Innovation track: promoting the development of new products and services for the agro-food and agro-environmental systems

The Innovation Track Contest and Program aims to create the basis for a culture and dynamic of innovation in which working groups of students at MSc level focus on an innovation program towards the development of new products and services for the agro-food and agro-environmental systems. The program includes the support of the research and innovation facilities of the Biotechnology Faculty of the Catholic University at Porto, and each group can have the support of a scientific and a business mentor across the innovation process and the outcomes will be presented to the innovation ecosystem including companies and investors. The working groups follow a design and development methodology in which each team will have the possibility to be involved in the following tasks: technical-scientific feasibility studies; proof of concepts; prototyping; and a business project. The outcomes that will be assessed could include a prototype, a specification file and a business project. The results will be presented to the market through different forms of communication, with the award of monetary prizes in different categories. The Innovation Track has motivated 18 teams of students from three different Universities, 15 targeting the agrofood sector and 3 teams with projects looking for products or services with more relevance on environmental systems. Teams are also being challenged to submit their projetcs to other initiatives like the EcoTrophelia contest for reach wider impact.