Porto Digital: Brazil’s Northeastern Innovation Hub

Recife’s Porto Digital, the venue for ABPI’s 44th International Congress on Intellectual Property, is synonymous with innovation. It stands as one of Brazil’s leading technology parks, focusing on the axes of software and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services, and Creative Economy (CE), with emphasis on the segments of games, film-video, animation, music, photography, and design. Since 2015, Porto Digital has also expanded into the urban technologies sector.

With an annual revenue of more than R$ 4.7 billion, Porto Digital is the outcome of a tripartite effort involving government, academia, and companies – and was recognized by the Brazilian National Association of Promoters of Innovative Ventures (Anprotec) in 2007, 2011, and 2015 as the best technology park in Brazil. The enterprise encompasses 20,000 professionals and entrepreneurs housed in approximately 350 companies, development organizations, and government bodies.

Founded 22 years ago, Porto Digital extended its reach to Portugal in October of last year with the inauguration of Porto Digital Europe in the city of Aveiro. This initiative serves as a hub for the internationalization of Brazilian IT companies and, conversely, a gateway to the Brazilian market for Portuguese IT companies.

Since the end of 2014, the park has also been operating in the city of Caruaru, located in the Agreste region of the State of Pernambuco, with the Creative Warehouse.