Overview.

HiTech is an immersive, hands-on training program designed for research teams working on deep tech projects. Our mission is to equip these teams with essential skills in knowledge commercialization, enabling them to transform cutting-edge technologies and scientific discoveries into high-growth business opportunities.

Through expert guidance, training, practical workshops, and mentorship from industry leaders, HiTech empowers research teams to:

Align scientific research with market needs, creating real-world impact.
Effectively communicate complex research to non-scientific audiences.
Evaluate commercialization strategies to move the technology from the lab to the market.

HiTech will facilitate research teams to be better aligned with Horizon Europe's goals, namely by helping them understand how their research can create a stronger impact in society and how to better disseminate and exploit research and innovation results.

In 2026, HiTech continues to offer two distinct tracks:

Technology Push Track: Focus on developing and commercializing your own deep tech project.
Market Pull Track: Tackle real-world challenges posed by HiSeedTech member companies. In 2025 edition, companies such Lameirinho, Sonae Arauco, and UTIS joined this track to collaborate with researchers.

Participating teams will receive support to:

Develop a comprehensive business case for a product or service concept based on their research.
Create a compelling pitch presentation that clearly communicates their business case and value proposition to potential investors and industry leaders.
Explore collaboration opportunities with HiSeedTech member companies to address industry-specific challenges and potentially form strategic partnerships.

Want to see it in action? [Watch the final pitches from HiTech 2025 edition here].
Stay in the loop: [Subscribe to our newsletter here] and get notified when applications open.

Who
Can Apply?

HiTech is open to:

R&D teams from Universities, Laboratories, and Research Institutes
Startups.

Teams may join with their own deep tech project (Technology Push) or apply to tackle a challenge posed by a HiSeedTech member company (Market Pull).

Eligibility Criteria:

Teams must consist of 2-5 members.
The project must be a deep tech innovation with a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) higher than 2.
Teams must be affiliated with a Portuguese organization.

What
are the costs?

HiTech does not involve any fees to participating teams. The HiSeedTech member companies support the program as part of their corporate social responsibility.

However, before you apply, you should bear in mind:

There are organizational costs involved in running the program, so ensure that you have the time and commitment to fully participate throughout its duration.
Participants are expected to dedicate 6-8 hours per week.
There is a 'moral' penalty for teams that withdraw from the Program once it has started, which is related to the fact that you have left out another team that was willing to participate.

How
it works?

HiTech offers a 19-week immersive training experience, specifically designed to help research teams navigate the complex process of commercializing their scientific discoveries.

Program Components:

Weekly Online Sessions (Tuesdays afternoon): Step-by-step development of a business case grounded in your research.
Expert Webinars (Tuesdays afternoon): Covering key topics such as Technology Commercialization, Intellectual Property, Pitching, and Funding Opportunities.
Biweekly Mentorship: Hands-on support from industry experts to validate your project and refine your commercialization strategy.
Networking: Midterm and Final Events, where teams connect with industry stakeholders and showcase their progress.
Weekly assignments: Practical deliverables to apply concepts learned in each session directly to your project.
Final Advisory Sessions: Dedicated support during the final three weeks to help you prepare for the final pitch.
3 Pitch Presentations: During the program, the research teams will have three pitches, one at the beginning of the program for them to explain their technology, one in the middle to present the value proposition of the deep tech project and the final pitch at the HiTech Closing Session.

It is also important to mention that:

The teams will undergo a training program that will have as the visible outcome a business case for a product/service or process concept sustained by the technology proposed.
The teams will pitch their project, at the Closing Session, to a large audience composed among others by pre-seed stage investors and corporate ventures.

Key Dates for HiTech 2026:
- Challenge Call (for HiSeedTech member companies): Opens September 2025
- Applications (for Research Teams): Opening November 2025
- Program Start: March 2026

The
concept.

HiTech is the entry Program to HiSeedTech set of initiatives aimed at supporting the commercialization of technologies developed from scientific research results and providing skills to participants in technology commercialization.

The follow-on initiative to HiTech aims to support participating teams in further develop the business case and start the procurement of funding from dilutive sources (e.g., venture capital) or non-dilutive sources (e.g, Horizon Europe funding) to further develop the project.

Finally, a subsequent initiative will support the participating teams to move through the three key steps in developing a business plan to: