José Manuel Bolieiro, President of the Government of the Azores, declared at the sixth anniversary of the Science and Technology Park of São Miguel that “NONAGON is not just a story, it is above all the Future. We understand, whether in the context of the digital transition, or in the context of science with application and support to companies, to new technologies, to the host and impulse of new entrepreneurs, that NONAGON is a good reference", congratulating NONAGON on its sixth anniversary .
To mark this day, NONAGON held a commemorative event in its auditorium – TESARAC, especially aimed at companies that make up this business community.
The Opening Session was attended by the Regional Secretary for Culture, Science and Digital Transition, Susete Amaro and by the President of the Board of Directors of Associação Nonagon, Teresa Ferreira.
“We are talking about a project that quickly became an undeniable development hub, fulfilling one of its initial premises: assuming itself as a structuring organization in technological dynamism and in the formation of qualified human capital. The adhesion of the companies and the recognition of the excellence of the conditions provided ensured a safe path, which will certainly continue to be followed. The proof and recognition arise from the redoubled interest of the business fabric and the production of knowledge, which leverages the construction of Lot 32, a project that we have already embraced and which will reinforce the capacity and visibility of the São Miguel Science and Technology Park in the future close”, said Susete Amaro.
Teresa Ferreira, in the Opening Session, had the role of highlighting several of the goals achieved and activities carried out over the past six years, having mentioned that "any challenge, when faced with objectivity, directness, optimism and dedication, ends up having a solution, particularly if we work together on it, as a dynamic, motivated and ambitious community”, as it also embraces the challenge of presiding over this Association.
Digital nomadism as the engine of the new economy was the theme of the presentation made by the guest speaker, Gonçalo Hall, Creator of Madeira Digital Nomad Village and founder of Remote Europe and Remote Portugal.
Then, 17 start-ups and / or companies from the NONAGON business community, in a timed period of five minutes, had the opportunity to share with all participants their areas of intervention and ongoing projects: Azor Skills Academy (Miguel Brilhante) , Cereal Games (Lázaro Raposo), CodeHub (Paulo Leite), Connexall (Mário Medeiros), Do iT Lean (Mónica Furtado), Fibrenamics (Raquel Galante), Friendly and Helpful (Carlos Maia Dias), Buildprint (Rodrigo Valadão), Matizes and Segments (Pedro Almeida Maia and Cristina Melo), Nine Media Company (Pedro Fragoso), Ninja Cows (João Soares), PMAçores (Carlos Mendes), Pureza Notória (Rui Cordeiro), SATA (Paulo Ornelas), Sustain Açores (Leonor Correia) ), SimplifyPro (Marta Reis) and Tetrapi Creative Solutions (Milton Moura).
Another guest followed, André Leonardo, founder of the company Faz Acontecer and of the Mid-Atlantic Hostel, elected in 2016 as one of the “seven young people who are transforming the world” by the Pangea association (Madrid) and, in 2017, one of the “Twelve young leaders of Portugal” by the National Youth Council (Lisbon).
In addition to the NONAGON business community and the organizing speakers, this event was attended by the Regional Director for Science and Digital Transition, Sérgio Ávila, the members of the Board of Directors of the Nonagon Association, Odete Cabral and Gonçalo Trindade, the Chief of Staff of the President of the Government of the Azores, Paulo Nascimento Cabral, of Teresa Lopes Ferreira, member of the General Assembly of Associação Nonagon, of Councilor Nelson Santos, representing the Municipal Council of Lagoa, of the President of the Municipal Assembly of Lagoa, José Dias Pereira, of TERINOV with the presence of Rui Valadão, representatives of the International Hospital of the Azores, Isabel Cássio and Jaime Homem de Sá and Rita Patarra, representing EXPOLAB.
The event was broadcast on NONAGON's Facebook and Youtube pages, where it was possible to count, through these means, with partner entities, such as the Azores School of New Technologies, the Azores Tourism Observatory, AICOPA, Webhs, the In-Uac - Incubator of the University of the Azores, SANJOTEC and VOUGAPARK, among many others.
