PRETECHT offers a preventive and sustainable solution through microbiome analysis, optimising production and preserving the environment
It is an innovative service that enables farmers to anticipate ecological imbalances and thus avoid crop losses, as well as reducing chemical use and adopting more sustainable practices. The technology was developed at the University of Minho by Joana Castro, an expert in molecular biology and data science, with Carlos Pinto, a forestry engineer and project manager, as her management partner. Their joint project is called PRETECHT and has just been granted spin-off status (a young academic enterprise) by UMinho, to bring science to the market.
The new agricultural decision-support tool provides an integrated analysis of ecosystem microbiomes, using next-generation genomic sequencing, bioinformatics and artificial intelligence. This approach enables farmers to obtain more comprehensive and reliable recommendations, promoting productivity, reduced resource use and regenerative agricultural production. PRETECHT has applications in sectors such as precision agriculture, agri-food, the environment and scientific research.
First spin-off under the new Rectorate
The project was mentored by Professors José Teixeira and Lucília Domingues from the UMinho School of Engineering and received a favourable opinion from the Centre for Biological Engineering (CEB). The hearing for the spin-off’s articles of association was chaired by the Vice-Rector for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Knowledge Transfer, Raúl Fangueiro: “This is an excellent example of this institution’s ability to transform cutting-edge research into solutions that have a real impact on the economy and society; it is also the first spin-off under the new rector’s team, showing the path we want to take for academic entrepreneurship”.
The event was also attended by Clara Silva, Entrepreneurship Coordinator at TecMinho, who supported Joana Castro in the Business Lab programme and oversaw the entire process of setting up the project.
Born in Felgueiras, Joana Castro holds a bachelor’s degree in Applied Biology and a master’s degree in Molecular Biology, Biotechnology and Plant Bioentrepreneurship from UMinho, where she also worked as a researcher at the CEB and the Centre for Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA). She won a scholarship for a research placement with the biotechnology company Ekolive (Slovakia) and was one of the Portuguese women selected for the intensive training, coaching and mentoring programme Empowering Women in Agrifood 2025, run by EIT Food, linked to the European Institute of Innovation and Technology. Carlos Pinto is a project and quality manager, holding a bachelor’s and postgraduate degree in Forestry Engineering from the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, a master’s degree in Project Management from the Polytechnic Institute of Porto, and an MBA in Business Administration from the University of Beira Interior.
