Portugal and Brazil advance university‑industry innovation programmes

In Portugal, the "Agendas Mobilizadoras" initiative launched under the Recovery and Resilience Plan is entering the decisive phase of converting prototypes, research and collaborative projects into marketable products, exports, qualified jobs and broader competitiveness. Pedro Dominguinhos, president of the National Monitoring Commission of the PRR, warned that the true test will be commercial uptake, acquisition of international customers, export growth and creation of skilled employment, and called for a second generation of policies to sustain the entire innovation cycle.

In Brazil, the University of São Paulo (USP) and the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP) formalised the Programme of Integration of Industry with Universities and Research Institutes, involving 32 academic and research institutions. The partnership targets micro, small and medium enterprises, offering practical training, management support, productivity gains and innovation, with the aim of turning scientific knowledge into applied solutions and raising Brazil’s competitiveness amid rapid AI and digital transformation.