FACEPE

What FACEPE does

FACEPE (Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco) is a state government foundation established in 1990 in Recife, Brazil, that functions as the exclusive operational arm of SECTI-PE for managing science, technology, and innovation funding in Pernambuco. As a statutorily designated autarquia, it does not compete commercially but instead administers a portfolio of grant and scholarship programs targeting researchers, graduate and undergraduate students, postdocs, startups, micro/small enterprises, and state government agencies. Core programs include Bolsas de Fixação de Pesquisador (BFP), Programa de Bolsas de Pós-Graduação (PBPG), PPSUS health research funding, Cientista Arretado public-sector innovation challenges, Pró-Startups entrepreneurship support, Desafios.Gov and Desafios Sociais, and equity-focused programs such as Mães Cientistas and Compet Mulheres.

FACEPE does not develop proprietary technology products. Its core operational infrastructure is the AgilFAP online platform (agil.facepe.br), which handles the full grant lifecycle — proposal submission, peer review, results publication, appeals, and grant administration. A supplementary Word Cloud tool visualizes research data, and the foundation publishes the institutional magazine "Revista FACEPE – Inovação & Desenvolvimento." Distribution occurs through digital self-service (AgilFAP), institutional partnerships with ICTs (UFPE, UFRPE, UFAPE and others), and direct coordination with state government agencies and federal partners (CNPq, CAPES, FINEP, CONFAP).

FACEPE's revenue model is non-commercial: it is funded primarily through state budget allocations from the Government of Pernambuco, supplemented by federal transfers from CNPq, CAPES, and FINEP, plus international cooperation agreements. The foundation disburses non-repayable funding (bolsas and auxílios) to beneficiaries; researchers and applicants do not pay for grant services. Total research and innovation investment exceeded R$150 million across 46 editais in 2025, with a stand-alone R$83 million researcher fixation and infrastructure package announced in June 2026. Headcount is 51–100 employees.

Name

FACEPE

Legal name

Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco

Website

https://facepe.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

FACEPE is the state government foundation of Pernambuco, Brazil, that funds scientific research, graduate scholarships, and innovation programs through grants, serving researchers, students, startups, and state agencies across the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Recife

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Budget Allocation: FACEPE operates as a state-level science and technology foundation (Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia) funded primarily through allocations from the Government of Pernambuco's budget and transfers from state-secretary level entities such as SECTI-PE. Additional funding flows from federal agencies and international cooperation agreements.
2. Federal Transfers (CNPq, CAPES, FINEP): FACEPE receives transfers and co-funding from federal science and technology agencies including CNPq, CAPES, and FINEP, which are channeled into state-level research programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FACEPE is the State of Pernambuco's public science and technology funding foundation. It provides non-repayable financial support through grant programs and scholarships for scientific research, graduate and undergraduate education, researcher retention, public-sector innovation challenges, and startup creation. Program management is centralized on the AgilFAP online platform, which handles the full lifecycle of proposal submission, peer evaluation, results publication, and grant reporting for researchers, students, startups, and state government agencies in Pernambuco.

Product overview

FACEPE (Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco) is a government science and technology funding foundation that operates as a portfolio of grant programs, innovation initiatives, and digital platforms. The organization does not offer traditional software products but manages a comprehensive ecosystem of research funding programs including graduate scholarships (PBPG), researcher fixation grants (BFP), health research (PPSUS), and innovation programs (Pró-Startups, Desafios.Gov, Cientista Arretado). Core operational infrastructure includes AgilFAP for proposal submission and grant management, supplemented by publication platforms like the institutional magazine 'Revista FACEPE – Inovação & Desenvolvimento' and digital tools such as Word Cloud. Programs target researchers, startups, students, and public institutions across Pernambuco, with notable focus on equity, diversity, and regional interiorization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AgilFAP Online Grant Management Platform Self-service online platform (agil.facepe.br) for submitting funding proposals, checking results, filing administrative appeals, and managing grants for researchers, students, startups, and government agencies in Pernambuco.
• Programa de Bolsas de Pós-Graduação (PBPG) Graduate scholarship program providing financial support for master's and doctoral students at accredited institutions in Pernambuco, disbursed in staged evaluation cycles.
• Programa de Bolsas de Fixação de Pesquisador (BFP) Researcher retention and attraction grants aimed at strengthening research activities in Pernambuco institutions, distributed across Agrarian, Biological, Health, Exact, Human, and Engineering knowledge areas.
• Programa Pesquisa para o SUS (PPSUS) Health research grant program funding scientific projects aligned with the priorities of the Unified Health System (SUS) in Pernambuco, in partnership with SES-PE.
• Programa Cientista Arretado Cooperation program engaging senior researchers to address specific public policy challenges commissioned by Pernambuco state agencies (SECTI-PE, SES-PE, SEFAZ-PE, ARPE, SJDH-PE, ATI/SAD-PE).
• Pró-Startups Startup support program providing non-repayable funding for recently established or to-be-formalized startups in Pernambuco, with a dedicated track for women innovators.
• Desafios.Gov Innovation program funding micro and small enterprises developing solutions to public management challenges issued by Pernambuco state government agencies.
• Inovação Aberta para Desafios Sociais Open innovation program funding projects addressing social challenges such as food security, water access, sustainable agriculture, and social inclusion in Pernambuco.
• Transforma PE Program supporting Local Productive Arrangements (APLs) and traditional businesses in Pernambuco through digital transformation projects delivered jointly with partner research institutions.
• Programa Centelha PE Program fostering innovative entrepreneurship and the creation of technology-based companies in Pernambuco through staged support cycles.
• Espaços Cria Program supporting creative economy spaces and innovative ventures in Pernambuco, with edicts accepting project proposals.
• Programa Bolsas Pernambucanas de Produtividade (PBPP) Productivity scholarship program for researchers, including a dedicated PBPP Interiorização track encouraging research activity outside the Recife metropolitan region.
• Cátedras Franco-Brasileiras em Pernambuco Program establishing French-Brazilian academic chairs to promote scientific and academic cooperation between France and Pernambuco.
• Compet Soluções Innovation competition program funding solutions to technological and scientific challenges in Pernambuco.
• Edital Mães Cientistas de Pernambuco Support program providing research funding (up to R$ 120,000 per proposal) to enable pregnant researchers and mothers to maintain scientific productivity in Pernambuco.
• Edital de Sensibilização à Ciência Grant program supporting the development of educational and pedagogical materials to promote science awareness among the Pernambuco population.
• Edital Compet Mulheres Grant program specifically supporting women researchers and innovators in science and technology in Pernambuco.

Quantifiable outcome

• R$ 83 million invested in researcher fixation and research infrastructure in Pernambuco (June 2026)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Mobility Confap Italy 2026minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026International mobility program coordinated by CONFAP enabling Pernambuco researchers to participate in the Mobility Confap Italy 2026 call, supported by FACEPE.
• Parent in Science MovementminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 May 2026National movement dedicated to promoting gender equality and inclusion in academia, partnered with FACEPE for the Mães Cientistas de Pernambuco program launch. Fernanda Staniscuaski (UFRGS), founder of the movement, delivered the keynote at the launch seminar.
• AGE (Agência de Empreendedorismo de Pernambuco)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2025AGE channels Fundo Inovar/PE resources for innovation programs managed by FACEPE, including Desafios.Gov (R$ 300,000 per project) and Desafios Sociais (R$ 200,000 per project).
• Government of Sichuan Province, ChinaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2025International cooperation agreement between the Government of Pernambuco and Sichuan Province for a student scholarship program in China. Resolução 03/2025 modified rules for the student mobility aid (AMD) related to this cooperation.
• CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCNPq is the national council for scientific and technological development and represents the primary federal partner for FACEPE in co-funding research programs and scholarship initiatives. FACEPE participates in national programs coordinated by CNPq, and its Director Científica was publicly recognized by CNPq at the Mães Cientistas seminar.
• CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAPES is the federal agency for higher education personnel improvement and works with FACEPE on graduate program evaluation and postgraduate scholarship coordination in Pernambuco.
• FINEP (Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFINEP is the federal innovation agency that co-funds science and technology projects in partnership with state foundations like FACEPE, providing additional capital for research and innovation programs.
• CONFAP (Conselho Nacional das Fundações de Amparo à Pesquisa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCONFAP is the national council of state research support foundations. FACEPE participates in CONFAP-coordinated programs including international mobility calls such as Mobility Confap Italy 2026.
• SECTI-PE (Secretaria de Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação de Pernambuco)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFACEPE is an autarquia (autonomous foundation) linked to SECTI-PE, which serves as its parent ministry. SECTI-PE provides the primary state budget allocation and strategic direction for FACEPE's science and technology programs.
• Governo de PernambucocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Government of Pernambuco is the primary funder and political patron of FACEPE, providing state budget allocations for all major programs including the R$ 83 million researcher fixation package and R$ 9 million Desafios.Gov program across three editions.
• Pró-Reitorias de Pós-Graduação (Graduate Program Offices)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGraduate program offices at Pernambuco universities serve as the institutional interface for FACEPE's grant programs, submitting voter lists for council elections and coordinating program dissemination with researchers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• FINEP (Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos): Brazilian federal innovation financing agency and core FACEPE partner. Co-funds science and technology projects with state FAPs like FACEPE, providing additional capital for research and innovation programs at national scale.
• CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior): Federal agency for graduate education personnel, a strategic FACEPE partner. Operates with national scope across postgraduate scholarships and program evaluation, complementing and overlapping with FACEPE's PBPG offering.
• CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico): Brazil's federal science and technology council and a core FACEPE partner. Serves the same national researcher base but with broader scope and larger budget, making it both a co-funder and a competitive incumbent.

Others

• CONFAP (Conselho Nacional das Fundações de Amparo à Pesquisa): National council of Brazilian state research support foundations. FACEPE is a member; CONFAP coordinates cross-FAP initiatives like the Mobility Confap Italy 2026 call, functioning as the industry association connecting all Brazilian state FAPs.

Direct peers

• FAPEMIG (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais): Minas Gerais's state research foundation with the same structural role as FACEPE for a different Brazilian state. Closely comparable in mandate, program types, and target audience (state-level researchers and institutions).
• FUNCAP (Fundação Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico): Ceará's state research support foundation. Operates with similar scope and structure to FACEPE for a neighboring Northeastern Brazilian state, comparable in scale and program mix.
• FAPERJ (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro): Rio de Janeiro's state research support foundation, structurally analogous to FACEPE in mission and operations. Directly comparable as a regional FAP managing scholarships, research grants, and innovation programs.
• FAPEAL (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Alagoas): Alagoas's state research foundation, structurally and operationally analogous to FACEPE. Directly comparable as a smaller Brazilian state FAP serving a regional research community.
• FAPESP (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo): São Paulo's state-level research support foundation and the largest FAP in Brazil by budget. Operates an identical model of research grants, scholarships, and innovation programs, making it the most directly comparable Brazilian peer.
• FAPEG (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás): Goiás's state research foundation with the same model as FACEPE. Comparable as a Brazilian state FAP operating scholarships, research grants, and innovation challenges in its region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/facepe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/funda-o-de-amparo-ci-ncia-e-tecnologia-do-estado-de-pernambuco-facepe-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about FACEPE