Northern Portugal Expands Innovation Hubs with New CEI and B‑CRIC

Three territorial development associations in Portugal have launched the Centre of Entrepreneurship of Impact (CEI) “Nordeste In”, which will serve 13 municipalities across the Trás‑os‑Montes and Douro inter‑municipal communities. The project, announced by Filipa Patrício of Douro Superior, will provide physical and virtual workspaces, incubation, acceleration, training, mentorship and networking for socially‑oriented ventures, focusing on sustainability and job creation without direct monetary subsidies.

Separately, Álvaro Santos, president of the CCDR‑Norte, visited the Politécnico do Cávado e do Ave and the Barcelos Collaborative Research and Innovation Centre (B‑CRIC) in Barcelos. The visit, part of the “Roteiro pela Inovação” initiative, monitored the implementation of EU‑funded projects under NORTE 2030 and the national Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), and gathered input for the forthcoming Norte 2040 strategy. Santos confirmed that the B‑CRIC building, co‑financed by the PRR, is on schedule, and also toured the new Barcelos wastewater treatment plant and a local metal‑industry company. Both efforts aim to boost regional innovation, strengthen research‑industry links, and prepare the north of Portugal for future European funding cycles.