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July 11, 2019 | NEWS

The 2019 International Workshop on Innovating was a Success

IWI is a residential, hands-on program supported by the MIT Portugal Program (MPP) and co-organized by MIT. This conference exposes participants to critical elements of innovation and entrepreneurship that are central for translating ideas into solutions for real-world problems and demands.

Over the course of 5 days in June, 20 accomplished entrepreneurs shared their secrets for success with IWI’s 33 diverse students. The students flew to MIT from Portugal, Brazil, Greece, Crete, and many other countries. Some students were scientists, some researchers, and others focused on business—but they all shared a common goal of starting their own companies. Outside of the rigorous course schedule, the students went sailing, explored Boston, and participated in the annual IWI Hawaiian shirt contest.

 



2019 IWI Student Testimonials

"IWI is a breakthrough hands-on approach on how to establish pathways from research to consumers. I learned how to analyze my competitors, communicate with customers, and anticipate potential barriers. This conference also connected me with other PhD students, MBA students, and start-up veterans through excellent networking events. We were all able to share our ideas and collect strategies from other enterpreneur’s failures and successes. I would highly recommend this workshop!"
João Pedro
2019 IWI Participant
"The IWI workshop was amazing!! It was comforting to meet fellow colleagues who are at the same stage of limbo on whether or not to take the leap into entrepreneurship. It was inspiring to hear all the experiences from entrepreneurs about their failed and successful ventures. The professors were phenomenal and always willing to help talk through things with me. It was a very intensive workshop, but well worth the time. The workshop has really given me the encouragement and reassurance needed to pursue the next steps to continue working on my project."
Aureliano Fertuzinhos
2019 IWI Participant
"IWI is a breakthrough hands-on approach on how to establish pathways from research to consumers. I learned how to analyze my competitors, communicate with customers, and anticipate potential barriers. This conference also connected me with other PhD students, MBA students, and start-up veterans through excellent networking events. We were all able to share our ideas and collect strategies from other enterpreneur’s failures and successes. I would highly recommend this workshop!"
Jose Simoes
2019 IWI Participant