Figures speak for themselves: Through its students, alumni and researchers, NOVA has created more than 100 startups. Every year more than 2500 of our students get involved in activities related to entrepreneurship and, so far, there are 19 spin-offs recognised by NOVA, responsible for the creation of more than 165 jobs. Plus: a unicorn – Outsystems – is worth near 9.5 billion.
So, this is the outstanding NOVA's innovation ecosystem and that’s why it was distinguished as a higher education institution with an important role in creating value for society, at this first edition of Triple E Awards in Europe.
Granted by the Accreditation for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities (ACEEU), in a ceremony that took place in Florence, Italy, on the 28th of June, it is a global recognition of efforts towards the quest for entrepreneurship and engagement in higher education. It is, also, the first award to focus specifically on different dimensions of the universities' mission – meaning that these awards aim to foster change and emphasize their role in the communities and ecosystems.
In the words of Isabel Rocha, vice-rector for the areas of Research, Innovation and Value Creation, “ the distinction is the result of a continued effort to have at NOVA an ecosystem of support to entrepreneurship" - specifying, also, that the entrepreneurship ecosystem created within the institution includes several entrepreneurship training programmes for students, researchers and lecturers, multi-disciplinary "hands-on" value creation programmes, value creation support offices and incubation programmes.
"Now, more than 50% of NOVA's Master's students are exposed to entrepreneurship training”, emphasises Isabel Rocha, “but we aim to reach 100% in the coming years”.