Política de inovação: ações e estratégias do município de Belém no período de 2016 a 2024 e proposições para enfrentar desafios

Abstract

This dissertation seeks to address the following problem: How were municipal innovation public policies implemented in Belém between 2016 and 2024, and what are their main challenges and opportunities for strengthening the local innovation ecosystem? In this regard, it investigates the extent to which such policies have contributed, or failed to contribute, to the consolidation of an innovative environment in the city. The objective is to analyze the innovation public policies implemented in the municipality of Belém, Pará, focusing on the actions and strategies carried out between 2016 and 2024. Based on the understanding of innovation as a strategic driver for urban development, the research sought to examine how innovation has been incorporated into local public policies, assessing the evolution of legal frameworks, investments in science and technology, and the role of the social actors that make up the city’s innovation ecosystem. The methodology adopted was qualitative and descriptive, combining documentary analysis of legal instruments, institutional websites, and public budgets with the collection of primary data through an electronic questionnaire directed at the main agents of Belém’s ecosystem: a) Public Authorities, b) Universities, c) Innovation Hubs, Communities, Innovation Parks and Incubators, d) Development Institutions, e) Startups, and f) Companies and Associations. The research showed that, until 2021, innovation was treated marginally in municipal planning instruments, with low budget allocation and isolated actions. From 2022 onward, institutional progress can be observed, with the inclusion of the theme in multi-year plans and budget laws, as well as the implementation of programs focused on the creative economy, bioeconomy, and digital transformation. The study mapped the main actors of Belém’s innovation ecosystem, as well as their interests and connecting elements, identifying universities, research centers, entrepreneurial communities, incubators, and public agencies. However, the research found the absence of a structured municipal public policy and of a specific local legal framework, resulting in low coordination, discontinuity of actions, and fragile governance. As a practical contribution, the work also proposes the drafting of a Municipal Innovation Law, including the creation of a Municipal Innovation Council, a specific fund for project financing, and a municipal innovation incentive program. It concludes that strengthening innovation in Belém requires articulation among the different ecosystem actors, long-term planning, and the institutionalization of publicpolicies, with special attention to the potential of the bioeconomy as a strategic axis for the municipality.