Serpro, Brazil’s state-owned company specializing in digital government intelligence, took part in Luanda on March 26 in the launch of the Innovation Laboratory (i-Lab) of Angola’s Public Finance Information and Communication Technologies Service (Setic-FP). The initiative marks a step forward in the modernization of the Angolan State by establishing an environment dedicated to digital transformation and the improvement of public services in the African country.

The launch brought together authorities and leaders from both countries and highlighted international cooperation in digital government, with the presence of representatives from the Angolan government and Serpro, including the company’s CEO, Wilton Mota. On the occasion, Setic-FP’s Director General, Edilson Coelho, emphasized the importance of the partnership for consolidating the i-Lab. “The implementation of digital signatures shows how cooperation between Angola and Brazil can generate concrete solutions for the public sector. Serpro contributed its expertise, while Setic-FP led the execution of the solution in the country”, he stated.

Digital Sovereignty as the Foundation of Innovation

During the event, Wilton Mota stated that innovation in the public sector must be directly linked to state sovereignty. “Innovation in the public sector is not just about technology; it is about sovereignty. We need environments like the i-Lab to experiment, fail fast on a small scale, and deliver with precision to citizens,” he said.

According to him, this transformation depends on state control over data and critical infrastructure. “The State must own its digital destiny. This requires control over data orchestration and the elimination of external dependencies that may pose security risks,” he stated. “We can use technologies from major players, but management and security must remain under state control.”

Mota also highlighted Serpro’s experience in managing large volumes of information as a key differentiator in supporting governments through this process. “We are talking about data at massive scale. Serpro has already accumulated more than 50 petabytes of data and, with the tax reform, projections indicate the generation of around 4 petabytes per year within the Federal Revenue Service alone,” he explained. “It is in this context that the concept of a Sovereign Cloud becomes relevant, ensuring protection, autonomy, and real value delivery to citizens.”

Strategic Partnership and Initial Deliverables

As a strategic partner in the initiative, Serpro is supporting the structuring of the laboratory and providing technical assistance for the first solutions, contributing to the implementation of an innovation model focused on results, experimentation, and scalability.

The i-Lab is already launching with a proof of concept underway: the implementation of the first public digital document signature solution in the Angolan State, integrated with the Integrated Document Management System (SIGD). Developed by Setic-FP with Serpro’s support, the solution was designed to be scalable and interoperable, enabling its use across different public administration systems.

Commenting on the laboratory’s potential, Edilson Coelho reinforced its strategic importance. “The i-Lab creates the conditions for developing solutions aligned with the State’s priorities, with a focus on efficiency and real impact for citizens. It is a foundational step toward the future of public management in Angola,” he stated.

Following the project presentation, Mota emphasized that control over business processes and solution management are critical success factors for digital initiatives. “Those who manage the solutions and data security legitimize the technology. This is the concept of a State that owns its digital destiny,” he said.

Serpro’s international activities are part of a broader institutional positioning strategy. “For Serpro, internationalization goes far beyond expanding the client portfolio. It is about consolidating a solid strategy, supported by our institutional capabilities and an increasingly relevant global positioning,” said Carlos Alexandria, Serpro’s Superintendent of Business.

In just over a year of operations in Angola, Serpro’s team of consultants, in partnership with Setic-FP, has delivered consistent, high-impact results across multiple fronts, including infrastructure, development, security, communication, processes, human resources management, and innovation. “This first contract demonstrates, in practice, our ability to operate in an integrated manner, adapting our expertise to different realities and generating tangible value. The results achieved in Angola reinforce Serpro as a strategic partner in government digital transformation and strengthen our readiness to tackle even more complex challenges,” Alexandria concluded.

Legitimacy and Scale: Challenges of Public Innovation

Discussions during the event also highlighted the challenges of ensuring that innovation generates real impact in the public sector. In the panel “Experiment to Transform: How Public Innovation Moves Beyond the Lab and Delivers Real Impact,” Serpro’s Marketing Manager, Tatiana Queiroz, stated that the main obstacle lies in legitimizing initiatives. “It is not enough for an idea to be technically sound or remain isolated within a laboratory; it must be recognized as necessary and viable by decision-makers and users. Without this legitimacy, innovation cannot scale or generate real impact,” she said.

According to her, legitimacy is built on three pillars. “The first is solving real problems. The second is ensuring implementation capacity, either with internal resources or through partnerships. And the third is securing support from top management,” she explained. “Without these elements, innovation risks remaining isolated within organizations.”

Tatiana also emphasized that scale depends on alignment with institutional strategy and ecosystem-based collaboration. “Innovation that is not connected to strategy becomes a one-off initiative. The model we are implementing at Setic-FP considers both internal capabilities and partnerships within the so-called quadruple helix—public sector, academia, private sector, and society. It is this integration that enables initiatives to evolve into solutions with real impact,” she concluded.

In the same vein, Maer Neto, Coordinator of the Innovation and Business Intelligence Unit at Setic-FP, reinforced the importance of directing digital transformation toward concrete outcomes. “The digital transformation of public finances only makes sense when it generates real value. The i-Lab enables us to test solutions, measure impact, and scale what effectively improves services,” he emphasized.