Biotecnologia: corporações, financiamento da inovação e novas formas organizacionais

The emergence of biotechnology since the second half of the 1970´s definitely cannot be treated in a conventional and linear way, in which a scientific discovery is followed by the upsurge of differentiated biotech products. Biotechnological activities suppose now the development of important class of feed-backs between the productive sector (pharmaceutical and agribusiness, for example) and specialised firms. Using advanced biotech procedures and protocols these firms give rise to a new class of network amongst different sectors and industries. Together they represent a complex combination expertise, capabilities and proficiency. This paper seeks to indicate some elements of an alternative analysis that values some important characteristics of the activities surrounding biotechnological activities, principally the so- called biotechnology industry. It will be organised in terms of the following issues: a) Some considerations about different theoretical approaches in order to define and understand how biotechnology is evolving in a new industry; b) A brief description about pharmaceutical industry´s view on biotechnology, mostly their efforts to manage innovation technology; c) A brief reflection upon the new financial institutions that have been representing solutions to the problem of funding biotechnology activities and firms in underdeveloped countries.