The Economy of Minas Gerais by Productive Sectors

Minas Gerais stands out in several productive sectors, and in the roots of the people of Minas Gerais reside the reasons for this quality.

Minas Gerais is ‘Minas Gerais’ essentially for its human capital. People from Minas Gerais have the capacity for reflection and ingenuity – leading to exceptional results in the contemporary productive segments.

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Biotechnology And Life Sciences – Vocation for Health

The economic vocation of Minas Gerais diversifies, especially in the health and life sciences segments. The State stands out for housing hospitals, laboratories and clinics of excellence in care and procedures. Another reference, more and more evident, to the point of ensuring the State the vanguard in the Brazilian export agenda, is the biotechnology sector. This segment, with its items of advanced technology and high added value, is responsible for increasing agricultural productivity, for the development of new medicines, vaccines, medical devices, diagnostic systems and innovations in the area of biofuels.

Animal semen and embryos, intraocular lenses, heart valves and insulin medications are listed in Minas Gerais trade balance, and in the last three years, the State is the largest exporter in the world. The sector has become a priority in the State’s development strategy and has entities such as BDMG, BNDES, Sebrae, CNPQ, Finep, Fapemig, universities, scientific institutions and research centers as their supporters and incentivators. These and other factors make investors and entrepreneurs find in the State, where there are already about 400 companies in this segment.

The productive chain of the sector is monitored closely and finds special collaboration for its growth in two allies: Biominas Brasil, an entity that acts nationally and internationally to promote business impact in life sciences. With its core business and initiatives focused on entrepreneurship and innovation, it supports biotechnology projects from conception to expansion. Likewise, Associação Nacional de Empresas de Biotecnologia e Ciências da Vida (Anbiotec), the National Association of Biotechnology and Life Sciences Companies, a non-profit private entity, assists the industry by encouraging cooperation between companies and encouraging entrepreneurship and competitiveness of micro and small businesses and startups.

Creativity, talent and research are responsible for the discovery of innovative products that place Minas Gerais in an even more promising market scenario. Case of Alamantec, a company of the Labfarm group that developed, with the support of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), a formula that stimulates hair growth in a non-aggressive manner to the human body and without side effects. Industrialization and marketing are already guaranteed, with a monthly initial production of 100 thousand units of the product.

Another example comes from the startup born of the Federal Center for Technological Education of Minas Gerais (Cefet-MG), Biomimetic Solutions, which created the biodegradable platform – called Scaffold – to develop tissues and organs outside the human body. Aiming at the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, the materials may have application in research and testing, therapies and replacement of damaged tissues, as in the case of burns, avoiding the use of animals in research, among other benefits.

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