Category: Technology Transfer

When HeartGenetics was created, most people didn’t know they needed genetic screening in order to manage their health in a personal way.  

“We had a product that was good for people, even if they didn’t know it yet. It’s what Apple did — we didn’t know we needed an iPhone until we had one”, compares Ana Teresa Freitas, INESC-ID researcher and the co-founder of the spin-off from INESC-ID. We were a “technology push” company, she details (as opposed to a market pull company).  

It was 2013 when the initiative at the intersection of digital and biotechnology was stepping showed up to harness the power of genetics not to diagnose disease after it strikes, but to predict, prevent, and personalize health interventions, long before symptoms appear. 

At the heart of the company lies a powerful idea: that we can use genetic information, processed through polygenic risk models and sophisticated computational biology algorithms, to tell people not what they’re suffering from, but what they are at risk of and what they can do about it. 

“The idea was to bring genetics closer to people, especially in a preventive context,” Ana Teresa explains. “We weren’t trying to diagnose, we were trying to give people knowledge so that they can act earlier.” 

This novel approach meant HeartGenetics had to create a space in a healthcare market that wasn’t exactly waiting with open arms. Especially in Europe, health-related innovation often runs into a tangle of regulatory fragmentation, reimbursement policies, and institutional inertia. For a company founded in Portugal, this added extra layers of troubles. 

“Consumers — we humans as consumers — are very difficult,” she says. “And then, companies that are born in very small geographies like Portugal face another huge barrier from the start: the market itself. That’s very limiting. And in healthcare, it’s terrible! Every new country is a new regulatory wall, a new barrier to entry, a new barrier of trust.” 

And to exemplify this, Ana Teresa recalls a meeting with representatives from the United Arab Emirates: 

“They told us: ‘We love your product. We want it. Do you know why we’re even in this meeting? Because you were introduced by a Dutch company.’ That’s how difficult it is to be born in the South.” 

Good science, good user experience 

At its core, HeartGenetics combines genetics, machine learning, and clinical research. Their polygenic risk models — built from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) — aggregate multiple genetic variants into a single score, estimating an individual’s predisposition to complex diseases like cardiovascular conditions (the start of it), diabetes, or even how they might metabolise certain nutrients or respond to exercise. 

Ana Teresa and her team spent years refining these models. But innovation wasn’t just about the science, it was also about user experience. The company developed digital health reports that are not only clinically accurate, but also human-readable, tailored for individuals and healthcare professionals alike. HeartGenetics created an expert system with more than 10,000 coded rules, combining genetic data (as polygenic risk models) with wellness and lifestyle information to deliver personalised recommendations. 

“We didn’t want to give people a DNA report full of acronyms and technical jargon. We wanted to give them a clear picture of their health risks and how to act on them — something you could take to your doctor or your nutritionist and actually do something with.” 

Despite the scientific robustness, scaling the company meant navigating the slow and complex maze of health regulations. In Europe, each country interprets medical device (the category in which genetic screening is included) directives differently, leading to hurdles that are especially hard to clear for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). 

“Portugal has very few companies in biotech or medtech because the regulations are not designed to support them,” she says. “In many cases, you can’t even get a tax incentive unless you’re a large multinational. That’s completely the opposite of how innovation ecosystems should work.” 

To grow, HeartGenetics had to look beyond its home country. “You need to think globally from the start. Portugal is too small. And yet, we had to go through all the same regulatory steps as a company from France or Germany, often with fewer resources.” 

When asked what she would tell aspiring entrepreneurs in tech or biotech, Freitas is clear-eyed: 

“You can’t do this kind of company straight out of school. You need experience — scientific, technical, and business. You need to understand what a clinical trial is. You need to know what it means to validate a medical algorithm at the European level. This is not an app you can pivot in a weekend.” 

She also warns against romanticising entrepreneurship. For her, starting a company wasn’t a lifelong dream — it was an opportunity that made sense given her research, her team, and her vision for a better way to deliver healthcare. 

Sold at the early days of the pandemics, HeartGenetics continued to evolve until 2022 when Freitas left the company, exploring deeper integrations with digital health platforms and longitudinal health monitoring. After all, how can we manage our health properly without understanding our genes? 

The hardest of being an entrepreneur: 

The greatest challenge of entrepreneurship was overcoming structural barriers in the healthtech sector. Consumers are naturally cautious, and trust is hard to earn — especially in healthcare. Coming from a small country like Portugal added further obstacles: a limited local market, fragmented regulations across Europe, and few incentives for small digital health and biotech companies. HeartGenetics had to think globally from day one, yet still faced the same complex approval processes as larger competitors, with far fewer resources. Building credibility often required external validation, particularly from companies based in more established markets. 

The main lesson:  

If you want to become an entrepreneur start by immersing yourself in the ecosystem — joining accelerators, speaking with investors, and testing ideas early. A diverse and experienced core team is essential from the outset. It’s important to abandon unviable ideas quickly and to be prepared for setbacks. Facing rejection from the market and investors is frustrating but necessary; it helps refine the business and align it with real-world demand. Early-stage feedback, even when harsh, is a critical part of building a viable company.

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Text by Sara Sá
© 2025 INESC-ID. Credit INESC-ID and the author, with a link to the original source, when sharing or adapting this article.

Marcelino Santos proudly opens a box of earbuds from a major global brand. Inside these sleek devices is a tiny circuit designed by SiliconGate — the INESC-ID spin-off specialising in analog and mixed-signal chip design.”These earbuds were a worldwide success”, says the co-founder of the company.  

The story of SiliconGate began more than 15 years ago with a sabbatical leave. In 2006, Marcelino Santos, an INESC-ID researcher and Professor at Instituto Superior Técnico, decided to take a sabbatical. “I was curious,” he recalls. “After years in academia, I wanted real industry experience before continuing to teach.” His search led him to Chipidea, an interesting Portuguese company specialising in analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits. 

Marcelino recounts how welcoming Chipidea was. “When I proposed my sabbatical plan, they gathered all their group leaders and let me choose where to focus. That openness was remarkable.” 

His background was primarily in digital integrated circuit testing, with a focus on defect analysis. But power management circuits intrigued him. “Power management involves large devices and deep knowledge of physical structures, which connects well with what I’d been doing.” 

Entrusted with leading a project despite his newcomer status, Marcelino quickly found himself at the heart of fast-paced, real-world chip development. But in 2007, Chipidea was sold, and what initially seemed like a setback turned into a catalyst for something new. 

Faced with the uncertainty of the sale, Marcelino noticed a pool of talented engineers suddenly at risk of losing their positions. “Portugal didn’t have any other company focused on power management design at the time. Letting this expertise slip away would have been a loss for the industry and for the country.” 

Together with four engineers, Marcelino decided to act. In December 2008, SiliconGate was born — a spin-off rooted in INESC-ID’s lab but with commercial ambitions. “We started in the third-floor lab at INESC-ID, mixing student talent with experienced engineers.” 

This hybrid academic-industrial model enabled them to build prototypes, prepare demonstrations, and gradually establish credibility. SiliconGate’s first products would soon enter the global market. 

SiliconGate’s evolution was shaped by client demands — often from highly specialised sectors. Marcelino highlights one pivotal partnership with an Israeli client in the banking card industry. “Israeli companies lead in data encryption and secure chip technology used worldwide. They asked us to develop the power management circuit for smart credit cards.” 

This project required rigorous testing and characterisation to meet strict quality and robustness standards. “It pushed us to elevate our lab capabilities significantly. The intensive measurement work shaped the way we operate today.” 

The lab’s transformation is also a personal story. “Tiago Moita, my former PhD student and now lab leader, developed automation techniques essential for our testing. But without high standards set by our clients, our progress would have been limited.” 

Standing ovation 

SiliconGate’s lab is a key differentiator. The company designs circuits, which clients then integrate and fabricate — often through foundries in Taiwan. Then the fabricated chips return to SiliconGate’s lab for performance validation. 

“This feedback loop is crucial,” Marcelino explains. “It’s not a simple hand-off. We verify that the chip performs as promised in real conditions. If not, we refine our design. It’s a negative feedback loop — in terms of engineering – which allows us to improve continuously.” 

This rigorous approach has allowed SiliconGate to tackle projects beyond power management, including circuits for CERN to withstand particle radiation, automotive-grade components, and consumer electronics. 

But certainly the product that makes Marcelino and his team prouder is the power management IC (responsible for battery charging and management) inside the commercial Bluetooth headphones he has in his office, ready to unbox and show off. “When we visited the company in Japan, after the launch of the phones, we were received with a standing ovation, that is how happy they were with it!” 

From a small startup, SiliconGate grew to a team of about 30 engineers split between Lisbon and Porto, adapting to remote work trends accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Initially, I was skeptical about remote work. But the team proved their commitment and productivity.” 

However, the semiconductor crisis of 2021 posed a severe challenge. “We went a whole year without closing deals because fabrication plants were full. We paid salaries from reserves, facing the brink of collapse. It was a critical moment”, Marcelino admits.  

The company survived by maintaining discipline, flexibility, and trust in its people. “The crisis taught us resilience and validated our remote work capabilities.” 

Despite its commercial success, SiliconGate remains deeply connected to academia and research. It participates in European projects like PAVIS (enhancing MRI imaging), UNLOCK (power management for ultrasound implants), and GreenCHIPS (energy-efficient circuits). 

“These projects provide stability when commercial work slows and let us push technological frontiers,” Marcelino notes. 

On a note for entrepreneurs, Marcelino says: “There’s no substitute for experience. Entrepreneurship shouldn’t start with a business plan but by working in the field — learning products, customers, and pain points.” And shares a simple analogy: “A repairman in my hometown of Beja wanted his own shop. He worked first in another shop to learn the trade. That’s the path.” 

Patience and adaptability have been key, especially dealing with workload fluctuations common in hardware startups. European projects help smooth the cycles, but the road remains demanding. 

SiliconGate is now recognised internationally, part of the TSMC ecosystem as a certified IP provider, and visible on industry platforms like Design & Reuse and ChipEstimate. The company’s reputation is built on quality, trust, and the ability to meet stringent client demands. 

Marcelino smiles when asked about his entrepreneurial journey: “It wasn’t planned. It was a series of fortunate accidents. The important part is recognising opportunity when it knocks and embracing it.” 

The hardest of being an entrepreneur: 

“Dealing with workload fluctuations. That is, there are times when we would need twice as many engineers. And there are times when it would be good to pay only half the salaries, because there just isn’t enough work to justify having so many people.” 

The main lesson:
“The biggest lesson I take away is the need to go out there — to immerse yourself in the field, in the market. That is, anyone who wants to be an entrepreneur in a given area should first start working in that area to understand it: to learn about the products — what they really are, the technical details — and to get to know the players: who is selling, who the clients are, and how the business process works. After that, then yes, one can begin to see clearly.” 

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Text by Sara Sá
© 2025 INESC-ID. Credit INESC-ID and the author, with a link to the original source, when sharing or adapting this article.

In the fields of science and innovation, the bridge between academic research and real-world impact is no longer an option, it’s a must. At INESC-ID, this bridge is being reinforced through a dedicated commitment to technology transfer, a process that transforms research outputs into products and services, for the benefit of society.

Sandra Aresta, INESC-ID’s Knowledge Transfer Manager, sees a clear trend: “Scientific institutions are increasingly aware of the importance of having a technology transfer office.” This growing awareness is not unique to INESC-ID. Across Portugal and Europe, institutions are working to strengthen their capacity to bring research into the market, following in the footsteps of more mature innovation ecosystems such as those in France, Germany, and the United States.

Technology transfer is far from a new concept — in countries like the United States, the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980 was a turning point, allowing universities to retain intellectual property (IP) rights to federally funded research. This legislation helped create an ecosystem of university spin-offs and public-private partnerships. Today, the U.S. continues to lead in the number of spin-offs created per year, with institutions like MIT and Stanford at the top. 

In Europe, the picture is more nuanced. While countries like France, the Netherlands, and Germany have strong technology transfer structures, others — especially those categorised as “widening countries” (a term used by the European Commission for member states with lower R&D performance) — are still catching up. In Portugal, ANI (Agência Nacional de Inovação) has played a key role in building capacity and promoting entrepreneurship within academic institutions.

A growing culture of innovation at INESC-ID

At INESC-ID, technology transfer has resulted in the creation of nine spin-offs, in different fields such as microelectronics (SiliconGate), speech recognitions (Voiceinteraction) or genetic testing (Heartgenetics), bringing research outcomes directly into the marketplace. These companies are not accidental by-products of research — they are deliberately created with the purpose of commercialising academic IP.

“Potentially, everything can be transformed into a product or service,” Sandra explains. “And at INESC-ID, this is especially true — our research areas allow us to do so within a relatively short time frame and with modest funding.” Compared to fields like biomedical sciences, which require extensive clinical validation, complex regulation, and high capital investment, areas like computer science, robotics, and signal processing — all strengths of INESC-ID — offer a more agile path to market.

Despite the growing momentum, several challenges remain. One of the key barriers, according to Sandra, is cultural: “The academic culture is naturally geared toward the development of knowledge, but less so toward entering the market.” Most PhD graduates still envision a future within academia, often unaware that entrepreneurship is a viable and valuable career path.

Moreover, teaching responsibilities and academic workloads can be significant obstacles. Many university researchers simply lack the time and energy to engage in entrepreneurial ventures. Yet, as Sandra points out, technology transfer is increasingly being recognised as the “third mission” of universities.

Another critical driver of spin-off creation is personal motivation. “There are usually three main reasons why researchers launch spin-offs: either they want a vehicle to bring their product or service to market, or they’re looking to create their own employment or the need for funding, wether public or private, for the more advanced stages of product development, which an academic institution can hardly obtain “ she explains. In either case, the result is the same: more innovation entering the real economy.

A shift in institutional priorities

The shift toward recognising the economic impact of academic research is now embedded in European science and innovation policy. The European Commission has repeatedly acknowledged the “innovation paradox” — the fact that Europe excels in scientific research but struggles to convert it into economic value. In response, the Commission is encouraging consortia that include industry partners, promoting entrepreneurial skills among researchers, and rewarding projects with measurable impact beyond publications and citations.

This policy shift is resonating at institutional levels. As Sandra notes, “a few years ago, the only thing that mattered was scientific excellence. Now we also look at economic and societal impact.” 

And so, the path forward looks optimistic. “When researchers try entrepreneurship, they usually enjoy it. They see it as an additional challenge — one that is intellectually stimulating and rewarding.”

And another way to ‘define technology.’

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Text by Sara Sá, Science Writer | Communications and Outreach Office, INESC-ID
© 2025 INESC-ID. Credit INESC-ID and the author, with a link to the original source, when sharing or adapting this article.