How a Portuguese university city is building hard-tech startups
Photo: TechNode
Quick answer
In Coimbra, Portugal, the IPN tech park at the University of Coimbra fosters hard-tech startups through technology transfer, applied research, and incubation.
Coimbra, a city in central Portugal, is best known for its university—one of Europe’s oldest, founded in 1290. Yet behind its academic reputation lies a dynamic hard-tech startup ecosystem built around the Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) tech park. Established by the University of Coimbra, IPN integrates three pillars: business incubation and acceleration, applied research, and specialized training in technology and entrepreneurship.
What sets IPN apart from traditional incubators is its deep integration with university laboratories. Each division is led by a university professor, while IPN staff manage day-to-day operations. Startups gain access not only to business mentorship but also to engineering resources, accelerating product development. Over 30 years, IPN has helped launch over 500 companies, including three unicorns and over 30 scalable projects. Two well-known startups, Feedzai and Talkdesk*, began their journeys here.
International collaboration has been another growth driver. In 2013, the European Space Agency selected IPN as a partner for its startup incubation program focused on space technologies. Since then, over 60 companies have participated. These 'space' innovations find applications in terrestrial industries such as agtech, water system monitoring, industry, and medtech. For example, the startup Sensing Future developed a rehabilitation platform that analyzes body weight distribution and pressure center movements using sensors and software.
Another project, FiberSight, is developing a fiber-optic-based monitoring system. Unlike traditional sensors that require batteries and solar panels, fiber optics enable data collection along the entire cable length with one-meter resolution. This reduces deployment costs and complexity for agriculture or water supply systems. A single cable can replace thousands of point sensors, providing continuous temperature and humidity monitoring.
Coimbra’s success lies in its focus on technology transfer rather than startup hype. The city doesn’t compete with Lisbon or Porto but leverages unique advantages: university-driven innovations, applied laboratories, and international partnerships. This model shows how even small cities can become innovation hubs by combining academic resources with entrepreneurial drive.
Common questions
- What is IPN and how does it support startups?
- IPN (Instituto Pedro Nunes) is a tech park affiliated with the University of Coimbra that combines business incubation, applied research, and training. It provides startups with access to scientific resources, engineering expertise, and international partners, such as the European Space Agency.
- Which successful startups have emerged from Coimbra?
- Three unicorns, including Feedzai and Talkdesk*, have originated from IPN. Many companies operate in medtech, agtech, and infrastructure monitoring, leveraging technologies initially developed for space applications.
- How do Coimbra’s startups apply space technologies?
- Through partnerships with the European Space Agency, startups adapt space technologies for terrestrial use, such as water system monitoring, agriculture, and industry. For example, FiberSight uses fiber optics for continuous data collection instead of point sensors.
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