UFRJ Technology Park Living Lab: real innovation in a real environment

Client: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) Technology Park Duration: October 2024 to December 2025 Location: Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil Service: Design, rollout, and operation of a Living Lab program Consulting: Intelink Mercado e Inovação The value of the Living Lab model The Living Lab – or “living laboratory” – model allows institutions to test innovations before investing or contracting, reducing risks and guiding decisions based on evidence. At the same time, it gives entrepreneurs and startups the opportunity to validate their solutions in real usage contexts, with technical and institutional support. This kind of program turns the territory into a live environment for experimentation, collaboration, and continuous learning, generating visibility, attracting talent, and opening new fronts for technological and economic development. Turning the UFRJ Technology Park into an open innovation lab With Intelink Inova’s support, the UFRJ Technology Park structured a collaborative program that brings together companies, universities, startups, and the public sector around real territorial challenges. The Park’s Living Lab connects innovation, technology, and sustainability, offering a real space to test and validate solutions in energy, urban mobility, sustainability, and digital transformation. The challenge Before the project began, the UFRJ Technology Park already promoted some initiatives for testing innovative solutions, but they were punctual and lacked a structured process for follow-up or evaluation. There was no clear methodology, selection criteria, or monitoring mechanisms, which made it difficult to ensure continuity and visibility of results. Intelink’s challenge was to structure a complete Living Lab model with governance, clear rules, defined stages, and impact metrics. The public call for the program, developed together with the Park’s team, established a new and replicable format for selecting, monitoring, and certifying solutions — ensuring legitimacy and engagement from the entire UFRJ innovation ecosystem. Intelink Inova’s role Intelink Inova participated from concept to full rollout of the program, leading all stages: • Diagnosis of the innovation maturity level of the team and the institution; • On-site workshops and talks to strengthen the innovation culture; • Co-creation of the innovation cycle model, adapted to local needs; • Definition of thematic areas and solution selection criteria; • Preparation of the public call and facilitation of the selection process; • Ongoing support to the internal team and participating companies; • Design of the methodology for solution evaluation and certification. With this model, the territory was transformed into a listening, experimentation, and co-creation environment for solutions — with method, strategy, and impact. The six selected solutions The first program cycle resulted in the selection of six innovative solutions that are currently being tested and certified in the UFRJ Technology Park area: • Aquapower – develops micro hydro turbines installed in water pipelines in cities and industrial plants, generating clean energy from existing flow. • GTA – Teleinformatics and Automation Group (COPPE/UFRJ) – a lab that works in computer networks, IoT, connected vehicles, and cybersecurity, applying these technologies to monitoring and digital security. • Heliosfera Energias – promotes efficiency and sustainability through renewable energy solutions, offering technologies and ecological practices for organizations. • HRV4Life – a preventive health platform that turns the smartphone into a self-care tool, using physiological data to detect early signs and promote healthy habits. • LandPrint – a digital platform that turns environmental data into financial intelligence, connecting carbon, biodiversity, and water indicators to ESG and sustainable finance metrics. • Vox Epower – works with certification, tests, and validation of charging stations for electric vehicles, ensuring technical compliance and equipment safety. These solutions represent different levels of technological maturity and are being evaluated in a real environment, generating measurable results and a legacy for future program calls. Methodology applied The program follows Intelink’s proprietary methodology, which structures the innovation cycle in stages that go from planning to sharing results. Each phase ensures clear objectives, collaboration among stakeholders, and measurable outcomes. • Setting the direction – briefing with the client and understanding the territory’s strategic objectives. • Mapping the territory – planning the action fronts and defining interest areas and priority challenges. • Converging solutions – structuring the selection mechanism, criteria, and public call format. • Finding solutions – selecting the proposals that best fit the program’s demands and objectives. • Bringing solutions to life – implementing the initiatives in the territory in real operating conditions. • Monitoring solutions – continuous follow-up with the companies and evidence gathering on the results achieved. • Improving solutions – analysis and qualification of the results, with technical and institutional feedback. • Sharing learnings – closing the cycle, documenting impacts, and spreading the lessons learned for future programs. This methodology ensures that every Living Lab cycle generates real value for the territory, for the institutions involved, and for the participating entrepreneurs — strengthening innovation as a continuous and sustainable practice. Results and impact • Rollout of six real innovation pilots in the Park’s territory; • Design of a methodology and governance model for follow-up and certification; • Strengthening of the innovation culture and internal engagement; • Increased visibility of the Park as a reference in applied innovation; • Creation of a model that can be replicated in other ecosystems and territories. Program website: parque.ufrj.br/living-lab Intelink Inova — connecting innovation, strategy, and purpose to turn territories into living platforms for sustainable development. 🔗 intelinkinova.com.br