27-07-2026
The SPARCS project, developed by researchers and professors from NOVA FCT, won the NOVA Startup Competition and will represent the entire Universidade NOVA de Lisboa at StageTwo 2026 – European University Start-up Competition, taking place on October 22 and 23 in Berlin.
The winning team, made up of Rui Guilherme Vaz Gonçalves, António Miguel Teixeira Vicente, and Manuel João Mendes, presented an innovative solution in the field of solar energy, designed to address the challenges of energy scarcity and instability.
SPARCS proposes dividing solar panels into independent mini-modules that can be connected mechanically and electrically, without the need for tools or cables. This approach allows any user, even without technical knowledge, to assemble, reconfigure, and expand the system in a simple, flexible, and accessible way — a clear example of the applied innovation capacity that characterizes research developed at the Faculty.
This is not their first achievement: this is already the second competition the team has won, which demonstrates the group's consistency, talent, and entrepreneurial vision.
The competition featured 10 projects, representing six NOVA Organic Units (NOVA FCT, NOVA FCSH, Nova SBE, NOVA IMS, ENSP NOVA, and, for the first time, ESHTE). Among these, it was the NOVA FCT project that stood out and earned recognition from the jury, composed of Rita Falcão (Director for Innovation, Value Creation and Global Affairs), Professor António Grilo (Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering), Inês de Macedo Santos (Venture Capital Investor at Armilar), and Miguel Garcês Roxo (Investment Manager at Portugal Ventures).
As a prize, the NOVA FCT team will represent the University at StageTwo 2026, one of the leading European university start-up competitions, and will also receive 1,500 euros to support travel expenses to Berlin.
