UC hosts Open Class on Entrepreneurship

On 11 December, from 15:30 to 19:30, the University of Coimbra (UC) will host a special Open Class on Entrepreneurship in the 17 April Room of the Department of Mathematics (Campus 1).

The session will, for the first time, combine two of its most innovative entrepreneurship courses: (1) 'Entrepreneurship: Turning Ideas into Businesses' - an initiative launched by the UC Rectorate and coordinated by Pro-Rector Gabriela Fernandes, available to all students across the University's eight faculties; (2) Innovation and Technological Entrepreneurship - coordinated by Diogo Bhovan and taught in the Department of Physics to Physical and Biomedical Engineering students.

This Open Class marks the culmination of a semester of intensive work by the students of the two courses. It will now feature a pitch competition, judged by a panel of renowned experts from the entrepreneurial ecosystem: Filipe Antunes, founder and Innovation Director of Science 351, as well as a professor and researcher at UC; Gabriela Fernandes, UC Pro-Rector for Entrepreneurship; Jorge Pimenta, Innovation Director at the Pedro Nunes Institute (IPN); José Basílio Simões, serial entrepreneur, co-founder of CleanWatts, and investor; Luís Silva, coordinator of UCBusiness; Sandra Alvim, Head of the Entrepreneurship and Financing Department at IAPMEI; and Tocha, host of Bitalk—the largest business and entrepreneurship podcast in Portugal—co-founder and CEO of Comudel, and investor in Olisipo Way.

In addition to the pitch competition, the event will include inspiring talks from guest speakers Tocha and Filipe Antunes, who will share their insights and experiences in innovation and entrepreneurship.

The innovative design of these curriculum units has allowed more than a hundred students with no previous experience to create a real, innovative business,' explains Diogo Bhovan, Open Class host and lecturer for both courses. He adds, 'This initiative has shown students that entrepreneurship is a viable alternative to traditional career paths and that the UC offers a thriving environment for fostering entrepreneurship and spin-off creation'.

The session is open to the entire academic community and the general public, offering an opportunity to witness the talent, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit of UC students. Registration is free and mandatory and can be completed at https://bit.ly/aulaaberta24.

For more information about the event, please contact (email) dbhovan@uc.pt or (mobile) 934 031 833.

^{English translation: Diana Taborda}