INESC TEC collaborator becomes European IP Helpdesk Ambassador

INESC TEC collaborator becomes European IP Helpdesk Ambassador

Daniel Vasconcelos, head of INESC TEC’s Technology Licensing Office (SAL), is the new ambassador for the European IP Helpdesk, in Portugal. This free service aims to disseminate and advise Portuguese Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the management of intellectual property (IP). He is currently the only ambassador in Portugal.

21st July 2020

This application stems from his support to INESC TEC and the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) project consortium, where he acts as Advisory Expert, in the field of Technology and Intellectual Property Management.

“It is with great pleasure that I take on this role, in a field that is so dear to me – Intellectual Property. At INESC TEC, we address these matters on a daily basis and are aware of the difficulties that smaller entities experience, particularly those without access to technology/knowledge transfer offices. The new role of IP Ambassador symbolises the experience and acknowledgement of INESC TEC in this area, which the Institute shares with the local ecosystem”, said Daniel Vasconcelos, also Invited Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP).

As ambassador for the European IP Helpdesk, Daniel Vasconcelos will help national SMEs to transform their knowledge into competitive resources that enable them to improve their position in international markets. In addition to promoting sessions and training materials, as well as clarifying Intellectual Property issues in different contexts, such as European projects, Daniel Vasconcelos will have the opportunity to organise networking events and personalised advice sessions. “I am sure that very interesting cases will occur, challenging me and compelling me to seek new solutions and knowledge, alongside my European colleagues. The Portuguese SMEs have a free and easily accessible service at their disposal, helping them address matter that are crucial to their strategy”, added the new European IP Helpdesk Ambassador.

Enterprise Europe Network application

INESC TEC has been a member of the Portuguese consortium of the Enterprise Europe Network since 2015, and a national contact point in the fields of R&D, technology, engineering and innovation. The Enterprise Europe Network, established in 2008 by the European Commission, offers personalised advisory services – in particular to SMEs with an innovative and internationalised profile – provided by more than 600 organisations in more than 60 European and non-European countries.

According to Daniel Vasconcelos, the success of the application is a result of the support of Alexandra Xavier and Cristina Barbosa – researchers from the INESC TEC’s Centre for Innovation Technology and Entrepreneurship (CITE), and members of EEN-Portugal – and the leader of the national consortium from EEN – Portugal, the Institute to Support Small and Medium Sized companies (IAPMEI).

Daniel Vasconcelos is now responsible for continuing the wide-ranging work by the former head of SAL, Catarina Maia, the Portuguese ambassador between July 2017 and June 2020.

The researcher mentioned in this news piece is associated with INESC TEC.