Inês Cunha presents INOV at TRAIL Summer Workshop 2024

Aug 30, 2024

Inês Cunha presents INOV at TRAIL Summer Workshop 2024

On 6 September, INOV will host a visit from the TRAIL Institute, during which the results of the Summer Workshop 2024, focused on discussing emerging challenges and innovative solutions in the field of artificial intelligence, will be presented.

The TRAIL Summer Workshop brings together researchers working in AI at the five universities of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and four Accredited Research Centres, whose research activities are in line with the vision of the TRAIL ecosystem.

At INESC ID‘s invitation, this visit will include a presentation of INOV by Dr. Inês Cunha , Business Development Manager, highlighting INOV’s role in promoting innovation and technological development and reinforcing our commitment to research and collaboration at European level.

This event will be restricted to the community of researchers in the area, reinforcing the specialised and collaborative nature of the event.

About the TRAIL Summer Workshop

The TRAIL Summer Workshop is an initiative organised in partnership with INESC-ID’s GAIPS (Group of AI for People and Society) research group and the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST). The event not only promotes discussions on the challenges and opportunities in the field of artificial intelligence, but also allows for the strengthening of European collaborations, which are crucial for scientific advancement.

Lean Startup Course: Practical Innovation for Entrepreneurs

Aug 29, 2024

Are you looking for an effective way to launch successful products on the market? The Lean Startup Course offered by INOV and Técnico+ is the ideal opportunity for entrepreneurs who want to master the methodology favoured by successful innovators.

What is the Lean Startup course?

The Lean Startup course is practical and theoretical training designed to guide entrepreneurs through each stage of new product development. Based on the Lean Startup methodology, this course teaches how to build, measure and learn cyclically, minimising risks and maximising the chances of success.

Course structure

Duration: 5 weeks
Start date: 7 of october 2024
Format: Online, with 24/7 access for the duration of the course
Lessons: 25 lessons, averaging 3 minutes each
Assessment: 5 exercises, one per module, plus a final project

During the five weeks, participants will have access to modules that cover everything from the basic concepts of the Lean Startup method to the practical application of its main tools. Each module consists of short, objective lessons, making it easy to learn complex concepts.

What will you learn?

Module 1: Lean Startup Method
Introduction to the fundamental concepts of Lean Startup, exploring its origins and the main reasons why startups fail.

Module 2: Build – Measure – Learn
Uma explicação detalhada das três fases cíclicas do método, que são essenciais para o desenvolvimento de produtos.

Module 3: Validating Hypotheses
Guidance on how to formulate and test hypotheses, ensuring that they are well-founded.

Module 4: Innovation Metrics
An approach to the fundamental metrics to ensure that a product achieves market success.

Final Project: Lean Canvas
At the end of the course, each participant will develop a Lean Canvas, applying the knowledge acquired to a practical case, which could be a real product under development.

Why choose this course?

As well as receiving a diploma certified by one of the best universities in Portugal, participants will have access to support from the trainers, an exclusive community of students and the opportunity to learn from two of the country’s leading experts in innovation and entrepreneurship.

Hugo de Sousa: With over 20 years’ experience in Consultancy, Startups and Innovation, Hugo de Sousa is one of the pillars of business innovation in Portugal.
Miguel Mira da Silva: Full professor at the Instituto Superior Técnico and head of the Digital Transformation group at INOV, Professor Mira da Silva has created and sold several software startups, bringing a wealth of practical experience to the course.

Enrolment and Price

Registration is open until 30 September 2024, with a special €20 discount for those who register by 7 September. The promotional price is 29,99€, rising to 49,99€ after that date.

This course is an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs who want to learn how to launch products effectively and with less risk. With the guidance of the trainers and the proven Lean Startup methodology, you’ll be better prepared than ever to face the challenges of the market. Don’t miss the chance to turn your idea into a successful product. Sign up now and secure your place!

Award ceremony for the 2nd edition of Vencer o Adamastor

Jul 24, 2024

The ceremony for the 2nd edition of the Vencer o Adamastor Award was held at the Técnico Innovation Center on 23 July.

The Vencer o Adamastor 2024 Award was presented to Manuel Goulão, for his work ‘Post-Quantum Secure Multi-Party Computation: Cryptography Fighting for a More Private and Egalitarian Future’.

The ceremony began with words from the president of Instituto Superior Técnico, Professor Rogério Colaço, who emphasised that despite this being the second edition, the Vencer o Adamastor Award has already gained relevance among those who carry out research.

This was followed by a speech by Professor Arlindo Oliveira, President of INESC, who explained how throughout its history, INESC has always faced the ‘Adamastor’ of technological lag in Portugal, which it has tackled, including through this award.

During his speech, Professor Arlindo took the opportunity to reveal that applications for the 3rd edition of the prize are now open.

The speech by Marta Moitinho Oliveira, deputy director of Público, focused on the importance of the science journalism practised by Público, which is one of the reasons why this initiative is so important to the newspaper.

The award was presented by Professor José Tribolet, founder of INESC, after which Manuel Goulão presented his work and emphasised the importance of ensuring that cryptography works in the face of the growing capabilities of quantum computing.

After the award ceremony, Professor Luis Ferreira, rector of the University of Lisbon, took to the stage and stressed the importance of initiatives such as the Vencer o Adamastor Award in communicating to society the research carried out in Portuguese research centers and by Portuguese researchers abroad.

About the Award:

This award, a partnership between the INESC holding company and the Público newspaper, aims to highlight innovative projects in the areas of computing, electrical engineering and computers.

The 1st edition of the Vencer o Adamastor Award, which took place in 2023, was presented to Gonçalo Correia for his doctoral thesis ‘Learnable sparsity and weak supervision for data-efficient, transparent, and compact neural models’.

About the Winner:

Manuel Goulão, graduated from Instituto Superior Técnico and is currently a researcher at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Japan.

INESC INOV-Lab: inauguration session for the new R&D unit

Jul 15, 2024

The inaugural meeting of INESC INOV-Lab was held on 11 July.

The session began with words from Professor Leonel Sousa, President of INESC Lx, who spoke about how the idea of INESC INOV-Lab came about, as an INOV research unit registered with the FCT.

This was followed by a speech by Engineer Fernando Moreira, President of INOV, who spoke about our institution’s desire to attract and retain new talent, the importance of researchers and their commitment to INOV’s R&D&I activities.

Professor Augusto Casaca, President of INOV’s Scientific Committee, which is common to INESC INOV-Lab, also spoke.

Finally, the main presentation was given by Professor Luis M. Correia, Coordinator of INESC INOV-Lab, who outlined the roadmap of this new INOV R&D unit.

After the initial presentations, a cocktail party was held at the Holiday Inn Lisboa with members of the other INESC Lisboa institutes and selected guests.

INESC INOV-Lab will have 14 integrated researchers and 68 collaborating researchers, totaling a team of 82 people that will continue to grow.

Ceremony: 2nd edition of the Vencer o Adamastor Award

Jul 12, 2024

The award ceremony for the Vencer o Adamastor (“Overcoming the Adamastor”) Award has been announced, and this year 2024 will see its second edition.

This award, a partnership between INESC and the Público newspaper, aims to recognise and reward innovative projects in the areas of electronics, computing and information and communication technologies that show not only scientific excellence, but also potential for economic development. A prize of 20,000 euros will be awarded to the winning project that fulfils these characteristics.

The ceremony will take place on 23 July at 5pm at the Técnico Innovation Center in Lisbon.

The winner of this edition is researcher Manuel Goulão, honoured for his work entitled “Post-Quantum Secure Multi-Party Computation: Cryptography Fighting for a More Private and Egalitarian Future”. This work promises significant advances in cryptographic security in multi-party computing environments, reinforcing privacy and equality in the digital future.

Manuel Goulão, graduated from Instituto Superior Técnico and is currently a researcher at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Japan.

Ceremony agenda:

16:45 – Reception of participants

17:00 – Opening by the President of IST – Rogério Colaço

17:10 – Presentation of the prize by the president of INESC – Arlindo Oliveira

17:20 – Speech by the director of Público – David Pontes (TBC)

17:30 – Award ceremony – Fernando Alexandre and José Tribolet

17:35 – Presentation of the work by the winner – Manuel Goulão

17:50 – Speech by the rector of the University of Lisbon – Luís Ferreira (TBC)

18:00 – Closing by MECI – Fernando Alexandre

18:20 – Port of Honour

19:00 – End

Previous edition

In the previous edition, held on 1 February 2023, the winner was Gonçalo Correia, whose research focused on reducing the size of artificial intelligence (AI) networks and, consequently, increasing energy efficiency. The event was attended by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

11th Edition of the FAQtos Award: Celebrating Innovation in the World of Radio Frequencies

Jul 3, 2024

Final Ceremony and Delivery of Awards

The award ceremony for the 11th edition of the FAQtos Prize, with the theme “THE WORLD OF RADIOFREQUENCES”, will take place at the Congress Centre of the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) on Saturday 6 July 2024, starting at 14:30. The event will bring together the 10 finalist teams who will defend their projects in front of a Final Jury made up of representatives from the Ministry of Education, Vodafone, the Faculty of Pharmacy and IST at the University of Lisbon.

This year, the FAQtos Prize received 48 applications, representing 177 students and 32 supervising teachers from 27 secondary schools in 13 districts. After several stages, 44 teams were assessed by a Selection Jury made up of 41 secondary school teachers. From this analysis, the 10 best entries were chosen for the final stage, representing schools from the districts of Braga, Lisbon, Porto, Santarém, Viana do Castelo and Madeira.

Evaluation Criteria, Awards and Recognition

The entries will be judged on the following criteria:

Integration into the Theme
Originality and Innovation
Quality of the Report and Video Presentation
Critical thinking and analysis
Involvement with the school and other organisations
Overall assessment of the project

The authors of the best works will receive cash prizes of between 500 and 1,500 euros. Prizes will also be awarded to the supervising teachers and the respective schools, recognising the collective effort and support given to the students.

Luís M. Correia, FAQtos coordinator, INOV – INESC Inovação researcher and IST professor, emphasised: “The award of the FAQtos Prize is a double satisfaction for us, as it represents the end of a year-long project in which we have clarified and demystified issues related to the topic of electromagnetic radiation, while also strengthening the link with young people – one of our most strategic audiences for forming a collective conscience in this area.”

About the FAQtos Project

The FAQtos project, a collaboration between INOV – INESC Inovação and Instituto Superior Técnico, aims to provide relevant information on electromagnetic radiation in mobile communications. This project is essential for disseminating knowledge about electromagnetic wave concepts, exposure limits, relevant bibliography and the results of measurements carried out by the team in public places across the country.

FAQtos promotes lectures and public information actions in health centers, educational establishments and in collaboration with municipalities, enlightening the population on issues related to electromagnetic radiation. The project also carries out radiation measurement and research activities, based on the www.faqtos.pt portal.

The 11th edition of the FAQtos Prize not only encourages innovation and critical analysis among young people, but also reinforces the importance of education and awareness of mobile communications technologies in contemporary society.