A group of Brazilian states that are growing above the national average and the current standards of China were highlighted during an event held by Apex Partners in New York on Monday (12/5). The group is being called “Brazilian jaguars”, and the inclusion of Rio Grande do Sul in the list is the result of a market intelligence action conducted by Invest RS.
According to the president of Invest RS, Rafael Prikladnicki, the inclusion is the result of two months of work by the agency. When it learned that the consultancy was organizing a comparative study on the regional potential of Brazilian states, the agency contacted Apex and argued that Rio Grande do Sul should be included due to the state’s competitiveness fundamentals.
“Rio Grande do Sul has good indicators and deserves this recognition. Based on this signal from an important consultancy like Apex Partners, we were able to position ourselves and seek investments globally with technical criteria. It was a positioning effort that justifies the existence of our agency as a hub for promoting RS as a destination for new businesses,” said Prikladnicki. In addition to Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso and Goiás make up the list. The concept of “Brazilian jaguars” gained prominence when it was projected on the Nasdaq screen in Times Square, one of the most visible areas in New York, based on an action by Apex Partners.
The study that underpins the approach to “Brazilian jaguars” was produced by Futura, based on comparative data surveys. According to Futura’s Data Manager, Paula Orrico, the regional entities have demonstrated excellent growth potential. “The leading role in Brazil lies in the regional markets, which have been increasing their share of Brazil’s GDP year after year, now representing 60% of the country’s wealth,” said Paula.
During one of the panels held by Apex Partners on Monday, Governor Eduardo Leite presented the recent trajectory of Rio Grande do Sul, marked by structural reforms, growth above the national average and a robust sustainable development plan. The agenda was part of the Brazilian Regional Markets, held by Apex, and is part of the official mission of the state government to the United States to meet with investors, businesspeople and public authorities.
With the theme “Integration and regional development: how to connect the states where Brazil is happening?”, Leite advocated greater coordination between regions such as the South and Southeast, highlighting the importance of Cosud (South and Southeast Integration Consortium) as a platform for federative cooperation in areas such as public security, energy transition, logistics and tax reform. “There is no competitive country without strengthened, articulated and leading regions. Rio Grande do Sul has overcome historical obstacles, started investing again and is now building, with the participation of society, a new agenda for economic growth, social inclusion and sustainability”, he stated.
Leite detailed the RS Economic Development, Inclusive and Sustainable Plan, structured based on consultations with universities, the production sector and local communities. The plan is based on five strategic levers: human capital, business environment, innovation and technology, infrastructure and energy transition. In addition, it defines 12 priority sectors, ranging from agribusiness and cellulose to semiconductors and artificial intelligence.
