science and technology park of university of porto - uptec

UPTEC
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PARK OF UNIVERSITY OF PORTO
UPTEC
Science and Technology Park of University of Porto
UPTEC - Science and Technology Park of University of Porto is a fundamental structure of support knowledge transfer between the university and
the market, created to sustain the University of Porto’s third mission - the social and economic leverage of its generated knowledge.
By fostering the creation of technological, scientific and creative based companies and attracting national and international innovation centers,
UPTEC contributes in a sustainable way to the growth of the North Region of Portugal.
UPTEC is divided into thematic centers - Technologies, Creative Industries, Biotechnology and Sea. This allows it to follow a strategy of clustering and
sharing of resources between startups, innovation centers and anchor projects, offering them the specific support they actually need, while assuring
that they also benefit from a broader and transversal network of national and international partners and mentors.
After seven years of activity, UPTEC has supported more than 300 business ideas in areas as diverse as Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials
and New Production, Security, Energy, Health, Food, Biotechnology, Information Technology, Publishing, Film, Architecture, Music, Design.
Strategy Location of UPTEC
Technology Center
The Technology Center of the Science and Technology Park of University of Porto (UPTEC TECH) provides support, infrastructure and technological
equipment that promote the development and acceleration of technology-based projects.
Annually, UPTEC TECH hosts 100 startups and innovation centers in a wide range of technological areas of expertise, including: energy, web and
mobile software, electronics, robotics, chemistry, polymers and composite materials, monitoring, etc.
Between startups and national and international innovation centers, UPTEC tech supports the development new products and services to market,
based on knowledge and technology transfer and an active incorporation of highly qualified human resources.
UPTEC TECH — the largest center at UPTEC — is located in the middle of Asprela’s Campus, next to the most important technological schools and
R&D institutes of the University of Porto.
Address:
Edifício Central
Rua Alfredo Allen, n.º455/461
4200-135 Porto
Centro de Inovação
Rua Doutor Júlio de Matos 828/882
4200-355 Porto
Creative Center
UPTEC PINC is the attraction and meeting space for people who look to experience, explore and develop their creativity in entrepreneurial ways.
In five years of activity, Creative Industries Center of UPTEC (UPTEC PINC) has received more than a hundred creative based business projects, in a
field of design, communication, architecture, audiovisual, music, visual arts, performing arts and publishing.
Relying on the knowledge and expertise of UPTEC, and located in Porto’s center, among the main artistic and cultural structures and equipments in
the city, this center is the main center of cultural and creative businesses in the North of Portugal.
Address:
Praça Coronel Pacheco, 2
4050-453 Porto, Portugal
Biotechnology Center
The Biotechnology Center of the Park of Science and Technology of University of Porto (UPTEC BIO) is oriented to host business projects in the areas
of life sciences and \ biotechnology.
UPTEC BIO offers support, equipment and technological infrastructure that will promote the development and acceleration of the installed projects
based on the knowledge and skills generated within the University of Porto, and also resulting from the cooperation between the university and the
market.
At present, UPTEC bio supports startups in a wide range of areas of expertise, including biotechnology, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries,
health care, chemistry, agrifood industry, etc.
Like the other UPTEC centers, the location of UPTEC BIO takes decisive role. This center is located near to some of the most relevant schools and R&D
institutes of University of Porto in the areas of life sciences and biotechnology.
Address:
Rua Campo Alegre 1021 Edifício FC6
4169-007 Porto
Sea Center
The Sea Center of the Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto (UPTEC MAR) is dedicated to the incubation of business projects related
to science and sea technologies, benefiting from the proximity of structures and equipment of the Port of Leixões and advanced research developed
at the University of Porto.
The project UPTEC MAR aims to explore the results of research arising from the activity of the various R&D centers that University of Porto will host
inside the Port of Leixões.
Companies currently associated with UPTEC MAR aggregate several areas of activity in the sea economy such as marine biotechnology, aquaculture,
energy of waves, marine robotics, software, environment, tourism and recreational boating.
Address:
Avenida da Liberdade
4450-718 Leça da Palmeira
UPTEC’s Companies
Divided in four distinct centers – Technology Center, Creative Industries Center, Sea Technology Center and Biotechnology Center UPTEC has with mission to foster the creation of technology, scientific and creative based startups, as well as attract innovation centers.
Through this strategy, startups find the necessary support to turn their ideas into businesses with potential for rapid growth. For this,
startups benefit from a set of specialized structures and services for development of their business activity.
Innovation Centers, national and international companies and projects, find the space and mechanisms to host and operate their
projects and activities, benefiting from the synergies that exist with the R&D Departments and other interface institutes of U.Porto.
UPTEC welcomes:
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Startups: early seed and startups under development/maturation phase;
Anchor Projects: consolidated projects which, due to their characteristics, enhances UPTEC and the University of Porto's network;
Innovation Centers: R&D+i structures, which innovation work leverages the synergies between companies, R&D+i centers and
interface institutes of University of Porto.
UPTEC’s Numbers
Business Projects:
(December 2014)
164 business projects:
37 early seed (pre-incubation)
81 startup companies (incubation)
28 innovation centers
18 anchor projects
32 graduated companies
Human Resources:
1763 highly skilled jobs
Economic Impact:
(Study conducted by Faculty of Economy of University of Porto to a universe of 79 companies - Data of 2012)
- Impact on GDP: € 31,85M
- Tax Revenues: € 6,25M
- Volume of Export: 120 countries, with about 47% of the turnover of the business is related to sales made abroad.
Growth
Since the beginning of its activity, in 2007 and by the end of 2014, UPTEC supported the development of 320 business projects.
Human Resources
From 2007 until the end of 2014, UPTEC and their companies have generated 1763 jobs held by highly qualified human resources (90%
graduates and postgraduates).
Graduated Companies
In seven years, UPTEC has 32 graduated companies. Only in 2014, 10 companies completed their incubation process: Adjust Consulting,
Claan, Clínica de Arquitectura, Culture Print, Engenho das Ideias, Glazed Solutions, MassiveMov, Net Peças, Swark e Venture Catalysts.
The graduated companies of UPTEC are the companies that, after completing their 3 years incubation process, are already fully
autonomous and able to move to their own headquarters and continue to build their own network of partners and clients.
The graduate companies are endowed with a solid customer base and seek to expand their businesses and skills, in addition to the
network and structure already developed with the support of UPTEC, during the 3 years of incubation.
Graduates companies are, therefore, fundamental to the recovery of the regional economy, and is mainly from the strength of their
growth and continuing connection to the young incubated projects and to the University of Porto that UPTEC's success and future
depends on.
Honors and Recognitions
In 2013, UPTEC was awarded the European Prize RegioStars 2013, in the category of "Smart Growth" by the European Commission. In
the same year, UPTEC was also regarded as one of the best incubators/accelerators in Europe, at the London Web Summit People's
Choice.
In 2014, UPTEC back to be distinguished by the European Comission, to be chosen for “European Union: Working For You” campaign
set up to illustrate concrete examples of EU actions that have positive impact on the economy and everyday lives of citizens
Brief History of UPTEC
In September 2006, UPTEC - Association of Technology Transfer of Asprela was created with the purpose of acting as the management
structure of the Science and Technology Park of University of Porto. In the University's main campus, the first steps were given to adapt
5 prefabricated buildings, with about 1355 m2 of floor area, to spaces usable by young technology-based companies and other
innovative initiatives.
In February 2007, UPTEC's team and the first company moved in those pavilions. In less than a year, the spaces were completely full.
However, UPTEC had already begun its expansion to other clusters and sectors. In the University's science campus, in another part of the
city, a large Belgian pharmaceutical company dedicated to research in nanotechnology (Ablynx) and the Fraunhofer Institute Portugal
settled.
In Porto's city center, in 2008, near the University's arts and humanities faculties, UPTEC began refurbishing two buildings (empty since
2000, when the faculty of engineering moved for its new permises), with about 1700 m2, for establishment of what came to be known as
'UPTEC PINC - Creative Industries Center of UPTEC'.
In the same year, together with the Douro and Leixões Ports Administration (APDL), UPTEC started the plan to recover and adapt about
3200 m2 of the old "building of Sanity of Port of Leixões" for the installation its 'SEA Center' and installed some companies in a small
building (300 m2) inside the port.
This cluster strategy based on the sharing of resources and services between the University of Porto, startups and innovation centers, led
to the development of UPTEC's specific methodologies to foster the creation of technology, creativity and science-based startups and, at
the same time, to attract innovation centers (R&D departments of established companies). UPTEC rapidly became a strong tool to
support effective knowledge transfer between the university and the market.
Over its seven years, the project's investment was almost 30 M € of community funds (ERDF). In 2012, the economic impact of UPTEC in
national GDP was about € 31,85M. That same year, the company generated revenues of UPTEC of 6.25 M € in taxes to the state.
In June 2014, the President of the Republic, Anibal Cavaco Silva, inaugurated the UPTEC’S Headquarters, an infrastructure able to
accommodate 80 new business projects.
Support of UPTEC for your projects (main initiatives)
During 2014, UPTEC held more than 150 initiatives to promote entrepreneurship and business development, of which we highlight the
School of Startups (previously designated Startups Acceleration Program).
School of Startups powered by UPTEC
In 2013, started the School of Startups (at the beginning designated by Startups Acceleration Program), a program which allowed the
validating of the feasibility of 94 business projects with innovative ideas with a technological, scientific or creative base in a context of
international market.
These young projects benefited from classroom training, individual mentoring and training pitching sessions. For this, they count on a
wide range of mentors: senior entrepreneurs, specialists and external partners of UPTEC’s network, including the Creative Commons
Portugal, Portal Sapo, Porto Business School and Telles de Abreu - Society of Lawyers.
Cloud Catalysts Project
The European Project Cloud Catalysts is born of a partnership between the UPTEC, Portugal Telecom (Portugal), UCM (Spain), SiMobil
(Slovenia) and EuroCloud (Pan-European), in order to create knowledge and tools that boost the support and the creation of new
projects and startups related to Cloud Computing.
The stakeholders of the project include entrepreneurs, incubators, accelerators, SMEs and cloud computing services providers.
The project started in 2013 and is in active development. It's expected to be complete in 2015.
PHD Design - FBAUP/UPTEC
Since the creation of its Creative Industries Center (UPTEC PINC), the UPTEC maintained a close relationship with the Design
Department at the Faculty of Fine Arts (FBAUP), understanding design as a strategic area for the development of this cluster.
This relationship rapidly has proved beneficial to the entire structure of UPTEC, reflecting a set of projects and partnerships built during
the last three years: since the incubation of companies created by design students (Claan, for example), the organization of joint actions
such as futureplaces festival (http://futureplaces.org/), the annual realization of PINC event (where design masters, doctoral students
and UPTEC’s companies share their projects) or even the participation of two employees of UPTEC as members of the Design
Department at Faculty of Fine Arts of University of Porto Council (CSOD) and the Scientific Council of the same institution.
The creation of the PhDDesign Program intends to extend this collaboration between UPTEC and FBAUP, promoting closer contact
between R & D and their companies. For this, and in light of what already happens with projects developed with other colleges of
U.Porto, the UPTEC’s team actively has been working to facilitate this connection by offering its infrastructure, equipment and content to
support the research and the entrepreneurship simultaneously. The PhDDesign program was rated "Excellent" by the international jury
of the FCT, which has 18 researchers from various countries (Portugal, Brazil, Holland, Turkey, Bosnia, Serbia, India).
UPTEC Proto
UPTEC has an Office of Product Development, properly equipped and oriented with CNC machining, rapid prototyping, scanners and
tools to support the development of new products.
This program is directed to companies in incubation and internationalization phase.
UPTEC Inn
Integrated at University of Porto, UPTEC promotes the continuous link between I&D and Business. In this sense, it has developed and
established with several colleges and research units of U.Porto a series of partnerships and collaborative programs with a view to
continuous knowledge transfer between the University and the Market.
This program is directed at all companies.
UPTEC Buzz
UPTEC provides a service of communication support for incubated companies, through disclosure in their own channels (website,
newsletter, facebook, twitter, etc.) and distribution of relevant information by the major media.
This program is directed at all companies.
UPTEC Net
Every year, the UPTEC streamlines an intense program of activities and events geared towards the enhancement of skills and the
promotion of internal and external networking, keeping in view the growth of incubated companies and the development of economic
interactions.
This program is directed at all companies.
Innovation Ecosystem of Porto attracts international companies
The innovation ecosystem of Porto became reference at a national and international level. The environment, strategic location,
connection to areas of intensive knowledge and networks of UPTEC convinced international companies to set up their development
centers in Porto.
Instead of opting for any other European city, Vodafone, Alcatel Lucent, Fraunhofer Institute, Altran, Microsoft, Semasio, Clipkit and HPS,
among others, choose Porto to set up their new products and services development units, competing in the global market. These
companies were attracted by the dynamics of the city, by the cooperation with the University of Porto, the proximity of recent graduates
with high levels of competence and qualification, and by the environment of innovation and development of the Park.
The ability of international attraction has been growing, as the same time as national companies like Sonae Indústria, EFACEC, Público,
LUSA, Vortal, WIT Software, Sapo have also selected UPTEC to develop new products and services to the market.
The UPTEC began his project with a clear vision: to be, in 2020, a worldclass Science and Technology Park that drives change
and reinvents the Portuguese economy. The results obtained in the last years allow us to say that UPTEC has consolidated an ecosystem
of innovation, creativity and economic development in Porto and Northern Region.
Contacts
Rua Alfredo Allen n.455/461
4200 – 135 Porto
+351 220 301 500
www.uptec.up.pt
geral@uptec.up.pt
Media Advisory
Isabel Martins Silva
+351 932 059 380
isilva@uptec.up.pt