About Acate

Back in 1986, a group of pioneering entrepreneurs joined forces to strengthen the technology sector and support emergent businesses in the Greater Florianópolis area.  ACATE’s business model proposed the creation of a hub of companies located closely to each other, which could facilitate the exchange of experiences and opportunities, in addition to generating a true innovative ecosystem.

The Association enabled new entrepreneurs, as well as other professionals already active in other sectors, to start their own companies and launch a technology hub, which  would be recognized as one of the strongest in Brazil and Latin America in the following decades.

In 1998, the MIDITEC incubator was created with resources provided by Sebrae Santa Catarina, being ACATE responsible for its overall management. During two decades of operations, the incubator assisted more than 100 companies to get started, being voted the best in the country from time to time, according to Anprotec.

In the 2000s, the entity began to gain momentum with the growth of the technology sector and the emergence of a new generation of entrepreneurs across Santa Catarina. A milestone in the history of ACATE’s success was the creation of the Business Verticals, an innovative model that connects companies operating in the same segment, promoting integration, partnerships and new projects.

The Association has also been responsible for the conception of projects aimed at young individuals and professionals, aiming to awaken new talents and cultivate qualified professionals for the IT sector, such as Geração Tec and DEVinHouse. Other initiatives include providing credit guarantees to companies, facilitating access to investments, the Zero Interest Entrepreneur program, and engaging with the local government in the capital of Santa Catarina to develop one of the country’s first Innovation Laws.

In 2015, the inauguration of the ACATE Primavera Innovation Center marked a new moment in the Santa Catarina technology ecosystem: an inspiring environment that brings together companies of various sizes, fostering the generation of numerous events and new projects for the Association, such as LinkLab, a laboratory that has already served more than 60 large companies interested in connecting with startups to promote innovation and process improvements. ACATE’s open innovation program has units in Florianópolis and Joinville, where businesses can come together and work jointly.

Other association initiatives ensure benefits and exchange of experiences among entrepreneurs, such as ACATE Startups and the Thematic Groups (Internationalization, Investments, and Women ACATE).

The headquarters of ACATE in the capital of Santa Catarina also houses an innovative environment, the ACATE Experience, inaugurated in 2022, where cutting-edge technologies developed by Santa Catarina companies can be experienced by the public. In addition to spaces in the Greater Florianópolis area, ACATE is present in seven other mesoregions of the state through regional hubs. The development of the technology sector in each of these regions is monitored by the ACATE Observatory, which conducts research and periodically presents a comprehensive overview of the companies and their employees.

ACATE also expands its horizons with the MIDITEC Network, a system of incubators spread across the state of Santa Catarina using the Association’s incubation methodology. Additionally, through dozens of international partnerships, the entity has established a branch in Canada to foster business internationalization and generate opportunities for connections with external markets through business missions to innovation reference ecosystems.

Join ACATE and help us write the next chapters of the technology industry in Santa Catarina.