Coimbraiparque

The Coimbra Innovation Park (iParque) is a "Science and Technology Park" located in Coimbra, Portugal. This is a public project (state-funded project) of the municipality of Coimbra, that has the participation of the University of Coimbra, and companies like Critical Software and ISA-sensing, among others. The park has 1 million square meters [ [http://www.coimbraiparque.pt/brochure.pdf iParque Information: Location + objectives + plan] ] and is dedicated to innovation, knowledge base companies and startups. iParque selected the following areas of activity: health and life sciences, telecomunications, information science and multimedia, and robotics.

History and mission

Coimbra has interesting educational, scientific and technological facilities, most prominently its ancient university - the University of Coimbra. Within Portugal, the city has great incubation initiatives that serve both companies and ideas, excellent R&D groups and centres. Successful and innovative companies that are leaders, in Portugal and internationally. Coimbra Innovation Park (iParque) intends to connect these initiatives that are available in Coimbra and in other cities and regions, and wants to work together with them, establishing cooperation networks, creating synergies and competitive advantages. [ [http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/entrepreneurship/support_measures/training_education/entr_highed.pdf EU Report on Entrepreneurship in Higher Education specially in non-business studies (refers to iParque as an example in Portugal)] ] .

Since the beginnning of the iParque project, several tech-based companies showed interest in opening their offices in the park. [ [http://www.cm-coimbra.pt/ficheiros/300_informacoes/P-Tecnolog_Final.pdf iParque general plant] ] including Wit-software, Forum, Bettersoft, Critical software, ISA, RC-soft, CTCV, MediaPrimer, Cnotinfor, and several others. After several years of planning and discussion, the project advanced on the field in 2008. Several acres of land were expropriated by the Coimbra's town hall administration.

Coimbra Innovation Park (iParque) mission is to develop and modernize Coimbra as well as the region's economical activity by promoting, creating and settling companies with a high technological content and by aiming towards innovation, experimental development and the use of new technologies in advising or training actions. It intends to create a new concept of competition based on the collective efforts of a number of institutional initiatives that are credible and that show how successful the attraction of excellent qualified human resources can be, turning Coimbra into a definite reference among the European cities of knowledge. [pt icon MCS, [http://ww1.rtp.pt/noticias/index.php?article=322198&visual=26&rss=0 Coimbra iParque: Empresas que vão inaugurar o espaço serão conhecidas em breve - presidente] , Rádio e Televisão de Portugal, retrieved on 24th January 2008]

Coimbra Innovation Park Official Logo

References

External links

* [http://www.coimbraiparque.pt CoimbraiParque Official Website]

"Other related sites:"
* [http://www.cm-coimbra.pt Municipality of Coimbra]
* [http://www.uc.pt/en University of Coimbra]
* [http://ucdemo.uc.pt/tomenota/2008/20080729 Partnership with the University of Coimbra]
* [http://dererummundi.blogspot.com/2008/04/iparque-um-exemplo-de-parque-industrial.html iParque @ De Rerum Natura]
* [http://www.criticalsoftware.com/critical-press-releases/critical-software-has-picked-up-a-2-stake-in-iparque-capital.html Critical Software press release (taking 2% of iParque's capital)]
* [https://www.ipn.pt/si/event/dataNews.do?elementId=425 Partnership with Pedro Nunes Institute and University of Coimbra]