Growappy and Usawa Care, two startups co-founded by Técnico alumni, were awarded in the ‘Education’ and ‘Health’ categories, respectively, at the first edition of the Lisboa Innovation for All Prize. The prize, established by Lisbon City Council and Unicorn Factory, recognises technological solutions with a real impact on social challenges in the city.
In the ‘Health Care Access’ category, the Usawa Care startup was recognised for its model that uses artificial intelligence to increase the number of children a single paediatrician can safely accompany, ensuring response times of less than 15 minutes. ‘Usawa Care was created out of the need for better access to healthcare, particularly for young children, and to address the long waits in hospital emergency rooms’, says Miguel Ferreira, founder of Usawa Care and Técnico alumnus (Master’s Programme in Computer Science and Engineering). ‘Approximately 25% of emergency rooms in Lisbon’s public hospitals are dedicated to paediatrics, accounting for around 1 million visits a year, many of which could be avoided with easier and quicker access to paediatric care.’
In the ‘Quality Education’ category, Growappy was awarded for its digital platform that aims to reduce the bureaucratic burden on education professionals and facilitate communication between schools and families. “Growappy was born out of a desire to be more present and involved in our children’s school day. However, we quickly realised that the challenge was much broader: education professionals in schools were overwhelmed with administrative tasks […] that consumed valuable time, distracting them from what matters most: fostering the development of children”, explains Nuno Gomes, CEO of Growappy and Técnico alumnus (Master’s Programme in Telecommunications and Informatics Engineering).
During the pilot project, as part of the award, the platform made it possible to reduce administrative tasks by an average of 104 minutes per day per educator. ‘This award not only validates the work we’ve been doing, but also reinforces our vision of a more personalised, inclusive education focused on the real needs of children’, he adds.
Growappy team awarded in the ‘Quality Education’ category.
Each winning start-up received €120,000 in funding to develop and implement their solutions in Lisbon. Over the next year, the teams will continue to test their proposals in real-life contexts, collaborating with various partner organisations.
‘This distinction emphasises not only the impact of technology in solving complex social problems, but also the crucial role of Técnico alumni in creating innovative solutions with a real impact on society’, shares Miguel.
The Lisboa Innovation for All programme was launched following Lisbon’s appointment as European Capital of Innovation in 2023, with the aim of promoting technologies that significantly improve the quality of life in health, education and social integration.
