Innovative Entrepreneurship and Competitive Performance: The Prime/Brazil Case

Resumo

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence of a Support Program to Innovative Entrepreneurship on the competitive development of the supported companies. We carried out a study about the PRIME Program – First Innovative Company –, realized by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) of Brazil and its Studies and Projects Financing agency (FINEP), in partnership with Incubators, from the standpoint of the companies favored by the program, with a focus on competitive development and local development. Therefore, we decided to apply a qualitative study of multiple cases on the companies selected through RAIAR incubator, of Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). The data analysis helped understand the impact of the program on the studied companies, as well as observe the indicators that were mostly influenced by the program. The results may contribute to the National Innovation Systems (SNI) and related public policies.