The event, held last Friday (10) in partnership between Unicamp, PUC-Campinas, Public Authorities and institutions linked to innovation, the “2nd Impact Economy Seminar of the Metropolitan Region of Campinas (RMC)” – hosted at the University's Visiting Professor House – addressed scientific and technological advancement as a platform for economic development with a positive social impact. With the International Hub for Sustainable Development (HIDS) presented as an example of expanding potential, the meeting aimed to connect government officials, companies, academia and Third Sector organizations around a common vision of the future.
The so-called impact economy is an economic model that balances the pursuit of financial return with the intention of generating transformations in society, whether in the social field (reducing inequalities) or in the environmental field (combating and mitigating climate change).
At the opening, the rector of Unicamp, Paulo Cesar Montagner, emphasized the importance of collaboration between universities, the productive sector, and public authorities to consolidate the RMC (Metropolitan Region of Campinas) as a national and international benchmark. "We need to reinforce, daily, the relevance of what we have built here, because competition between innovation hubs is growing," he stated.
Montagner also recalled the historical transformation of the Barão Geraldo district, which went from a rural area, marked by agricultural production, to one of the main science and technology centers in the country. For him, this process highlights the potential of long-term collaborative initiatives. Finally, the rector reinforced the University's commitment to initiatives that broaden its influence on the practical lives of the population. "We want to participate not only in theoretical formulation, but also in concrete actions that transform the reality of the municipality," he concluded.
One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of HIDS by the Executive Director of Sustainability at Unicamp, Roberto Donato da Silva Júnior, which showed that it is possible to integrate science, technology, and urban development in a model oriented towards sustainability. According to the director, Campinas has unique conditions to lead this process, with a strong concentration of educational institutions, innovative companies, and research infrastructure.
Data presented indicated that the University graduates approximately 5,5 professionals every year and maintains a robust innovation ecosystem, with more than 1,7 companies considered "offspring" of Unicamp because they were founded by alumni. "These companies generate tens of thousands of jobs and move billions of reais annually, in addition to contributing to the retention of talent in the region," Donato pointed out.
Despite the positive economic impact, the director of Unicamp warned of the challenge of aligning development and sustainability. "We have a strong innovation landscape, but we need to convert this potential into effective solutions for environmental and climate issues," he added during his lecture.
Decree
Also during the event, the Municipal Secretary of Economic Development, Technology and Innovation of Campinas, Adriana Flosi, representing Mayor Dário Saadi, officially announced the creation of a municipal strategy focused on impact investing, aiming to consolidate the city as a benchmark in innovation combined with socio-environmental development. The initiative was formalized through a decree already published in the Official Gazette. The document also provides for the creation of the Municipal Impact Investing Committee, which will bring together different secretariats, academic institutions, the business sector, and civil society, and will have 60 days to develop a two-year action plan.
Attendances
The meeting also included the participation of the director of the Institute of Economics at Unicamp, Célio Hiratuka, and representatives from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), the Ministry of Development, Industry and Trade (MDIC), the Ministry of Finance, and the Innovation Secretariat of the State of São Paulo.
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