As part of the German-Brazilian intergovernmental consultations, that were held during Hannover Messe and led by Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, both countries emphasized the importance of closer economic cooperation, particularly in areas such as digital transformation, rear earths, renewable energies, and mining through strategic initiatives in science and technology, sustainable development and most importantly in a fair, trusted partnership.

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Strengthening collaboration for startups

A key outcome was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), with its flagship startup program German Accelerator, and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, ApexBrasil.

The agreement was signed by Parliamentary State Secretary Stefan Rouenhoff and Laudemir André Müller, President of ApexBrasil, and witnessed by Uallace Moreira Lima, Secretary of Industrial Development, Innovation, Trade, and Services – MDIC, and Dr. Stefan Drews, Governmental Director, BMWE.

The MoU focuses on strengthening collaboration for startups, knowledge-based businesses, and talent. It builds on a long-standing partnership and creates new opportunities for exchange, market access, and joint growth between Germany and Brazil.

Within this broader context, the agreement can also be see n as an early practical step aligned with the EU–Mercosur agreement, which is expected to further deepen economic relations, trade, and investment between both regions.

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A strong signal for international growth

With Brazil as this year’s Partner Country at HannoverMesse, represented by around 800 companies and accompanied by a state visit fom President Lula, the moment highlighted the growing importance of stronger ties between both innovation ecosystems.

Germany and Brazil share a clear ambition to drive innovation-led growth. For startups, this creates a unique opportunity to expand between two highly complementary markets.

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From strategy to implementation

German Accelerator plays a central role in translating this political momentum into real opportunities for founders.

In close collaboration with partners such as exist, the exist Startup Factories, Germany Trade and Invest, and other ecosystem players, the focus is on supporting startups along their full journey. This includes building awareness for international opportunities early on and enabling execution through local networks, partners, and market access.

The partnership with ApexBrasil further strengthens this approach by opening up access to Brazil’s broader innovation landscape, including key research institutions, industry players, and regional ecosystems beyond São Paulo.

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Opportunities across key sectors

The collaboration between Germany and Brazil creates strong potential across several industries where both ecosystems complement each other:

By connecting these strengths, startups can tap into new markets while contributing to more resilient and sustainable value chains.

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Looking ahead

The MoU marks an important step in strengthening the connection between the German and Brazilian startup ecosystems.

By linking policy, programs, and partners, it creates a foundation for startups and scaleups to grow internationally, build meaningful partnerships, and grow across borders.

With increasing alignment at both the governmental and ecosystem level, this collaboration is set to open new opportunities for founders on both sides.

Further details are outlined in the official joint declaration published by the German Federal Government

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