Program Overview

Introduction to Lab2Market@Técnico

The Lab2Market@Técnico is an innovation acceleration program organized by the Técnico in collaboration with NTT Data and i-Deals. The program aims to find the best way to valorize technologies developed at Técnico that can generate value and solve societal problems.

Objective

The objective of the program is to support and empower researchers, professors, and master's and doctoral students at the Instituto Superior Técnico to develop innovative technologies and contact the market. The selected teams will receive 250 hours of consulting and training from specialized consultants over 9 weeks, acquiring skills and learning to build a business model that allows them to showcase the potential of their technology to companies and potential customers.

Eligibility

The program is open to professors, researchers, and master's and doctoral students at the Instituto Superior Técnico who are developing innovative technologies or projects. To be eligible, each team must:

• Dominate an innovative technology in any area
• Have the willingness to innovate and take the technology further
• Have at least 2 members

Program Structure

The program typically takes place between February and May, starting with a workshop in February or March and ending with a final event in late May or early June at the Campus da Alameda do Instituto Superior Técnico. The first 4 weeks of the program focus on the business model, and the last 5 weeks focus on market approach and contact with companies and potential customers.

Benefits

Participating in the program provides teams with:

• Competencies and preparation to contact companies
• Preparation to compete for competitive funds like Horizon 2030 and participate in other acceleration programs
• The possibility of concluding that there is no market viability for the technology

Selection Process

The selection process involves analyzing candidatures by a evaluation panel composed of elements from Técnico and mentors from i-Deals. The panel evaluates the team, the degree of innovation of the technology, the problem it solves, its potential application, the market, and the team's motivation to participate in the program.

Previous Editions

Information about previous editions of the program is available, showcasing the program's history and success stories.

References

Recommended readings for team support include:

• "The Four Steps to the Epiphany: Successful Strategies for Products that Win" by Steve Blank
• "The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses" by Eric Ries
• "Business Model Generation" by A. Osterwalder, Yves Pigneur, and Alan Smith
• "The Startup Owner's Manual" by Steve Blank and Bob Dorf
• "Why the Lean Start-Up Changes Everything" by Steve Blank

Lab2Market Alumni

Information about the program's alumni network is available, providing a community for past participants to connect and share experiences.