Enterprise Projects Networks of Competence Networks of Competence
The initiative Competence Networks promotes the creation of regional or thematic technology platforms for involving multistakeholders in sharing their views and pursuing the development in the region or of the thematic area considered. The Competence Networks integrate enterprises, research centres and institutes, universities, polytechnics, technological centres, public bodies, and enterprise associations.
The aim of this initiative is to create innovation and knowledge partnerships that contribute for the social and economic development of a certain region or economic sector, through the promotion of a more competitive economy based in the supply of new and better products and services, promoting partnerships in applied research projects and fostering the training of human resources in areas of regional or thematic excellence.
The initiative Competence Networks was designed and is monitored by the Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC), it is financed by UMIC and by the Operational Programme for the Knowledge Society (POSC) and it is implemented through the Innovation Agency (AdI) that promoted an evaluation process from which 9 Networks of Competence were approved in 2006:
- Bioenergy
- Healthcare
- Transactions Dematerialization
- Fashion
- Molds Micromachining
- Mobility
- Polymers
- Food and Agro-Forestry
- Telecommunication and Information Technology
Jointly, these Competence Networks bring together 158 entities, of which 87 are enterprises. There is more information available at http://www.adi.pt/CEXC.htm (site in Portuguese).