On May 28 and 29 at Palácio Foz in Lisbon, U.S.-Portugal partnerships sponsored by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (including the MIT Portugal Program) will hold their first Joint Conference and Exhibition on Fostering Science and Innovation Ecosystems. Featured speakers include Bernd Widdig, MIT director of international affairs; Bruce Tidor, MIT professor of electrical engineeing and computer science and acting director of MIT-Portugal; and Paulo Ferrão, MIT-Portugal national director.
The conference and exhibition will showcase the activities and outcomes of the International Partnerships for Portugal, the commitment of participating U.S. universities, and the strength of the relationships that have been created in the areas of education, research, and innovation.
Networks of interconnected universities, research and development institutions, and companies in Portugal have developed around the partnerships with Carnegie Mellon University, MIT, and the University of Texas at Austin. These networks and partnerships are evolving into dynamic and productive ecosystems, broadening their knowledge and increasing their participation in business networks. Through these cooperative relationships, the academic and industry participants in these ecosystems are both enabling innovation and benefiting from it.
The Carnegie Mellon, MIT, and University of Texas Portugal programs have jointly created a solid collaborative network with more than 1,000 faculty, researchers, and industry experts connecting Portugal and the United States. Their graduate programs have trained close to 1,500 students in an international educational environment of excellence, engaging broadly and deeply with Portuguese universities.
More than 300 companies in Portugal have actively participated in the education, research, and innovation activities, with a special focus on high-tech, high-growth new ventures. The entrepreneurial culture of the partnerships has fostered the creation of close to 20 startups, and the partnerships’ entrepreneurship support has had impact on more than 200 startups.
The First Joint Conference and Exhibition on Fostering Science and Innovation Ecosystems will feature distinguished keynote speakers, presenters, roundtable moderators, and participants in sessions where they will share their experience, provide perspective, and offer lessons learned.
Those interested in participating can register online.
