Startup Braga took part in the "Innovate & Entrepreneur: Spin-offs and Interfaces at UMinho" event, held yesterday in the main hall of the University of Minho's Azurém campus. The innovation hub had a stand that attracted the attention of several notable visitors, including Luís Marques Mendes, who showed interest in learning more about the innovation ecosystem.

In addition to Startup Braga, several startups from its ecosystem also participated in the event, including CriamKnowledge, Gripwise, OmniumAI, Pluggable, and WellBeing Warrior, each represented with their own stands. e-Dynamics and OmniumAI stood out in the pitching session, while Ooze Nanotech had a prominent role in the "Success Stories of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the School of Engineering" session, where co-founder Filipa Fernandes shared her experience.

The event featured a rich agenda, including a keynote speech by Luís Marques Mendes titled "Innovation and Entrepreneurship as a Driver of Economic and Social Development," in which he emphasized the importance of Portugal adopting a more ambitious and innovative stance to achieve international relevance. "The idea that we are a small country must come to an end. Besides not being a small country, we are not irrelevante", he stated. Luís Marques Mendes also added that "innovation is the only path for Portugal".

Later in the day, the INVESTMATCH session took place, with 11 investment entities analyzing several business ideas and projects in a closed-door pitching session, fostering connections between entrepreneurs and investors.

The roundtable discussion "From Idea to Business – Creating Spin-offs and Start-ups" brought together several industry experts who shared valuable advice for young entrepreneurs, encouraging them to persist, be resilient, and take advantage of the resources available, such as those offered by the University of Minho.

The event concluded with a session dedicated to success stories in innovation, featuring speakers such as Eugénia Nogueira (Solfarcos), Narciso Moreira (Betweien), José Carlos Ramalho (Keep Solutions), and Filipa Fernandes (Ooze Nanotech), who emphasized the importance of learning from mistakes throughout the entrepreneurial journey.