Carlos Cerqueira is the Innovation Director at Instituto Pedro Nunes, the technology transfer institution form Coimbra University. As head of the Innovation Department, he aims to enhance IPN’s technology transfer activities through commercialization of technologies and support to spin-offs’ creation.

He was also been the coordinator of the following projects in the last 5 years:

- INEO Start: a two month startup acceleration program since 2010, that has gathered more than 80 startups and up to 1000 participants, amongst entrepreneurs, mentors and staff.

- Manager of the Portuguese Space Agency Incubator (ESA BIC Portugal manager) since 2014, and responsible for the National Technology Transfer Initiative in Portugal, which has gathers IPN, the Space Office of Fundação of Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) and the European Space Agency (ESA) for the strengthening the competitiveness of the Portuguese space industry by supporting and facilitating the transfer of space technologies to non-space markets (2012 to 2014).

 - “DHMS - Medical & HealthCare Solutions Regional Network”, from 2010 to 2012, which aimed to foster open innovation schemes in the Healthcare and Medical Solutions regional sector.

- “XHMS - Center of Excellence in Healthcare and Medical Solutions”, a project aimed to foster a network of excellence in Healthcare sect, supported by the POSC, from 2005 to 2008.

- GAPI3 Innovation network, project supported by the COMPETE, which involves the leading Portuguese universities (6 partners) (2013 to 2015).

- GAPI 2.0 - Offices for the promotion of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Intellectual Property, project supported by the COMPETE which involved the leading Portuguese universities (8 partners) (2008 to 2011).

He is a lecture at Coimbra University in innovation management, and has a Master’s degree (MSc) by the Universidade de Coimbra (Economics Faculty) on European Economics and a Degree in Business Management by the Universidade de Coimbra.