Interview

Frederico Maia & Claudia Rocha - Smallmatek

How do you currently assess the status of VIPCOAT as a project? Are the VIPCOAT platform and the project accelerating the development of your company? What is the status today and what do you expect for the future?
Based on the initial project planning, I think the VIPCOAT project is at the right stage of development. The platform currently integrates many innovation/simulation tools that were developed from scratch, and this in itself is an incredible achievement. At Smallmatek, we continue helping develop these tools, not only working ‘behind the scenes’ and providing relevant experimental data for their implementation, but also in their critical use and evaluation. This work allowed us to quickly explore topics that are very relevant to us, such as the search for new corrosion inhibitors and their incorporation into coatings, in a collaborative environment.
Even though the project is in a good phase of development, there is still work to be done in order to fully implement all the use cases. Therefore, as next steps, I expect implementation to move forward in the maturity of simulation tools beyond proof of concept. Its use in real cases in the future would be ideal!

Do you think the size of the company is crucial to the success of the project? Does the OIP platform help you individually as a small or medium-sized company?
In the case of small and medium-sized companies, innovation and development are undoubtedly competitive advantages. Even more so if we combine resource savings when using tools that can accelerate innovative processes. In the context of the project, the contribution of an SME to the consortium is crucial, due to its inherent characteristics SMEs can often offer flexibility, motivation, creativity and innovative knowledge when compared to larger corporations. Such qualities can push the project’s objectives further and innovation can happen.
On the other hand, the way VIPCOAT OIP was designed allows companies like Smallmatek to collaborate directly with large companies recognized in the market, creating unique opportunities for the development and establishment of strategic partnerships.

What specific advantages do you see for yourself as a member of the consortium as a result of your participation?
Being part of the VIPCOAT consortium was, for me, an incredible learning experience. Having a scientific background focused on the experimental development and characterization of nanostructured materials, this project was my first contact with concepts such as ontology, collaborative innovation and even model/software development to a certain extent. And despite being very challenging, it has been a very enriching journey. Working with people from different backgrounds certainly contributed to broadening my perception of the innovation and development process.

In the forms of project implementation: How were your teams able to implement the requirements? What is your forecast for the open innovation approach or the digitalization of materials?
The digitalization of processes, innovation included, is now at a point of no return, like an avalanche that cannot be stopped. Without a doubt, the VIPCOAT platform is increasingly becoming a platform for collaborative innovation and data sharing, while capable of offering unique and very relevant tools (e.g., inhibitor search, and simulation of corrosion outcomes, but not only) for us. In this sense, VIPCOAT OIP can help SMEs like Smallmatek to keep up with market demands regarding the digitalization of materials (saving resources, energy and time, reducing CO2 emissions, and improving process efficiency, among others) and thus remaining competitive.

What social impact would have VIPCOAT project and/or the OIP in terms of open innovation and industrial leadership in the EU? Would it provide a shift/ further development for your company?
During the COVID-19 outbreak, the EU has realized how crucial research and development in the European continent is as a driving force for its economy, as well as in effectively responding to future challenges in a global world. VIPCOAT OIP's main ambition is to cover in a single site all steps of innovation (from the idea generation to its validation in the context of partnerships between various stakeholders). From this point of view, the VIPCOAT project's most significant milestone – the Open Innovation Platform – will meet this EU strategic objective, where multiple partners collaborate towards better and sustainable technologies for the environment and society.
For our company, the VIPOCOAT project will certainly contribute to its competitiveness in the development of anti-corrosion materials and the establishment of strategic partnerships.

Can VIPCOAT OIP accelerate this further development?
Taking into account the way the platform is being developed, combining predictive simulation with collaborative innovation, it is expected that in a stage of higher implementation maturity, VIPCOAT OIP will be able to offer multiple tools that can effectively accelerate product development in the field of anticorrosion protective coatings.

Photo: private