--- title: "CoLABs, innovation and territorial cohesion - AlmaScience" description: "Seven years on, Portugal's Collaborative Laboratories are consolidating as a key driver of economic and social change, with impact at European level." url: "https://almascience.pt/news/press-release/colabs-reinforce-strategic-role-in-innovation-and-territorial-cohesion-as-important-agents-of-change" date: "2026-10-16T06:11:50+00:00" language: "en-GB" --- # News ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ## CoLABs reinforce strategic role in innovation and territorial cohesion as important agents of change [Press Release](https://almascience.pt/news/press-release) 16 July 2025 5 minutes read - [ ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Falmascience.pt%2Fnews%2Fpress-release%2Fcolabs-reinforce-strategic-role-in-innovation-and-territorial-cohesion-as-important-agents-of-change "Facebook") - [ ](https://twitter.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Falmascience.pt%2Fnews%2Fpress-release%2Fcolabs-reinforce-strategic-role-in-innovation-and-territorial-cohesion-as-important-agents-of-change&text=CoLABs+reinforce+strategic+role+in+innovation+and+territorial+cohesion+as+important+agents+of+change "X (formerly Twitter)") - [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Falmascience.pt%2Fnews%2Fpress-release%2Fcolabs-reinforce-strategic-role-in-innovation-and-territorial-cohesion-as-important-agents-of-change&title=CoLABs+reinforce+strategic+role+in+innovation+and+territorial+cohesion+as+important+agents+of+change "LinkedIn") Seven years after their creation, the Collaborative Laboratories (CoLABs) are consolidating as a key piece for the transformation of the economic and social fabric in Portugal, with strong potential for impact at the European level. Following the event **"7 years of CoLABs - impacts and perspectives"**, held on June 30th at the Knowledge Pavilion in Lisbon, the Collaborative Laboratories Forum (FCoLABs) highlights the relevant role of CoLABs as **effective connection platforms between science, companies, and society.** Before an audience of approximately 200 CoLABs representatives and with the presence of Government members, companies, academia and civil society, the Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Fernando Alexandre, emphasized during the opening session the role of CoLABs as a **"fundamental piece for the paradigm shift in the country: from** ***made in*** **to** ***create in*****". He also added that what is expected is "that science created in Portugal generates innovation. More than technology, innovation is the answer to society's problems. You are the agent of change"**, he stated. At the event's closing, João Rui Ferreira, Secretary of State for the Economy, also reinforced the strategic importance of CoLABs for competitiveness and economic cohesion, stating that "CoLABs were born within science, but **their role in the economy is undeniable. They are transformation agents that contribute to high value-added products and more competitive processes, with direct impact on the regions where they operate**". On this matter, André Matos, President of FCoLAB, highlights CoLABs as an integral part of the movement to accelerate technological change, stating that "in the current European context marked by social, geopolitical and environmental vulnerability, **CoLABs emerge as catalysts for innovative solutions, promoting a knowledge-based economy, valuing national talent and actively contributing to the creation of economic, social and territorial value**". He completes, reiterating, that "the investment in CoLABs is an investment in the Europe of the future: more competitive, resilient, cohesive and sustainable". In the debates held during the event, with participation from representatives of companies and associated entities of CoLABs, including Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, dstgroup, Sonae, Celoplás, among others, the added value of collaborative innovation partnership was highlighted, which translates into **greater alignment between business strategy and innovation, swift and effective response capacity, and reduced costs compared to the impact generated.** Also regarding this impact, Pedro Dominguinhos, President of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan Monitoring Commission, praised the performance of CoLABs emphasizing that "what CoLABs are doing is much more than what was shown here." Another relevant point debated at the event was the need to ensure predictable and stable base funding that covers the non-directly profitable activities carried out by CoLABs (typically one-third of their total activity). **The CoLABs Forum mentioned that investment in this network generates a return of 2.7x the value of base funding in competitive funding from European sources alone.** The event also featured the participation, via video, of Manuel Heitor, main author of the European Commission's "Align, Act, Accelerate" report, who reinforced the importance of consolidating CoLABs as part of European value chains, stating that "with the flexibility they have, CoLABs should establish strategic partnerships at the European level, oriented towards high value-added products and systems." One of the main final messages centered on **the importance of innovation for Europe, in the current context of vulnerability, and the determining role that CoLABs can play in technological acceleration, in a context where scientific and technological knowledge abounds, capable of being transferred and valued to and with companies.** Through their direct intervention in the territories where they operate, highlighting the creation of qualified employment outside major urban centers, they also contribute to cohesion and the creation of social value, increasingly characterized by multiculturalism and political and cultural polarization. ### The Collaborative Laboratories Forum (FCoLAB), an aggregating platform of the 41 national CoLABs with results that speak for themselves With 41 CoLABs recognized at the national level, **the network currently mobilizes more than 1,300 highly qualified jobs, in coordination with 295 partner entities, of which 59% are companies. In 2023, CoLABs generated more than 19 million euros in tax revenue and participated in 260 innovation projects, 78 of which in European programs. The impact is also reflected in 33 patent applications, 10 already granted, hundreds of scientific publications, and new companies created**. About one-third of CoLABs are headquartered in the country's interior, assuming an active role in territorial cohesion and combating demographic desertification. These were some of the data shared by Tatiana Costa, member of the FCoLAB Board, who presented a balance of these 7 years of CoLABs. It should be noted that CoLABs were created with the objective of promoting collaboration between science, industry and society, enabling the creation of qualified employment, the valorization of scientific knowledge and creation of economic and social value with emphasis on generating proprietary and specialized knowledge, oriented to facilitate companies' access to global markets through exports, support the attraction of foreign investment in areas of high technological intensity contributing to the structuring of national supply chains, based on a portfolio of higher value-added products or systems. - [ Innovation ](https://almascience.pt/component/tags/tag/innovation) - [ Sustainability ](https://almascience.pt/component/tags/tag/sustainability) ### Continue reading... 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