FRACTAL Virtual Collaborative Toolset for Business Strategy and Eco-Friendly Innovations in Product Engineering Education

In a global context where sustainability and innovation are more important than ever, universities play a key role in forming the new generations of engineers that balance the financial business objectives with the environmental ones. This article presents the integration of tools developed in a collaborative virtual environment as a complement to the FRACTAL methodology for engineering startup innovation, by triggering the generation ideas of products at the time environmentally sustainable and financially viable. The tool was tested with a quantitative approach by surveying students before and after using it in a Mechatronic course focused on Product Design. Results show a positive impact on the students' selfefficacy related to product development, environmental consciousness and strategic thinking. This work contributes to the discussion on innovative education methodologies aligned with the objectives of Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0.