the centuries. Relive Downtown (“Reviver Centro”) is a project of urban, cultural, and economic renewal which, in addition to recovering this region of the city’s vitality, has attracted new companies and residents
CARIOCA
PROGRAMMERS
In light of the great shortage of qualified manpower all over the country, the city launched Carioca Programmers (“Programadores Cariocas”) project whose objective is to qualify five thousand underprivileged young people in programming by 2024. Through partial and full scholarships, the program will positively impact the lives of thousands of Rio youths, with priority for women, blacks, transsexuals, and refugees, employing over 80% of its students.
EXPERIMENTAL
TECHNOLOGICAL
MIDDLE
SCHOOLS
The Experimental Technological Middle Schools (“Ginásios Experimentais Tecnológicos”) are schools which use the STEAM method as a teaching model, an approach which integrates different areas of knowledge to complex issues of reality, stimulating creativity, critical thinking, and human sensitivity. These units have areas adapted for teaching of robotics and programming g, as well as teachers specialized in these areas.
KNOWLEDGE
SHIPS
The Knowledge Ships or Naves do Conhecimento project is one of social and digital inclusion which promotes courses of training and qualification, mainly in the areas of technology and information. Located in the North and West Zones of the city, these units also promote cultural events, workshops, and internet access, all free of charge. The project has already received international awards, such as the Visionary of The Year Award.
DIGITAL
NOMADS
The City of Rio wants to be the first pole of Digital Nomads in South America and is preparing itself to receive visitors interested in establishing their place of work temporarily in the city. One of the measures is issuing the Rio Digital Nomads certificate, a seal of approval for hotel and hostels which will have special rates for customers purchasing packages for long-term stays.
OPPORTUNITIES IN CONCESSIONS AND PPPs (PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS)
Public Private Partnerships or PPPs have been an important ally for the city. This business model in which the private sector shares financing and execution of projects with the public sector was approved by a law approved in Brazil since 2004.
Rio de Janeiro understands the importance of these partnerships to control public spending and efficiently manage funds.
The city created a public company to structure partnerships and forecasts investments of R$ 18.5 billion in concessions and PPPs in the coming years.
Principal Public Private Partnerships in Rio
CITY OF MAJOR EVENTS
Rio de Janeiro is a city specialized in hosting major events. Its tourist attractions, natural beauty, and striking architecture, together with its happy and welcoming population, make the city perfect for large gatherings.
Gateway to enter Brazil and with direct flights to all the major world capitals, Rio is less than one hour away from São Paulo and a little more than three hours from other major metropolitan centers in South America. With a large hotel structure, three airports and a vast system of public transportation, the city is ready to receive major events.
Rio de Janeiro loves to be the center of attention. Every year, the eyes of the world turn toward the city to follow the New Year’s Eve celebration and Carnival in Rio, popular celebrations which bring together millions of people from all over the world and highlight the creativity and joy of our people.
The Climate Conferences, Rock in Rio and other large music and entertainment festivals, the Pan American Games, the 2014 World Cup, 2016 Rio Olympic Games and so many other events Only reaffirm the city’s vocation and a tourist, cultural, social and economic destination.
