The Innovation Fellow Bootcamp, organized by ANI under the TECH4INNOV project, brought together participants for a multidisciplinary debate on innovative solutions in areas such as public transportation management, irrigation systems, sustainability and recycling of plastic packaging, and the application of artificial intelligence in agricultural recognition, among others. The event took place on October 26, from 9 AM to 8 PM, in Santarém.
The exchange of ideas and the multidisciplinary expertise of participants—including researchers, Technology and Innovation Centers (CTIs), business leaders, TTOs, and CoLAB representatives—highlighted the importance of knowledge flow between internal and external stakeholders. This flow is critical for accelerating internal innovation and expanding activities across industries.
The event featured 67 participants, including challenge owners who presented and discussed innovative proposals in various fields:
- Irrigation management in agricultural production – Veracruz;
- Monitoring soft mobility (bicycles and pedestrian mobility) – IMT & EIT Urban Mobility Hub Portugal;
- More sustainable packaging from new materials / services / technologies – Delta;
- Asset traceability (containers, refrigeration units) in the market – SuperBock;
- Agricultural monitoring using remote sensing imagery – GeoSense;
- Artificial intelligence application for agronomic recognition – Teromovigo;
- Advanced composting in the poultry industry – UniOvo;
The proposed solutions considered practical applicability, including technology constraints, timelines, and budget limitations provided by each challenge owner. For example, teams developed solutions such as optimizing public transportation supply by identifying users’ origin-destination matrices and quantifying vehicle occupancy, as well as creating new packaging materials tailored to current machinability standards in the food industry.
André Sá, Co-founder and GIS Expert at TeroMovigo, described the event as a space to “challenge, reflect, and solve through dynamic, creative, and collaborative activities.”
Similarly, Joana Queirós, Innovation Manager at Super Bock Group, highlighted the unique opportunity for Super Bock to discuss challenges with diverse stakeholders. “This Bootcamp was very well organized, with a dynamic and engaging agenda that fostered collaboration and sharing among all participants,” she said.
The Bootcamp also included team-building activities to enhance communication and teamwork. Sessions such as “Two Truths, One Lie” deepened relationships among participants, “World Map” focused on building connections, and “Mission Impossible” encouraged teams to complete as many tasks as possible within a short time frame. The event also featured an outdoor yoga session.
The Innovation Fellow Bootcamp was part of the SIAC – TECH4INNOV Knowledge Transfer Initiative, co-funded by COMPETE 2020 through Portugal 2020 and the European Regional Development Fund.
