Alexandre Tonin is a lawyer and entrepreneur with a master's degree in Business and Corporate Law from UNISINOS. He graduated in Law from the University of Caxias do Sul, with specializations in Labor Law and Startup Law from INSPER-SP. He is a partner at Tonin Advogados, specializing in Business Law, with a focus on innovation in services, technology, and futurism. Additionally, he serves as a consultant for SEBRAE in the City Entrepreneur Program, assisting municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul in developing their municipal innovation laws. As an educator, he was a full-time professor at College of Serra Gauchá and currently serves as a guest lecturer in postgraduate programs at the University of Caxias do Sul. As an entrepreneur, he is a partner in the companies Beco do Tráfego Marketing Digital, Confessionário Marketing Digital, and City X Inovação. He is also the author of academic and professional publications.

Ana Carolina Meyer holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the Federal University of Santa Catarina. She has experience in the fields of bioengineering and energy. She has been working at ENGIE for 4 years, initially in the innovation department, and since 2021, she has taken on the challenge of developing green hydrogen business in Brazil.

Anderson Luiz Alves is a researcher and supervisor in the Technology Transfer department at Embrapa Digital Agriculture, located in Campinas, Brazil, where he focuses on defining business models for technological assets. He holds a bachelor's degree in Biology from the State University of Maringá (UEM), a master's degree in Zoology, and a Ph.D. in Genetics from the São Paulo State University (Unesp).

Superintendent Director of SEBRAE-RS.

Antonio Cali holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from São Paulo State University Júlio de Mesquita Filho and has a postgraduate degree in Marketing from ESPM. He began his professional career in the automotive industry at Eaton Corporation, where he held various roles of responsibility over 24 years. In the years 2005 and 2006, he served as the manager of the Eaton Corporation factory in Barcelona, Spain. Currently, he is the Industrial Director at the Austrian multinational voestalpine MEINCOL, overseeing the areas of production, engineering, human resources, and information technology.

Ayrton Pinto Ramos holds a Bachelor's degree in Legal and Social Sciences, with specializations in Marketing and Business Management, and a Master's degree in Administration. He has a strong professional background in sectoral project management, international business, and customer relationship-focused ventures. He worked in the market, international, and sectoral business areas of SEBRAE-RS and later served as the Manager of International Relations and Foreign Trade, as well as the Manager of the Industry Relations Unit at FIERGS/CIERGS. Since 2015, he has been serving as the Technical Director of SEBRAE-RS.

Master in Big Data and Business Intelligence, specialist in Digital Influence, Content, and Strategy, graduated in Advertising and Propaganda. Represents the connection to the Innovation Ecosystem connected to Sicredi Pioneira.

Carlos Eduardo Beraldo is a product engineer with 17 years of experience in engineering, marketing intelligence for axle and suspension systems, and electrification mobility for commercial and heavy vehicles in both local and international markets.

Dr. Cezar Roedel is an international strategist and partner at Roedel Intl Advisor. He has created an innovative method for the internationalization of cities and companies. He is regularly consulted by the press on international topics and is a columnist on international affairs in widely circulated newspapers. With over 15 years of experience in international strategic projects, he holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy (international conflicts) from PUCRS / Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität (Bonn, Germany), with research supported by the Humboldt Stiftung, and a Master's degree in International Relations from UFRGS. He has collaborated on projects with the World Bank and worked at the American Chamber of Commerce for Brazil/POA. He is certified by the International Academy of Leadership - Friedrich Naumann (Gummersbach, Germany).

Clayton Dworzecki is a lawyer, graduated from PUC-RS, and currently serves as the Secretary of Development, Innovation, Culture, and Tourism for the Municipality of Camaquã (RS).

Daniela Kraemer holds a degree in Social Communication with an emphasis on Public Relations from the Pontifical Catholic University, Daniela holds specializations in brand management, marketing, business management, and ESG communication. Currently, she is the ESG leader for South America at General Motors and serves as the President of the General Motors Institute. Additionally, Daniela also represents General Motors, holding positions as a director at FIERGS/CIERGS, a director at ACIGRA, as a counselor at SESI and SENAI in Gravataí, and as a member of the ESG Communication and Reputation Committee at ABERJE.

Advertising professional, passionate about Digital Business, and with a postgraduate degree in E-Commerce and Sales. Coordinator of E-Commerce Projects at Sebrae RS.

Dirk Meissner is an emeritus professor, the head of the Innovation Economics Laboratory at HSE ISSEK, and the academic director of the Master's program in "Management and Policy for Science, Technology, and Innovation." Dr. Meissner has 25 years of experience in research and teaching in technology, innovation management, and policy. He has a strong background in policy formulation and industrial management for STI.

Chemical Engineer, Environmental Management Specialist, Occupational Safety Engineer, Vice-Coordinator of the Simecs Environmental Committee, Council Member of Codema/Fiergs, and Director of ESG at CIC.

Eva Sarmento holds a master's degree in management and business with a concentration in strategy and competitiveness. She specializes in neuroscience applied to organizational management and human resources management. She has a bachelor's degree in Administration with a focus on human resources. She is also a systemic integrative community therapist and a clinical aromatherapist, with certifications in psychological safety, Gross National Happiness (GNH), neuroscience for happiness, and happiness skills. Eva serves as the coordinator of the Metropolitan Committee and the State Manager of Articulation and Projects at the NGO Moradia e Cidadania, where she develops both emergency and structural projects. She is also a guest lecturer in MBA programs at Unisinos, teaching courses on Leadership and Team Development. Additionally, she delivers lectures on conscious leadership, humanizing work relationships, organizational culture, ethics in the workplace, and the promotion of sustainable environments. She works as an in-company facilitator, focusing on the development of conscious leaders and teams.

Entrepreneur in the technology field, co-founder and former Director of iCoLab, CEO of SOU.cloud, and Partner at OnePercent, focused on web3/blockchain solutions. Holds a Ph.D. in Administration from UNISINOS and works with a focus on innovation, strategy, and the development of new businesses.

Graduated in Administration, specialized in Commercial Management and Market Intelligence, Micro and Small Business Management, and Project Management, with 17 years of managerial experience. Works directly on developing innovation strategies to increase revenue and reduce costs for over 200 formal businesses through Sebrae.

Fernando Ibarra has over 30 years of experience in leadership roles in sectors such as injection molding, machining, stamping, automotive, medical devices, appliances, and electronics. He has served as CEO, VP of Operations, VP of Strategic Development, and General Manager. Additionally, he has held positions such as President of the Industry 4.0 Cluster in San Luis Potosi, Director of the German-Mexican Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Mexico, and Vice President of the CONCAMIN Mexico 4.0 SMEs & Value Chains committee. He has international experience in countries such as the USA, China, Korea, Canada, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia. He holds a B.S. in Industrial Production and is a Master Black Belt in Six Sigma.

Giulia Mattos is a representative of SEBRAE in the state of Rio Grande do Sul as a specialist in the Microentrepreneur Individual (MEI), the legal entity that is growing the most in Brazil.

Guilherme Sari is the Managing Partner of the company DGE Renewable Solutions, a company with over 14 years of experience in the energy sector, working on renewable projects in Rio Grande do Sul and the northeast of Brazil, with a development and portfolio of over 6 GW, particularly in wind and solar energy projects. He also serves as the President of Sindienergia-RS, the Union of the Industry and Companies in the Renewable Energy Sector of Rio Grande do Sul, covering wind, solar, bioenergy, hydro, green hydrogen, and other sources, with activities in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution, achieving significant results for the state by creating a favorable business environment for investments in renewables.

Humberto Cervelin holds a degree in Business Administration. After working for three years at Empresas Randon, he founded PCP Produtos Siderúrgicos in 1978, at the age of 23. The PCP Steel Group currently employs 500 direct collaborators and handles more than 100,000 tons of flat steel per year through distribution, services, and manufacturing. In 2023, the company will celebrate its 45th year of operation. Cervelin also founded other industries, such as Dinaço (now Panatlântica Tubos) and Asia Metals, both located in Caxias do Sul.

Ivan Hussni is the Manager of the Competitiveness Unit at Sebrae Nacional, leading national and state teams involved in sectoral development programs and projects that expand markets and enhance productivity for small businesses across various regions of the country. He also engages in cross-cutting thematic initiatives to boost competitiveness, such as corporate connections, ESG agenda, energy transition, digital markets, and SME internationalization.

Jean Flohr is an electrical engineer specializing in Electric Mobility. He has been working at WEG Equipamentos Elétricos for 20 years and is currently in the sales department for electric vehicle charging infrastructure businesses.

Head of Innovation at the Hélice Institute.

Graduated in Systems Analysis from PUC-RS, with an Extension - B.Sc. in Software Engineering from UFRGS (University of Rio Grande do Sul). Worked as an intern in Applied Computing at IBM/AFE América Far East Corporation - Tarrytown - New York - USA. Holds certificates from the MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management's Executive Program "Perspectives on the Organization" and the Executive Leadership Program from INSPER - Institute of Education and Research. He is a career employee at Banrisul and currently serves as the Director of Information Technology and Innovation. He was the first member from Latin America elected to a seat on the Global PCI (Payment Card Industry) Council, establishing global security standards for payments and cards. He has been a guest speaker at various IT conferences in the United States, Central and South America, Europe, and Asia, as well as at the Global Digital Bank by McKinsey in Barcelona, Spain.

Financial and Administrative Manager at Afianci Global Networking, Certified Accountant, Specialist in Tax Law from the University of Caxias do Sul, certified in tax incentives and import duties by Aduaneiras and GEREX. She has 6 years of experience structuring import operations under tax incentives, tax management for trading companies, and consulting for companies to obtain tax benefits.

With over 20 years of experience, Juliano Perelli holds a degree in Production Engineering, an MBA in Business Management, and a technologist degree in Mechatronics with an emphasis on integrated systems. He is responsible for the Tactical Marketing area for Tractors in LATAM, where he oversees strategic market and product analysis, PMO for social and sustainable projects, and strategies for launching new products.

Public Relations (UCS), specialist in Marketing (FGV). With over 20 years of experience in the field of communication, working in both national and multinational companies. In March 2019, she founded MAK Public Relations Agency, which now operates in a communication hub format.

Lauren de Vargas Momback is the President of the Commercial Board of the State of Rio Grande do Sul. She is an auditor at BRDE and a lawyer, specializing in business, public, social security, and labor law.

Social Entrepreneur in Career Design for People with Disabilities. CEO and Founder of Semearhis, the "Tinder" of Disability Employment, a Social Impact startup in the 2.5 sector, founded in April 2020. With over 20 years of teaching experience and 18 years working in the community of people with disabilities. She is a TILS. Currently pursuing a Master's in Sustainable Tourism at a university in Spain. Also pursuing postgraduate studies in LIBRAS, Neuropsychopedagogy, and Specialized Educational Support. She is a specialist in Clinical and Institutional Psychopedagogy. Currently studying for a degree in LIBRAS (Brazilian Sign Language) and holds a degree in Pedagogy with a teaching and business focus. She is a member and leader of Plurality, Inclusion, and Accessibility at the Angel Investor Club, a member and leader of Open Innovation Brasil Accessibility, a member of Club Bora Fazer, a member of the Wine Valley Group in Serra Gaúcha, and a member of the startup community in RS and SC. She has participated in coordination and mentoring roles for Startup Weekend events in the southern region of Brazil. She won the 1st place in SW Woman in RS in 2019 and the Female Entrepreneurship Award 2022 awarded by the technical jury. She is the Head of SW Caxias do Sul Accessibility in 2023 and a columnist for the Reação Magazine on Social Entrepreneurship. She was awarded in the TOP 10 Heroine category at the Awards 2021. She was the first Brazilian in the Innovation Ecosystem to give lectures both orally and in Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) on accessibility and inclusion with a focus on innovation, employment, events, and tourism.

Lisiane Lemos's journey is marked by its diversity. An expert in technology by choice, her passion for the digital world emerged from her experience as an executive at one of the world's leading multinational companies. Subsequently, she became involved in movements for the inclusion of underrepresented populations in corporate spaces, becoming a spokesperson in the field. Her primary challenge as a leadership figure is to implement the use of technology as a tool for social mobility within the corporate world. To achieve this, she co-created and co-led initiatives such as the Black Professionals Network, the Racial Equality Committee within the Women of Brazil group, and the 101 Counselor. She also mentors in Google's startup program, Black Funders Fund, and teaches in the Technology for Business MBA program at PUCRS. She holds a degree in Law, two MBAs, a post-MBA in Corporate Governance, and certifications in education and change management. Born and raised in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, she considers herself a naturally curious person, always believing in the power of knowledge to evolve as a leader. Her main purpose is to make the world a better place than when she entered it, using any tools at her disposal to make it happen.

Magno Friedrich holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from the Regional Integrated University of Alto Uruguai and das Missões and is currently pursuing a specialization in Tax Law at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation. He has been a career civil servant at the Department of Finance since 1993, working in the State Revenue Delegations of Santo Ângelo and Caxias do Sul. Additionally, he has been serving as the State Revenue Delegate in Caxias do Sul since 2017.

Márcio Basotti is the Manager of the Division of Professional and Technological Education at SENAI-RS.

A graduate of the Law School at Faculdade Ritter dos Reis, she has been a State Prosecutor for Rio Grande do Sul since 2002. She worked at the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Ijuí (2002 - 2003) and at the State Public Domain Prosecutor's Office (2003-2014), where she led the Banking Affairs Team and served as the head of the Land Regularization and Diffuse Interests Unit. She served as Deputy Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development (2015-2018), acting as the Chairperson of the State Council for the Environment (Consema) and the Chairperson of the Water Resources Council (CRH). Since 2019, she has been the Legal Deputy Chief of the Secretary of the Civil House and coordinates the Legal Review Committee of the Deregulation and Entrepreneurship Council.

Marjorie Kauffmann is the Secretary of the Environment and Infrastructure for the state of Rio Grande do Sul. She is a forest engineer, holding a degree from the Federal University of Santa Maria and a master's degree from the Postgraduate Program in Environment and Development at the Univates University Center. She earned her Ph.D. in Geosciences from Unicamp and completed her post-doctoral studies at the Univates University Center. She has worked on infrastructure projects, including roads, bridges, and hydropower plants, and served as the Director of the Environmental Department for the Municipality of Lajeado (2017-2018). Between 2019 and 2022, she held the position of Director-President of the State Foundation for Environmental Protection (Fepam). Since March 2022, she has been the Secretary of the Environment and Infrastructure for the state. She represented Rio Grande do Sul at the Climate Conferences in 2021 in Scotland and 2022 in Egypt. In the 2022 Expointer, she was honored with the Assis Brasil Medal, and at the 2023 Expodireto, she received the Brazil Expodireto Trophy in the "Sustainability" category.

Co-founder and Head of Development and Partnerships at FundingBox. She holds a degree in Political Science and International Studies from the University of Santiago de Compostela, a master's in European policies from ULB (Belgium), and an MBA from EAE. Mayte has been involved in public funding for innovation for 20 years, participating in international projects in various roles. She currently plays a leadership role in several initiatives supporting the digital transformation of European companies and projects related to Digital Innovation Hubs. Furthermore, she has extensive experience in managing innovation ecosystems and generating synergies among different stakeholders.

Patric Strapazzon is a professor and a journalism graduate. At SEBRAE Norte, he has been serving as a Senior Territorial Development Analyst since 2013, working on projects aimed at improving the business environment and promoting entrepreneurial culture.

Lawyer, specialist in Sociology, Master's in Anthropology, professor in the MBA in Innovation Management at Unisinos, and in the MBA at Edtech UOL focused on the future of food. He led the innovation department in the Municipality of Porto Alegre, during which the Pacto Alegre (Pact for Innovation of the Municipality of Porto Alegre) was implemented. In three years, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul conceived and developed high-impact projects, with the direct participation of the Porto Alegre City Hall under his leadership. Founder and CEO of the company Wise Innovation, which has been gaining prominence among Brazilian municipalities thanks to its proprietary methodology focused on innovation strategy development.

Raphael de Camargo is a graduate in Law from the Centro de Ensino Superior de Foz do Iguaçu and is currently pursuing a postgraduate degree in Data Science in Public Administration at UFSM. He has been working as Director of Bidding and Contracts at the Municipal Government of Foz do Iguaçu for 5 years.

Rodrigo Mianes is a PhD candidate in Mining, Metallurgical, and Materials Engineering (UFRGS), with a master's degree in Production Engineering (UFRGS, 2016), and a specialization in Strategic Business Management (PUCRS, 2014). He earned his bachelor's degree in Electrical-Electronic Engineering (PUCRS, 2012). He currently serves as the Operations Manager at the SENAI Institute of Mechatronics Technology (Caxias do Sul – RS) and the SENAI Institute of Wood and Furniture Technology (Bento Gonçalves – RS). With 18 years of experience in quality management systems, metrology, and conformity assessment, he has also worked as a manager/coordinator for scientific research and service projects involving large companies and institutions in the country. He represented Brazil in the IEC Young Professionals 2018 program of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), a global initiative that recognizes young professionals with significant contributions to conformity assessment and the development of internationally used standards. Additionally, he works as a specialist for the Cgcre of Inmetro in laboratory accreditation and testing assessments according to the ABNT NBR ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation standar.

He holds a double degree in International Business from the University of North Carolina (USA) and the University of Valencia (Spain), and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in International Business from the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo in Madrid (2022). With experience in entrepreneurship, international finance, and business development in the United States, Spain, Greece, and Brazil, Ruben currently works as an Advisor for International Trade and Investments at the Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy of Spain in São Paulo.

Sérgia is a National Consultant for the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), where she serves as the manager of the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Project funded by the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from the University of Brasília, a Master's degree in Analytical Agrochemistry from the Federal University of Viçosa, and a Ph.D. in Public Health/Environmental Health from the University of São Paulo (USP). Until 2015, she worked in the federal government as Special Advisor to the Minister of the Environment, Director of Environmental Quality, Acting Secretary for Climate Change and Environmental Quality, and Manager of Chemical Safety. She has experience in the private sector as an environmental consultant, working on projects related to energy, transportation, environmental licensing, and environmental risk assessment. She represented the Brazilian government in international multilateral negotiations on environmental conventions and in the development of technical standards. In academia, she was a professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Viçosa.

Agricultural Engineer from the University of Brasília, Master's in Agricultural Sciences from the University of Brasília, Federal Agricultural Audit Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. Currently working in the General Coordination of Climate Change on cooperation projects for the implementation of the National Plan for Low Carbon Agriculture.

Environmental Engineer. With a background in Chemical Engineering, a Master's in Engineering and Materials Science, and an ongoing MBA in ESG. Has been with Randoncorp for 11 years, transitioning through Quality Engineering, Process Engineering, and since 2019, in the corporate SSMA (Health, Safety, and Environment) department with a matrix role across all business units.

Graduated in Management Processes, specialized in Project Management with a focus on Agile Solutions and Digital Transformation, with 10 years of experience in the managerial and financial field, working on the development of companies of various sizes and industries. Currently, she serves as an Innovation Agent in the Brazil Mais program at Sebrae.

Vanderlei Martins is the vice mayor of the municipality of Santo Augusto.

Viviane Smiderle is the owner and founder of Arcanjo Restaurante and V4 Criações. She has a list of achievements and accomplishments in various fields. Her passion for event organization has made her an expert in this field. Over her 26-year career as an event organizer, she has honed her skills, turning every occasion into a unique and memorable experience. Her commitment and attention to detail ensure that each event is a resounding success. One of the great honors Viviane achieved in her career was winning the award for the best float in the famous Festa da Uva. This recognition is a testament to her creativity and talent in designing projects that enchant and surprise. As the owner of V4, she is dedicated to custom projects and decorations for events, leaving her unique mark on each celebration. Arcanjo Restaurante has been a success for 8 years, where her passion for cuisine shines. Viviane is a true entrepreneur and a source of inspiration for all of us.