FIESC

What FIESC does

FIESC (Federação das Indústrias do Estado de Santa Catarina) is a private non-profit civil association (federação sindical) founded in 1950 and headquartered in Florianópolis, Brazil. It is funded primarily through mandatory employer syndical contributions and acts as the statutory representative of Santa Catarina's industrial base, comprising approximately 61,500 companies employing 893,100 workers and contributing 34.5% of formal jobs and 27.5% of state GDP. The federation is composed of 142 affiliated industrial unions and four operating entities: CIESC (industry association), SESI/SC (worker health and basic education), SENAI/SC (professional and technical education), and IEL/SC (internship and innovation programs). It coordinates with the national confederation CNI and works through 24 sectoral chambers and 16 regional vice-presidencies.

FIESC generates revenue through syndicated employer contributions and fee-based educational services delivered via the largest private education network in Santa Catarina (SESI/SENAI). It also monetizes innovation services through the SENAI Innovation Institutes (portfolios of robotics, embedded systems, laser processing, and advanced manufacturing labs in Joinville), internationalization via the Intercomp platform (export certificates, trade missions priced at USD 4,755-5,745 for the 2026 China mission), competitive intelligence via Observatório FIESC, and ad-hoc innovation programs such as UniSENAI's AI residency (R$ 2,500/month scholarship) and Program Mover (R$ 319 million in active calls). Distribution runs through physical schools, training centers, and affiliated unions across the state, complemented by online platforms.

The organization invests heavily in technology and R&D: the SENAI Innovation Institutes have executed 344 projects for 417 companies since 2014, with a cumulative R$ 1.02 billion project portfolio. Notable technology programs include the Refining Robot developed with Petrobras (R$ 385 million partnership in Joinville), the Constelação Catarina nanosatellite constellation in partnership with UFSC and the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), and the HBESS hybrid battery energy storage system. Current management (2025-2028) is led by President Gilberto Seleme, following a 2018-2025 cycle that invested R$ 1.5 billion including R$ 510 million in 2021 alone.

Name

FIESC

Legal name

Federação das Indústrias do Estado de Santa Catarina

Website

https://fiesc.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Federation and Professional Education Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (813920), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International Standards, Norms & Technical Regulatory Bodies (BPADAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD), Institutes of Technology (IoT / Technical Universities) (EDAHAEAC), Networking & Telecommunications (Routing/Switching, Wireless, VoIP) (EDABAFAG)

Keywords

• Industry federation services
• Professional technical education
• Industrial R&D innovation
• Workforce development training
• Industry trade association

Headquarters

HQ city

Florianópolis

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. SESI and SENAI Educational Services: SESI and SENAI form the largest private education network in Santa Catarina, offering professional education, basic education, higher education, and corporate education. Revenue is generated through course fees, technical programs, and educational services to students and companies.
2. IEL/SC Services: IEL connects businesses, knowledge, and people through internship programs and competitive intelligence projects. Services include internship placement, talent recruitment, and innovation programs.
3. Industry Representation and Advocacy: FIESC represents and advocates for Santa Catarina's industry with government bodies, promoting an favorable business environment. Membership is based on affiliation of 142 industrial unions.
4. Syndical Contribution (Contribuição Sindical): Resources collected through Syndical Contribution ensure that union entities can exercise representativeness of industries before government bodies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

FIESC is a non-profit industry federation representing 61,500 industrial companies in Santa Catarina through advocacy, professional education, innovation services, and internationalization support. It operates the largest private education network in the state via SESI/SC (basic education and worker health) and SENAI/SC (professional and technical training), runs R&D and innovation programs through the SENAI Innovation Institutes, provides internationalization services through the Intercomp platform, and offers talent programs via IEL/SC. The federation is funded by mandatory employer syndical contributions and operates 142 affiliated industrial unions.

Product overview

FIESC (Federação das Indústrias do Estado de Santa Catarina) is a federation of industries comprising multiple interconnected entities and platforms. The core structure includes FIESC itself as the main federation, along with CIESC (industry association), SESI/SC (worker health and education), SENAI/SC (professional and technical education), and IEL/SC (talent and internship programs). FIESC operates several major platforms: the Plataforma de Internacionalização (Intercomp) for export/import services and trade promotion; Observatório FIESC for competitive intelligence and data analytics; Institutos SENAI de Inovação e Tecnologia for R&D and technological solutions; and Monitora FIESC/Bolsa de Resíduos for infrastructure monitoring and waste exchange. Additional offerings include UniSENAI (higher education with AI residency programs), Revista Indústria & Competitividade (magazine), Indústria News (daily newsletter), Constelação Catarina (nan satellite network), and event programs like the China Business Mission. The entity also provides education services through SENAI/SC courses and SESI/SC schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FIESC Federation - Industry Representation & Advocacy The main federation entity representing the industry of Santa Catarina through industry defense, public policy advocacy, internationalization, infrastructure, and coordination with CNI. Serves 61,500 industrial companies in the state.
• SENAI Innovation and Technology Institutes (Institutos SENAI de Inovação e Tecnologia) Innovation and technology institutes providing R&D services, applied research, and technological solutions for industry competitiveness, including robotics, embedded systems, manufacturing, and laser processing capabilities. Specializes in Digital Transformation and AI, Advanced Robotics, Advanced Manufacturing, New Space, Low Carbon Economy and Energy Transition, and Bioeconomy.
• SENAI/SC Professional and Technical Courses Professional and technical courses in various modalities (in-person, hybrid, distance learning) including industry technician programs, mobile schools, industrial apprenticeship, and corporate education for workers and students.
• SESI/SC - Worker Health, Safety, and Basic Education Services Health programs, safety management, and complete basic educational journey from early childhood to high school for industrial workers and their dependents.
• IEL/SC - Talent and Internship Programs Connects business, knowledge, and people through internship programs (Estágio 4i), talent recruitment programs (Inova Talentos, Recruta Talentos), competitive intelligence projects, and industrial development initiatives.
• UniSENAI Higher Education and AI Residency Program Higher education institution offering academic formation combined with practical industry projects through postgraduate AI residency programs, forming professionals in technology and innovation. Includes R$ 2,500 monthly scholarship for one-year residency program.
• Intercomp Internationalization Platform Internationalization platform providing commercial intelligence, training, seminars, trade promotion, export certificates (Certificate of Origin, Free Sale Declaration), and defense of trade interests through CAMEX for companies seeking foreign markets.
• Observatório FIESC - Competitive Intelligence Platform Competitive intelligence center using Big Data and Data Analytics to transform data and information into business knowledge for companies, institutions, and government on Santa Catarina's industrial economy.
• Centro de Inovação SESI em Tecnologias para Saúde (CISTS) Innovation center developing customized technologies for worker health, safety, productivity, and cost reduction in industrial environments.
• International Business Missions (e.g., Canton Fair China Mission) Business mission program to international trade fairs and innovation ecosystems, including the China Canton Fair 2026 mission visiting Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Hangzhou, with technical visits, workshops, and networking opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• R$ 1.02 billion in project portfolio developed with industry since 2014
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• UNDIME/SC (União dos Dirigentes Municipais de Educação)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Partnership signed between FIESC and UNDIME/SC to strengthen basic education and professional education in Santa Catarina. Includes cooperation to expand initiatives in full-time education, teacher training, and professional qualification for young people and workers. Initiative signed at Summit Cidades 2026.
• PetrobrascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Strategic partnership for technology development including R$ 385 million investment in technology centers for oil and gas sector in Joinville. Collaboration on robotics projects including the Refining Robot for automating maintenance in industrial structures. SENAI Innovation Institute recognized at Prêmio Inventor Petrobras 2026 for contributions.
• CNI (Confederação Nacional da Indústria)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026FIESC works in coordination with CNI on national industry policy, trade issues, and representation. CNI is the national confederation to which FIESC belongs.
• ABGF (Agência Brasileira Gestora de Fundos Garantidores e Garantias)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaboration on export financing topics. ABGF is the Brazilian agency for export credit guarantees, participating in FIESC webinars on new export financing legislation.
• EMBRAPII (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa e Inovação Industrial)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026EMBRAPII co-invests R$ 20 million in structural projects of the Program Mover for automotive industry innovation, coordinated with SENAI.
• SENAI Innovation Institutes Network (national)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024National network of SENAI Innovation Institutes connecting industrial companies with research institutions, universities, and companies. Includes specialized centers in Santa Catarina (CT ROB, CT Laser, CETEMO) developing solutions for industry.
• UFSC (Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for developing the Constelação Catarina (nanosatellite network) and cultivated protein research. Combines university research capabilities with SENAI innovation infrastructure.
• AEB (Agência Espacial Brasileira)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with Brazilian Space Agency for the Constelação Catarina project - a network of nanosatellites for climate monitoring and natural disaster prevention.
• MDIC (Ministério do Desenvolvimento, Indústria, Comércio e Serviços)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Coordination on Program Mover (R$ 319 million) for automotive industry innovation, productivity, digitalization, and professional qualification.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• FIESP - Federação das Indústrias do Estado de São Paulo: São Paulo's industry federation; operates the same federation model (FIESC's equivalent in Brazil's largest industrial state) including SESI, SENAI, CIESP, and IEL. Directly comparable in structure, services, and funding model, with much larger scale.
• CNI - Confederação Nacional da Indústria: National industry confederation to which FIESC belongs. Sets national policy positions, coordinates the S system across all 27 state federations, and represents industry interests at the federal level. A direct upstream/parent body to FIESC.
• SENAI Nacional: National SENAI network coordinating all state-level SENAI units, including SENAI/SC operated by FIESC. Comparable in professional education, innovation (SENAI Innovation Institutes), and applied research mission.

Direct peers

• FIERGS - Federação das Indústrias do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul: Rio Grande do Sul's industry federation, structurally identical to FIESC with SESI-RS, SENAI-RS, CIERGS, and IEL-RS. Same industry representation, education, and innovation mandate; closest geographic and economic peer.
• FIEMG - Federação das Indústrias do Estado de Minas Gerais: Minas Gerais's industry federation, providing identical services to FIESC (SESI, SENAI, CIEMG, IEL) for member industrial companies. Operates the same mandatory contribution funding model and industry advocacy mission.
• FIEB - Federação das Indústrias do Estado da Bahia: Bahia's industry federation with the same structure (SESI, SENAI, CIEB, IEL) and mandate as FIESC. Provides industry representation, professional education, and innovation services to industrial companies in the state.
• FIEC - Federação das Indústrias do Estado do Ceará: Ceará's industry federation, operating the same S system structure (SESI, SENAI, IEL) for industry representation, workforce training, and innovation. Direct structural and functional peer to FIESC in the Northeast.
• FIEPE - Federação das Indústrias do Estado de Pernambuco: Pernambuco's industry federation, structurally and operationally comparable to FIESC with same SESI/SENAI/IEL components and industry representation mandate. Functions as the equivalent federation in the Northeast.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@fiescnet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sistema-fiesc
• Instagraminstagram.com/fiescnet
• Xx.com/FIESC
• Facebookfacebook.com/FIESC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FIESC