TecMinho, a pioneer interface in Portugal connecting universities and companies, starts this Wednesday, the 26th, the celebrations of its 30th anniversary, announced the University of Minho (UMinho).
The session, entitled “The role of interfaces in the scientific and economic context”, takes place from 16:30 to 18:00, in the B-Lounge space of the Library of UMinho, in Guimarães.
The opening has the director general of TecMinho, Filipe Soutinho, to present the general program of the celebrations, which culminate on July 24 and intend to affirm a more business model of interfaces.
It follows at 16:40 a lecture by the administrator of the National Innovation Agency, António Bob dos Santos, and shortly afterwards a debate with UMinho’s vice-rector for Research and Innovation, Eugénio Campos Ferreira, the vice-rector for UMinho. University-Society Cooperation at the University of Aveiro, Eduardo Castro and the vice-rector for Research and Projects at the University of Beira Interior, José Easter. Admission is free.
Created in 1990 by UMinho and the Vale de Ave Municipalities Association, TecMinho – University-Company Association for Development is one of the oldest university structures for knowledge transfer in the country.
Present in Guimarães and Braga, it has already prepared more than 325 patents, supported more than 725 technologies and more than 125 start-ups. He was also responsible for supporting the creation of 45 spin-offs and for supporting more than 500 R&D project contracts with the business community.
This institution has won several awards: “European Enterprise Award”, for the Spin-off Program of UMinho and for IdeaLab – Laboratory of Business Ideas, attributed by the European Commission and IAPMEI; “Proton Europe Award”, for the Best Knowledge Valorisation Plan, awarded by the Proton Europe association; “Fostering Entrepreneurship in Higher Education Institutions”, awarded by COTEC; and “Distinction + and + i”, attributed by the Government.
“TecMinho has been differentiating since its inception, when there was barely talk of the academy-society dialogue, of the“ knowledge society ”and about 300 people were doctored a year in Portugal, two-thirds of what UMinho today trains in a year”, refers to the press release.
The rapprochement between scientists and entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs and investors is just one side of TecMinho’s work. This interface of the innovation cycle is a key asset at the service of the region and the country. It directly supports the insertion and rise of national companies in global value chains and in the external competitiveness of the economy, through R&D activities, valorisation and transfer of technology, diffusion and demonstration, technological surveillance, specialized training and entrepreneurship.
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