CEPEDI

What CEPEDI does

CEPEDI (Centro de Pesquisa, Desenvolvimento Tecnológico e Inovação) is a private non-profit technology research and development institute founded in 2002 and headquartered in Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil. The organization operates as an MCTI-accredited ICT (Science, Technology and Innovation Institution), executing R&D projects for private enterprises under Brazil's Lei de Informática incentives and delivering government-funded training and innovation programs. CEPEDI maintains a regional office in Salvador at the Tecnoxente and Bahia Technology Parks, plus a training center in Lauro de Freitas, and is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by the rector of UESC.

CEPEDI's technology portfolio spans custom software development, hardware and embedded systems design (PCB, sensors, RTOS), IoT solutions with protocols including MQTT, CoAP, LoRaWAN, Zigbee, and 5G, artificial intelligence and computer vision, cloud computing services, and software testing services. Its proprietary SaaS product, SASI (Sistema de Análise de Saúde Integrada), centralizes and georeferences healthcare and epidemiological data with AI-driven predictive analytics and was habilitated by Brazil's Ministry of Health in 2026 to integrate the Laboratory Inova SUS Digital. The organization also operates a vertically integrated innovation stack: INETI and DESAVEXE incubators, innovation hubs (Hub Salvador, Hub Tecnoxente, Hub Bahia Games), coworking space (Espaço Colaborar), and large-scale residency programs including EmbarcaTech (embedded systems/IoT), CI Digital (semiconductor design), RESTIC, and Residência em Games, all delivered in coordination with Softex under MCTI funding.

Revenue is generated primarily through project-based R&D contracts with private technology companies and government institutions, supplemented by MCTI-funded training program budgets routed through Softex and state-level partnerships (SETRE). CEPEDI serves three primary segments: private technology firms (Daten, Intelbras, Jabil, Positivo) seeking R&D and quality assurance services, federal and state government institutions (MCTI, Ministry of Health, SETRE), and technology startups supported through its incubation and training infrastructure. The organization holds MPT-BR Level 5 certification (highest national software testing maturity), SQMMI Level 3, and three consecutive years of Great Place to Work certification.

Name

CEPEDI

Legal name

CEPEDI – Centro de Pesquisa, Desenvolvimento Tecnológico e Inovação

Website

https://cepedi.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CEPEDI is a Brazilian non-profit technology R&D institute founded in 2002, providing software development, IoT, AI, embedded systems, and certified software testing services to government agencies and private enterprises while operating incubators and national MCTI-funded training programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ilhéus

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. R&D Services and Technology Projects: CEPEDI generates revenue through contracted research and development services for private companies and government institutions. Projects include software development, hardware design, IoT solutions, AI implementations, and testing services under project-based agreements.
2. Technology Training and Residency Programs: CEPEDI executes technology training programs (EmbarcaTech, CI Digital, Residência em Games, RESTIC) funded by MCTI and other government bodies. Programs provide vocational training with monthly stipends for participants.
3. Innovation Ecosystem Services: CEPEDI operates incubators (INETI, DESAVEXE) and innovation hubs that support startup development, providing infrastructure, mentorship, and business development services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CEPEDI is a non-profit technology research and development institute providing contract R&D services in software development, hardware design, embedded systems, IoT, AI/ML, computer vision, and cloud computing, complemented by MPT-BR Level 5-certified software testing and a SaaS public-health analytics platform (SASI). It also runs startup incubators (INETI, DESAVEXE) and government-funded technology residency/training programs (EmbarcaTech, CI Digital, Residência em Games).

Product overview

CEPEDI offers a comprehensive technology solutions portfolio organized into two main areas: (1) Specialized technology services including Software Testing (certified MPT-BR Level 5 and SQMMI Level 3), Cloud Computing, Hardware Development, Embedded Software and IoT, AI/Computer Vision/Machine Learning, and Custom Software Development; and (2) Programs and incubators for innovation and workforce development including DESAVEXE (MCTI-accredited startup incubator), INETI, Hub Salvador, Hub Tecnoxente, Hub Bahia Games, and technology residency programs such as EmbarcaTech (Embedded Systems and IoT), CI Digital (Digital Integrated Circuits), RESTIC (TIC Residency), and Residência em Games (Digital Games). The SASI (Sistema de Análise de Saúde Integrada) platform represents CEPEDI's flagship SaaS product integrating AI for public health data management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• INETI: Startup incubator for technology-based businesses, part of CEPEDI ecosystem
• Desavexe
• Hub Tecnoxente
• Hub Salvador
• SASI – Sistema de Análise de Saúde Integrada

Products and services

• SASI – Sistema de Análise de Saúde Integrada SaaS platform that centralizes, integrates, and georeferences healthcare and epidemiological data, applying AI intelligence to enable predictive, evidence-based real-time decision-making through dashboards for public health management.
• Software Testing Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 150+ projects delivered; 50+ million hours invested in 2023
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• SoftexcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational coordination partner for technology residency programs including EmbarcaTech, CI Digital, and RESTIC. Softex, as the Association for the Promotion of Software Excellence, coordinates PPI SOFTEX funded by MCTI, with CEPEDI as executing partner in Bahia.
• Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (MCTI)coreOthersPrimary government funding source for technology programs and R&D projects. CEPEDI is MCTI-accredited as an ICT institution.
• Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution and key academic partner. UESC rector serves as CEPEDI's Board Chairman, and the university provides facilities and academic support for programs.
• Universidade do Estado da Bahia (UNEB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner hosting the Residência em Games launch event and training facilities at Campus I in Salvador.
• Instituto Federal da Bahia (IFBA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal institute partner supporting the Residência em Games program execution.
• Secretaria do Trabalho, Emprego, Renda e Esporte da Bahia (SETRE)majorOthersState government department providing support for technology residency programs through funding and institutional backing.
• Instituto Nacional de Telecomunicações (Inatel)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead institution for the CI Digital semiconductor program, with CEPEDI as regional executing partner for the Bahia poles.
• Universidade Federal de Itajubá (UNIFEI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution in the CI Digital semiconductor training program.
• Universidade Estadual do Maranhão (UEMA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner for CI Digital program execution in the Northeast region.
• Instituto Hardware Brasil (HBr)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in hardware development training programs and technology residency.
• FIAPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner academic institution for hackathon events and technology competitions.
• Korean Game Industry StakeholdersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnerships with SNIP, Korea Game Culture Foundation, KOCCA, and Golden Hawk Consulting for games industry cooperation and talent development.
• Hub TecnoxentemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology hub space connecting startups and companies. CEPEDI manages DESAVEXE incubator from this location and participates in its innovation ecosystem.
• Hub SalvadormajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStartup hub in Salvador where DESAVEXE incubator operates. Connected to CEPEDI's innovation ecosystem.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Funcate: Funcate is a São José dos Campos-based foundation supporting technology R&D, geospatial, and innovation projects with public funding — a comparable non-profit R&D services peer in the Brazilian public-sector innovation ecosystem.
• Softex: Softex is a national association promoting software excellence and coordinating MCTI-funded residency programs (including several that CEPEDI executes). It is both a partner and an adjacent ecosystem operator in the same Brazilian tech talent and R&D space.

Direct peers

• Porto Digital: Porto Digital is a Recife-based technology park and innovation ecosystem that combines R&D services, incubators, accelerators, and talent programs, closely paralleling CEPEDI's combined services-plus-ecosystem model.
• CPqD: CPqD is a large Brazilian independent technology innovation center specializing in telecom, IT, and software R&D for enterprise and government clients, with a comparable service portfolio in software, embedded, and AI.
• CESAR: CESAR is a Recife-based innovation center that delivers custom software, IoT, embedded systems, and AI/ML R&D for enterprises and government, and runs its own training and startup programs — making it the closest direct comparable to CEPEDI in scale, mission, and service mix.
• Instituto Eldorado: Instituto Eldorado is a Campinas-based independent R&D institute focused on software, hardware, embedded systems, and ICT solutions for the Brazilian market, with similar MCTI-style public-private R&D contracts as CEPEDI.
• Fundação CERTI: Fundação CERTI is a Florianópolis-based R&D and innovation foundation providing technology development, embedded systems, IoT, and incubation services — a strong analog to CEPEDI's institute-plus-incubator structure.

Regional players

• LACTEC: LACTEC is a Paraná-based research institute delivering technology R&D, testing, and innovation services for the energy, industrial, and ICT sectors — a regional R&D peer with comparable service lines but a different geographic base.

Broad incumbents

• Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas (IPT): IPT is a major São Paulo-based public research institute delivering applied R&D, testing, and certification services across many industries. It is much larger than CEPEDI but operates an overlapping technology R&D and testing services model.
• SENAI (National Service for Industrial Training): SENAI is a national network delivering industry-focused technology training, applied R&D, and innovation services. It overlaps with CEPEDI's EmbarcaTech, CI Digital, and Residência em Games training programs but at much larger national scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cepedi
• Instagraminstagram.com/cepedilheus

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CEPEDI