O impacto dos fundos Criatec no crescimento e inovação de startups: uma análise baseada em estudo de eventos

Abstract

Startups are young, small-sized companies characterized by being research and development (R&D) intensive, but due to the nature of these activities, they are subject to information asymmetries and externalities, which often leads to credit constraints. In this sense, Criatec funds are venture capital mutual funds operated by BNDES that aim to promote the growth and incentivize the innovation activities of these companies through their capitalization. This article aims to assess the impact of Criatec on the supported startups, being the first work to provide evidence on the effectiveness of a seed capital fund in Brazil. The methodology used was based on the staggered difference-in-differences model, or event study, according to procedures proposed by Callaway and Sant’Anna (2021). The results showed that Criatec had significant impacts on the supported startups, with effects of 61% on employment, 275% on wage mass, 21% on personnel engaged in R&D, and 10% on patent applications. The program’s effects remained for several years after the initial injection of resources, being stronger in younger companies and varying according to the economic sector.