The Municipality of Guimarães, through Set.Up Guimarães and Guimarães Marca, hosted on Thursday at CIAJG – Arts and Creativity Platform, a session as part of Economy Month dedicated to the launch of the third edition of Set.Up IN(dustry), an industrial acceleration and incubation program that supports the transformation of innovative ideas into businesses with local impact. The program was presented by Marta Mota Prego, Head of the Economic Development Division, who emphasized the importance of connecting industry, research, and entrepreneurial talent to strengthen the local ecosystem.
At the opening, Ricardo Machado, representing the Municipality of Guimarães, highlighted the importance of active participation by entrepreneurs in building a dynamic and collaborative economic ecosystem, noting that Set.Up IN(dustry) “is more than a program; it is a community, a space for learning, sharing, and growing together.” Paulo Ramísio, president of TecMinho, also underscored the role of new generations of entrepreneurs and the significance of the regional innovation ecosystem, reminding participants that “you are not alone; you are in an environment created to thrive.”
This edition features startups that showcase Guimarães’ potential in innovation and sustainability. Among them are Axios Care, which combines smart sensors and software to monitor residents in care homes and health institutions in real time; BioMetaSole, which reinvents shoe sole materials using waste; Dermaleaf, which transforms vineyard residues into natural cosmeceuticals; Markly, a platform that protects creative assets with blockchain; Enterprise Bot, specializing in AI-based automated virtual assistants; Looppack, creator of a reusable box with a smart lock; Flinotech Sphere, offering an IoT solution to measure air quality; ViaScan, using AI for road inspection; +Build, developing technologies to mitigate hidden risks in infrastructure; Planta Smart Homes, focused on smart and sustainable housing; and Vita4All, which mobilizes first responders to ensure rapid emergency response.
With access to capacity-building bootcamps, specialized mentorship, investor meetings, and the opportunity to present projects at Demo Day, entrepreneurs will have crucial tools to turn ideas into businesses. Since its inception, the program has supported 54 startups, delivered over 300 hours of mentoring, 120 hours of training, and 60 meetings between startups, industry, and R&D centers, establishing itself as a driving force for innovation and entrepreneurship in Guimarães.