LIF alumni in Brazil are collectively influencing legislation

In this blog, Lisane Valdo from the LIF BR team shares how LIF alumni have collaborated with technology parks and why it's so important for innovators to give their opinion and suggest changes in current legislation supporting research and innovation. 

The LIF BR Forum is a space to unify seven cohorts of LIF alumni from Brazil on a single platform, it is where the community can interact, learn from their peers and a safe space for alumni to ask questions or make suggestions to their colleagues on issues related to the management of their innovation in general.

1. Can you tell us where the idea for your project came from?

The idea for creating LIF BR Forum came to us when interacting with cohorts we realised that there is a great knowledge and experience within the each of the cohorts and that together we can be stronger and better.

2. How has the collaboration with technology parks and experts helped LIF alumni in their commercialisation journey?

The collaboration with the technology parks started from LIF alumni that already had their companies in these parks, but also from our partnerships with UNIARA university and the NGOs Café Consciencia and Clube do Livro. I didn't know about many of the technology parks before and I was impressed with the quality of services, facilities, and network they can offer to companies looking to develop and scale their products. Some of the technology parks in this project belong to the government and others to private institutes, but they are of great importance in the regional development of innovation outside of Brazil's major commercial hubs such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

3. Can you talk us through the legislation change, why do you think the collective influence of LIF alumni was so important for this change?

We had the opportunity to talk with a Federal Deputy about the laws to encourage innovation that we have in Brazil. Through one of the LIF alumni, Vinicius Marchioro, the Deputy opened a survey on suggestions for changes in laws and an incentive process for innovative projects in São Paulo. All LIF alumni in Brazil were able to share their opinion and have direct communication channel with this deputy. It is extremely important that those who are innovating in practice can give their opinion and suggest changes in current legislation, so that we can not only have a better process of managing public money in innovation, but so that we also have more and more people and minorities included within this process and provided with funds for the development of their innovative projects.

4. What power do you think LIF alumni have in affecting change in other entrepreneurial ecosystems?

LIF represents entrepreneurs already with experience in innovation, including international experience. Realising the strength that this group has in the development of local innovation, from influencing young entrepreneurs to spreading innovation across different regions of the country is how this united group can have a strong influence on several innovation ecosystems. What makes this group strong - besides its technical and business capacity - is the diversity it represents.

5. Do you have any advice to share with LIF alumni who might want to influence legislation in their local communities?

I think network is everything. To influence local laws to encourage innovation, the LIF group needs to be active and strong. And in the end, it's always about people, and making connections is a big plus until you check in who can listen and change local laws. It is also important that the community has visibility, that it appears in social media, in newspapers and in other communities. This way, through connections, we reach people who can represent our community in the legislature and take the experience of LIF alumni so that each country can have laws that are increasingly encouraging innovation.