FAPESB

What FAPESB does

FAPESB (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia) is the state research support foundation of Bahia, Brazil, created by Lei 7.888/2001 and operationally linked to the Secretaria de Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (SECTI) of the State of Bahia. It is the sole state-level public agency mandated to fund and induce scientific research, technological development, and innovation within Bahia, operating as a non-profit foundation of public law headquartered in Salvador. FAPESB distributes funding to researchers, graduate and undergraduate students, universities, and micro/small enterprises through three main pillars: the Programa de Bolsas (PROGBOL) scholarship program, Apoio Científico (scientific support via federal partnerships and state programs), and Apoio à Inovação (innovation support for enterprises). Program delivery occurs through 24 institutional quota agreements with universities and research centers, open public calls (editais), and online portals including SIGA FAPESB and the Plataforma Roberto Santos for application management.

FAPESB's revenue is exclusively budgetary: it receives annual appropriations from the Bahia state treasury, supplemented by federal co-funding from agencies such as FINEP, CNPq, CAPES, and the Ministry of Health, plus international co-funding through partnerships with CONFAP, DAAD, the British Council, and the European Research Council. The 2026 budget allocation totals R$ 218.9 million (Orçado Atual), versus R$ 102.2 million in 2025 and R$ 66.9 million in 2021, indicating sustained state-level scaling. Since its creation FAPESB has invested over R$ 1 billion in science, technology, and innovation in Bahia, with the PROGBOL scholarship program alone representing approximately 40% of the foundation's annual budget.

FAPESB maintains a 24-member Conselho Curador (Board of Trustees) representing research centers, universities, the business sector, and public administration for three-year terms, and three directorates (Scientific, Innovation, Administrative/Financial). Leadership is headed by Diretor Geral Handerson Jorge Dourado Leite, supported by Diretora de Inovação Maria Claudina Gomes de Miranda. Its primary technology systems are administrative: SIGA FAPESB for researcher registration, the Sistema de Bolsas for scholarship management, and the Plataforma Roberto Santos launched in 2017 for project submission and indicator generation. The foundation does not develop or sell a commercial product and operates without shareholders or external equity funding; its sole accountability is to the Bahia state government and the research community it serves.

Name

FAPESB

Legal name

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia

Website

https://fapesb.ba.gov.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

FAPESB is the Bahia state research support foundation, created in 2001, that funds scholarships, research grants, and innovation programs for universities, researchers, students, and small enterprises across Bahia via state budget appropriations and federal co-funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research Funding Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Educational Support Services (611710), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Research Administration & Compliance (Sponsored Programs, IRB/REB) (EDADAKAH), Research Administration & Grants Management Support (Pre/Post-Award, Compliance) (EDAEALAO)

Keywords

• Research funding
• Science grants
• Innovation grants
• Research scholarships
• Public research foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Salvador, BA

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel

Revenue model

1. State Government Budget Allocation: FAPESB receives the majority of its operational and program funding from the Bahia State Treasury, allocated through annual government budgets. Revenue is directed to scholarship programs, research grants, innovation support, and administrative operations. The foundation does not generate commercial revenue; it operates as a non-profit public foundation sustained by state budgetary appropriations and, in some programs, co-funding from federal agencies or international partners.
2. Federal and International Co-Funding: Some FAPESB programs (e.g., PAPPE Subvenção Econômica, Pesquisador na Empresa) are co-financed with federal agencies such as FINEP, CNPq, and CAPES, as well as international partners. These co-funding arrangements allow FAPESB to leverage additional resources for innovation and enterprise-focused research programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FAPESB is the state-level research funding foundation for the State of Bahia, Brazil. It distributes scholarships (undergraduate to postdoctoral), research grants, and innovation support to researchers, students, and enterprises across Bahia. The foundation administers the entire research and innovation pipeline through its Scholarship Program (PROGBOL), Scientific Support pillar, and Innovation Support pillar, funded primarily by the Bahia State Treasury and federal/international co-funding.

Product overview

FAPESB operates as a unified research foundation rather than a modular software product. Its core offerings consist of the Scholarship Program (PROGBOL) and two complementary pillars: Scientific Support (Apoio Científico) providing federal partnerships, state programs, international cooperation, and science popularization; and Innovation Support (Apoio à Inovação) offering programs like Bahia Inovação, Empreende Bahia, and Ideias Inovadoras contest. These programs distribute various scholarship modalities including Scientific Initiation, Professional Master's, Academic Master's, Doctorate, Post-Doctorate, and Visiting Researcher grants. The foundation also maintains online platforms including the Scholarship System and Plataforma Roberto Santos for project management and transparency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Programa de Bolsas (PROGBOL) FAPESB's flagship Scholarship Program representing approximately 40% of the foundation's budget, supporting human resource qualification through scholarships across multiple modalities including Scientific Initiation, Master's, Doctorate, Post-Doctorate, and Visiting Researcher programs.
• Apoio Científico (Scientific Support) Comprehensive scientific research support covering Federal Partnerships (PRONEX, PPP, PRONEM, PPSUS, DCR, INCTs), State Programs, International Cooperation (Coopinter), Science Popularization (Popciências), and Regular Support (NAR) for events, publications, and research participation.
• Apoio à Inovação (Innovation Support) Multi-faceted innovation ecosystem support including Bahia Inovação (PAPPE Subvenção Econômica, Pesquisador na Empresa, Open Innovation), Technology Development and Entrepreneurship (Empreende Bahia, Ideias Inovadoras), and Social and Environmental Technologies targeting strategic sectors.
• Iniciação Científica (Scientific Initiation) Undergraduate research scholarship program (R$ 700/month) for students to develop scientific research under supervision, offered through institutional quotas at universities and research institutions across Bahia (1,338-1,358 scholarships offered annually).
• Mestrado Profissional (Professional Master's) Scholarship program (R$ 2,100/month) for students in professional stricto sensu graduate programs to develop research projects resulting in a master's dissertation.
• Mestrado Acadêmico (Academic Master's) Scholarship program for students in academic stricto sensu graduate programs to develop research projects resulting in a master's dissertation.
• Doutorado (Doctorate) Scholarship program (R$ 3,100/month) for students in stricto sensu graduate programs to develop research projects resulting in a doctoral dissertation.
• Pós-Doutorado (Post-Doctorate) Scholarship program (R$ 5,200/month) for doctoral degree holders to develop research projects at higher education institutions or research centers in Bahia (PD1) or in other states/countries (PD2).
• Pesquisador Visitante (Visiting Researcher) Scholarship program to cover expenses for senior researchers visiting research institutions in Bahia.
• Concurso Ideias Inovadoras (Innovative Ideas Contest) Annual competition to identify and reward innovative ideas from students, researchers, and independent inventors, with prizes of R$ 15,000 (1st), R$ 10,000 (2nd), and R$ 5,000 (3rd). Held annually since 2008.
• Prêmio Roberto Santos de Mérito Científico Annual award created in 2015 to recognize excellence in scientific research contributing to the development of Bahia, nominated by university rectors and CNPq productivity researchers.

Quantifiable outcome

• R$ 1 billion invested in science, technology, and innovation in Bahia from 2001 to 2023
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, strategic and minor.

• CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAPESB's most significant federal partnership. CNPq co-funds multiple programs including PPSUS (Pesquisa para o SUS), DCR (Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico Regional), PRONEX, PPP (Programa Primeiros Projetos), PRONEM, INCTs, REPENSA, REFLORA, SISBIOTA, PELD, PROTAX, and the FAPESB/CAPES agreement for postgraduate training. CNPq also operates the Bolsas de Produtividade (productivity scholarships) program, with FAPESB publishing calls such as Chamada CNPq Nº 18/2024.
• CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçöoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAPESB and CAPES have multiple agreements including the 'Acordo FAPESB/Capes' for supporting stricto sensu postgraduate programs in Bahia's higher education institutions. FAPESB has also published calls such as Edital 018/2020 and Edital 04/2021 in partnership with CAPES, as well as CAPES Edital 14/2023. CAPES also partners with FAPESB on international mobility through the DAAD and CONFAP/GCUB programs.
• SEBRAE/BA (Serviço Brasileiro de Apoio às Micro e Pequenas Empresas – Bahia)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEBRAE/BA co-operates with FAPESB in the Juro Zero Bahia program (providing zero-interest financing to micro and small enterprises for innovation projects) and in the FAPESB/SEBRAE partnership agreement (regulated by Resolução 002/2024) for supporting entrepreneurship and innovation among small businesses in Bahia.
• Ministério da Saúde (Ministry of Health)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ministry of Health is a federal partner in the PPSUS (Pesquisa para o SUS – Bahia) program, co-funded with FAPESB and CNPq. The program aims to improve health conditions in Brazil by supporting scientific and technological research in priority areas for the federal government, operationalized in Bahia through FAPESB's public notices.
• CONFAP (Conselho Nacional das Fundações Estaduais de Amparo à Pesquisa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCONFAP is the national body uniting Brazil's state research foundations. FAPESB participates in CONFAP-led international calls including: CONFAP/ERC (European Research Council), CONFAP-BrasilIllinois, CONFAP Italy Mobility, RAMP (Raw Materials Partnership), CDTI Spain, GCUB-MOB international mobility, and DAAD doctoral mobility. CONFAP enables FAPESB to access European and international research collaboration opportunities.
• DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst / Serviço Alemão de Intercâmbio Acadêmico)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDAAD and FAPESB operate joint calls (e.g., Chamada 2026- Programa de Auxílio para Doutorandos com Bolsa Nacional) to support Brazilian doctoral students with national scholarships to undertake 2–6 month research stays at German institutions. CONFAP coordinates the initiative with FAPESB as the Bahia participant.
• GCUB (Grupo de Cooperação Internacional das Universidades Brasileiras)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAPESB participates in the CONFAP/GCUB Memorandum of Understanding for Academic Internationalization, launching joint calls for international mobility (GCUB-MOB 2026/2027). This enables researchers from Bahia institutions to access international academic exchange programs coordinated through GCUB.
• European Research Council (ERC) / Horizonte EuropastrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough CONFAP, FAPESB participates in the CONFAP/ERC call (Call Research Opportunities in Europe for Active PhD Researchers from Brazil), enabling Bahia researchers to collaborate with ERC-funded researchers in the EU's Horizonte Europa framework. FAPESB also participates in the RAMP (Raw Materials Partnership) for green and digital transition research and MSCA SE (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Staff Exchange) calls.
• British CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAPESB and the British Council launched the 'Diversidade e Inclusão na Ciência' (Diversity and Inclusion in Science) program, granting scholarships for Bahia students from underrepresented groups (women, ethnic minorities) to pursue Master's degrees in the United Kingdom. The program was a cooperation agreement between FAPESB and the British Council.
• IEL (Instituto Euvaldo Lodis)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIEL is the national industry training institute affiliated with the SENAI system. FAPESB/SECTI/IEL joint calls (e.g., Edital 004/2026) aim to attract and retain postgraduate students and graduates in companies located in Bahia. IEL helps identify company needs and facilitates the placement of researchers in industrial environments.
• Universidade de Bolonha (University of Bologna)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAPESB participates in the CONFAP Mobility Agreement with the University of Bologna (Italy), under the MOBILITY CONFAP Italy 2026 call. This enables academic exchange between Bahia researchers and one of Europe's oldest and most prestigious universities.
• Fundação Grupo Boticário de Proteção à Natureza (FGB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAPESB operates Chamada FAPESB/SECTI/SEMA/FGB nº 01/2026 in partnership with the Fundação Grupo Boticário and SEMA (Secretaria do Meio Ambiente do Estado da Bahia), supporting environmental research and conservation projects in Bahia.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about FAPESB