Anatalício dos Reis Silva creates a portable coffee sorter, enhanced through the Ifes incubator with support from government-funded Fapes programs, and earns recognition at InnovaCities.

A life-changing journey led to an international award for 49-year-old coffee farmer Anatalício dos Reis Silva. After a serious health issue nearly prevented him from continuing his work, Silva came up with an idea that transformed his profession: he created a portable coffee sorter, a machine that cleans harvested coffee efficiently.

With the support of researchers at the Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of Espírito Santo (Ifes) in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, and funded by Fapes through programs such as Universal, Centelha, NIS, Clusters, and Startup Partnerships, the prototype underwent several improvements over the years. The innovation achieved international recognition, winning three awards at the 14th InnovaCities – International Smart, Happy, Human, and Resilient Cities Fair, held in September in Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná.

The event featured evaluation rounds where participants had three minutes to pitch their projects to a panel of judges. Silva’s coffee sorter, capable of processing over 400 kilograms per hour, won 1st place in the Diversity and Technology for Equity category, 1st place in Urban Sustainability, and 3rd place in Governance and Inclusive Public Policy.

“I feel extremely proud to have competed with people from various countries, exchanging ideas, making new friends, and gaining new knowledge. When it came time for the awards, I was just hoping for a third place — which would have been great — and ended up winning three times. I was already happy representing my state and country internationally. Winning first place is something I am still absorbing day by day, celebrating every moment. It is a story, a learning experience, and an achievement I will never forget. I feel truly fulfilled,” Silva said emotionally.

Innovation Inspired by Health Challenges

Silva’s journey was not without hardships. After years of manually sorting coffee in Vargem Alta, he developed pneumonia in 2019, aggravated by exposure to dust from his work.

“I really got sick. I had four surgeries, lost nearly 40 kilos. My doctor told me that the dust in my work caused the problem and suggested I could no longer sift coffee manually,” Silva explained.

While hospitalized, Silva shared his idea with his doctor: a device that could replace the manual, dusty work. This led to the creation of the coffee sifter, which allowed him to remain distanced from dust while still completing his work efficiently.

Collaboration with Ifes Advances the Project

The connection with Ifes came through an exhibition. Silva presented his prototype at Expo Sul Rural, where it gained visibility and attention, including online exposure that reached an international audience. It was at this event that he met Saulo da Silva Berilli, a professor at Ifes, who recognized the project’s potential and proposed bringing it into the institute for further development.

Fapes Supports Project Evolution

Through Fapes-funded initiatives, Silva’s project underwent significant enhancement. Igor Tosi, who coordinated the project across three Fapes grants, recalled:

“We first met Anatalício through the Ifes incubator. At that time, I was still an undergraduate. We started with a scientific initiation project funded by the Universal program in 2021. In 2022, we focused on improvements: feasibility studies, dynamic and structural analysis, and material assessments to optimize the machine’s performance.”

The team secured additional funding through Centelha, NIS, Clusters, and Startup Partnership grants, allowing further development. Today, the machine can process up to 700 kilograms per hour, far exceeding the original prototype’s capacity of 420 kilograms.

“The machine is fully functional, mobile, adaptable to different terrains, and cost-effective. It’s easy to operate. We now have a commercial-ready prototype and plan to start negotiations next year,” Tosi said.

The total investment in the project from five Fapes grants exceeds R$ 450,000.

Commercialization and Global Interest

Although the project’s patent process is ongoing, Silva has already received inquiries from international investors interested in the machine, highlighting its global potential.

Press Contact:
Fapes Communication Office
Samantha Nepomuceno | Igor Gonçalves
+55 (27) 3636-1867 | 3636-1858
comunicacao@fapes.es.gov.br