AINanoTEC Program promotes the creation of more than 15 technological start-ups in Portugal

Applications for the Contest of Ideas and Technologies of the AINanoTEC Technological Entrepreneurship Program are ongoing until September 3, 2021.

This innovative entrepreneurship program in the area of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Nanotechnology and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is promoted in close collaboration by Fraunhofer Portugal, the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) and INOVA-RIA.

Aimed at researchers and entrepreneurs who intend to bring their ideas and technologies to the market, the program aims to support the creation of more than 15 new disruptive start-ups in Portugal.

This competition is aimed at anyone who wants to explore their ideas or R&D results in the areas of Artificial Intelligence, Nanotechnology or ICT, with the aim of creating a company and highly qualified jobs. The selected proposals will integrate the Program and take advantage of various activities for free.

In addition to identifying and selecting ideas, technologies and pre-start-ups in the areas of AI, Nanotechnology and ICT, the AINanoTEC program aims to support the creation of start-ups, the integration of participants in an international and multidisciplinary network of mentors and stakeholders, the development of tools to support ideas and respond to the needs of pre-start-ups and the creation of multidisciplinary teams that contribute to an environment of co-creation and sharing of experiences. Currently, the global AI market is estimated at $7.6 billion.

To support the participants and their projects, the AINanoTEC Program provides a vast ecosystem that includes investors, end-user companies, technology partners, coachers, and even a network of mentors in the most diverse areas, such as Business, Finance, Capital of Risk, Digital Marketing, Nanotechnology, ICT, Artificial Intelligence, Environment or Health, among others.

AINanoTEC program schedule

In the second phase of the program, starting in September 2021, participants will have access to Bootcamps for the development and acceleration of ideas, through thematic activities of Coworking, Matching, Pitching and Mentoring with an international and multidisciplinary network of mentors and stakeholders.

After the Bootcamps period, the Acceleration phase begins, which runs until April 2022, followed by the scale-up phase with pilots and demonstrations until March 2023.

Those interested in the AINanoTEC Program have until September 3, 2021, to fill out the application form for the Ideas and Technology Contest.

The network of mentors will be constantly growing, depending on the needs of the participants and can be consulted here.

For more information, candidates for the AINanoTEC Program can consult the Rules of the Contest here. Applications are now open, apply.