Engineering that moves Brazil, BAJA Nordeste 2025 highlights talent and strengthens connections with the automotive industry

From October 17 to 19, the Senai Cimatec Park, in Camaçari, Bahia, hosted the 18th edition of the BAJA SAE BRASIL Competition, Northeast Stage, an event that has become a national benchmark for engineering talent development and the strengthening of the automotive ecosystem.

With the participation of 17 university teams from the region, the competition brought together technical expertise, creativity and team spirit in three days of challenges where students had to design, build and validate their own off-road vehicles.

Acknowledging those who make it happen

The success of BAJA Nordeste is the result of collaborative work between institutions, companies and professionals committed to advancing Brazilian engineering. That’s why our thanks go especially to:

• SAE Brasil, Northeast Section, for their flawless organization and ongoing support for technical education.
• The BAJA Nordeste volunteers, who contributed time, energy and expertise to deliver an unforgettable experience for the teams.
• SENAI CIMATEC, for providing world-class infrastructure that raises the bar for the event.
• FORD, for their institutional support and strategic presence, which inspires the next generation of professionals.
• Paulo Oliveira and Alex Machado, for their leadership, technical guidance and tireless dedication to the event and teams.
This collective effort makes BAJA Nordeste more than a competition, it’s a real platform for transformation and connection between academia and industry.

Beyond the finish line

The Cactus Baja team, from the Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid (UFERSA), stood out by taking home the first place trophy, the result of a project that combined innovation, endurance and performance. But the true victory lies in what each team takes away, hands-on experience, networking, visibility and a fresh perspective on what it means to be an engineer in today’s Brazil.

Regional talent, national impact

The Northeast stage reinforces the strength of regional engineering and its direct contribution to the development of Brazil’s automotive sector. Initiatives like BAJA are essential for discovering and preparing skilled professionals, ready to meet real-world industry challenges with a focus on innovation.

At Global Group, we believe that investing in talent is investing in the future. We support initiatives like BAJA because we know that’s where it all begins, on the test track, behind the scenes, and in the students’ spreadsheets, where the engineering that transforms the world takes shape.