Created with the aim of strengthening the link between Instituto Superior Técnico and the business community, the Técnico Partner Network (RPT) celebrates a decade of existence this year. On 30 January, the Técnico Innovation Center powered by Fidelidade opened its doors to welcome more than a hundred representatives from the various institutions that make up the Network, at a dinner that augurs a year of new collaborations between the School and companies.
Rogério Colaço, the president of Técnico, began the dinner with a speech highlighting the school’s journey, from its foundation in 1911 to the opening of the Técnico Innovation Center in 2024, ‘which was also made possible thanks to the contribution of the Partner Network’. According to the professor, “Técnico was created with a specific mission – to train talent and prepare human resources, both technical and scientific, so that the country can develop and contribute to the advancement of nations”.
“We can’t do this alone”, said the School’ s president. It’s a mission that’s ‘too big, too demanding and too complex’ to be accomplished without help and ‘that’s why Técnico needs you – that’s what the Partner Network was created for ten years ago’. Not wanting to run the risk of being seen ‘as the only obstacle between the guests and dinner’, causing laughter in the room with his remark, the president of Técnico left a final thank you ‘from the bottom of my heart’ for the support of the companies present so that Técnico can fulfil its mission. The thanks were echoed at the end of the event by the Vice-President for Corporate Interface, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Pedro Amaral.
The guests had the opportunity to watch a video showcasing various initiatives from the companies involved in the Técnico Partner Network. The events highlighted during the meal included support for students’ extracurricular activities such as CA2ECT, merit scholarships, meetings with companies, protocol signing ceremonies, company presentation sessions for students, co-creation workshops, study spaces renovations, the Lab2Market and the Alumni Talks (among other initiatives). These efforts emphasized the new opportunities created through the collaboration between Técnico and the business community.
Nuno Lynce, Inês Silva and Filipa Lino took to the stage later on. The three students shared their journey at Técnico and how the school’s corporate partnerships have enriched their academic experience. Nuno, a Mechanical Engineering student and leader of Formula Student Lisboa, which develops prototypes of F1 race cars, compared this students’ organisation to a small-medium enterprise. Inês, who won a merit award in Industrial Engineering and Management, shares she studied at Técnico due to ‘the excellence, opportunities and reputation of the institution’, considering that ‘right from the start, I knew I’d made the right choice’. Filipa, a PhD student in Electrical and Computer Engineering and a Feedzai Women in Science scholarship holder, shared that ‘choosing Técnico was easy – it’s a school with well-known academic excellence and one of the best technology and science schools in Europe’.
There was also time to learn about what Técnico alumni do after graduation. João Vital, from Stonify, Diogo Rato, from Testwaves, and Diogo Caetano, from Flash-Rapid Diagnostics, presented these three spin-offs that stemmed from their time at the School, highlighting Técnico’s role in fostering an entrepreneurial spirit. The event also included a stand-up comedy moment with Rodrigo Correia, a Técnico Aerospace Engineering alumnus.