This paper situates Brazilian science, technology and innovation (STI) policy within the broader international literature and provides a historical overview of key policy phases in Brazil. Therefore, we present an initial section that provides an overview of concepts and approaches proposed over time to analyze the role of STI in national development, with an emphasis on less developed countries. Whenever possible, connections are made to the historical phases presented in the subsequent sections of the article. The period described and analyzed spans from the initial institutionalization of STI policy in the 1940s to the early 2020s. The main policies and their rationales are presented across four major periods, two of which are subdivided into two sub-periods. This work demonstrates how STI policies reflected different moments of the country’s politics and its broader development policies, especially economic ones. The country has developed a complex STI system, well-established on several fronts, particularly in capacity building, scientific research and the creation of a robust institutional framework. It has struggled tirelessly to develop other areas, primarily those connected to the systematic application of knowledge generated by scientific and technological research to produce goods and services, thereby benefiting society. The text concludes by highlighting the challenges the country has faced and those it still confronts to make its STI system more responsive to the country's needs.
