Promoted within the scope of the Pense Indústria project – People, Digitalization, and Sustainability, co-financed by the European Social Fund and the Compete 2030 program, the contest challenged students from lower secondary, secondary, and vocational education to present innovative solutions to real societal problems, with a focus on sustainability and social impact.
Set.Up Guimarães, in partnership with the Guimarães Municipality Incubation Network, also organized the StartUP Mind session, an interactive quiz led by Rui Pinheiro, Community Manager at Set.Up. The activity challenged participants to test their knowledge and stimulate critical thinking and entrepreneurial spirit.
Representing the Municipality of Guimarães on the jury were Marta Mota Prego, Head of the Economic Development Division, and Rui Pinheiro, reinforcing the commitment of local entities to support youth empowerment and promote an impactful innovation ecosystem. The jury also included Carlos Ribeiro, Executive Director of the Landscape Laboratory; Guilherme Pereira Távora, Patent Examiner at the National Institute of Industrial Property; and Joana Beltrão Martins, from the Communication and Society Interaction Office at the School of Engineering of the University of Minho.
The opening session also featured Flávio Freitas, Assistant to the President of the Municipality of Guimarães, who highlighted: “By hosting the Entrepreneurship Hackathon and the National Final of the ‘This Is an Idea’ contest, we reinforce Guimarães as the ideal stage to give voice to those who want to transform the future. It is a pride for the city to welcome this event, in a land with an innovative DNA, ready to inspire and empower ambitious young people with ideas capable of making a difference.”
After two intensive days of collaborative work, mentoring, and presentations before a multidisciplinary jury, the winning teams were announced. First place went to team Clea from Maia Secondary School, with a proposal for biodegradable shower gel capsules that eliminate the use of plastic. Second place was awarded to the SmartGuide Assistive Kit team from Aveiro Vocational School, who presented an integrated solution composed of glasses, a cane, and an intelligent adapter to improve mobility for visually impaired people. Third place was won by the Social Fit team from Batalha Basic and Secondary School, with an app that connects people with common interests for joint workouts.
The winning team was awarded a trip to the European Parliament in Brussels, accompanied by the project’s National Coordinator, Sofia Pelayo, in recognition of their work and the positive impact of their idea.