A mapping of aerospace companies in Brazil shows how the sector is organized and why São José dos Campos concentrates a large part of this industry, engineering, and research chain.
Brazil has a wide range of aerospace companies distributed across different links in the sector's production chain. From aircraft manufacturing to systems engineering, including defense, components, and specialized services.
Understanding how aerospace companies in Brazil are distributed and connected is the first step in understanding a more strategic question: why is a significant portion of this technical expertise concentrated in São José dos Campos?
Aerospace companies are companies that design, manufacture, engineer, or supply components for civil, executive, space, and defense aviation. In Brazil, this group goes far beyond a single manufacturer: it involves engineering, systems integration, specialized manufacturing, and applied research.
The answer lies in an ecosystem that brings together industry, engineering, research, and talent development, with São José dos Campos being its main meeting point in the country.
How does the Brazilian aerospace industry work?
The Brazilian aerospace industry operates in four major areas: commercial and executive aviation , space systems , defense , and embedded technology . Each area depends on a supply chain and engineering expertise.
Aviation, space, defense and technology
The Brazilian aerospace sector combines segments. At first glance, they seem distinct, but they share the same technical base: aerodynamics, advanced materials, embedded systems, and structural engineering.
A company that develops structures for commercial jets, for example, often also serves defense programs. The same is true for suppliers that participate simultaneously in civil and military aircraft projects in the country.
An industry based on highly complex engineering.
The competitive advantage of the Brazilian aerospace sector is not just manufacturing.
It is the ability to design, test, certify, and integrate complex systems, a skill that takes decades to develop and depends directly on research institutions and technical training.
What are the main aerospace companies in Brazil?
Instead of a ranking, it makes more sense to look at the sector by the function each company performs in the production chain.
Aircraft manufacturers
Embraer , founded in 1969 in São José dos Campos, is the leading aircraft manufacturer in Brazil and one of the global leaders in the aerospace industry. The company operates in commercial aviation, executive aviation, defense and security, and has delivered more than 9.000 aircraft to customers in over 100 countries.
Learn more: Those seeking Embraer end up discovering one of Brazil's most strategic ecosystems.
Engineering and technological development
Since 2023, Boeing has maintained an Engineering and Technology Center in São José dos Campos , bringing together approximately 500 engineers dedicated to projects that support various aircraft in the company's fleet. This unit is part of a global network of 15 Boeing centers dedicated to cutting-edge technology.
Akaer , founded in 1992 and headquartered in the Technological Innovation Park of São José dos Campos, is one of the leading aerospace technology companies in the country, with over 500 employees and more than 30 years of experience in structures, systems, and industrialization.
Aerospace and defense systems
The partnership between Saab and Akaer began in 2009, during the development of the Gripen. Subsequently, the Swedish company became a minority shareholder in the Brazilian company.
In August 2026, Saab and the Brazilian Air Force signed a memorandum of understanding to study the development of a possible Innovation and Research Center in São José dos Campos. The project is still dependent on subsequent definition and implementation stages.
Suppliers and specialized companies
In addition to the anchor companies, the Brazilian defense sector and the civil sector are supported by a supply chain specializing in structures, avionics, precision manufacturing, and maintenance services.
Startups specializing in sensing and embedded systems also make up this chain, with a strong presence in the São José dos Campos Technological Innovation Park.
Who's who in the ecosystem?
| Company | Main role | Connection with São José dos Campos |
|---|---|---|
| Embraer | Manufacture of commercial, executive and defense aircraft. | Founded in the city in 1969; headquarters of industrial operations. |
| Boeing | Aerospace engineering and technology | Center for Engineering and Technology since 2023 |
| akaer | Aerospace and defense engineering, structures, and industrialization | Headquartered in PIT since 1992; base of the EDGE group in Brazil. |
| Saab | Defense systems (Gripen fighter jet) | Partner at Akaer since 2009; R&D center under negotiation. |
Embraer and the development of the Brazilian aerospace industry.
Embraer is the origin of a large part of the engineering and supplier chain that characterizes the Brazilian aerospace industry today.
For over five decades, the company has designed and certified more than 40 aircraft models and today maintains a global workforce of over 23.000 professionals.
See more: Aircraft factory in Brazil: what lies behind the Brazilian aerospace ecosystem?
Why does São José dos Campos have a concentration of aerospace companies?
This is the central point for anyone evaluating the Brazilian aerospace hub from a strategic perspective. The concentration of companies in São José dos Campos is a direct result of the combination of talent development, applied research, and innovation infrastructure.
Training engineers and specialized talent.
São José dos Campos brings together professionals, companies, and institutions with established expertise in the aeronautical and space sectors.
ITA and DCTA
The Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA) trains elite professionals in aerospace engineering, while the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA) works directly on the development of programs in the sector.
These institutions contribute, through training, research, and technological development, to the knowledge base available in the region.
Research and Development
The proximity between companies and research centers reduces the time between technological development and practical application, a crucial factor for a sector that depends on constant innovation.
Presence of companies and suppliers
The concentration of technology and defense companies in São José dos Campos creates a network effect : each new company established strengthens the supply chain and expands partnership options for those already established there.
Innovation infrastructure
The Technological Innovation Park brings together more than 300 affiliated companies, multi-user laboratories, and direct connections with universities, an environment that directly benefits technology companies in São José dos Campos linked to the aerospace sector.
The role of engineering in the Brazilian aerospace industry.
Engineering is the link that connects research, industry, and the final product. It involves product development, structural calculations, systems integration, fatigue testing, and certification—steps that require multidisciplinary teams and long development cycles.
Akaer perfectly illustrates this role: it operates from project conception to industrialization, providing engineering services to clients ranging from Embraer itself to international manufacturers such as Saab.
Aerospace and defense: where do the sectors connect?
The overlap between civil aviation and defense is a structural characteristic of the sector. Akaer, for example, participated in the development of projects as diverse as the KC-390 Millennium military cargo plane , the Gripen NG fighter jet , and the E-Jets and Legacy families of commercial jets from Embraer.
In July 2026, the EDGE group announced an agreement to acquire 100% of Akaer. The transaction is still subject to the conditions stipulated and regulatory approvals.
The agreement, still subject to regulatory approvals, stipulates that Akaer will maintain its governance structure, employees, and headquarters at the Technological Innovation Park, expanding joint operations in unmanned aerial vehicles, electro-optical systems, and space technologies.
The role of research in the aerospace ecosystem.
ITA
A national benchmark in the training of aerospace engineers, one of the main reasons why companies in the sector seek proximity to São José dos Campos.
DCTA
It operates at the intersection of applied research and technological development, supporting projects ranging from aviation to defense.
INPE
The National Institute for Space Research expands the scope of the local ecosystem beyond aviation, incorporating expertise in space systems and remote sensing.
Knowledge and technology development
Together, these institutions form a knowledge network that directly feeds the industry located in the city, a differentiating factor that is difficult to replicate in the short term in other regions of the country.
How does the Brazilian aerospace industry connect to the international market?
Exports
Aerospace products occupy a significant position in São José dos Campos' export portfolio and are among the highest value-added goods produced in the municipality.
Learn more: Exports from São José dos Campos: industry, technology and global presence
international partnerships
The presence of foreign companies such as Boeing, Saab and, more recently, the EDGE group demonstrates that the SJC ecosystem already operates integrated with global supply chains, as a local supplier and technical partner for international programs.
Brazilian engineering in global supply chains
Projects like the Gripen NG and the KC-390 Millennium demonstrate that the engineering developed in São José dos Campos is already integrated into international aerospace programs, with the active participation of local companies in project phases.
Why does the aerospace sector matter to those considering investing in São José dos Campos?
The existence of a mature aerospace industry in SJC demonstrates relevant competencies for any technology-intensive operation: highly complex engineering, skilled workforce, structured supply chain, and a proven track record of attracting foreign investment.
For companies considering investing in São José dos Campos , the aerospace sector serves as concrete proof that the city can support complex, long-term operations, including those outside the sector itself, as demonstrated by the presence of multinational companies in sectors such as automotive, healthcare, and technology.
Discover the aerospace ecosystem of São José dos Campos.
The concentration of aerospace companies in Brazil around São José dos Campos is the result of decades of investment in engineering, research, and talent development, not of a single company or a single economic cycle.
Discover why São José dos Campos is a strategic environment for highly complex industrial and technological operations, and learn about the aerospace hub of São José dos Campos in detail.
Speak with the Invest SJC team and evaluate the next step for your investment.
FAQ – Frequently asked questions about aerospace companies in Brazil
Brazil has aeronautical companies operating in different segments: aircraft manufacturing, engineering, systems, defense, components, and specialized services. Embraer is the country's leading manufacturer, and companies like Boeing and Akaer maintain engineering centers within the national territory.
São José dos Campos has the highest historical concentration of aerospace expertise in Brazil, bringing together companies, research institutions, and training centers for specialized professionals in a single area.
The city brings together companies, engineering, research, talent development, and institutions such as ITA and DCTA, in addition to a strong historical relationship with the Brazilian aeronautical industry since the founding of Embraer in 1969.
Yes. Embraer was founded in São José dos Campos in 1969 and maintains the city as one of the main centers of its industrial and engineering operations in Brazil.
Yes. Boeing has maintained an Engineering and Technology Center in SJC since 2023, Saab has been a minority partner in Akaer since 2009, and the EDGE group, from the United Arab Emirates, announced in 2026 the acquisition of Akaer itself, maintaining operations based in the city.
ITA trains highly qualified professionals and produces engineering knowledge directly related to the aerospace ecosystem, which is one of the main reasons why companies in the sector seek proximity to São José dos Campos.
