The ANP Workshop on Private Equity Investment Funds (FIP) took place yesterday (July 22) at the Brazilian Institute of Oil and Gas (IBP), in Rio de Janeiro. The event brought together representatives from the energy sector, public and private institutions, and investment funds, with the aim of identifying investment models for the use of resources from the ANP’s Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) Clause, based on the structure of FIPs – Private Equity Investment Funds. The intention is to encourage the application of RD&I Clause resources in technology-based companies, in accordance with Complementary Law No. 182/2021 and ANP Resolution No. 918/2023, while also attracting additional funding from other sources.

ANP Director Fernando Moura opened the event by welcoming the participants. He highlighted the importance of the meeting in discussing the “creation of an innovative FIP aligned with the guidelines of ANP Resolution 918/2023.”

“In recent years, the ANP has been working to improve its regulatory processes by innovating and creating new ways to use RD&I resources. The NAVE – ANP Entrepreneurship Program – is a successful example of how the regulator has been adapting to the needs of the industry and the innovation ecosystem. We hope the use of investment funds can further enhance RD&I investments by attracting external investors,” he stated.

The meeting also featured an opening speech by Lars Frolund, Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the architect behind NATO’s One Billion EUR Innovation Fund, the world’s first multi-sovereign venture capital fund.

Raphael Moura, ANP’s Superintendent of Technology and Environment, explained that the workshop aimed to bring together the market’s key stakeholders to collaboratively structure a viable proposal for a pilot project capable of boosting the sector: “Our goal is to structure and pre-launch the ANP FIP in the short term, based on the discussions of this highly qualified group, so that in one year we can present to Brazilian society a representative fund that can drive the country’s technological development.”

To develop the pilot project proposal, participants engaged in a group activity to identify challenges and opportunities. The discussions focused on key issues such as structuring the investment flow, regulatory, technical and operational barriers to overcome, and the identification of potential additional sources of funding.

Learn more about the RD&I Clause.

FIP and Its Benefits

The creation of Private Equity Investment Funds (FIP) is an alternative to foster development and innovation projects, boosting the generation of technology-based companies focused on the energy sector. Their establishment is supported by Complementary Law No. 182/2021.

International experiences show that capitalizing these companies drives scientific and technological development with economic impacts on society.