Rodrigo Maia, CEO of Vortex-CoLab, participated in the session “Digital and Information Systems; Climate, Space and Oceans”, where he gave an overall status of the implementation and evolution of Vortex-CoLab. This event has revealed itself crucial for the development of CoLABs in the context of regional, national, and European research and innovation strategies.
The CoLABs 2020 annual meeting, which took place between 16th and 17th October 2020, enabled the discussion of the role of CoLABS in innovation, job creation, and employment in Portugal. The term “Collaborative Laboratory” is given by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) to not-for-profit associations with members from R&D units from higher education institutions, technology centers, companies, business associations, and other relevant partners of the productive, social or cultural fabric. In each session of the event, transmitted in live streaming, each CoLAB presented its impact on the creation of highly qualified employment, its financial execution, and challenges and opportunities for the next few years as well as key competencies, activities, and target markets.