Two projects, stimulating the internationalisation of regional SMEs, research, development and innovation will be implemented in the framework of INTRA Action Plan for Algarve region in Portugal.
The president of the CCDR Algarve Mr Francisco Serra and the Head of CRIA within University of Algarve Mr Hugo de Britos Barros signed the Action plan in the amount of EUR 6.141.479,64 that will stimulate the R&D&I and internationalisation of SMEs in their region. Under the Algarve Regional Operation Program CRESC Algarve 2020 the Project "Algarve Science and Technology Park" and RE-Start will be funded, based on the built upon the lessons learned in INTRA project, foremost Good Practices observed, evaluated and transmitted from the project partners region as well as transnational learning events (workshops and trainings).
The objectives of the Algarve Technology Park, among others, will be to diversify regional business matrix with high technological companies nationally and internationally, strengthening intraregional and interregional coordination, promoting participation in European, international innovation networks and attracting international companies to the regional ecosystem.
The Algarve Science and Technology Park project includes actions such as:
• Promotion of Intellectual Property;
• Technology Scouting in research centres and academia;
• Technology Scouting in SME’s and large companies;
• Validation and Prototyping;
• Science2Business (matching U-E meetings);
• Entrepreneurship actions in order to support identification and support of new knowledge based business ideas;
• Joint ventures (new calls for cooperation projects among university and SME’s);
• Licencing and technology transfer.
The project Re-Start aims very clearly to train and capacitate the regional agents in the scope of entrepreneurship, innovation, and knowledge transfer, to identify new and innovative business ideas, and to coach and support the new entrepreneurs that originate from these actions. Moreover, the project also incorporates an international roadshow to identify international GP’s and develop further cooperation actions with recognized ecosystems. The final goal is to capacitate both the regional stakeholders and the new entrepreneurs and SME’s towards increased competitiveness and access to global markets. The project Re-Start will be implemented by the Consortium of: University of Algarve , National Association of Young Entrepreneurs (ANJE) and Algarve Business Association (NERA).
