Changes

<p style="text-align: justify;">When a student has an idea and wants to pursue it, it is extremely important to have the university support and guidance.&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is the reason why IthaKa, our I&E center was created. Before this, our university had two different establishments for entrepreneurship: Nexo, offering a pre-incubator service, and CII ( the Center for Innovation and Engineering of the Faculty of Engineering and Technologies). Recently, they associated and formed a new center called Ithaka, which principal aim is to incubate students´ ideas and materialize them.&nbsp; The main mission of this center is to bring our university community closer to the entrepreneurial ecosystem, promote innovation and creativity for the development of ventures that contribute to the development of a more prosperous, fair and humane society.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In fact, Ithaka has already created entrepreneurs and innovators. For instance, Marcelo Ciaspessoni, a Business Management student of UCU, together with íthaka's help and support founded a successful enterprise called ViajerosUy; this is a tourist agency especialized in adventure activities in Uruguay.&nbsp;</p><div></div>

== Facilitating university-industry collaboration ==

== Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts ==

<p style="text-align: justify;">Uruguayan government is helping the startup industry flourish by implementing these institutions&nbsp;: National Agency of Research and Innovation (ANII) and National Development Agency (ANDE). Enhancing this, the Co work spaces and the special Centers dedicated to supporting students, postgraduates and graduates with an entrepreneurial spirit are an important base in the progress of the realization of ideas.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Regarding to ANII, this institution makes available to the public funds for research projects, national and international postgraduate scholarships and incentive programs for innovative culture and entrepreneurship, both in the private and public sectors.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In relation to ANDE,&nbsp; their aim is to contribute to productive economic development, in a sustainable way, with social equity and environmental and territorial balance.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Ithaka is the Sponsoring Institution of Entrepreneurship (IPE) in front of the National Research and Innovation Agency (ANII) and the National Development Agency (ANDE).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thanks to the support of ANII and ANDE, Ithaka´s&nbsp; pre-incubated entrepreneurs will have access to capital to carry out the validation of their idea.</p>