Skip to main content

Hyperloop opens global innovation centre for logistics in Brazil

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT) has opened a global innovation centre in Minas Gerais, Brazil, with the intention of creating an ecosystem to help solve global challenges in logistics. Called XO Square, the 43,000 sq/ft facility will house the company’s logistic research division, a fabrication lab and an ecosystem of global companies, startups, universities, innovators, scientists and governments. XO Square is supported by the government of the State of Minas Gerais, the State of
April 10, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
8535 Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT) has opened a global innovation centre in Minas Gerais, Brazil, with the intention of creating an ecosystem to help solve global challenges in logistics.


Called XO Square, the 43,000 sq/ft facility will house the company’s logistic research division, a fabrication lab and an ecosystem of global companies, startups, universities, innovators, scientists and governments.

XO Square is supported by the government of the State of Minas Gerais, the State of Minas Gerais Research Foundation, the Federation of Industries of the State of Minas Gerais and the Municipality of Contagem.

This agreement was secured through a public-private partnership with its first phase valued approximately $7.85m (£5.5m). The investment includes contributions from HyperloopTT, the Secretariat of Economic Development, Science, Technology and Higher Education (SEDECTES).

Miguel Corrêa, state secretary of SEDECTES, said: "The government of Minas Gerais works towards promoting the State's innovation and entrepreneurship scenario, encouraging young people to become involved in research and technology. Our objective is to connect large companies and startups, generating businesses and smart solutions for different areas. Knowing that Minas Gerais will host HyperloopTT's research center, means that we are contributing with the State's economic growth throughout different paths, such as science, technology and innovation. This choice strengthens and boosts credibility for the actions being developed by the government.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Tolling faces up to unprecedented challenge
    October 9, 2020
    The next five years are likely to see a number of changes – but the tolling industry will be equal to them, thinks the IBTTA’s Bill Cramer. The best minds in the business are on the case…
  • Brazil’s PAC 2 US$18 billion highway investment
    February 24, 2014
    Brazil has invested US$18.3bn in federal highway projects during phase two of its growth acceleration plan, PAC, according to the federal government's ninth balance report on PAC 2 works. The report, reviewing phase two's first three years (2011-13) of the four-year program, affirmed that work was carried out on 3,080 kilometres of highway stretches and highlighted various projects which were completed last year. Among them was BR-376 near southern Paraná state's Maringá city, BR-448 known as Rodovia
  • Volkswagen to step up EV development
    October 16, 2015
    Volkswagen will cut investment plans at its biggest division by US$1.1 billion a year and step up development of electric vehicles (EV), as it battles to cope with the fallout from its cheating of diesel emissions tests, according to Reuters. The German company also said it would speed up cost cutting at the VW division, its largest by revenues, and put only the latest and ‘best environmental technology’ in diesel vehicles.
  • University of Michigan launches big data initiative
    September 9, 2015
    The University of Michigan (U-M) plans to invest US$100 million over the next five years in a new data science initiative aimed at working with big data sets that can further research into such things as driverless cars, medicine and climate change. The money will pay for 35 new faculty members to be hired over the next four years, support interdisciplinary data-related research initiatives and foster new methodological approaches to big data, as well as enabling the university to expand its research com