Vasco Cordeiro opens TERINOV a nine million Euro investment from and for the future of Terceira and the Azores
The President of the Government opened today the Terceira Science and Technology Park - TERINOV, an investment of about nine million Euros "from and for the future" of this island and the Azores due to its potential to attract companies, boost entrepreneurial projects, generate wealth and create employment.
“We are here to open much more than one building. It is a fact that the most visible face is the one made up of the facilities of a former military hospital and the University of the Azores, but I would like to highlight the ambition and size of this project," stressed Vasco Cordeiro.
At the beginning of the Government's visit to the island of Terceira, the President of the Government stressed that the investment in TERINOV contributed to the redevelopment of an important urban area in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, which now houses a functional, modern, increasingly equipped and attractive scientific and technological complex.
According to him, this park already hosts 37 projects: 33 business projects and four scientific projects. They are responsible for the creation of more than 115 qualified jobs in the main strategic areas to which it is dedicated, namely Agribusiness, Cultural and Creative Industries, and Information and Communication Technologies.
Moreover, 80% of the services provided at TERINOV are aimed at clients outside the Region and there are companies working exclusively for the export market, stressed Vasco Cordeiro. In this regard, he also highlighted his ability to establish partnerships with various institutions such as the Chamber of Commerce of Angra do Heroísmo, the University of the Azores, Portugal Ventures, the Startup Europe network, the Atlantic International Research Centre - AIR Centre, UMass Lowell and the Foundation for Science and Technology, among others.
As he emphasised, the Space Operations Centre (COpE), dedicated to the European Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) programme is also headquartered at this park.
"The works for the assembly of infrastructures or installation of equipment are schedule to begin in late July or early August, corresponding to an investment of more than one million Euros from the Regional Government and the Ministry of National Defence," said the President of the Government.
"In view of its goals, its ambition and, above all, the results it already shows, this undertaking is one of the driving forces of a new Azores that is increasingly open to the world, competing with the best in cutting edge areas, as well as increasingly ambitious, qualified and competitive," assured Vasco Cordeiro.
Accordingly, the Government has directed its investment capacity and implemented specific measures to achieve these goals," Vasco Cordeiro assured, announcing the launch of a call for the awarding of 10 doctoral grants, an investment of more than 700 thousand Euros.
Moreover, the President of the Government announced that an investment of 6.4 million Euros has already been awarded to NONAGON - São Miguel Science and Technology Park for the construction of the Information and Communication Technology Business Centre.
According to Vasco Cordeiro, NONAGON's occupancy rate has already reached 100 percent, hosting several technology-based companies and around 200 direct jobs.