News

Portugal's network of Collaborative Laboratories (CoLABs) will mark a significant milestone on June 30, 2025, with a comprehensive evaluation event titled "7 Years of CoLABs: Impacts and Perspectives" at Lisbon's Pavilhão do Conhecimento. This major event brings together government, industry, and research leaders to assess achievements and chart future direction.

Organized by the Forum of Collaborative Laboratories (FCoLAB), on which AlmaScience serves as a member of the Board, the event will bring together representatives from all 41 national CoLABs alongside government officials, industry leaders, and strategic innovation entities to reflect on achievements and discuss future opportunities. The Forum of Collaborative Laboratories (FCoLAB) serves as an aggregating platform for Portugal's 41 national CoLABs, distributed throughout the country and focused on strengthening the connection between scientific research and business innovation.

Bridging Academia and Business

Since the first CoLABs were established in 2017, these entities—accredited by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)—have focused on implementing collaborative research and innovation agendas between the business sector and the scientific community. Their mission centers on generating proprietary and specialized knowledge to help Portuguese companies access global markets through exports, ultimately creating economic and social value while fostering qualified employment.

"This event aims to highlight the relevance that the young CoLAB network already has in the country, bridging the academic world and the business sector, bringing innovation with real impact on the economy and people's lives", said André Matos, President of FCoLAB and CEO of DTx CoLAB.

High-level participation

The event will feature opening remarks from Fernando Alexandre, Minister of Education, Science and Innovation(pending confirmation), alongside António Grilo, President of the National Innovation Agency (ANI), and André Matos from FCoLAB leadership.

A special video presentation by Professor Manuel Heitor from IN+ Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research at Instituto Superior Técnico will address European and global innovation contexts, drawing from the strategic report "Align, Act, Accelerate" and highlighting CoLABs' role in the international landscape.

Industry perspectives and impact assessment

The program includes two major panel discussions examining CoLABs from multiple angles:

Multisectoral Impact Panel featuring representatives from major Portuguese organizations including Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, Celoplás, EDP Comercial, dstgroup, Basinnov, and SONAE, who will discuss socioeconomic impact, internationalization, business competitiveness, technological innovation, and sustainability.

Future Perspectives Panel bringing together leaders from FCT, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan Monitoring Committee, AICEP, CCISP, CCDR Norte, ANI, and the Portuguese Navy to propose strategies for maximizing long-term impact.

Looking ahead

The event will conclude with remarks from João Rui Ferreira, Secretary of State for Economy, who will present key conclusions and future actions alongside FCoLAB leadership.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to visit an exhibition area where more than 20 CoLABs will showcase results from their R&D work across various sectors, demonstrating the practical applications of collaborative innovation.