Data CoLAB attended the Innovation FORUM - Innovation for a Smart and Sustainable Society.
The Small Auditorium of the Centro Cultural Vila Flor, in Guimarães, was the venue for this initiative, promoted by the Centre for Innovation in Polymer Engineering (PIEP) of the University of Minho, supported by the Municipality of Guimarães, which took place on January 8, 2024.
The event brought together experts, academics, and representatives of the private and public sectors, aiming to debate the role of innovation in building a smarter and more sustainable society.
The Innovation FORUM focused on topics such as mobility, cities and smart products, among others, as fundamental subjects for boosting the competitiveness of the economy and making a decisive contribution to the country's growth model, which - ultimately - will play a key role in improving people's quality of life and promoting the transformation of society.
The opening session had as speakers Domingos Bragança, Mayor of Guimarães, Rui Vieira de Castro, Rector of the University of Minho, Bruno Pereira da Silva (PIEP) and Nuno Guimarães (PIEP).
The event's program included several debate sessions, including: "Intelligent and Sustainable Mobility" (with Ângelo Ramalho, from EFACEC; José Neves, from AED Cluster Portugal; Pedro Arezes, from the University of Minho; and Ricardo Esteves, from Petrotec); "Sustainable and Intelligent Products" (which included perspectives from Bruno Machado, from Logoplaste Innovation Lab; José Mário Fernandes, from the Casais Group; José Teixeira, from Riopele; and Marlos Silva, from MC Sonae); and "Innovation Ecosystems for a Decarbonized Economy" (with the participation of Amaro Reis, from APIP; António Pontes, from the University of Minho; Gonçalo Lobo Xavier, from APED; and João Gomes, from DST Group).
There was also time for a session on "Smart Cities for a Green Transition", with Domingos Bragança, Mayor of Guimarães; Luísa Salgueiro, Mayor of Matosinhos; Ricardo Rio, Mayor of Braga; António Cunha, President of CCDR-Norte; and Fernando Alexandre, Associate Professor at the University of Minho and Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council.