UAB Research Park spearheads innovation in aerospace sector

08/07/2015

For the fourth year running, the UAB Research Park has launched its Generating Ideas Programme to help researchers based on the UAB campus to develop business ideas and transform them into real projects.

This new edition focuses on generating new applications for aerospace technology and is supported by three leading companies in the sector: Air Liquide, GTD and Sener. These firms have put forward various technological challenges for researchers to solve. The researchers can also submit a project of their own, even if it is not related to the challenges posed.

The Programme seeks to foster entrepreneurial spirit and a culture of innovation, and to help UAB researchers and PhD students from all branches of science to develop their ideas into marketable products. “The aim is to eventually set up joint R&D+I projects between UAB-campus researchers and companies, so as to come up with innovative solutions and take advantage of aerospace technologies to create products and services for all kinds of applications and sectors", explains Buenaventura Guamis, Director of the UAB Research Park.

Registration on the Programme has been open since 9 July, and it is expected to attract around fifty researchers from different centres on the UAB campus, and generate around ten projects. “Scientifically and technologically, Catalonia is at the forefront of the aerospace sector in Spain and Europe, but it has little economic weight. For this reason we need to promote collaborative R&D initiatives", explains Guamis.

The three previous editions focused on the ICT sector, biotechnology, the environment and sustainable energies, and they gave rise to 43 projects, of which five became companies that are still active today and seven more are being set up. Furthermore, patents were taken out for seven technologies from the projects presented.

The Programme is also supported by ESA BIC Barcelona and Zero2Infinity.

Eight weeks of study and practical training

The Programme begins in October and over eight weeks the participants will work in multidisciplinary teams to develop their ideas and make an initial business plan.

The first phase is devoted to generating and developing ideas through group dynamics, and organising information based on real market data: on potential competitors, technological issues, etc. In the second phase, the participants are given training in key aspects such as intellectual property and valorisation of the business model, funding and presentation techniques.

Finally, on 3 December the finalists present their projects to a panel of experts on valorising business ideas, who will pick the three winners. First prize is 2500 Euros and six months' incubation in the Eureka Building of the UAB Research Park. Second prize is 1500 Euros and six months' incubation and Third prize is 1000 Euros.

For more information see the Website of the programme