Brazil, Biotech and the Art of Thinking Big: how to move beyond pilot mode and claim a global seat at the table

In a country where creativity is often celebrated more as improvisation than as strategy, talking about biotechnology with global ambition still sounds like a rare luxury. But it shouldn’t. Biotechnology—at the intersection of health, science, and the economy—is not just a promising sector: it is a pillar of sovereignty, innovation, and the future. The problem? Most of the time, we’re operating in pilot mode.

This article is an invitation to think big. And more: to think globally. Is it possible to develop Brazilian biotech startups with global ambition? How can we escape the trap of operating at subscale, the chronic dependence on public funding, and the disconnect from international innovation flows?

The answer, as we’ll see, lies in the quality of articulation between startups, biopharmaceutical corporations, and an ecosystem that knows how to play the whole game—not just the first round.

The promising but unfinished architecture of Brazilian biotech

Brazil holds valuable assets. It trains good scientists, has a growing industrial base, world-class research centers, and one of the largest healthcare systems in the world. According to the "Deep Techs Brasil" report by Emerge, over 40% of Brazilian deep techs operate in health and biotech. This confirms the country’s potential. But it also reveals a paradox: despite strong science and technology, the translation rate to market remains low.

Few startups achieve regulatory maturity or build an internationalization roadmap. There is a deep gap between the lab bench and the market, between the prototype and validation, between the paper and the pitch. There’s also a structural difficulty in thinking globally from day one.

This is reflected in weak IP strategies, little familiarity with international regulatory pathways (FDA, EMA), and a lack of institutional early adopters. Often, we’re "refining solutions" for markets that don’t yet exist. The challenge? Align scientific capacity with a global, sustainable business logic.

The biotech game is international. And it demands serious alliances.

Unlike traditional tech, biotech doesn’t allow shortcuts. A biotech startup is born requiring time, regulatory strategy, and technical rigor. But it also requires real connections—with those who buy, regulate, validate, and scale. And that only comes through long-term alliances.

In Brazil, few startups have access to corporations willing to co-develop. And few corporations have structured open innovation processes in biotech. The current innovation model remains too verticalized, with low risk tolerance and a preference for ready-made solutions. This excludes most deep tech startups.

What’s missing is an intermediary space. One where corporations can engage with startups without expecting immediate ROI, but with a clear agenda for mutual learning, co-development, and strategic positioning.

Countries like Switzerland, Belgium, and Israel have sophisticated structures to foster startup-industry collaboration—many anchored by blended funds, shared labs, and validation programs. It is urgent that we create equivalent mechanisms in Brazil.

Internationalization: Brazil still thinks too small

Going global is not a reward for those who’ve made it. It’s a prerequisite for playing in the most globalized sector of the economy. Biotech operates on long cycles, convergent regulatory demands, and interdependent value chains. Thinking globally isn’t optional—it’s foundational.

But how do we do that in a country still lacking tools for soft landing, access to innovation hubs, and international regulatory readiness?

The answer lies in three pillars:

• Mindset: Startups must be born with an international vision. The question "Which country do you want to impact?" should be part of the canvas.

  
  

• Strategic intermediation: Partnerships with institutions like IBIS, which bridge technical expertise, regulatory agendas, and global market access, are essential.

  
  

• Aligned institutional support: APEX, FINEP, embassies, BNDES, and universities need to act in coordination. Internationalization programs can’t be generic—they must be tailored to biotech and healthtech realities.

  
  

IBIS's role: elevating the game and building the ecosystem

The bridge between startups and the market demands qualified mediation. That’s why IBIS was created: to connect science-based startups with actors who can amplify their value. We do this through market intelligence, strategic diagnostics, capacity building, and curated access to key players in Brazil and abroad.

We are a private company with a public mindset. We understand both the language of science and the logic of capital. We listen carefully to the real pains of the market and the legitimate ambitions of innovators.

Our invitation today is clear: the future of health demands big thinking, serious alliances, and execution capacity. IBIS is ready to be that place of convergence.

More than talking about innovation, we are building the instruments that allow it to thrive.

Who comes along us?

by Marcio de Paula

Brazilian Health Innovation Institute - IBIS