The 1st edition of "Research & Innovation Open Days", taking place on the 30th and 31st of January, aims to publicize the activity of the 30 research centers, 13 collaborative laboratories, 9 associated laboratories, 12 interface units and 48 spin- offs from the University of Minho, to the entire community. This event features seven panels and fifty speakers to present projects and posters, and promises the "best-of" of UMinho's research.

The President of the CCG/ZGDV Institute and DTx Colab, Ricardo J. Machado, participated in the round table on "UMInho Innovation Ecosystem: The role of CTIs, Colabs, Interfaces and Spin-offs". Issues relating to financing from the PRR (Recovery and Resilience Plan), their importance and future applicability were addressed, so as not to create "dependency" on the part of these institutions. Ricardo J. Machado highlighted the relevance of these funds for research work. In the case of CCG / ZGDV, he also gave some examples, such as the development of new skills: cybersecurity and precision agriculture; the valorization of Intellectual Property and internationalization. He also reinforced the role of the CCG / ZGDV over the last three decades and the importance of "non-dependence" on this financing, in strategic terms, and the need to prepare for the future.

Another of the issues addressed and quite recurrent, was the acquisition and retention of talent in the area of Information and Communication Technologies. Ricardo J. Machado explained that the proximity to UMinho is advantageous, however, most of the new talents come to CCG/ZGDV from an "education and training" perspective, while finishing their master's or doctorate.

A session moderated by Professor Eugénio Campos Ferreira, which also included the participation of Isabel Soares (PROCHILD), José A. Teixeira (Colab4Food), Raul Fangueiro (Fibrenamics), António Pontes (PIEP), Paulo Ramísio (TecMinho) and Fátima Baltazar (Karion Therapeutics), in an interaction and sharing of knowledge and promotion of synergies between institutions belonging to the UMinho innovation ecosystem.