vitamina A – InnovPlantProtect

NEWS

InPP is part of the BioLivingLABS project, dedicated to the sustainability of inland territories

October 3, 2025
Blog, Highlight, News, Project
Ines Ferreira

InnovPlantProtect (InPP) was present at the project launch meeting BioLivingLABS - Bioeconomia ao Serviço da Sustentabilidade dos Territórios do Interior (Bioeconomy at the Service of the Sustainability of Inland Territories), which took place on October 1st at the School of Agriculture of the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco (IPCB).

Funded by COMPETE 2023, the BioLivingLABS project, led by MORE CoLAB - Laboratório Colaborativo Montanhas de Investigação, in partnership with the InPP, the IPCB, from AQUAVALOR and the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB).

This project's mission is to add value to the low-density territories in the north, center and south of the country by demonstrating and economically boosting the work carried out by the partners - through the creation, demonstration and application of products, processes and services resulting from joint research.

Four living laboratories will be created (Living Labs) in the innovation hubs of Mirandela, Douro, Covilhã and Elvas, which they intend to promote:

the transfer of knowledge;
technology demonstration;
strategic roadmapping and
the protection of intellectual property.

BioLivingLABS strengthens the link between academia, business and society, driving innovation and sustainability.

Expected impact:
Over the course of 24 months, and with Living Labs dedicated to sectors such as olive groves and olive oil, vineyards and wine, fruit and cereals, legumes, among others, the project will contribute to:

increase regional competitiveness;
promote sustainable practices and
responding to the environmental, social and economic challenges facing inland territories.

More news about this new project soon.

InPP took part in the National Exhibition of the Projects of the Portuguese Pact for the Blue Bioeconomy

September 26, 2025
Blog, Highlight, News, Project
Ines Ferreira

On September 25, InnovPlantProtect (InPP) was present at the National Exhibition of Blue Bioeconomy Pact Projects, held at the Port of Leixões Cruise Terminal, for the exhibition session of the Algae Vertical project, led by PhytoBloom by Necton.

InPP, leader of sub-project 6 - Agriculture, was represented by department director Cristina Azevedo and executive director António Saraiva, who presented some of the new algae-based biosolutions that our team and partners are developing.

There were more than 300 participants and 80 entities, including companies, research centers and political decision-makers. The Opening Conference was attended by the Chairman of Inovamar's General and Supervisory Board, José Soares dos Santos, and round tables were held on the future of the blue economy in Portugal.

Algae Vertical explores the biotechnological potential of algae in sectors as diverse as food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and energy.

Find out more about the Algae Vertical Project here.

InPP joins BioLivingLABS project - Bioeconomy at the service of the sustainability of inland territories

September 22, 2025
Blog, Highlight, News, Project
Ines Ferreira

InnovPlantProtect (InPP) recently received approval for an application submitted to COMPETE2030-2024-6 - Collective Actions - Transfer of scientific and technological knowledge - BioLivingLABS - Bioeconomy at the service of the sustainability of inland territories, led by MORE CoLAB - Laboratório Colaborativo Montanhas de Investigação, Associação, in partnership with the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB), the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco (IPCB) and AQUAVALOR.

BioLivingLABS aims to promote the economic valorization of research and development (R&D) results obtained by various institutions in the North, Center and Alentejo. To this end, it will create an experimental demonstration network, the so-called Living Labs, The project will be held in the innovation hubs of Mirandela, Douro, Covilhã and Elvas. In addition, demonstration actions, workshops, an inland innovation catalog and training on intellectual property protection will be developed with the aim of encouraging the incorporation of innovative solutions in the business sectors of these regions.

Scheduled to begin in October and lasting 24 months, the project has a total eligible investment of over 740,000 euros, financed by COMPETE2030 - Thematic Program for Innovation and Digital Transition. For InPP, this project is a strategic opportunity to strengthen its mission as a center for technology development and transfer, boosting the practical application of scientific knowledge to promote sustainable development.

This initiative confirms InPP's commitment to open and sustainable innovation, integrating science, technology and regional development to respond to the challenges and potential of the interior of the country.

EVENTS

Fascination of Plants: the link to school and community

May 24, 2021
Blog
Ines Ferreira

“It was motivating for the students to realize what they can do given what they study at school, and even how they can contribute to their own community.” This is the opinion of Telma Rafael, a teacher at D. Sancho II Secondary School, in Elvas, who today, May 24th, accompanied the pedipaper held at the Municipal Garden of the city, for the 11th grade class of the Professional Technical Course in Agricultural Production.

The activity, co-organized by the collaborative laboratory InnovPlantProtect (InPP) and that educational institution, as part of the celebrations of the International Day for the Fascination of Plants, to which the Elvas City Council (CME) joined in, with the aim of allowing the students to explore, identify and marvel at the different trees in the Garden - the largest green space in the city - and their differentiating characteristics.

The 26 young people present, who had the opportunity to share experiences with half a dozen InPP researchers, “enjoyed the activity”, which they found “very interesting and interactive”, says Telma Rafael. Divided into teams, they had to travel along a predefined route, meeting a dozen different trees, answering questions about them and solving tasks.

As a result of this activity, InPP, Escola Secundária D. Sancho II, the association AIAR and CME intend to continue collaborating with a view to developing an identification system for the Garden's trees based on a QR code, which will allow mobile access to a “digital brochure” with information about the plants.

Trees in the Municipal Garden sketched by urban sketchers

May 20, 2021
Blog, Uncategorized
Ines Ferreira

Watercolors, pencils, charcoal... there were several techniques used by the participants in the activity of urban sketching held on May 18, in the late afternoon, at the Elvas Municipal Garden. The session was co-organized by the association AIAR and the collaborative lab InnovPlantProtect (InPP), with the support of Elvas City Council (CME), in celebration of the International Day for the Fascination of Plants.

Open to the public, the meeting attracted around a dozen sketchers. “The participants were super friendly and super interested,” says Pedro Rosa, an InPP researcher, who took part in the initial tour to introduce the designers to the Garden's plants. Carla Moreira, InPP's project manager, highlights “the sharing of experiences, both by the researchers and the participants”.

The initiative also paved the way for future collaborations and greater interaction between AIAR and InPP. Together with D. Sancho II Secondary School and the CME, cooperation is already planned with a view to developing an identification system for the Garden's trees, based on a QR code, which will allow mobile access to a “digital brochure” with information about the plants.

Plant Fascination Day is an initiative of the European Plant Science Organization (EPSO), which takes place every two years on May 18th. It is coordinated at national level by the Portuguese Society of Plant Physiology and by the ITQB NOVA, and included events across the country.

Students fascinated by trees in the Municipal Garden through pedipaper

May 20, 2021
Blog
Ines Ferreira

Challenging and fun: that's how most of the students at the D. Sancho II Secondary School rated the pedipaper made in Elvas Municipal Garden on May 18th, in celebration of the International Day for the Fascination of Plants. Some running, others walking, more than 80 young people from three 10th grade classes took part in the tree identification game all morning, answering questions and solving tasks.

“It depends a lot on the enthusiasm of the kids,” observes Pedro Rosa, a researcher at the collaborative laboratory InnovPlantProtect (InPP), who considers that the pedipaper “went well”: “There was communication, [the students] were attentive; we had a very good connection.” “It was very positive for the students” understanding of the diversity that exists in the Garden, as well as their contact with the CoLab," said Carla Moreira, InPP's project manager.

The initiative, to which Elvas City Council (The event was organized by the InPP and the Secondary School of Agrupamento de Escolas n.º 3 de Elvas. The aim was to allow the youngsters, who are studying biodiversity this year, to explore, identify and marvel at the different trees in the garden - the largest green space in the city - and their differentiating characteristics. Another class, from the multimedia technical course, was on site to capture images of the event.