Innovation News
Galp Partners with IST – Protolab for Students
On 20 January, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, inaugurated the Técnico ProtoLab powered by Galp, a modern facility dedicated to student prototyping. Designed to support all students’ organisations, ProtoLab enables the transformation of innovative ideas into practical solutions for real-world challenges.
Located on the Campus Alameda, the laboratory is fully equipped with tools for constructing composite materials, extraction systems, changing rooms, and other technical and safety features, marking a qualitative leap in prototyping capabilities at Técnico. The facility reinforces the practical dimension of engineering education while promoting technological innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, and closer collaboration between academia and industry.
According to Rogério Colaço, President of Técnico, the inauguration “fulfils a long-standing dream” and highlights the institution’s unmatched diversity and quality in prototyping, both nationally and in Europe. Pedro Amaral, Vice-President for Corporate Interface, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, emphasized the importance of creating effective mechanisms to ensure that student support reaches its full potential, noting that Galp has become “a national entity supporting Técnico across the board.”
Ana Casaca, Global Director of Innovation at Galp, explained that laboratories like ProtoLab are “fundamental because they allow experimentation,” which drives the development of new technological solutions. She highlighted that the lab promotes innovation by enabling students to test ideas and accelerate implementation, while strengthening collaboration between students, academia, and industry—essential to tackling current energy challenges.
Through ProtoLab, Galp continues to support emblematic projects such as Técnico Fuel Cell, a hydrogen-powered racing car, TLMoto, an electric motorbike, and Junior Enterprises at IST (JUNITEC). Each project has had significant participation in international competitions, demonstrating the impact of applied engineering solutions on sustainable mobility.
The inauguration also included the 1st Edition of the GALP Award 2025/2026 – CA2ECTécnico, celebrating the extracurricular achievements of students’ organisations and reinforcing the lab as a hub for innovation, collaboration, and practical learning at Técnico.
