Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics

The Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics (ADAI) is a private, non-profit public utility institution, founded in 1990 within the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Coimbra. Since 2006, it has been part of the Associated Laboratory for Energy, Transport, and Aeronautics (LAETA), rated as “Excellent” by the FCT.

With a team of 128 researchers, including 31 PhDs, ADAI conducts research in four key areas: Energy and Detonics, Forest Fires, Industrial Ecology and Sustainability, with dedicated laboratories in Coimbra and Leiria.

Its Field Tech Lab leads innovative projects at the intersection of technology and fire management, exploring solutions such as UAVs and UGVs for fire detection, monitoring, and suppression, artificial intelligence decision-support systems, and distributed sensor networks, actively contributing to territorial protection and resilience.

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Institute of Systems and Robotics

The Institute of Systems and Robotics at the University of Coimbra (ISR-UC) is a non-profit research unit founded in 1992 and rated “Excellent” by the FCT. It is the only national unit in Electrical and Computer Engineering with this distinction.

With a focus on robotics and intelligent systems, ISR-UC conducts multidisciplinary, top-tier research with vast experience in national and European projects. It is part of the ARISE Associate Laboratory and regularly collaborates with centres of excellence and industry partners.

In recent years, it has invested in applying robotics and sensing to forest environments, highlighted by its work in projects such as SEMFIRE, CORE, and the large-scale SAFEFOREST initiative under the CMU Portugal program.

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OneSource

OneSource is a privately held small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) with 24 years of continuous and profitable operation. It has around 50 employees, mostly computer engineers with Master’s and PhD degrees. The team is involved in R&D, customised tech solutions (such as the Mobitrust platform), and support, consultancy, and IT outsourcing services.

Since its founding, OneSource has engaged in applied research in telecommunications and IT, with regular participation in European projects such as FP6, FP7, Eureka!, H2020, and SNS, focusing on topics including 5G, cybersecurity, cloud computing, augmented/virtual reality, and mission-critical mobile systems. The company combines technical expertise with international experience in technological innovation.

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Bold Robotics Lda.

Bold Robotics is a University of Coimbra spin-off that turns cutting-edge technology into innovative commercial solutions in robotics, artificial intelligence, and remote sensing. The company develops autonomous systems and digital platforms for forestry management, the environment, and fire prevention.

Its highly qualified multidisciplinary team has been recognized with awards like GovTech and the Crédito Agrícola Entrepreneurship and Innovation Award. Its work integrates R&D in prominent areas, such as 3D semantic mapping, territorial management platforms, and fully electric autonomous robots for forest operations.

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Sim4Safety Lda.

Sim4Safety is a University of Coimbra spin-off that develops intelligent decision-support systems for wildfire management. By combining advanced fire and smoke propagation models with AI and real-time data on terrain, weather, and vegetation, the company provides predictive solutions that support prevention, planning, and firefighting.

Its main product, IMFire, is a web platform and API that delivers automatic and continuous simulations, already in use by companies and public entities in several countries.

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Intermunicipal Community of the Coimbra Region

The Intermunicipal Community of the Coimbra Region (CIM-RC) is a NUTS III entity comprising 19 municipalities in Portugal’s Centro region. Its governance includes an Intermunicipal Assembly with representatives from all municipalities and an Intermunicipal Council responsible for policy execution and project implementation.

CIM-RC has promoted numerous emblematic projects in tourism, technological innovation, sustainable mobility, education, and culture, often funded at the national and European levels. It is a notable example of intermunicipal cooperation, driving more cohesive, sustainable, and efficient local development and the enhancement of the region’s natural resources.

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National Energy Grid, S.A.

REN – Redes Energéticas Nacionais is responsible for very-high-voltage electricity and high-pressure natural gas transmission in Portugal and for the technical management of the National Electricity and Gas Systems. REN ensures the safety and stability of energy supplies, supports the integration of renewable energies, and drives the transition to a more sustainable future.

The company manages over 9,400 km of power lines and 1,400 km of gas pipelines spanning approximately 35,000 hectares of right-of-way corridors, 66% of which is forest land. To mitigate wildfire risks, REN operates an advanced surveillance system featuring optical and thermal cameras installed on transmission towers, enabling real-time fire detection and rapid emergency response. This system is complemented by AI and remote sensing technologies, allowing early fire detection and mitigating impacts on infrastructure and communities.

In addition to its core business, REN is firmly committed to sustainability, technological innovation, and infrastructure resilience, ensuring safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly operations while reinforcing its strategic role in the national energy landscape.

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Municipality of Lousã

The Municipality of Lousã is located in the Centro region of mainland Portugal (NUTS 2), within the Intermunicipal Community of the Coimbra Region (NUTS 3). It is part of the district of Coimbra and borders Vila Nova de Poiares to the north, Miranda do Corvo to the west, Figueiró dos Vinhos and Castanheira de Pêra to the south, and Góis to the east.

The Lousã City Council is the local authority responsible for fostering local development across all areas of public life, including health, education, social action and housing, environment and sanitation, spatial planning and urbanism, transport and communications, public supply, sports and culture, civil protection, and forest management.

Around 80% of Lousã’s territory is covered by forest, with the Serra da Lousã an area of remarkable natural and scenic value, rich in cultural and architectural heritage as well as diverse ecological structures shaped by significant geomorphological variations.

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Directorate-General for Territorial Development

According to Decree-Law No. 7/2012 of January 17 and Regulatory Decree No. 30/2012 of March 13, which defines its Organic Law, the Directorate-General for Territorial Development (DGT) is responsible for promoting, coordinating, supporting, implementing, participating in, and disseminating scientific research programs and projects in the areas of territorial and urban planning and geographic information.

The DGT’s Research Group, under its direct management, conducts research to meet the regulatory, technical, and operational needs in land-use planning, urbanism, cadastre, topographic and thematic mapping, geodesy, geographic information, and the information technologies that support these fields.

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