The hub is based at the Federal Technological University of Paraná (UTFPR), in Apucarana, in the south of the country. Fibrenamics Brazil starts its activity on March 16, in a virtual roadshow about natural fibers and their applications, showing the 10 years of the project in Portugal, with 25 million euros raised in R&D and 300 partner entities.

"We have outlined the expansion and internationalization of Fibrenamics for the coming years and we realized that our services would adapt relatively easily to the Brazilian industry", says the executive director of Fibrenamics, Fernando Cunha. After a hub created five years ago in São Miguel, in the Azores, the Brazilian hub now appears. The agreement with UTFPR is being finalized and aims to stimulate scientific research and technological innovation in sectors such as textiles, architecture or health in the state of Paraná, transferring the know-how generated at UMinho and UTFPR.

The local coordinator is Aloysio Gomes, professor and director of business and community relations at UTFPR. “Brazil is one of the markets with the greatest growth potential, but it still needs to make the leap. The sharing of Fibrenamics experience and knowledge with Brazilian researchers and managers will certainly be very fruitful ”, he says.