AIRA, the Artificial Intelligence Research Alliance in Catalonia, is founded
November 24, 2022
The UPC will be at the 2023 edition of MWC Barcelona
February 21, 2023AIRA, the Artificial Intelligence Research Alliance in Catalonia, is founded
November 24, 2022The UPC will be at the 2023 edition of MWC Barcelona
February 21, 202315/12/2022
CIT UPC has participated in the fifth edition of the Open Innovation Forum (OIF), a programme that puts into contact companies that propose technological challenges and research groups that offer solutions to them. A total of 14 companies and 31 problem-solvers participated in the 2022 edition. Over 50 meetings were held to try and resolve the 27 innovation challenges proposed by the companies. Based on these meetings, the partners established collaboration contracts to formalise the start of new innovation projects.
The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC), through the UPC BarcelonaTech Technology Center (CIT UPC) has participated in the fifth edition of the Open Innovation Forum, an open, continuous programme that is divided into six areas of knowledge: Health and Life Sciences, Food, Chemistry, Energy and Resources, Industrial Systems and Mobility. The programme is a platform for connection between companies that seek to resolve the innovation challenges in the various areas of their activity and research centres that, through their work, can drive innovation. In short, the aim is to accelerate knowledge and technology transfer to society through the connection between agents in the innovation system.
2022 edition in numbers
In its fifth edition, the programme registered 31 problem-solvers and 14 companies, from SMEs to large companies, from which 27 innovation challenges emerged. Over 50 meetings took place throughout the entire programme. On 14 December, an online meeting was held to close the event, in which the assessment of the 2022 edition was very positive. The programme enabled the companies to rapidly find a technological partner to promote their most strategic innovation projects.
The Open Innovation Forum is organised by Biocat, along with CIT UPC, Fundació Bosch i Gimpera (UB) and Parc de Recerca UAB. The institutions that helped to identify companies and challenges are: the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC), the University of Barcelona (UB), the University of Girona (UdG), the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), the Rovira i Virgili University (URV Foundation), the Vall de Hebrón Research Institute (VHIR), the Catalonian Food Innovation Network and XRES4S.
Related Projects
- The EU-funded Quick Challenge-Driven, Human-Centred Co-Creation Mechanism for INDUStry-Academia Collaborations (INDUSAC) project has successfully developed and validated a new, human-centred, challenge-driven co-creation mechanism that connects industry with academia across Europe. Over three years of implementation, the project has supported international teams of students and researchers in tackling innovation needs directly submitted by companies. The INDUSAC project has created a dynamic community of industry-academia stakeholders focused on circularity, general sustainability, digitalisation and industry 4.0.
- The EU.FFICIENT (European Communities of Facilitators focused on Co-creation training, Networking and Hands-on learning) project, launched in January 2024, aspires to transform and enhance the co-creation landscape across Europe. Funded under the EU framework, the project brings together a consortium of 16 partners from 12 countries, boasting a diverse blend of academic, industrial and public sector partners. The initiative, with CIT UPC standing as a one of key participants, represents an investment in the future of collaborative innovation.
- Participants in the HybridNeuro project include researchers from the group BIOART, which is part of the CREB of the UPC. The project is designed to establish a new way of analysing the motor system and human musculoskeletal movements, and the transfer of academic research to clinical practice and industry.
- An ambitious digital learning ecosystem called MERIT launched in October 2022 with a vision and plan that aims to help address Europe's skills gap among digital specialists.
