In the previous episode of Tech Odyssey, we visited Portugal Ventures to see how a public venture capital institution supports early-stage startups in Portugal. This time, we moved further upstream — to Coimbra, a small city where university research, applied R&D, and entrepreneurship are closely connected.
Coimbra is better known for history than startups. The city has a population of around 140,000 and is home to the University of Coimbra, founded in 1290. Its ancient buildings and academic traditions often define the city’s image. But behind that historical setting, a technology transfer system has been quietly taking shape.
At the center of that system is IPN, or Instituto Pedro Nunes, a technology transfer organization that originated from the University of Coimbra. According to Paulo Santos, IPN’s Executive Director of Incubation and Acceleration, the organization works across three main areas: business incubation and acceleration, applied research, and specialized training in management, entrepreneurship, and technology.
This structure makes IPN different from a conventional incubator. Its applied research labs work with SMEs and incubated startups on technology and product development. Each lab is led scientifically by a professor from the University of Coimbra, while IPN’s own team manages daily operations. In practice, startups can access not only business support, but also research and engineering resources.
