For the second time in the past month, Empowered Startups has added a celebrated institution of higher education to its growing network in Portugal. In a signing ceremony held on its campus, the Polytechnic of Coimbra officially entered a Memorandum of Understanding with Empowered, becoming the 15th Portuguese university or polytechnic to partner with the Canadian multinational on its HQA Visa Program. As the only government-endorsed delivery partner of the HQA Visa Program, Empowered Startups pairs successful transnational entrepreneurs with Portuguese institutions to collaborate on innovative research and development projects, which are immediately funded through direct investment.
Sara Proença, Director of the INOPOL Entrepreneurship Academy of the Polytechnic of Coimbra.“This agreement reinforces the work we have been doing to put the scientific and technological knowledge produced at our institution at the service of the community, through practical, innovative solutions aimed at solving society’s challenges. We are convinced that the strategic collaboration that we have now begun with Empowered Startups will provide new opportunities for researchers and the academic community of the Polytechnic of Coimbra while also acting as a catalyst for the economic and social development of the region,”
Regional Growth and Territorial Cohesion
Proença’s comments are well-founded, as the Portuguese universities and polytechnics that facilitate HQA projects benefit their regions in several ways beyond the welcome infusion of significant funding for R&D. Researchers and students are experiencing real-world opportunities for technology transfer, knowledge exchange, and the creation of meaningful industry contacts that often lead to future employment.
The projects initiated through the HQA Visa Program also improve territorial cohesion throughout Portugal by establishing avenues for talented individuals to stay in the smaller communities where partner institutions are located instead of leaving for large urban centres or other countries all together. These benefits align with the goals of the Portuguese Government and recent statements from Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, who asserted, “we need young Portuguese people in Portugal so that we all have a better future” at a press conference in late May.
Growing Together
As Empowered’s partner network continues to grow in Portugal, so too do the number of internationally funded research projects. Empowered Startups has delivered 80 transnational entrepreneurs and nearly €4.8 million of direct investment to Portugal as part of its commitment to facilitate at least 25 projects and high potential founders to each of 10 Portuguese universities and polytechnics in the span of 36 months through its HQA Visa Program. More information on the HQA Visa Program can be found on Empowered Startups’ website.
