ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief institutional overview of the fragmented, state-led ecosystem for innovation in Brazil, highlighting the central roles of ministries, agencies, and especially state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as well as less consistent participation by universities, MNCs, and private domestic firms. This ecosystem is embedded in Brazil’s particular politics – coalitional presidentialism – which creates high turnover in core positions in government and lately has opened up some parts of the state to corruption. Vignettes of innovation successes in areas like airplane manufacture and soybeans illustrate how various agencies and actors interacted in the past.
