About InnoLabs

InnoLabs is an international capacity-building initiative that empowers universities in Ecuador and Cuba to become engines of entrepreneurship and innovation in STEM. 

Funded by the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) program, InnoLabs brings together universities and organizations from Spain, Belgium, Cuba and Ecuador to co-create Entrepreneurship & Innovation Laboratories that foster collaboration between academia, local communities, public institutions, and the private sector.

Through these Labs, the project aims to:

  • Boost the role of universities as drivers of inclusive STEM-based entrepreneurship & innovation.
  • Promote community-based solutions to local challenges
  • Strengthen institutional capacity for applied research and knowledge transfer
  • Equip students and staff with tools for real-world impact 

InnoLabs focuses on experiential learning, co-creation, and open innovation — blending academic knowledge with grassroots creativity to design solutions that matter. 

Over three years, the project will support the creation and scaling of pilot labs, training programs, and HEI-level frameworks that embed entrepreneurship and innovation deeply into the DNA of participating institutions.

Through hands-on experimentation and community engagement, InnoLabs empowers higher education to become a true catalyst for STEM-based entrepreneurship and inclusive economic development.

Objectives

Overall Objective

To strengthen the role of higher education institutions in Ecuador and Cuba in fostering STEM-based innovation and entrepreneurship for inclusive socio-economic development.

Specific Objectives

InnoLabs aims to:

  1. Establish Entrepreneurship & Innovation Labs (EILs). Create collaborative spaces that connect academics, researchers, STEM students, entrepreneurs, and industry to promote mutual learning and the development of innovative, multidisciplinary projects. These Labs will serve as:
    • Platforms for co-creation and applied research
    • Bridges between universities and local innovation ecosystems
    • Incubators for student-led ventures and prototypes
  2. Develop an entrepreneurial pathway for STEM students. Design and implement a structured learning itinerary that includes:
    • Interactive workshops and training in innovation skills
    • Tools and resources for idea maturation and acceleration
    • Mentorship from academic and industry experts
    • Access to prototyping equipment for validating solutions

This pathway will strengthen critical thinking and real-world problem solving, increasing graduates’ employability and capacity to launch impactful ventures.

 

PARTNERS

The InnoLabs consortium brings together 12 full partners and 2 associated partners from Ecuador, Cuba, Spain, and Belgium, combining strengths from higher education, government, and the private sector.

Together, we co-create Innovation & Entrepreneurship Labs that promote collaboration between academia and society, while building long-term capacity for STEM-based innovation.

Ecuador

  1. Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) – Project Coordinator
  2. Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL)
  3. Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL)
  4. Cámara de Comercio de Quito (CCQ)
  5. Secretaría de Educación Superior, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SENESCYT) (Associated Partner)
  6. CEDIA – Corporación Ecuatoriana para el Desarrollo de la Investigación y la Academia (Associated Partner)

Cuba

  1. Universidad Tecnológica de La Habana “José Antonio Echeverría” (CUJAE)
  2. Universidad de Holguín (UHo)
  3. Universidad de Cienfuegos (UCF)
  4. Ministerio de Educación Superior (MES)
  5. Cámara de Comercio de la República de Cuba

Spain

  1. Universidad de Alicante (UA)

Belgium

  1. Université de Liège (ULiège)
  2. EFMD – European Foundation for Management Development