25 start-ups and interfaces come together on Wednesday in Guimarães. Pedro Siza Vieira is one of the speakers

The School of Engineering of the University of Minho (EEUM) is organizing an exhibition of the institution’s spin-offs and interfaces on September 27th, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, in the central nave of the Azurém campus, in Guimarães. The initiative is called “Engineering at the Service of Society”, is part of UMinho’s 50th-anniversary activities, and is free to enter.

A new treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, biodegradable packaging, additive manufacturing robotic cells, a portable blood type detector, the production of healthy foods with artificial intelligence or even visors, scooters, and rifles with recycled by-products. Here are some examples of technologies with which citizens can interact at the stands of the 25 young companies, interfaces, and collaborative laboratories. Also present at the exhibition are the entrepreneurship accelerators Startup Braga and Set.Up Guimarães and the Order of Engineers – Northern Region. Throughout the space, you will learn more about the business areas, services, products, and collaboration opportunities of these entities.

The parallel program includes two lectures. Pedro Siza Vieira, former Minister of State, Economy and Digital Transition, speaks at 10:30 am about “Knowledge and innovation as levers of economic growth”. In the afternoon, at 3:00 pm, the theme “Valuing knowledge – Protecting the future” is analyzed by the coordinator of TecMinho’s Industrial Property Support Office, Marco Sousa. The closing session will feature the president of EEUM, Pedro Arezes.

The event aims to show the socioeconomic impact of the ecosystem of the UMinho School of Engineering, which has been established since its origins through the transfer of knowledge and technology to society and the business and industrial fabric. The initiative – which is co-financed by the POCH and Portugal 2020 programs – also appears as a thank you to the former and current members of the School involved in these activities. Interestingly, 75% of UMinho’s spin-offs and five of UMinho’s 12 interfaces were born in EEUM.

The entities participating in the exhibition are: B4Logic, BeKofee, Betweien, CCG/ZGDV, Center for Waste Valorization, Criam, Done Lab, DTx – Digital Transformation CoLab, EPIC Júnior, ESI Robotics, Extreme Materials, Cerveja Letra, Fibrenamics, Givaware, Keep Solutions, NaturaMatéria, Nutrium, OmniumAI, PIEP – Pole of Innovation in Polymer Engineering, Pragmatic, Satisfibre, Sciencentris, Solfarcos, TecMinho and To-Be-Green.