Welcome to the Official page of the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic

Knowledge, technology and innovation are relevant transforming and generating strengths for the achievement of progress in economies and societies. This is the idea that stood behind the setting up of COTEC. A powerful idea, which has inspired an agenda to bring about the necessary changes to our economy and of to our entrepreneurs and managers.

We are celebrating this year a decade of the existence of Cotec-Portugal. My congratulations go to the association and its Chairman Professor João Bento, for its inestimable contribution towards the cause of innovation, and salute his predecessors, Eng. Carlos Moreira da Silva and Dr. Artur Santos Silva, as well as its director generals and respective teams.

A word of deep consideration, as well, for all the associated companies, which are primarily the reason for Cotec’s existence.

In this decade, Portugal forged ahead at a higher rate than Europe in the progress of innovatory factors. The notable development recorded in the culture and practice of innovation, although deserving of pride, cannot however allow us to be content and to lower our arms.

Portugal cannot slow down or stay behind in the innovation competition, which is that of competitiveness and economic growth. I thus appeal to the proactive drive of the public powers, entrepreneurs, managers, and women and men of science.

In the years that follow we need to go far beyond the statute of “moderate innovators” – which is anyway a secondary division of Europe – if we want to reconcile the challenges of economic growth and creation of employment with the demands of balanced public accounts. We have to assume the ambition to go further, to establish more advanced targets for the country. This is a challenge that summons all of us.

We are living a watershed, a decisive moment for our future. Thus the idea of Cotec celebrating 2013 as the Portuguese Year of Innovation, with the objective to muster efforts and encourage the creation of conditions for the generation of new innovative SMEs, of more productive companies with higher growth potential.

The contribution of innovatory SMEs is incontrovertible for the consolidation of a new model for the Portuguese economy. It is within the more innovatory SMEs – and, for this same reason, the most competitive – that the strongest growth potential of our exporting capability and creation of employment can be found.

More innovatory companies mean a greater intensity in the knowledge of products and processes and a redoubled stake in the culture of innovation.

It means a deeper relation of proximity between science related institutions and the economic structure, as well as the valuing of knowledge and technology produced in the universities.

It means the capability of companies to take advantage, muster and organize efficiently their human resources, guiding their activity and their efforts towards the production of high added value products and services.

More innovatory companies mean deepening a culture of experimenting and of risk taking, disseminated and valued by society.

It means the capability to find new ways to finance entrepreneurial growth, over and above bank loans, these days unfortunately scarce and expensive.

It means, finally, even in a context of emergency, as that in which Portugal finds itself, to demand from the public powers the highest priority in efforts to reduce bureaucracy to a minimum in companies’ lives, and also, as far as possible, its contextual costs.

These are the required components to accelerate the indispensable renewal of our productive structure, providing it with a greater number of innovatory companies, more advanced in terms of technology as well as more productive.

For this same reason I want to underline the importance of the work developed by Cotec in supporting innovatory SMEs, from their creation to their growth and international expansion.

Immediately outstanding is the Cotec SME Innovation Network initiative, a continuous exercise of coordination and cooperation, which is an example that should be followed in all sectors of activity. Innovation does not result from the secluded work of one company, but from the collaboration amongst many, organized in networks.

I have visited several of the companies comprised in the SME Innovation Network, a sample of the most innovative and competitive that exists in our economic structure. Thus my belief that this is a good example of what may be, in a near future, the basis of a new Portuguese productive fabric and of a new generation of entrepreneurs.

The success of this Network, which I have followed since it started up, is the result of an intelligible and structured approach of the innovatory process and of a lasting follow up work carried out by Cotec.

I am pleased to record that Cotec has corresponded to my initial challenge and has been able, year upon year, to exceed the estimates of enlargement of the Network, as once again was the case this year.

My greetings to the companies that have recently joined the association, selected through the application of strict criteria, and that accepted the challenge and the responsibility of being part of a prestigious group.

The prizes we are awarding today clearly indicate how our scientific and technological structure has awakened to the need for a more active role in the valuing of a scientific knowledge of excellence produced in Portugal, and for the development of innovatory technological projects, with the possibility of success in the global market.

Equally, the exemplary cases of university-company collaboration show that signs of covalent links already exist between companies and the scientific system, notwithstanding what has yet to be accomplished.

To invest in the creation of scientific knowledge and technological development continues very clearly to be a priority. In effect, without this, the sustained improvement in productivity and medium term economic growth will not be possible.

Today we are awarding four prizes, which symbolize and enhance the merit of those who incite a culture and underwrite a practice of innovatory excellence – in universities and companies. My congratulations go to all the prize winners for the examples they represent and for the hope they are bringing into our future.

All of us – companies, universities, public powers and the civil society in general – have to continue placing knowledge and innovation at the top of our individual and collective priorities. This is an incontrovertible path for economic growth, for the sustainability of public finance and for the improvement of our levels of cohesion and social welfare.

As honorary chairman, I address Cotec, on its tenth anniversary, a word of sincere thanks. The result is very positive, but equally causes renewed expectations and new responsibilities in the future.

This Encounter and the participation of entrepreneurs and managers is a sign that, in spite of all the difficulties, the strength of entrepreneurial innovation is alive and well. Success is within our reach. It will depend, in a large measure, from us and our companies, from their leaders and workers. I am certain that we shall be equal to this challenge and to this responsibility.

Thank you.