NEWS

The Local Innovation Network (RIL) and BID Lab, the innovation and venture arm of the IDB Group, have announced the selection of the first ten cities in Brazil to join the Coalition of Cities for Artificial Intelligence in Brazil (CIIAR Brazil). The initiative is developed within the framework of GovTech Connect, a regional program promoted by BID Lab and executed by RIL, with the participation of Gobe Ventures as a specialized technical partner.

CIIAR Brazil constitutes a collaborative workspace between local governments aimed at strengthening institutional capacities for the adoption of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in an ethical, responsible manner oriented toward the generation of public value. The focus is on improving public management and enhancing the quality of services provided to the population. The Coalition is part of a regional strategy that seeks to support municipalities in identifying priority challenges, collective learning, and the gradual exploration of innovative technological solutions.

The public call, launched in November 2025, received 46 applications from municipalities across all five regions of the country, highlighting the growing interest of Brazilian local governments in advancing digital transformation and the strategic use of artificial intelligence.

The selection of the ten cities comprising the first cohort of CIIAR Brazil was based on criteria such as the degree of institutional maturity in digital transformation, the priority assigned to public innovation, the existence of local technical teams, and political commitment to the responsible adoption of AI in public management and citizen services.

The cities selected to join this first phase of CIIAR Brazil are:

• Belém (PA)

• Florianópolis (SC)

• Fortaleza (CE)

• Guarujá (SP)

• João Pessoa (PB)

• Maringá (PR)

• Porto Alegre (RS)

• Recife (PE)

• Rio de Janeiro (RJ)

• Teresina (PI)

Throughout 2026, these cities will integrate into a strategic network of reference municipalities in Latin America. They will participate in a work agenda that includes peer-to-peer exchange and learning spaces, training and thematic workshops, technical support for project development and implementation, increased national and international visibility, as well as coordination with the local and international innovation ecosystem—including startups, experts, Big Techs, and multilateral organizations. The goal is to create conditions for municipalities to identify priority challenges, explore solutions, and advance toward concrete pilots, generating evidence and capabilities to scale successful initiatives.

CIIAR Brazil thus joins a regional network of cities from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay that promote a public innovation agenda based on collaboration, continuous learning, and the responsible adoption of emerging technologies.

About GovTech Connect, a BID Lab and RIL program for strengthening the regional GovTech ecosystem

GovTech Connect is a regional program promoted by BID Lab and executed by the Local Innovation Network (RIL), with the participation of Gobe Ventures as a technical partner specialized in GovTech acceleration. Its objective is to strengthen and connect GovTech innovation ecosystems, promoting collaboration between local governments, startups, entrepreneurship support organizations, and technology communities to solve public challenges through innovative solutions with high public value.

The program operates both in strengthening the capacities of local governments to innovate and adopt emerging technologies and in stimulating the supply of solutions from new digital providers, supporting startups and scale-ups in improving their B2G (business-to-government) business models and expanding their public readiness to work with the public sector. In this way, barriers to innovation are reduced, and conditions are created for solutions to be tested, validated, and adapted to improve public services.

“Our region is rich in talent and digital solutions with high public value. However, we still face structural gaps: rigid procurement processes, low connection between governments and startups, and unequal institutional capacities, which mean these two worlds rarely meet. GovTech Connect was born to break down these barriers and connect governments, startups, and ecosystem actors, allowing innovation to scale and effectively reach those who need it most. At BID Lab, we believe that the digital transformation of the State does not begin with technology, but with collaboration. GovTech Connect is the bridge that transforms this potential into better services, better public policies, and better opportunities.” — Javier Madariaga, Senior Specialist, BID Lab

In this context, local government coalitions play a central role as spaces for exchange, training, and support, converting the interest in innovation into concrete actions with impact. The incorporation of the first ten cities into CIIAR Brazil represents a significant milestone in the consolidation of a responsible artificial intelligence agenda at the local level and establishes the foundations for a progressive, collaborative, and learning-oriented work process that will continue to expand throughout the program's implementation.

More information about CIIAR Brazil can be obtained through the official program channel: ciiarbrasil@redeinovacaolocal.org