Close to 300 people will gather in Porto to discuss Innovation Ecosystems

16th November 2023

Innovation cycles, the role of interface entities, support policies. In the discussion on innovation ecosystems promoted by INESC TEC, the objective is to leave nothing unspoken. Pedro Guedes de Oliveira, Coordinator of the Organising Committee of the INESC TEC Autumn Forum, stated that this year's edition will be an opportunity to "explore not only the international vision, brought by acknowledged individuals with recognised experience, but also the national outlook, with representatives of important institutions that work in this field, together with those in charge of public entities that promote its valorisation and financing".

The objective is to bring together the national entities part of the innovation ecosystem to discuss the best way to develop it based on the current reality - considering the vital role played by interface entities in said process. "We aim to deepen the knowledge and understanding of the main dynamics of the innovation cycles, the role of the main actors and their intervention and positioning, as well as the respective interactions", explained Pedro Guedes de Oliveira.

In this sense, "the scope of innovation cycles and the role of interface entities" and "the policies and programmes to support innovation ecosystems" are the two topics under discussion.

The first debate, moderated by Luís Seca, Member of the Executive Board of INESC TEC, brings together Maria Mota, Executive Director of IMM, José Carlos Pedro, President of IT, António Braz Costa, General Director of CITEVE, and Ondina Afonso, Director of Quality and Research at MC Sonae. This panel will deepen the dynamics between the entities where science is produced, exploring the role of interface institutions in the Portuguese business fabric, based on SMEs with reduced research capacity.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of INESC TEC, José Manuel Mendonça, will moderate the conversation on policies and programmes to support innovation ecosystems, featuring António Bob Santos, Member of the Board of Directors of FCT, Alexandra Vilela, Executive Member of the Board of Directors of ANI, António Cunha, President of CCDR-N and Nuno Gonçalves, Member of the Board of Directors of IAPMEI. The Coordinator of the Organising Committee of the Autumn Forum added that, "considering the importance assumed by the PRR and, in particular, the mobilising agendas for business innovation, it was crucial to convene the national entities directly involved in these processes".

José Manuel Mendonça joins Pedro Guedes de Oliveira, Rui Calçada, Director of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, António Sousa Pereira, Dean of the University of Porto and Elvira Fortunato, Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, at the start of the meeting, which is scheduled for 11 am.

Like last year, the eighth edition of the Autumn Forum will take place at the auditorium of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto. The day will also feature speeches by José Carlos Caldeira, member of the board of INESC TEC; Rikardo Bueno, General Director of BRTA (an alliance that promotes research and development in the Basque Country); and Philippe Larrue, from the DSTI – Directorate for Science Technology and Innovation of the OECD. João Claro, CEO of INESC TEC, is responsible for the closing session.

The Autumn Forum is an annual initiative promoted by INESC TEC that fosters the discussion of topics relevant to the economy and public policies - in which science and technology play a decisive role.

The full programme is available here.