The University of Minho has reached 51 active spin-offs with the formal recognition of PhotoUP and NeuroMech Systems, reinforcing its role in knowledge transfer and Portugal’s innovation ecosystem, with almost half integrated since 2017.
According to a statement by the University of Minho, PhotoUP develops microalgae-based biological technologies to purify biogas and convert it into biomethane and high-value biomass for aquaculture and biofertilizer applications, using an approach that transforms greenhouse gas streams into renewable energy and creates new value chains.
Its team includes Leandro Madureira, Pedro Geada, Daniel Madalena, Maria Silva, Salomé Duarte, and Filipe Maciel, with scientific mentorship from professors José António Teixeira, Alcina Pereira, and António Vicente of the School of Engineering.
The project is part of the Center for Biological Engineering, directed by Nuno Cerca, and has already won the SpinUM and GreenTech Challenge’25 awards.
NeuroMech Systems is focused on technologies that support functional monitoring and clinical practice, combining expertise from physics and physiotherapy.
The company was founded by Cláudia Lopes and Nelson Azevedo and is mentored by Filipe Vaz from the Department of Physics at the School of Sciences and Paula Encarnação from the School of Nursing. It is integrated in the Physics Center of the Universities of Minho and Porto, directed by António Onofre.
Both teams took part in the TecMinho Incubation Hub, where they received support in business validation, value proposition development, market analysis, and the formal process for obtaining spin-off status. TecMinho, chaired by Paulo Ramísio, serves as the university-company interface and played a central role in accompanying the development of both projects.
During the recognition session, Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation Sandra Paiva highlighted the importance of the two new companies within the institution’s innovation strategy, saying their determination illustrates the vitality of UMinho’s innovation ecosystem and supports its mission to promote research with real-world impact.
Academic entrepreneurship growth in 2025 ranking
The announcement follows the release of Startup Portugal’s 2025 Entrepreneurial Universities Ranking, developed with Dealroom to assess the contribution of higher education institutions to the country’s startup creation pipeline.
UMinho is ranked 7th nationally, with 309 alumni-founded startups and 85 that have raised investment. These companies represent a combined enterprise value of €6.5 billion and have raised €1.2 billion in cumulative funding.
Across the top 10 institutions, more than 5,200 alumni have founded startups, and 62.2% of these ventures were created in Portugal.
The University of Lisbon leads the ranking, followed by the Catholic University of Portugal, NOVA University Lisbon, and the University of Porto, each with more than 600 alumni-founded companies, with the University of Coimbra next at 431.
The report also highlights the international visibility of Portuguese higher education, with 18 institutions included in the Times Higher Education 2026 ranking and six featured in the Financial Times European Business School Ranking.
Featured image: The PhotoUP team with Sandra Paiva, Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation at the University of Minho, and Clara Silva, entrepreneurship coordinator at TecMinho. (Photo courtesy of University of Minho)
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