An application integrating several services of the University of the Azores, a premium camping space and a judo project were the top three projects in the fourth edition of the ETH project - Entrepreneurship Triple Hélix. This initiative is promoted by the Vice-Presidency of the Government, through SDEA - Society for Business Development of the Azores in partnership with the Department of Economics and Business Management of the University of the Azores.
 
The "Ideas Competition 2018" involved about one hundred students enrolled in different courses at the University of the Azores. They presented 29 business projects in areas such as information and communication technologies, tourism, agri-industry, biology or social sciences.
 
The "AppUAç" application was the winning project. It consists of the development of an online platform that integrates several services of the University of the Azores and is aimed at different types of users, namely students, teachers and non-teaching staff.
 
The second place was awarded to "Pineappling," a project developed in the area of tourism. It focuses on the promotion of a premium camping space on S. Miguel Island, where three types of accommodation are offered with all the amenities of a five-star hotel.
 
The social and educational project "Give Opportunity: Judo," which aims to bring the practice of judo and its teachings to schools, was the third best business idea presented in this competition.
 
The winners will be awarded a trip to Lisbon, where they will experience an entrepreneurial mission, through guided tours to StartUp Portugal, Fab Lab (EDP), IDEIAhub business incubator and Lx Factory. They will have the opportunity to develop their network of contacts, share experiences, open new horizons and become acquainted with different entrepreneurial realities.
 
The ETH initiative aims to develop entrepreneurial skills and attitudes towards the transformation of ideas into potential business plans as well as the coordination of scientific knowledge with its practical applicability.