Expert profile

Sara Proença is a Professor at the Polytechnic University of Coimbra, where she has taught since 2003, and a researcher at CERNAS – Research Centre for Natural Resources, Environment and Society. She holds a PhD in Economics from ISEG – University of Lisbon. Her work focuses on academic entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems, knowledge and technology transfer, innovation policy, and economic impact assessment. 

From 2021 to 2025, she served as Director of INOPOL – Entrepreneurship Academy of the Polytechnic University of Coimbra, where she led initiatives in entrepreneurship education, venture development, institutional innovation, knowledge valorisation, and university–ecosystem engagement. She previously served as Pro-President for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Polytechnic University of Coimbra and coordinated the POLIEMPREENDE programme from 2014 to 2025. 

Her current research examines the institutional conditions supporting academic entrepreneurship and innovation performance, with particular emphasis on higher education systems, entrepreneurial universities, and policy design. She has extensive experience in entrepreneurship education, mentoring, capacity building, applied research, stakeholder engagement, and the development of collaborative networks involving higher education institutions, entrepreneurs, businesses, investors, and public organisations.