The city of São Paulo hosted the ABES Summit 2025, promoted by ABES, which brought together leaders from the public and private sectors to discuss the direction of technology in Brazil, which is influenced by geopolitics, sustainability and innovation policies, with a strong emphasis on digital transformation and Brazilian technological sovereignty.
At the opening ceremony, ABES President Andriei Gutierrez presented some of the organization's pillars—associativism and collaboration—and launched the concept of the "ABES MAIS" campaign, which marks a new phase of professionalization and digitalization for the organization. "We've reached a turning point. We're digitizing all our services, creating a digital hub that adds value through the use of Artificial Intelligence, ERP, and CRM. With data, we generate intelligence and deliver more value to our members," he stated.
Gutierrez argued that Brazilian digital sovereignty should go beyond regulating foreign companies; it should include investments in domestic companies with the support of institutions such as Finep, BNDES, and MCTI, and he emphasized the importance of access to global technologies. "We need more American, Chinese, Russian, and European companies in Brazil to increase our competitiveness," he said. He also warned of the urgent need to train a specialized workforce and suggested incorporating foreign professionals, especially given visa restrictions in other countries. "We are establishing partnerships in the US, China, and Europe, but with a focus on development here in Brazil."
Christian Tadeu, president of Softex, highlighted the entity's strategic role in the national innovation ecosystem. Softex works to promote regional integration, human capital development, attract investment, and increase competitiveness. He reaffirmed the entity's willingness to collaborate with ABES.
José Luis Gordon, Director of Productive Development, Innovation, and Foreign Trade at BNDES, announced that the bank will break a historic record in 2024 with R$13 billion allocated to innovation. Together with Embrapii and Finep, the funds total more than R$50 billion. BNDES also released R$2 billion for artificial intelligence startups and sustainable projects, in addition to launching the Redata program to support the data center sector.
São Paulo's Lieutenant Governor, Felício Ramuth, reinforced the state's commitment to the technology sector. He cited initiatives such as Tecnocidades, Smart Sampa, and Muralha Paulista, as well as the training of 20,000 young people through the Qualifica program. Ramuth believes that artificial intelligence represents a great opportunity for the country, but lamented the legal obstacles that hinder investment. Therefore, he advocated for the reduction of bureaucracy and warned about the impacts of Tax Reform on software companies. "ABES will play a fundamental role in the discussions, and the state government is available to help with the challenges ahead," he stated.
The opening panel also featured other important industry representatives: ABRADISTI President Mariano Gordinho; ANCD Executive Director Edmar Araújo; IBDEE Administrative Director Adriana Esper; and ACATE Vice President of Talent Moacir Antônio Marafon, reinforcing the collective commitment to the country's technological, ethical, and sustainable advancement.
About ABES SUMMIT
The 15th edition of ABES SUMMIT, held in October 8th at the JW Marriott, in São Paulo, had as its central theme “Digital Frontiers – Geopolitics, Technology and Sustainability”. The event promoted a day of immersion for CEOs, leaders and government representatives, aiming to highlight the power of technology to accelerate business and economic transformation. In a scenario of global recalibration where technology and geopolitics intertwine, the ABES SUMMIT discussed practical strategies to address challenges such as the dominance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Agentic AI, a cybersecurity global, regulation and public policies, and the qualification of workforce. The focus was on the strategic role of Brazil, which can establish itself as a global protagonist in energy transition, in the preservation of biodiversity and digital advancement, due to its clean matrix and innovation ecosystem. The ABES SUMMIT 2025 featured free online broadcast it's the BMV seal, offsetting 100% of environmental impacts.
Sponsors: ApexBrasil, Finep, Embrapii, Kaspersky, Nic.br, Caesbra Benefits, Banco do Brasil, Devfy and Digiforte.
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