The 30th edition of the Tech Conference at Instituto Superior Técnico (SINFO 30) started this Monday. The biggest free tech conference will run until 3rd March, at Técnico – Alameda Campus.
This year, SINFO brings together “more than 70 companies, including spin-offs and tech startups” in one of the “great examples of what is done best at Técnico”, explained professor Rogério Colaço, President of Técnico, at the opening ceremony. “Técnico students contribute to economic development. They did so 100 years ago and will continue to do so for the next 100 years “, he added.
Bringing academia and industry closer together through lectures and workshops is one of SINFO’s goals. According to Diogo Pacheco, one of the event planners, “this is the biggest edition ever”. During the week, on each day, 23 Information Technology (IT) companies, two startups and two Técnico student groups will showcase their innovative projects.
Although SINFO 30 is aimed at students of technology, it is “open to anyone interested in the subject”, says the SINFO team. The visit of the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, proves it as well as the visit of more than one thousand people on the first day.
This is not the first time that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa attends SINFO. He attended the event 25 years ago and says he will return in the future to this “creative and innovative brand” created by “inspiring students of the Portuguese society”.
The Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Elvira Fortunato, also attended the opening session and highlighted how Portuguese engineers and their training are highly rated internationally. The organisation of SINFO, composed of 29 Técnico students, estimates that the number of participants exceeds 5000 during this week.
SINFO is organised by the Computer Science and Engineering Student Group at Instituto Superior Técnico (NEIIST).
