Multiple HQA® Projects Announced at University of Coimbra
Enhancing the state of women’s health and improving sustainability in contained beverages are the respective focal points of…
Enhancing the state of women’s health and improving sustainability in contained beverages are the respective focal points of the latest projects to land at the University of Coimbra (UC) through the HQA® Visa Program. In what has become a regular occurrence over the past two months, UC announced the research partnerships with accomplished transnational entrepreneurs who were introduced to the Portuguese university by Empowered Startups.
Words into Actions
Nuno Mendonça, Pro-Rector at UC, welcomed founders Dr. Olutoyosi Ogunkua and John Haghor to the renowned campus where each formally signed research agreements and became more familiar with the skilled researchers they will be collaborating with on their innovative projects. The announcement was a tangible example of Mendonça’s vocal endorsement of Empowered Startups’ HQA® Visa Program, which delivers foreign direct investment to Portugal while seeding long-term benefits for the western European nation in the form of knowledge exchange, technology transfer, and the creation of in-country opportunities for talented, young Portuguese students.
“I believe, and we at the University of Coimbra believe, that this is the right path to be able to improve both scientific performance, academic performance, and with this also maximize the economic return to the country,” stated Mendonça at a recent reception to celebrate the success of the HQA® Visa Program. Appropriately, both projects that were announced have the potential to positively impact each of the areas Mendonça referenced.
Protecting Mothers through Prediction Models
A celebrated obstetric anesthesiologist from the United States, Dr Ogunkua aims to significantly reduce the number of fatalities due to postpartum hemorrhaging, the leading cause of maternal mortality.
Given there is no current software that can accurately predict hemorrhaging in peripartum patients, Dr Ogunkua’s project intends to use Artificial Intelligence to analyze large datasets in order to discover variables with the highest positive predictive values for hemorrhage. Should these variables allow for the creation of an accurate patient predictor model, his goal is to commercialize the model for the hospital setting.
“My interest in developing increased insights and finding new contacts with Portuguese start-ups has led to an excellent experience with Empowered Startups. It has paired me with the University of Coimbra to develop research on the cutting edge of healthcare and technology. By investing in research at a world-renowned Portuguese university, I hope to contribute to the growth of the Portuguese startup ecosystem. Empowered Startups made this process seamless and has been responsive throughout,” remarked Dr Ogunkua.
Bottle Up Your Emissions
Fellow American John Haghor is on a mission to significantly reduce food and packaging waste through the use of proprietary reusable smart bottles. The founder of Hermet, which produces hermetically sealed tamper-proof bottles that provide real time data, Haghor will collaborate with Professor Paula Morais and her research team at UC to test and validate Hermet containers for their preservation potential.
The project aims to demonstrate a measurable increase in product life in Hermet containers and develop reliable algorithms for predicting spoilage with various beverages. Haghor’s ultimate goal is to transform the food and beverage supply chain through a distributed bottling model, which would reduce greenhouse gas production by 80-90% compared to the current single use supply chain.
Increasing Investment
Though its official partnership with UC is not yet a year old, Empowered Startups has already seeded multiple research projects and collaborated on other mutually beneficial endeavours with the esteemed Portuguese institution of higher learning.
Trusted by transnational entrepreneurs and governments around the world, Empowered Startups is the only government endorsed delivery partner of the HQA® Visa Program. Through this novel program, the Canadian multi-national is increasing opportunity, territorial cohesion and investment in Portugal and has pledged to deliver 50 million euros of foreign direct investment to Portugal by the end of 2027.
Learn more about the HQA® Visa Program
