Tech Roundup, Jan. 24, 2020 | São Paulo aims at leading Brazil’s leap to industry 4.0

You’re reading The Brazilian Report‘s weekly tech roundup, a digest of the most important news in technology and innovation in Brazil. This week’s topics: The end of electric scooter rental in Brazil? São Paulo’s industry 4.0 plans taking shape. Brazilian startups attract record investments in 2019. And much more!

São Paulo’s industry 4.0 plans take shape

Straight from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, São Paulo Governor João Doria announced the first two companies to form part of the state’s Center for the 4th Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) set to take place in May of this year. The two chosen companies were cellulose firm Bracell and pharmaceutical corporation AstraZeneca.

Why it matters. The Center will be part of CITI, a startup hub connecting companies, research and education facilities in São Paulo. This is a flagship project for Mr. Doria—who needs more national projection for his aspirations to become a presidential candidate. If successful, CITI will totally revamp the area that is currently home to Ceagesp, São Paulo’s food storage center, opening up more room for real estate investments in the city’s high-priced and highly occupied West Zone.     

Industry 4.0. Brazil’s Center for Industry 4.0 will initially work with legislation and regulations to speed up the use of policies linked to data, the Internet of Things, robotics, AI, intelligent cities, and blockchain. The plan is to turn São Paulo into Brazil’s answer to Silicon Valley.

Future of the job market. Back in 2018, we wrote of the potential for investment in innovation to boost Brazil’s ailing industry and job market, with the sector’s productivity indexes tanking. While increased levels of automation and productivity are set to cause a significant...