Elaboration of the Functional Programme of the Sea Pole of the University of Porto Science and Technology Park

The study elaborated in a first phase a strategic assessment of the initial configuration of the project, which involves the incubation infrastructure located in the north pier (sanity building of APDL) and the research building (CIIMAR) located in the Cruise Terminal (south pier) of Leixões Port. In the second phase, the study assessed the knowledge resources potential of the project and the associated enhancement of economic opportunities. The study also encompassed a proposal of a vision, mission and objectives for the Sea Pole, the identification of core competencies to develop, functions and implementation physical lay-out. A special focus on the articulation between the several SEA POLE functions has been one of the main results of the study. The assessment of operational procedures involved a proposal of management and organizational model, the investments plan, the exploration model, funding and calendar of the project. The study ends with the identification of the strategic contribution of the project for the organization a sea activities cluster in the North of Portugal, including a group of key recommendations.

Warm up! - Pre-release of Fashion and Design Incubator in Fábrica de Santo Thyrso

The Project increases the design and the production of the pre-release event of the Fashion and Design Incubator of Fábrica de Santo Thyrso, through different activities: the launch of the Minutes of the International Seminar “Cultural Quarters: experiences and challenges”; the pre-release of the Fashion and Design Incubator of Fábrica de Santo Thyrso, after the end of rehabilitation of another part of this quarter; the award of Prize “Projeto Fábrica de Santo Thryso”, in the category of “Inovação”, inside the Competition of “Cidades de Excelência 2011/2012” (Jornal de Planeamento e Cidades); and, in the last, the accomplishment of a panel of conferences. Prof. Dr. Sandro Mendonça do ISCTE, expert in the questions of innovation, and Profª Alexandra Moura, designer, and teacher in ESART of Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco, with moderation of Drª Elisa Pérez Babo (Quaternaire Portugal), expressed some of the most important challenges of Santo Thyrso Incubator’s project, in this moment that happens together with the end of the rehabilitation of another part of the ancient building.

The two conferences, with the follow themes – “Fábrica de Santo Thyrso project – the Fashion and Design Incubator, the challenges and opportunities in the present context” and “The construction of a professional career of fashion designer in Portugal – some notes about the the Fashion and Design Incubator of Santo Thyrso and the challenges and threats it must subsist with”, were pointed for some target public including: creative people of Nord Region, mainly in the sector of fashion (new designers, photographers, etc.); the enterprises in the fashion and textile sectors; experts of the Câmaras Municipais, Universities, Consultancy enterprises, etc. in different scientific domains; the local population; and the media.

The President of Câmara Municipal de Santo Tirso, after a brief visit of the new incubation space, log out the seminar wit the presentation of the Minutes of the International Seminar “Cultural Quarters: experiences and challenges”.

Assistência técnica à elaboração das candidaturas do SPINPARK ao Sistema de Apoio a Parques de Ciência e Tecnologia e Incubadoras de Empresas de Base Tecnológica do PO Regional ON2

A assistência técnica consistiu no apoio à elaboração das memórias descritivas justificativas e complementares da candidatura do SPIN PARK ao PO Regional Norte 2007-2013, visando o financiamento da consolidação física e organizacional do projecto e de um programa de empreendedorismo tecnológico, no âmbito do apoio a Parques de Ciência e Tecnologia e incubadoras de empresas de base tecnológica. O trabalho incidiu, sobretudo, na caracterização do potencial de atracção de empresas de base tecnológica que a consolidação da infra-estrutura de incubação, essencialmente da sua componente laboratorial, irá reforçar, tendo em conta o perfil de empresas já instaladas. O programa de valorização e de formação para o empreendedorismo tecnológico foi objecto de análise, bem como a articulação com toda a estratégia de consolidação do AVE PARK.

Technical Assistance to the AVE Park bid to the tender involving the support to Science and Technology Parks and technology-based firms incubating infrastructures

The technical assistance consisted of helping the AVE Park management unity to prepare a bid to the Regional OP Norte, aiming at co-funding the physical and organizational  consolidation of the infrastructure within the framework of support to Science and Technology parks and Incubators of technology-based firms. The work made was focused on the assessment of the crucial role played by the European Excellency Center of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine and of the headquarters of the Laboratory 3B's in developing the AVE Park. The relevance and excellency of the scientific outputs generated by this institution and the mass of advance human resources hosted by the Institute have been analyzed in depth, considering the national and regional contexts as a reference. The contribution of the project to the regional competitiveness was emphasized as well. The technical assistance  also helped to conceive immaterial projects for the organizational  consolidation of the infrastructure, such as the implementation of an information system able to follow-up and monitoring strategically the Ave park activities and to disseminate the management and innovative good practices.