About

Under the motto Innovate to Compete, the OPEN Project, being now introduced to entrepreneurs and the general public, is the materialization of an idea which has significantly matured since its genesis in 1997, when the Territorial Employment Pact in Marinha Grande project (Pacto Territorial do Emprego para a Marinha Grande) was launched. By that time, the need for an initiative to promote the entrepreneurship, the capacity to innovate and the business dynamism, typical in the Region, was identified. Bearing this need in mind, a group of promoters, very experienced in their intervention areas, gathered interests and skills and the OPEN project was born.

It is widely recognised that Knowledge and Innovation are decisive elements for the competitiveness of the economy, and that the incubation process plays a crucial role in this context. Taking this into consideration, it was developed an idea to set up a business incubator for technology-based enterprises, in accordance with the strategic guidelines of the government’s economical policy and the objectives defined by the European Union in the Lisbon Summit.

After consolidating this idea, reinforcing the strategic partnerships and assuring the financial support for the project, it is now the time to materialise it.

Receiving the first projects for the incubator, by mid next year, is only one of the stages of a long process that we hope will grow and accomplish the Mission we proposed ourselves.

For this project to move on we will need the contribution of entrepreneurs, the reason why OPEN was created. Therefore, I hereby invite all of you, who consider innovation and entrepreneurship a business and personal fulfilment opportunity, to present your business ideas and to join us in this important challenge that is competitiveness. I extend this invitation to all institutions that, as potential partners, want to contribute for this project to become real.

OPEN is waiting for your ideas and cooperation!

January 2004