Fapemat allocates R$23.3 million to retain researchers and boost science in Mato Grosso

The Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Mato Grosso (Fapemat) announced a R$23.3 million call for research projects aimed at curbing the exodus of qualified scientists and decentralising scientific activity within the state. The programme, linked to the national Profix‑CB initiative, will fund up to 24 projects over four years, with a maximum budget of R$973,200 per project and a monthly stipend of R$13,000 for the lead researcher. Additional scholarships of R$2,100 (master’s) and R$3,100 (doctoral) are provided, and up to R$150,000 per project can be used for operational and capital expenses such as equipment, reagents and specialised services.

Half of the funded projects must be located in interior municipalities, while the other half can be based in the metropolitan region of the Rio Cuiabá Valley. Priority research themes include agricultural biotechnology, biodiversity and climate, renewable energy and water resources, health and social technologies, and logistics and information technology. Applications close in August, with results expected in October 2026. The initiative seeks to give local research centres the resources needed to compete with larger national hubs and to mitigate the “brain‑drain” of doctoral‑level scientists to other regions or abroad.