The IPN is an RTO aiming to promote innovation and technology transfer, by establishing a connection between academia and the market, developing activities in three areas: RTD and technology transfer; incubation and acceleration of tech business and ideas; specialized training. IPN has six RTD laboratories: Materials; Automation; IT Geothecnics; Electroanalysis and Phytosanitary. Most of them use techniques accredited by the Portuguese Institute for Accreditation (IPAC). IPN also develops innovation activities, innovation management, support for the development of new products, technological brokerage initiatives, and support for Intellectual Property issues. Also, promote the creation of spin-offs in the IPN-incubator (an association of which the IPN is a major associate), and host the ESA BIC Portugal, one of the incubation centres of the European Space Agency (ESA) at the European level, boosting support for start-ups employing space technologies in non-space industrial and commercial uses. IPN has a Business Accelerator aimed at more mature companies, promoting their internationalization and technological intensity.