Born from Knowledge

By project SKALE2CT

Published on 30 April 2024

Portugal

About this good practice

The Born from Knowledge programme consists of three initiatives:
• BfK Ideas: Selects the best business ideas from each Higher Education Institution (HEI). Focuses on R&D activities leading to new products, processes, or services. Aims at students and researchers proposed by a national HEI or a BfK Ideas partner. Held annually.
• BfK Rise: Accelerates the commercialization of R&D results and technologies. Targets science and technology-based projects with potential societal and economic impact. Aims to upscale projects from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 2 to TRL 5. Teams receive €3000 for Proof-of-Concept development and mentorship. Held annually for students, researchers, and BfK Ideas winners.
• BfK Awards: Recognizes outstanding collaborative R&D projects and companies. Partners with prestigious innovation competitions and awards in Portugal. Awards the “Tree of Knowledge” trophy designed by artist Leonel Moura. Recognition throughout the year based on partner contest schedules.

Resources needed

The programme is currently run with an internal funding of 150k€ and is implemented by a HR team of 3 people dedicated to the programme.

Evidence of success

Since the pilot edition each initiative has achieved these results:
BfK Ideas: Supported over 120 business ideas with 250 participants. Awarded more than 30 projects. Established over 70 HEIs in Portugal.
BfK Rise: Analyzed over 90 applications and selected 38 projects. Engaged more than 80 participants across the 2 organized editions.
BfK Awards: Distinguished over 50 projects. Analyzed over 500 applications. Established more than 22 partnerships with other notable national innovation prizes.

Potential for learning or transfer

Bfk establishes strong partnerships with Technology Transfer Offices and HEIs, supporting researchers to guide and refine early ideas for market entry. These links facilitate efficient resource allocation and project scouting, crucial for fostering innovation. The structured approach, Ideas, Rise, Awards, offers a clear pathway through different innovation stages. Methodologies like peer learning, agile development, and lean startup principles, used by participants and mentors, are easily transferable. By collaborating with renowned national innovation competitions, it promotes recognition of innovative projects and expands the network of partners and mentors within the national innovation ecosystem. Despite challenges like funding constraints or research infrastructure limitations, the program's success in cultivating a community of over 100 awarded projects highlights its potential to enhance the national innovation system through effective collaboration and knowledge exchange.