Hosting Techstars Startup Week outside Lisbon or Porto is more than symbolic, it’s a strategic move to unlock innovation across Portugal.

While Lisbon and Porto are well-known for their dynamic startup scenes, other smaller towns and regions brim with untapped potential. By bringing an event of this scale to a city like Guimarães, we’re not just creating access to resources and networks, we’re building community, sparking opportunity, and decentralizing innovation.

This mission is deeply personal to me. I’ve witnessed firsthand how entrepreneurship can transform smaller communities, drive economic growth, and create meaningful jobs. Yet, too often, brilliant minds outside the major hubs lack access to mentors, investors, and the support they need to thrive.

Techstars Startup Week in Guimarães is a powerful step toward democratizing innovation, ensuring that every corner of Portugal has a seat at the table in our growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Huge congratulations to the City of Guimarães for hosting this incredible initiative. It’s a testament to their commitment to empowering local talent and building a vibrant, future-ready startup community.

• ✨ Unicorn Factory Lisboa has announced the finalists for the Entrepreneurship Awards 2025, the annual initiative that celebrates the achievements of Portugal’s most promising startups and entrepreneurs.

• 🎟️ Startup Weekend Viseu takes place this weekend. Secure your seat here

• 🎟️ Final tickets are still available for Techstars Startup Week Guimarães (Oct 13–17)

Don’t miss it!

Keep following Adamastor to stay up to date with our ecosystem.

See you at the next event

✍ Quote of the week

Great things are done by a series of small things brought together

Vincent Van Gogh

Week highlights go to:

• 🔷 City of Guimarães hosts Techstars Startup Week in October 13 - 17. All information can be found here Tickets available here

• 🔷 Set.Up IN(dustry) runned by Set.Up Guimaraes & TecMinho this Thursday

• 🔷 Lisbon AI week Applications are now open

• 🔷 Santander X Portugal Awards - submissions for both categories; university & startups, are open until Oct 15

• 🔷 Lispolis Ignite 3rd edition is accepting applications until Oct 17; this Health Tech acceleration programme is powered by HealthTech Portugal, Lispolis and CNScampus

• 🔷 Porto tech is back for its 3rd edition! From September to November, the city will host a series of tech and entrepreneurial events, including workshops, conferences, meetups, and others, highlighting the global ecosystem that thrives in Porto. Just head over to portotech.scaleupporto.pt to find out more!

• 🔷 Tech Run Get ready to run through Lisbon’s innovation district! From the iconic Unicorn Factory Lisboa to Parque das Nações. All the info here

• 🔷 Global Health Accelerator by Startup Braga will return on 2026

• 🔷 Protechting open innovation program is looking for Startups in Insurtech, Healthtech, Tech, and Sustainability. Apply until Dec 05

Congrats

• 👏 Enhanced Fertility won first prize at the EmpoWomen Awards

• 👏 Sword Health named one of TIME’s World’s Top HealthTech Companies of 2025

• 👏 Jenny Romano, co-founder of The Newsroom is the winner of the AI & Media 24/25 She Shapes AI Award

• 👏 The European Central Bank has chosen Feedzai as first-ranked provider to protect the DigitalEuro, the European Union’s forthcoming central bank digital currency

• 👏 Portugal presides over the D9+ Ministerial meeting this semester, and Startup Portugal will host the S9+ Lisbon Conference in Lisboa

• 👏 Purrmi has raised 600k

• 👏 Omniflow invited for the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator - ClimateTech

Something to read, listen and watch

• 📚 Decentralizing entrepreneurship: How Guimarães is building its own Startup Ecosystem by Rui Pinheiro

• 📚 What if we weren’t always so critical of our own? by João Silva

• 📚 Vinte anos de políticas de inovação social na Europa em risco w/ Sofia Lai Amandio and Jurgen Howaldt

• 📚 Feedzai: From a Family Photo to the Digital Euro Protector

• 📚 European Innovation Act: Allied for Startups feedback

• 📚 SXSW 2025 Report

• 🎧 Make Space for Growth podcast: Sara Vicente Barreto interview Marta Palmeiro

• 🎥 LisboaJS - Zero to Store: Achieving Continuous Delivery on Native Apps w/ David Elias

• Looking for your next spark of inspiration or connection?

  Discover what’s happening in the ecosystem—check out the Adamastor Events Calendar and find the perfect event that fits your goals, your vibe, and your stage. From founder meetups to investor talks, there’s something for everyone.