The UPC and PIMEC strengthen companies’ innovation and competitiveness

12/12/2018

On 5 December, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and PIMEC (an employers’ association that represents the micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and the self-employed of Catalonia) signed an agreement to establish a framework of collaboration. The aim is to promote knowledge and technology transfer from the university to the production sectors, and thus boost innovation, competitiveness, and economic growth. In this context, both entities will coordinate scientific research, technology development, and training activities. The actions will be focused on the following areas:

• Research and transfer: execution of research projects by promoting innovation among SMEs; organising joint activities to promote research, transfer and technology development; and facilitating innovation and technology development in companies affiliated with PIMEC.
• Energy: introduction of specific areas of collaboration in the strategic environment of the UPC associated with the Keys for a new energy paradigm project, to share strategies for fostering the transition to a new energy model.
• Business accelerators: establishment of channels for collaboration to promote, through the PIMEC and associated companies, the acceleration of spin-offs and start-ups based on knowledge and technology.
• Teaching: cooperation in training programmes for research and technical staff from companies or outside of them, and through two-way “mentoring” activities with students under cooperative education agreements with PIMEC companies.

CIT UPC will participate actively in the definition and follow-up of actions. It will focus particularly on actions designed to facilitate innovation and technology development: detection of technology needs, diagnosis, advice on implementation of solutions via R&D projects, and the definition and execution of collaboration projects at Spanish and international level, among others.

From its position of leadership in Industry 4.0 and the energy transition, the UPC wishes to help Catalan SMEs with this increasingly demanding transition to work in a global, competitive market. The University is working to set up an Observatory for Technology Foresight for the sector. Data from the Observatory will be used to draw up reports and to help guide the research developed by research centres and groups to anticipate market demand, and to help Catalan companies to gain a more competitive position.