INESC-ID has officially joined the European Association of Research and Technology Organisations (EARTO) as a Full European Member, strengthening its position within the European research and innovation landscape. The institute now becomes part of a network of over 350 Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) across 32 countries, representing more than 228,000 researchers, engineers and technicians.

Founded in 1999, EARTO promotes and defends the interests of RTOs before EU institutions and policymakers, working to ensure that European R&D and innovation programmes reflect the interests of research organisations. As a Full European Member, INESC-ID gains voting rights and full access to EARTO’s working groups, policy events and networking activities.

“Joining EARTO is a natural step in INESC-ID’s European maturity. It means moving from participant to protagonist in the European ecosystem. This new status allows us not only to anticipate technological trends, but also to actively contribute to the design of future framework programmes, reinforcing the position of Portuguese science and innovation in the European space,” says Inês Lynce, President of the Board of Directors of INESC-ID.

INESC-ID will have active participation across six of EARTO’s working groups, covering both policy and technology domains. On the policy side, Sílvia Castro, Head of the Innovation Management Office, joins the WG EU RD&I Programmes; Sandra Aresta, Technology Transfer Manager, joins the WG Impact; Weronika Figueiredo, INESC Legal Advisor, joins the WG Legal Experts; and Ilda Ribeiro, INESC European Projects Manager, joins the WG Financial Experts.

On the technology side, Nuno Santos, Coordinator of the Security and Privacy thematic line, represents the institute in the WG Security & Defence Research; and Ana Teresa Freitas, Coordinator of the Life and Health Technologies thematic line, joins the WG Emerging Technologies for Healthcare.

“Joining EARTO gives us early access to European funding agendas and the opportunity to build high-level consortia with other RTOs. Our participation in the working groups on Security, Healthcare, Impact and EU RD&I Programmes will directly strengthen our positioning in these strategic areas and improve the quality of our European project applications,” adds Miguel Pupo Correia, President of the Executive Committee of INESC-ID.

Sílvia Castro will represent INESC-ID at the EARTO Annual Conference 2026 in Brussels, from 9 to 11 June, the institute’s first appearance at the table as a full member, with voting rights and a voice in shaping Europe’s research agenda.

More information: www.earto.eu  

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