Bernardo Maciel in Forbes PME Power

In a global scenario marked by uncertainty and accelerated change, innovation has ceased to be a choice and has become a condition for leadership. This was the motto of the intervention by Bernardo Maciel, CEO of Yunit Consulting, on the stage of the Forbes PME Power event.

Addressing the so-called "gazelle companies" - SMEs with accelerated growth and high potential - Bernardo Maciel guided the audience through the universe of incentives and tax benefits, underlining that only truly differentiating and innovative projects will have space to capture public funding support.

The context: leading in a world of uncertainty

We live in an economic period that economist Nouriel Roubini classifies with the "4 News": New Abnormal, New Normal, Uncertain and Unexpected. Bernardo Maciel highlighted that the unexpected has become the rule, in a context marked by four major challenges that are on the minds of all entrepreneurs:

• Geopolitics and fragmentation: The transition from predictable globalisation to an economic regionalisation, aggravated by conflicts that disrupt value chains.
• Energy transition: The incessant search for cheap and clean energy to sustain European production.
• Demographics and talent: The pressure on the ability to respond regarding qualified human resources, a constant challenge in Portugal.
• Technological revolution: The adoption of Artificial Intelligence not as a problem, but as an essential tool for productivity and efficiency.

In this dizzying environment, the message was clear: "The only way for us to lead is through innovation".

Innovating: transforming knowledge into value

Innovating is not just about having futuristic laboratories or cutting-edge technology. For Yunit, innovating is "transforming knowledge into value", it is having the courage to do things differently and create solutions that the market values.

Citing Schumpeter and the theory of "creative destruction", Bernardo Maciel reinforced that sustained growth is based on the ability of the "new to replace the old", whether through new goods, new production methods, or new markets.

Funding instruments: levers for the future

To materialise this innovation, Portuguese companies have at their disposal fundamental instruments such as Portugal 2030 and the PRR (RRP). During the presentation, four strategic instruments were highlighted for those thinking long-term:

• Productive Innovation: With an allocation of 370 million euros, this system supports the creation of new establishments or fundamental changes in processes, being crucial for projects between 300 thousand and 25 million euros.
• Internationalisation: In a world where markets change rapidly, this support is essential for knowledge and prospecting, allowing us "to produce what we can sell" instead of trying to sell only what we produce.
• Research and Development (R&D): The challenge involves transferring the idea from the laboratory to the market quickly and validly, taking advantage of support to fund qualified teams.
• Tax Benefits (SIFIDE): Instruments like SIFIDE allow for the recovery of investment made in R&D, being vital for the capitalisation of companies, one of the critical points of the Portuguese business landscape.

Portugal: A moment of opportunity

Despite the challenges, the shared vision was one of optimism. Portugal is experiencing a moment of great international attractiveness, attracting investment not only from traditional partners but from sophisticated economies such as the USA, Singapore, or Canada, which look to our country for talent and responsiveness.

As Bernardo Maciel concluded, "innovation is the bridge between the country we have and the country we want to have". It is up to companies to cross this bridge with courage, vision, and the support of the right partners to transform ambition into results.

👉 Watch Bernardo Maciel's full intervention and discover the ideas shared.