BIP Acceleration returns to elevate ideas from U.Porto

Selected participants will have the opportunity to structure and validate innovative ideas to enhance business models with market potential and impact. This year, the programme will be run by Porto Business School (PBS), with the support of UPTEC as a partner in the initiative.

Applications for BIP Acceleration are open until 22 September at 6 p.m. (mainland Portugal time) via the form already available on this platform.

Those interested in participating must submit a project to valorise research results developed at the Faculties/Research Centres of the University of Porto or at one of the Participated Entities included in the consolidation perimeter of the University of Porto. Projects in creative, technological or knowledge-intensive areas may compete, either individually or in teams (maximum five members). Whatever the scenario, the application must present a project to enhance the results of research carried out either at a Faculty/Research Centre of the University of Porto or at one of the Participated Entities included in the consolidation perimeter of the University of Porto.

The 10 highest-ranked projects will gain access to the programme, which will start in October (see dates here). There will be seven immersive four-hour workshops, run by Porto Business School, with a lot of teamwork to accelerate interaction and business development based on scientific, technological and creative knowledge born at the University of Porto. The intellectual property module will be run by the U.Porto Innovation team and will take place at UPTEC.

The programme will culminate in a session open to the public on 4 November, where finalists will have the opportunity to pitch their projects to innovation and entrepreneurship agents from the ecosystem. At the end, three winners will be selected, and the prizes include cash and free access to UPTEC’s School of Startups: Foundations programme.

All information about the competition can be found here. The guidelines are also available for consultation. Questions about eligibility, applications and the functioning of BIP Acceleration should be addressed to bip@reit.up.pt

About BIP Acceleration

This is the fourth edition of the initiative organised by U.Porto Inovação for teams who want to test and validate the business model of their idea. In the three previous editions, nine ideas were awarded a total of €27,000 in prizes. The last edition recognised an innovative technology for treating leukaemia (MYLeukaemia) and also the UPWIND and OCEAN-SLIM-G projects. The former aims to provide clean electricity, and the latter proposes an effective and safe gum, inspired by the ocean, to reduce appetite and combat excess weight.

BIP Acceleration 2025 is supported by Caixa Geral de Depósitos and in partnership with UPTEC and Porto Business School.