Vieira de Almeida & Associados (VdA) and Tec Labs - Innovation Center (Centro de Inovação) in the scope of ICAT - Instituto de Ciência Aplicada e Tecnologia have signed a protocol on the 3rd May, in Lisbon, through which both institutions aim to cooperate towards developing the scientific knowledge's economic value through the promotion and support to entrepreneurism and innovation with a special focus to technology transfer and technologic start-ups.

At the protocol execution event were José Manuel Pinto Paixão (PhD and Head of FCUL), José Guerreiro (PhD, FCUL), Rui Ferreira (AUDAX/ISCTE-IUL), Luís Matos Martins (AUDAX/ISCTE-IUL) and partner Fernando Resina da Silva, head of the IT practice at VdA representing the firm.

Tec Labs aim is to foster the scientific knowledge's economic value in the scope of the University of Lisbon Faculty of Science activity through the cooperation between universities and companies in researching and developing innovative technologies, as well as the starting up and development of new businesses in the area of technology.
Tec Labs provides support and advice in the areas of entrepreneurship, innovation and training.

VdA has been increasingly involved in several activities regarding legal advice to research and development within its newly created program - CRIE - Criação e Rentabilização da Inovação e Empreendedorismo. This program aims to cooperate in joint programs between universities and companies towards the exchange of knowledge, by providing the necessary legal advice.

The program's partners are Tec Labs, the University of Lisbon Faculty of Science, AUDAX, the Institute for the Support of SMES and Innovation (Instituto de Apoio às Pequenas e Médias Empresas e à Inovação), IAPMEI and the City Council of Lisbon.