CINBIO holds a forum on policies supporting entrepreneurship and innovation

The CINBIO research centre for biomedicine and nanomaterials, affiliated with the University of Vigo and part of the CIGUS Network —an initiative promoted by the Xunta de Galicia that brings together the centres within the system that have demonstrated scientific excellence— held an entrepreneurship forum within the academic sphere.

Under the title “Public Policies for Innovation and Entrepreneurship”, the event took place in the CITEXVI building, with the main objective of discussing and proposing improvements in policies supporting entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as fostering a meeting space for public policy experts, researchers, entrepreneurs and companies.

Miguel Correa, Director of CINBIO, opened the forum, accompanied by Xosé María Mahou Lago, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Management and Public Administration at the University of Vigo, and Ángeles López Lozano, Technical Director of the University’s R&D Office, who delivered the opening lecture The Role of Public Policies in Promoting Entrepreneurship.

Throughout the day, participants learned about successful cases in innovation and entrepreneurship policies thanks to a presentation by Juan Luis Romera, a specialist from the Department of Institutional Promotion and Territorial Cooperation at CDTI Innovation. In the second session, attendees were introduced to the Ignicia programme through a presentation by Raúl Rodríguez Couto from the Services Area of the Galician Innovation Agency (GAIN), who highlighted the programme’s capacity “to drive the valorisation and transfer of research results to the market”.

The second part of the event featured a panel discussion moderated by José Jato, a technician at the University of Vigo’s R&D Office, with contributions from Abi Judit Vázquez, co-founder and COO of Diversa Technologies; Luis Pérez Freire, Executive Director of Gradiant; and Miguel Correa, Director of CINBIO and Principal Investigator of the TeamNanoTech group. The day concluded with a practical workshop aimed at generating concrete proposals to improve entrepreneurship support policies, followed by a networking lunch during which attendees were able to exchange experiences and create new synergies.

This forum forms part of the EMPREN+AP programme, promoted by CINBIO in collaboration with the Galician Innovation Agency (GAIN) and co-funded through the first I+P Call for Public Policy Experimentation and Innovation Grants by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT), in collaboration with the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and the National Office for Scientific Advice (ONAC). Moreover, EMPREN+AP is integrated into the RIS3 Galicia 2021–2027 strategic framework, helping to strengthen links between expert scientific staff and GAIN personnel, the programme’s collaborating entity.