UncornQuest partners officially launched the cooperation

On May 9 and 10 of 2023, the Science and Technology Park of Alentejo (PACT) hosted the first UnicornQuest meeting in Evora, which brought together project partners as well as local and regional stakeholders.

The first day was initiated by an opening session, where partners had the opportunity to present their entities’ work. This session allowed the partners to get to know each other’s work, potentiating the sharing of ideas between partners, namely regarding similar or complementary fields of action.

This was followed by a visit to PACT facilities. The consortium participated in a guided visit to PACT installations, having the opportunity to get to learn about the activities of the partner, their ecosystem, future installations and plans.

In the afternoon, a workshop on learning methodology and stakeholder involvement strategy was held. A Workshop on Learning methodology & stakeholder involvement strategy was held on the afternoon of the first day. It was divided into three blocks:
CONCEPT 1: INTEGRATED APPROACH TO LEARNING
CONCEPT 2: MULTILEVEL LEARNING
CONCEPT 3: QUALITY OF LEARNING
Each block consisted of a short presentation and group work. Learning was evaluated using online app Kahoot!. The main focus was on learning activities and exchange of experiences specific to project cooperation in Interreg Europe. It provided the participants with insights and tools to start drafting their own exchange methodologies.

After that, a meeting was held at Évora City Hall, between the participants and the Mayor of Évora. The participants met with the Evora’s city Mayor, Carlos Pinto de Sá. The Mayor shared the work and vision of the City Hall regarding the territory’s development. Specifically, the stakeholder meeting was focused on the territorial strategies for economic, cultural, and technological development of the region. Moreover, the Mayor shared insights about the mechanisms of attraction of startups and other companies to the region.

The day ended with a visit visited Fundação Eugénio de Almeida.

On the second day, the event began with a presentation by the Alentejo Coordination and Regional Development Commission (CCDRA). The presentation was focused on the Smart Specialization Strategy of Alentejo domains and pillars.

This was following by the in-person kick-off project meeting. The main topics discussed were project goals, activities and outcomes, exchange methodology, project management, and communication and dissemination.

Finally the participants had the opportunity to visit University of Évora and meet with the Vice-Rector of Research, Innovation and Internationalization. During the meeting, the participants had the opportunity to learn more about the history of the University of Évora and get to know the strategies and initiatives that are being developed, specifically in the area of entrepreneurship and start-up creation supportive actions.

Article by Lead Partner of the UnicornQuest project