19-02-2026
Photo: João Lima/ NOVA FCT
On February 13, NOVA FCT hosted the grand final of another edition of its Entrepreneurship Program, the largest university-level initiative of its kind in Portugal. The program continues to establish itself as a platform for fostering innovation, challenging students from the fields of Science, Engineering, and Technology to develop concrete solutions to address societal challenges.
Throughout February, students enrolled in the Entrepreneurship course worked on developing technology-based business ideas, strengthening key skills for the creation and presentation of innovative projects. The final session took place in the Faculty’s Grand Auditorium, where the 12 finalist teams — selected from more than 900 students — presented their proposals to a jury composed of representatives from Axians, Deloitte, Jerónimo Martins, and NOS.
First place was awarded to VENTUS, a project proposing the installation of vertical-axis wind turbines on public lighting poles, enabling low-cost, decentralized production of clean energy in urban environments.
FungiFoam secured second place with a sustainable solution aimed at tackling energy poverty in Portuguese homes. The project was also distinguished with the IMPACT Award, granted by the Fundação Santander, which recognizes initiatives in sustainable innovation.
Third prize went to Celumetrics Exams – RenalNow, a biosensor capable of analyzing biomarkers associated with Chronic Kidney Disease and transmitting the results to a mobile application, facilitating clinical monitoring and data sharing with physicians.
The Entrepreneurship Program, coordinated by Prof. Fernanda Llussá, Prof. Aneesh Zutshi, and Prof. Virgílio Cruz Machado, is part of NOVA FCT’s Curricular Profile, a pioneering pedagogical model in Portuguese higher education. The course focuses on developing transversal skills, combining practical, continuous, and experiential learning with a strong connection to the job market.
In addition to the main awards, partner companies also granted distinctions: PetPulse received the Jerónimo Martins Award, Amaize was honored with the Deloitte Award, Chitofoil won the Axians Award, and Clear View received the NOS Award, concluding another edition marked by the quality and maturity of the projects presented.
