News & Events

On August 7th, InPP had the pleasure of welcoming.., Carmina Falcato Cabral, Team Manager for Animal & Plant Biosolutions Formulation in Novonesis, for an in-depth technical session on the science and evolution that drive the development of innovative and effective biosolutions for crop protection.

Presentation Highlights

In her speech, Carmina Falcato Cabral highlighted the critical importance of innovation throughout the process of developing biosolutions:

• Innovation in Pipelines: The role of innovation in pipelines formulation, which are essential to guarantee the stability, efficacy and usability of the final products.
• Advances in Development Processes: The expert shared insights on the progress of product development processes that use microorganisms as a base, a rapidly expanding area of great relevance for sustainable agriculture.

Impact on CoLAB

The session was a unique opportunity for the InPP team, especially for our CoLAB, to improve knowledge, discuss trends and look for new application strategies in the day-to-day work of research and development.

It was a productive session, enriched by new perspectives and technical knowledge, reaffirming our commitment to the continuous pursuit of impactful solutions that meet the needs of the agricultural sector.

Thank you

InPP warmly thanks Carmina Falcato Cabral for the visit and for providing such a valuable and inspiring exchange of experiences in the field of biosolutions.

Image credits: InnovPlantProtect - Inês Ferreira

On June 30th, InnovPlantProtect (InPP) was present at the meeting “7 years of CoLABs: impacts and prospects”,The event brought together political decision-makers, experts from the Portuguese innovation ecosystem, leaders from different sectors, representatives from public and private entities and the representatives of the 41 Collaborative Laboratories (CoLAB), at the Pavilion of Knowledge in Lisbon.

The meeting, organized by the Forum of Collaborative Laboratories (FCoLAB), aimed to reflect on the impact of the work carried out by the different CoLABs over the last 7 years, It also addresses future prospects and identifies strategies to boost the contribution of scientific research and innovation to the economy and society.

This initiative was an opportunity to showcase the products, services and solutions developed by CoLAB over the last seven years, highlighting its contribution to innovation, competitiveness and sustainability in various sectors of the economy. The application recently launched by InPP, iCountPests, which allows pests to be counted automatically using images from traps, reducing the time invested in monitoring and making it possible to create a pest history, was also highlighted.

The event featured speeches by Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Fernando Alexandre, from Secretary of State for the Economy, João Rui Ferreira, from Manuel Heitor, from the IN+ Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research e former Minister of Science and Innovation, António Grilo, President of ANI, among others.

In his speech, the Minister for Education, Science and Innovation, Fernando Alexandre, highlighted the purpose of science at national level: “We hope that the science created in Portugal will generate innovation. More than technology, innovation is the answer to society's problems. You are the agents of change!”.

During the session, the main activity indicators and proven impact of the first seven years of CoLABs' activity were also presented, and multisectoral perspectives on their role in the national science and innovation ecosystem were debated, focusing on topics such as socio-economic impact, internationalization, business competitiveness, technological innovation and sustainability.

The activity indicators and the impact of the 7 years of activity are as follows:

• More than 260 projects approved
• More than 1,300 qualified jobs created
• 19M€ in tax revenue generated
• More than 900 interactions with companies
• 33 patent applications (10 granted)
• 680 scientific articles published

The two afternoon panels were attended by companies, partners and management entities, who reflected on the impact generated so far and presented proposals for maximizing CoLAB's long-term contribution to both the economy and Portuguese society.

At a time when the basic funding options for CoLABs are being discussed, this event is of the utmost importance. The area of crop protection, in particular, needs more investment in innovation. Holding this event was important for bringing this urgent and strategically important issue to the debate.

The InPP was also present in the exhibition area, receiving important visitors, including the Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Fernando Alexandre, the Secretary of State for the Economy, João Rui Ferreira, the Secretary of State for Science and Innovation, Helena Canhão, the President of the FCT, Madalena Alves, the President of the National Innovation Agency, António Grilo, the President of the National Monitoring Committee for the RRP, Pedro Dominguinhos and the Executive Director of Ciência Viva, Ana Noronha.

Image credits: InnovPlantProtect - Inês Ferreira

On June 11th, InnovPlantProtect (InPP) held a seminar on “Six years of innovation: CoLABs” path to the future of the agricultural and agri-food sectors", at the National Agriculture Fair (FNA) in Santarém.

The event brought together, for the first time, six Collaborative Laboratories (CoLABs) with direct involvement in the agricultural and agri-food sectors: InnovPlantProtect, CoLAB4Food, FeedInov CoLAB, Food4Sustainability, MORE CoLAB and SmartFarmCoLAB.

The program included two round tables. The first, dedicated to “Innovation in Action: The Results and Impacts of CoLABs in Agriculture and Agrifood”, representatives from each CoLAB took part, presenting success stories and projects developed, with emphasis on the intervention of the innovation manager at InnovPlantProtect, Paulo Madeira, He shared InPP's achievements in developing solutions for more sustainable agriculture.

The second round table, under the theme “Partnerships for the Future: How CoLABs are Driving Innovation in the Agricultural and Agri-Food Sector”, The event was attended by partner companies and associations, who stressed the importance of collaborating with the CoLABs. Among the speakers were Pedro Viterbo, manager of Fertiprado, InnovPlantProtect's partner, accompanied by representatives of the following organizations Sense Test, Associação Portuguesa Dos Industriais De Alimentos Compostos Para Animais (IACA), Building Global Innovators (BGI), DEIFIL Technology and TeroMovigo.

The seminar ended with a moment of joint reflection, with speeches from all the executive directors of the CoLABs present, including the executive director of InnovPlantProtect, António Saraiva, The meeting was organized by the European Commission, which stressed the importance of cooperation and strategic coordination between the Collaborative Laboratories, reinforcing their collective commitment to innovation and sustainable development in the agricultural and agri-food sectors.

Throughout the seminar, the importance of synergies between science, innovation and the market became clear, as did the need to strengthen funding and guarantee conditions for the continuity and growth of these Collaborative Laboratories, whose impacts are already visible in the national agricultural and agri-food ecosystem.

This meeting was an important moment for sharing experiences and strengthening collaborative work, charting a joint path towards a more competitive, sustainable and innovative future for agriculture and agri-food in Portugal.