The SURES (Start-Ups for Research) Programme encourages entrepreneurship and supports the creation of innovative start-ups in the field of Sustainable Agriculture, Green Biotechnology and Environmental and Life Sciences through the establishment of start-up incubators in each of the 8 JRC Research Units.
SURES Programme launches calls for proposals open to members of the UNIgreen Academic Community, who will submit proposals to the JRC Committee. The SURES Programme is supported by Teaching, Research & Innovation Support Office and the International & Project Office. Subsequently, JRC Committee members monitor opportunities to create start-ups thanks to continuous evaluation and project follow-up, developed and boosted by UNIgreen students and young researchers, and scientists.
In other words, the SURES Programme brings together UNIgreen JRCs and the Teaching, Research & Innovation Support Offices to reach out to students at different levels.
Specifically, the JRC identifies advanced projects that are aligned with its strategical axis and will share their knowledge and know-how and the technological facilities required for the development of a start-up. Moreover, support for SURES participants (entrepreneurs) also covers the development of their soft skills and transversal competences, in a collaboration with the Knowledge Transfer & Society Office to organise special editions of the Skills and Mentoring Labs. Moreover, the Knowledge Transfer & Society Office provides technical support to start-up development (e.g., facilities and organisational guidelines).