More than 60 staff at Investe São Paulo are responsible for investment promotion for the state of São Paulo, which ranks first for FDI Strategy in fDi’s Latin American States of the Future 2018/19 league tables. Staff training is provided by internationally recognised organisations, including the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation.

Investe São Paulo provides an interactive ‘São Paulo in Maps’ tool on its website, where prospective investors can view macroeconomic and statistical information for the state’s 645 municipalities, enabling the user to research locations, infrastructure and higher education institutions in proximity, logistics and cluster information. 

Investe São Paulo remains in close contact with investing companies already installed in the state, to monitor expansion plans or answer any requests. Advocacy remains an important part of the promotion body’s mission and it works closely with the government to ensure any barriers to investments are removed.

Minas Gerais’ intelligent thinking

A little to the north of São Paulo, Minas Gerais ranks second for its investment attraction strategy. FIEMG, an industrial federation which also carries out investment promotion, owns a pioneering business  intelligence system designed to support investing companies and assist them in their business decisions. It is the first such system to be used in Brazil, and puts the agency at the forefront of technology and investment attraction in the country. FIEMG’s key initiatives for attracting investment include working with states to improve the local business environment and attracting investors, as well as international outreach missions.

Invest in Paraná, tasked with attracting investors to Paraná state, ranks third in the FDI Strategy category and is located just south of São Paulo. The agency recently launched the ‘CEO Investment Meeting’, which brings together investors and the state governor to discuss the needs of companies and the local investment environment. A series of meetings has resulted in the implementation of three new tax policies encouraging investment at sector level. The Paraná Competitivo programme offers investors incentives that cover greenfield, brownfield and e-commerce, in addition to site selection and technical support. 

Editor''s note: An earlier version of this article stated that FIEMG is 'responsible for investment promotion' and has now been corrected. The Minas Gerais Investment and Trade Promotion Agency is the agency responsible.