Meeting held by MCTI was attended by Minister Luciana Santos and creates new prospects for domestic manufacturing.
This Friday, November 29, the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) in Campinas, São Paulo hosted dozens of Brazilian entrepreneurs interested in providing products and services to CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, one of the world’s most important scientific institutions. The meeting, held in partnership with the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), featured the presence of Minister Luciana Santos and introduced opportunities for collaboration and business in a high-tech market.
O CNPEM sediou um encontro estratégico promovido em parceria com o Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (MCTI) e o Centro Europeu de Pesquisa Nuclear (CERN)
“This event has everything to propel Brazilian business, especially in the area of science and technology, through this partnership with CERN. It is a way for us to enter a very promising market. The particle accelerator market is foreseeing investments of half a billion dollars, with complex technology involving magnets, conductors, a group of very specific tools and materials with high added value,” said Santos.
In 2024, Brazil was recognized by CERN as an Associate Member State, the only country in Latin America to officially become part of this institution. This association not only strengthens international scientific ties for collaboration but also paves the way for Brazilian companies to participate in bidding processes and supply high-tech equipment and other consumables to CERN, significantly expanding opportunities for business in a highly innovative environment.
“Brazil and domestic manufacturing demonstrate potential and possibilities for entering this international market because of the Sirius accelerator, which was built with 80% Brazilian components, revealing that we are capable of entering into more complex industrial markets,” added the Minister.
Salvatore Mele, Senior Advisor for International Relations at CERN, attended the event to present to the entrepreneurs and Minister Santos. Another participant was Rafael Navarro, recommended by MCTI to serve as CERN’s newly appointed Industrial Liaison Officer (ILO); he will facilitate the flow of communication between CERN and Brazilian suppliers.
They spoke about the numerous possibilities for business in areas ranging from the construction sector to high technology for developing magnets, accelerators and electronic equipment. They also explained the bidding processes, rules and requirements for making these business possibilities a reality.
“I wish to thank the Minister for recommending me as the liaison between Brazilian industry and CERN. I will be available to everyone to answer questions, clarify details in all the processes, and to help address potential issues to make business happen and expand Brazilian participation in the center,” said Navarro.
CNPEM was chosen to host the event because of its long-standing partnership with CERN on projects to develop advanced technologies. Today, with support from CERN, CNPEM is advancing in construction of a proton accelerator and working on a wavelength shifter, the first superconducting magnet of this type constructed in Brazil. These projects have the potential to drive advances in the areas of energy, health and materials, with various predicted applications that include accelerators to produce radioisotopes for cancer treatments and diagnostics and neutron sources for application in materials.
“Because CNPEM is the most advanced accelerator center south of the Equator, at the request of the Minister herself it will support these companies so they will be successful with CERN. The many positive aspects include generation of jobs, income and more taxes that will even return to support science, which is fundamental,” said CNPEM Director General Antonio José Roque da Silva.
The Brazilian center also offered its experience to all domestic manufacturers interested in participating in CERN’s bid processes that may require support to decipher technical specifications.
“You also have other benefits, like acquiring technology for a certain product that could be used in the future in a new area, opening up new markets for the company that developed it, something akin to a quality seal, a company that becomes a supplier to CERN (which is a lab that requires high-performance equipment) is qualified to compete in any other environment,” the CNPEM director added.
Besides representatives from industry like WEG and Siemens, the event also drew professionals from the academic community and representatives from institutions that support research and innovation like FINEP, SENAI, EMBRAPII and FAPESP.
After the event, the entrepreneurs attended a luncheon and visited Sirius, the country’s largest assembly of scientific equipment and one of only three fourth-generation particle accelerators functioning worldwide.
About CNPEM
CNPEM is home to a state-of-the-art, multi-user and multidisciplinary scientific environment, with activities within different fronts of the Brazilian National System for Science, Technology and Innovation. A social organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), CNPEM is driven by research that impacts the areas of health, energy, renewable materials, and sustainability. It is responsible for Sirius, the largest assembly of scientific equipment constructed in the country, and is currently building Project Orion, a laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research.
Highly specialized science and engineering teams, sophisticated infrastructure open to the scientific community, strategic lines of investigation, innovative projects involving the productive sector and training for researchers and students are the pillars of this institution that is unique in Brazil and able to serve as a bridge between knowledge and innovation. CNPEM operates the Brazilian Synchrotron Light (LNLS), Biosciences (LNBio), Nanotechnology (LNNano), and Biorenewables (LNBR) National Laboratories, as well as the Ilum School of Science, which offers a bachelor’s degree program in science and technology with support from the Ministry of Education (MEC).
About CERN
Located between Switzerland and France, CERN is one of the world’s leading research centers for particle physics. Its scientists and engineers explore the fundamental components of matter, causing collisions between subatomic particles to investigate the essential laws of the universe.
