BNamericas - Brazil: FNDCT's board approves new investmen...

This press release was published in English using an automatic translation system

By MCTI

At the first meeting of the Board of Directors of the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT) in 2025, held this Wednesday (28) at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), in Brasília, two new strategic lines were approved for the fund's portfolio of initiatives: the "IA Brasil" and "SOS Clima Brasil" programs.

With an estimated budget of R$96 billion for the period 2025-2029, the FNDCT will have approximately R$14.66 billion for 2025, already confirmed in the current Annual Budget Law (LOA). Of this amount, half will be allocated to non-reimbursable projects, and the other half to reimbursable initiatives. The total resources will be applied throughout the year in companies, universities, research institutions, by Finep, the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and other institutions linked to MCTI. Finep acts as the executive secretariat of the FNDCT.

The board also approved the Annual Investment Plan for 2025 and a multi-year plan covering up to 2029. It was also agreed to review the 10 existing FNDCT programs. "It was an important meeting of the Board of Directors. For the first time in two and a half years, we conducted a complete review of the FNDCT investment programs," said MCTI Executive Secretary Luis Fernandes. The meeting was also attended by Finep President Celso Pansera and CNPq President Ricardo Galvão.

IA Brasil Program

Artificial Intelligence appears in other FNDCT programs. With the newest strategic program, the Brazilian Artificial Intelligence Plan (PBIA), it takes an important step towards the materialization of actions that are part of the country's AI public policy.

"PBIA was already present in several programs. Now it takes a step forward in implementing the actions foreseen in the Plan because around two thirds of the investments come from the FNDCT", explained the director.

The new program's lines of action include investments in digital, computational and research infrastructure; AI training projects from basic education to postgraduate studies, including professional requalification; public awareness actions on the impacts of technology; encouraging digital inclusion through AI; and the use of Artificial Intelligence to improve public services.

SOS Clima Brasil

The FNDCT's twelfth strategic program will focus on monitoring and responding to natural disasters. Among the proposed projects, the development of monitoring and forecasting, identification of vulnerabilities, platforms, decision-support tools and systems that integrate scientific data and risk analyses to assist territorial and sectoral planning are highlighted. Actions are also planned for preventive disaster management, development of technological solutions that increase the resilience of vulnerable populations and the promotion of international cooperation.

"It is an extension of the actions that were developed to support Rio Grande do Sul after the climate crisis that occurred last year", highlighted Luis Fernandes.

Repatriation and settlement of researchers

The council also approved the expansion of the Conhecimento Brasil program to encompass not only the repatriation of talent, but also investment in retaining young researchers and recent PhDs to prevent dropouts.

"It complements the repatriation action. The structuring of a program aimed at attracting major global research leaders who are facing problems related to research freedom in their countries of origin was also suggested," said the secretary.

Furthermore, a line of action dedicated to the popularization and defense of science was established, which will be developed by CNPq in partnership with the Research Support Foundations (FAPs).

The program's current research lines are:

Pró-Infra (Program for the recovery and expansion of scientific and technological research infrastructure in universities and ICTs)
Mais Inovação Brasil (Innovation program for industrialization on sustainable bases)
Conecta & Capacita Brasil (Digital transformation dissemination and support program)
Pro-Amazônia (Integrated program for sustainable development of the Amazon region)
Conhecimento Brasil (Talent Repatriation Program)
Política com Ciência (Program to support public policies in scientific knowledge)
Identidade Brasil (Program to support the recovery and preservation of national scientific, historical and cultural collections)
Projetos Estratégicos (National Strategic Projects Support Program)
Área da Defesa (Technology promotion program in the defense area)
Segurança Alimentar (Science, technology and innovation program for food security and hunger eradication with socio-productive inclusion)