To encourage and support entrepreneurs in the creation and growth of new tech-based creative businesses, Science and Technology Parks offer a set of services related to Start-up Incubation, such as:

• • Project Conceptualisation: Supporting entrepreneurs in making their business plan in a phase where they are still in the ideation process. The goal is to enable the entrepreneurs raise their technical feasibility and actual possibility for economic success of their products, but also to support them in creating a network of valuable contacts for improving themselves as entrepreneurs.
  • Pre-incubation: Supporting entrepreneurs in a phase of developing business ideas, prior to the creation of the company.
  • Incubation: For start-ups which are actively working on the implementation of their business plans and are in the process of entering the market. In this phase, the company continues with the development and improvement process of its solutions  or products and acquires first customers.
  • Association: Mature start-ups which are no longer incubated but still keep the ties with incubator. In this stage, the companies are looking to be more competitive and do not use some of the incubator’s resources anymore, e.g. the physical space.

The Acceleration Programmes provided by some of BIN@ Science and Technology Park members are geared towards entrepreneurs’ technology-/science-based innovative ideas, and aim to validate the viability of such projects in the international market context.

The set of support provided by these programmes may include:

• Training sessions
• Mentoring
• Pitching training
• Networking
• Coaching
• Connections to capital
• Funding access through the partners of the network
• R&D support and outreach
• Education
• Talent recruitment
• Full-service incubation facilities
• Technology transfer assistance
• Commercialisation expertise

In order to support the start-ups with international business development aspirations in approaching new markets, the BIN@ network offers Soft Landing as one of its activities. Soft Landing entails that the members of Science and Technology Parks (S&T Parks) and Incubators of this network provide business support for short term visits (up to 1 month), offering free access to co-working facilities and introduction to local services (among others), thus benefitting the landing companies through the exposure to host partners’ innovation ecosystems.

The BIN@ Soft Landing programme has 2 phases:

1st phase: In order to facilitate good results for the company, the 1st phase includes free-of-charge, up to 1 month, TRIAL Period with all relevant services and know-how from the market included.

2nd phase: If wished, after the TRIAL period of landing, the company can extend its stay. The terms and conditions of this 2nd phase are to be agreed with the hosting partner.

If you are already a partner of BIN@ network and you are interested in hosting start-ups in the framework of this Soft Landing programme, please contact us at: feupbin@fe.up.pt

The BIN@ network supports the matching of business opportunities among the actors of the innovation market. According to their interests and needs, start-ups, S&T Parks, investors, universities, companies and the public sector may use the contact network of BIN@ in order to explore the possibilities for technology transfer, cooperation, partnership, training, application to programmes, access to capital, among others.

In order to promote cooperation, partnerships, business opportunities and networking among its delegates, BIN@ network supports the identification of contacts and the organisation of international business missions (B2B, A2B, B2A and others).

BIN@ organises annually held international brokerage events, and also the midterm events of smaller scale. These events are hosted by academia, showcasing the benefits of interdisciplinary cooperation as well as the value and potential of knowledge exchange, they also provide evidence to the impacts of research and academia’s vital role in driving economic recovery and growth. The events focus around moderated and themed workshops (Think/Action Tanks) bringing together industry, academia and the public sector to explore key economic or societal challenges in an open and supportive environment. The objective of workshops is to promote discussion, to identify synergies and opportunities that can support collaboration, and to translate research into value.

These events include:
Presentations & Debates | Think/Action Tanks | Business Presentations/Showcase | Technology Exhibition | Complementary Workshops aimed at supporting the training in cross-cutting areas | Networking Activities