Instituto Pedro Nunes - Association for Innovation and R&D in Science and Technology is a non-profit private organization founded in 1991. IPN promotes innovation and technology transfer, being the main link between the University of Coimbra and the business sector.
IPN work is made trough RTD in partnership with enterprises; specialized training; dissemination of scientific and technological knowledge; promotion of the creation of technology-based enterprises and their support. IPN has its own technological infrastructures – six laboratories – besides accessing a network of researchers in the scientific and technological system, particularly from the University of Coimbra, mainly through the Faculty of Sciences and Technology.
IPN Laboratories are: LABPHARM – Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Studies; LABGEO – Laboratory of Geotechnique; LAS - Laboratory of Automation and Systems; LEC - Laboratory of Electroanalysis and Corrosion; LED&MAT - Laboratory of Wear, Testing and Materials; LIS - Laboratory of Informatics and Systems.
IPN promotes the creation of spin-off companies by giving support to innovative and technology-based ideas generated by its own laboratories, institutions of higher education, particularly the University of Coimbra, the private sector, and RTD projects in consortia with industry.
Beside these infrastructures, also IPN possesses an Industrial Property Promotion Unit, and belongs to several national and international networks, including TII, EARTO, and the Incubator Forum and Proton initiatives form Gate2Growth.