The fourth edition of the INNOV-ID Call resulted from the union of efforts of Portugal Ventures and the National Innovation Agency

Portugal Ventures, Venture Capital Company of the Banco Português de Fomento Group, in partnership with ANI – National Innovation Agency, and in collaboration with Startup Portugal, launched on October 13 the 4th edition of the INNOV-CallID, whose application submission period ended on November 22. 85 applications were received in this last edition, from the Ignition Partner Network of Portugal Ventures.

Of the four editions of Call INNOV-ID, Portugal Ventures received a total of 398 applications through its Ignition Partner Network. This network created in 2012, currently has 127 entities covering the entire country, including islands, being distributed by incubators/ accelerators, universities, technological poles, associations and municipalities.

This is an essential network and catalyst for the selection of projects with potential to receive investment, and is responsible for submitting applications to the INNOV-ID Call initiative. Some of the most active partners that, together, represent 176 applications from the 398 received in total: the Pedro Nunes Institute, Startup Braga, PCI Aveiro, UPTEC, Startup Lisboa and Lispolis.

Other entities with applications to the INNOV-ID Call: Unlimit Ventures, ADRAL, AIP, Amadora Innovation, ANJR, Atlântico Business School, Atlântico Summit, Associação Vale do Xisto, Astrolábio, Audax, Beta-i, BGI – Building Global Innovators, Build up Labs, Business Incubator Aveiro, CATAA/CEI, Circklo, Câmara Municipal do Fundão, CTCV, DNA Cascais, Fábrica de Startups, Fintech House, Finy Ventures, Founders Founders, Health Cluster Portugal, Hub Azambuja, i3S, Instituto Empresarial do Tâmega, IDD, Impact Hub, INESC TEC, Inovagaia, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, Instituto Politécnico de Portalegre, IPPorto, Instituto Superior Técnico, Junitec, Madan Parque, Nersant, Nonagon, Nova SBE, Novotecna, Obitec, Open, PACT, Sanjotec, Set.up Guimarães, Startup Leiria, startup Lourinhã, Startup Madeira, Startup Sintra, TagusPark, Teclabs, TecMinho, Territórios Criativos, Terrinov, Torres INNOV-E, Universidade da Beira Interior, Union Venture Builders, Universidade do Algarve, Universidade de Aveiro, Universidade Nova de Lisboa e UTAD.

Rui Ferreira, President of Portugal Ventures, says “The Ignition Partner Network of Portugal Ventures has been since 2012 a primordial vehicle in the identification and validation of eligible projects for our calls for investment, which demonstrates its important role in supporting the national entrepreneurial ecosystem. I express our gratitude and sense of pride for having as partners on the ground 127 entities that with commitment and recognized professionalism have helped Portugal Ventures in the search for projects and teams with potential to be invested. Call INNOV-ID and the exclusivity of applications from this network, is the perfect example of a fruitful partnership model that demonstrates the result of the exceptional work that these entities develop with their communities promoting the development of local companies with global ambition generating innovation and qualified employment. Thank you all!”

For António Grilo, President of the National Innovation Agency “The success of the INNOV-ID Call has been decisive in the support and involvement of the Ignition Program Partner Network composed of national and international entities from the scientific and technological entrepreneurship ecosystem. This network of successful collaborative partnerships, of which ANI and Portugal Ventures are part, is a key element in the development of a more modern, competitive and open economy for the world, based on scientific knowledge, innovation and highly qualified human capital.”

The fourth edition of Call INNOV-ID resulted from the union of efforts of Portugal Ventures and the National Innovation Agency, the impact of the initiative and the continuous request of the ecosystem of the need to respond to the market failure identified in access to investment in pre-seed startups.

Six new investments are announced, resulting from previous editions of the INNOV-ID Call and already totaling 61 investments totaling 6.1 million euros invested.

• expressTec – expressTec is a biotechnology startup founded by two researchers and a spin-off of the University of Algarve. Winner of the BfK Ideas competition in 2020, promoted by ANI, her vision is to provide quick and easy access to personalized therapies for cancer patients. For this, they developed diagnostic tests based on RNA to revolutionize clinical testing, selecting patients with greater precision and efficiency for targeted therapies. Their innovative approach will help optimize treatment outcomes, reduce side effects and improve the quality of life of cancer patients. Its mission is to transform cancer treatment through cutting-edge technology focused on patient-centric solutions.

• KeepIt – KeepIt will market an energy storage technology and thus contribute to the success of the energy transition. This technology, with the potential to develop in different market segments, from domestic solar systems in developing countries, to power grid support in developed countries, will be an important contribution to the harmonisation of production and consumption in a world based on the use of electricity entirely produced from renewable sources. KeepIt is a spin-off of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, originated from the doctoral work in which its founding partners were involved.

• Scubic – SCUBIC was established in August 2017 in Aveiro with the mission of developing intelligent platforms (business intelligence) to help water and sanitation management entities in the daily management of their operations. The SCUBIC intelligent platform, awarded a BfK Award in 2018, integrates real-time network data analyzing with artificial intelligence techniques to autonomously make decisions and dynamically control equipment. This allows you to assess the impact of thousands of scenarios and constantly seek the most efficient strategy to ensure water supply, optimize your processes, reduce energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and increase network security.

• Spaceo – Spaceo is focused on solutions to keep space clean and the removal of satellites after the end of their operational life. Currently, they are developing an inflatable device to generate drag, designed to significantly accelerate the desorbitation of satellites, increasing the orbital cleaning speed up to 10 times. Based on their experience, they also provide engineering services to the European Space Agency in various technological areas, leveraging the core capabilities of their team and cutting-edge technology.

• Terrafarmers – Terrafarmers is an innovative company in the field of ecological restoration, specializing in drone technologies for reforestation and ecosystem regeneration. Focusing on sustainability and accelerating the agroecological transition, it offers advanced solutions for the recovery of degraded areas. It uses pioneering techniques, such as aerial seeding and the use of drones, to promote the growth of natural habitats and increase biodiversity. Committed to environmental conservation, Terrafarmers combines technological innovation with regenerative practices, aiming for a lasting positive impact on the planet.

• Windcredible – Windcredible is focused on the development and production of vertical axis wind turbines, a renewable energy technology that generates electricity from the wind. Participating in the BfK Rise acceleration program, Windcredible features a patented design with several advantages over traditional wind turbines, including its ability to generate electricity efficiently, its compatibility with urban environments and its suitability for integration into smart grids. A key advantage is its ability to generate electricity in a decentralized manner, with low operating costs and minimal maintenance requirements. This makes them a profitable option for customers, especially when compared to traditional energy sources.