Bio-Engineering students from the MIT Portugal Program recently got a boost to their BioTeams go-to-market innovation projects during visits to two research centers, and in project presentations before an invited panel of experts. The visits took place during the mid-term break between laboratory rotations at CITEVE (the Technology Center of the Textile and Clothing Industry of Portugal) and at CENTI (the Center for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials), in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal, on May 7th, 2009. “The visits gave us a clear idea about how it is possible to do innovation and transfer it to the market,” reports first-year Bio-Engineering student Filipa Castro. "We also had the opportunity to discuss crucial points such as intellectual property and market strategy.” These research centers have diverse approaches: CITEVE works with partners in the medical, sporting goods and other sectors to develop products, and CENTI focuses on short-term innovation projects aimed at quickly reaching markets. Panel Presentations: Feedback from Experts On May 8th, the students presented their BioTeams projects before an invited panel of industry and technology park experts that included Bruno Sommer Ferreira from Biotrend, Rui Sousa from StemMatters, Nuno Faria from Biotempo and Avelino Pinto from SpinPark. According to Filipa Castro, the Bio-Engineering students felt this session was extremely valuable. “We had the opportunity to receive feedback from people who have not been involved in the development of the project, and even more important, from people who are involved in the business world. The session also served us as a hub for networking with other entrepreneurs.” Apart from the invited panelists, participants in the presentations also included most of the principal investigators of the BioTeams projects, as well as all the teams’ tutors. | 
