City Hall closes historic agreement with BNDES, ministries and partners to develop data center hub

Rio de Janeiro has taken a crucial step in implementing the Rio AI City project, which will establish a data center hub in Barra da Tijuca. At an event held on Tuesday (July 1) at the BNDES headquarters, Mayor Eduardo Paes signed a multi-level memorandum of understanding to support the development, financing and installation of data center infrastructure.

The following people participated in the signing of the document: Mayor Eduardo Paes; Nelson Barbosa, Director of Planning at BNDES, representing the bank's president, Aloizio Mercadante; the Minister of Science and Technology, Luciana Santos; the Minister of Management and Innovation in Public Services, Esther Dweck; the president of Eletrobras, Ivan Monteiro; and the president of Finep, Luiz Antonio Elias.

The agreement was signed during the BRICS parallel seminar entitled “Governance and Public Strategies in Artificial Intelligence”, organized by BNDES and federal ministries. It aims to coordinate actions to promote the development of Rio AI City, including technical support, applied studies, resource mobilization and collaboration with public and private entities.

The Ministry of Finance recently launched a plan to transform Brazil into a global data center hub, with tax incentives, legal certainty and clean energy. Rio de Janeiro, on the initiative of the City Hall, became the first Brazilian city to sign an agreement of this type, consolidating its position as a national leader in data centers.

– There is a growing demand for computing power in the world, but there is a major challenge related to energy supply. Here in Brazil, we have a clean energy matrix and a perception, on the part of the Federal Government and BNDES, that it is necessary to create an attractive environment for the installation of data centers and the advancement of artificial intelligence. And we have shown that the best place for this is Rio de Janeiro. This agreement consolidates that Rio is the city best prepared to receive this type of project. We have a robust internet infrastructure, with extensive underground cables and high-density optical fibers. But, above all, we have the most valuable thing: human capital. Qualified people, cutting-edge research centers, companies and universities that already operate in this ecosystem. Rio has all the necessary elements to serve and lead this market – said Paes.

BNDES director Nelson Barbosa highlighted that the initiative for this agreement came from Mayor Eduardo Paes. He also emphasized that the cooperation model established for the first time in Rio could be replicated in other Brazilian cities and states.

The Rio AI City project is strategic for the technological, economic and sustainable development of Rio de Janeiro, playing a crucial role in innovation in artificial intelligence, data center infrastructure and supercomputing, thus contributing to the digital transformation of the country. The goal is to reach a capacity of three gigawatts by 2032 and the estimated cost for implementation is US$ 65 billion.

The hub will be located in the Centro Metropolitano, a planned neighborhood within Barra da Tijuca, known for its modern infrastructure and strategic location. Rio de Janeiro is well positioned to take on this role, with infrastructure that includes submarine cables connecting the city to all continents, a legacy of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. In addition, the city offers isolated land ideal for the installation of data centers, ensuring security and using clean energy. Significant investments are also being made in training skilled workers in technology, from initiatives in basic education, such as the Experimental Technological Gymnasiums (GETs), to higher education, exemplified by IMPA Tech – Faculty of Mathematics.

This Tuesday's event was organized by BNDES, in partnership with the Ministries of Finance, Development, Industry, Commerce and Services, Management and Innovation in Public Services, Science, Technology and Innovation, in addition to the Secretariat of Social Communication of the Presidency of the Republic.

The meeting takes place the week before the BRICS summit, which will bring together the world's largest emerging economies in Rio de Janeiro on July 6 and 7. The initiative takes advantage of the presence of authorities and experts in the city to discuss one of the main themes of this year's conference: artificial intelligence, its advances, and the regulatory and governance measures needed for this new technology.

Category:

• City
• News

1 July 2025

Appointments: agreement BNDES data center hub the partnership City Hall of Rio Rio AI City