The Incupark initiative for the promotion of support centers for entrepreneurs installed in incubators of science and technology parks begins the final phase by visiting Coimbra on Pedro Nunes Institute, known for its distinguished international career and noted for being one of the best technology-based business incubators in the world, especially for its ability to impact the environment and the region where it operates.

The visit to Portugal focused on deploying benchmarking actions between the Portuguese reference incubator and the member parks of Incupark to, among others, develop a common methodological definition for a management system for technology park incubators, with special attention to the need for work on the development of a good practice measurement system in park incubator management; promote synergies between incubated companies from both countries, facilitating the soft-landing of companies incubated in Spain in Portugal and vice versa; identify new support services for incubated companies; establish a work methodology in park incubator management teams and identify collaboration in future European projects between companies and management teams.

In addition to several meetings with the management and project management team of the IPN, the visit served to meet some of the incubated companies and research groups. Also visited was the Division of Innovation and Knowledge Transfer (DITS), the Portuguese equivalence to the Spanish OTRIS. On the part of espaitec, possible collaborations between companies in the health sector and Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) were identified, in addition to nearby lines of research between the Laboratory of Automation and Systems IPNlas and several research groups at the UJI.

About Incupark
Collaborative project between the Scientific, Technological and Business Park of the Universitat Jaume I (espaitec), the Balearic Technological Innovation Park (ParcBit) and the Scientific Park of the University of Girona. Financed by the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, it began in October 2011 with the objective of creating an interregional network that facilitates entrepreneurs from the three regions represented by the consortia to carry out joint innovative projects and expand their businesses through new services or improved services.

About IPN
The Pedro Nunes Institute is a private, non-profit institution that was born twenty years ago at the initiative of the University of Coimbra and, particularly, its science faculty. The strategic location close to the engineering faculty allows them to be involved from the cradle in the scientific and technological development of the city and the region, specializing in applied research with their own laboratories, in training and in the transfer of knowledge, such as privileged vehicle to connect the University of Coimbra to the economic, business and employment reality.

Their work has been recognized nationally and internationally, highlighting the title of best incubator of science-based companies in the world, awarded in 2010 by the Technopolicy Network and also the second place for the period between 2006 and 2010. They are currently building the IPN Tecbis building designed for business acceleration and internationalization.