A Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approach to Improve Regional Innovation Ecosystems in Portugal

This article presents the University Technology Enterprise Network (UTEN), a successful program that built a national innovation network in Portugal based in the university technology transfer offices (TTOs), incubators and science parks. UTEN, which was launched in March 2007, includes 15 Portuguese universities and select international partners in a 5-year program funded by the Portuguese government. The main objective has been to accelerate the development of a sustainable, globally competitive, professional technology transfer and commercialization network within Portugal to increase Portugal’s international competitiveness in university–based science, and technology transfer and commercialization.