Interface Programme: INESC TEC acknowledged as Technological Interface Centre
To celebrate the first anniversary of Interface Programme, it was announced a funding on a multiannual basis for the Technological Interface Centre. The ceremony, that took place on 23 February at the Institute for Welding and Quality (ISQ) at Taguspark in Oeiras, was attended by the Minister of Economy, Manuel Caldeira Cabral.
INESC TEC was acknowledged as a Technological Interface Centre. The recognition is promoted by the Ministry of Economy under the Interface Programme. CIT centres aim to bring science, technology and economy together, ensuring the support to companies in the diffusion and transfer of technology, and promoting the development, qualification and internationalisation of these centres. In order to achieve this, the acknowledged CIT centres will have a €12M fund on a multiannual basis.
The multiannual basis funding provided to CITs is a new instrument from the Fund for Innovation, Technology Transfer and Circular Economy, which aims to enable CITs to support the competitiveness of the territory and the national economy in a broad sense. The program does not finance projects, but rather a three-year plan of activities, aimed at increasing the capacity of CITs to develop, enhance and transfer new Technologies.
One year after the program began, the Government has already recognized 28 Interface Centers, which currently represent around 17 thousand clients and a volume of €128M in services provided to companies.