DIP4Agri Final Conference 2024
20 June
Universidade Católica Portuguesa completed the second and final phase of DIP4Agri project, which aims to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education institutions, by valorization of agri-food by-products using deep tech knowledge.
The project final event was held at UCP, during the morning of the 20th June, where Manuela Pintado, the project Coordinator, presented the main achievements of the project.
Several consortium partners also contributed to this conference, presenting their work within their organizations, contributing to the main goals of DIP4Agri project, by highlighting the project’s achievements and the impact of deep technology on the sustainability and resilience of the agri-food sector.
Conference programme:
Manuela Pintado,the DIP4Agri project Coordinator (below) presented the main research activities of CBQF (Centre for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry), from Universidade Católica Portuguesa, and the main outputs expected from the DIP4Agri project.
Manuela Pintado presentation during the DIP4Agri conference.
João Cortez is presently the Director of the Research and Innovation Office (RIO), from UCP. João made a brief presentation of RIO and its role in leveraging UCP as an HEI with higher innovation capacity building.
Rick van de Zedde, is the Program manager Autonomous Cultivation and Plant Eco-phenotyping Centre (www.NPEC.nl) at Wageningen University & Research (WUR). Rick has presented the work performed at NPEC explores the potential of high-throughput phenotyping robotics.
Phine Wiborg and Nis Weibel, are Project Manager and Head of Projects & International Alliances, respectively, working at The Kitchen, the biggest startup hub at Aarhus University. Phine and Nis have presented the work done at the The Kitchen, which helps researchers to build their innovative business ideas.
Cláudia Costa and Rita Silva, Academy Coordinator and Project Manager, respectively, work at Food for Sustainability (F4S). Cláudia and Rita their new molecular biology laboratory, located at Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal, which will be essential for understanding the microbiome of agricultural soils and its relationship with soil quality parameters.
Gonçalo Amorim, with a vast experience in mentoring technology start-ups & spinoffs through various structured programs, is the CEO of BGI, Building Global Innovators. Gonçalo presented BGI activities as an accelerator for equipping startups and entrepreneurs from all over the world with knowledge, tools and networks to succeed.
Susana Costa e Silva, is Associate Professor at Católica Porto Business School, from UCP. Susana has made a lecture on “Critical Failure Factors in Entrepreneurship Projects: Analyzing Rational, Emotional, and External Challenges”. This lecture focused on understanding the different challenges that should be well-understood for avoiding failure.
Manuela Pintado (UCP), Phine Wiborg and Nis Wiebel (AU), Gonçalo Amorim (BGI), Susana Silva (CPBS, UCP), Rita Silva (F4S), João Cortez (UCP), Cláudia Costa (F4S), Audience, Manuela Pintado, Sara Cunha and Ana Paulo (from left to right, up to down).
A round-table session was held at the end of the DIP4Agri conference, moderated by João Cortez, where topics such as university-industry collaboration were discussed. For this round-table session, DIP4Agri had the pleasure of interviewing Benedita Chaves, Director of R&D and Innovation at LIPOR, a Municipality Association that manages, recovers, and treats municipal waste produced in eight municipalities of the Greater Porto Area; and Débora Campos, founder and CEO of AgroGrIN Tech, and a scientific researcher at CBQF, UCP. The interaction between universities and companies, as well as other organizations in Portugal, is still developing and not as well-established as needed to improve sustainability and competitiveness through technological innovation.
This project conference was attended by UCP staff members, UCP researchers, participants from the first and from the second editions of the Deep Tech Innovators (Core Programme), as well as by several project partners.
This conference brought together national and international experts, as well as Portuguese organizations established in the agri-food industry and entrepreneurship, and allowed to explore the challenges and new opportunities for innovative and sustainable approaches in the agri-food sector.
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Check our video in YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2qGmSJhaok
