As I write this, two friends — Malik Piara and Nuno Vilaça — are meeting in Dubai. A casual encounter between two Portuguese professionals working in innovation. That moment, together with the work being done by Hub Outono, sparked a simple thought: the Portuguese diaspora is one of our biggest untapped assets in the startup ecosystem.

We have talent spread across the world’s top innovation hubs. Portuguese founders and operators who lead global teams, raise rounds, join unicorns or launch their own ventures all while keeping a deep emotional and strategic connection to Portugal.

Portuguese culture is known for its resilience, creativity and entrepreneurial mindset. These traits are core to diaspora entrepreneurs, who blend local insight with global perspectives to build scalable, innovative solutions. From fintech to biotech, Portuguese-led startups have made their mark internationally, contributing knowledge, experience and a spirit of bold experimentation.

Now, it’s time to ask: how can we better activate the value of this global network?

Here’s how the diaspora can power our ecosystem:

• ✅ Access to markets and capital: Direct connections to international investors, customers and strategic partners. Expansion becomes faster and smarter.

• ✅ Mentorship with global experience: Operators who’ve worked at scaleups or major tech companies bring the know-how that helps Portuguese founders avoid mistakes and move faster.

• ✅ Emotional investment with purpose: Many in the diaspora are ready to invest time, money and network not out of obligation, but because they want to see Portugal thrive.

Portugal might be small in size, but our diaspora gives us global reach.

Maybe it’s time to start looking outward, so we can grow stronger inward.

• 🌍 If you’re building from Portugal, start mapping your network abroad.

There’s a whole global community ready to help, we just need to plug it in

Now, part II of our Book suggestions:

• 📖 Building Creative Machines by Gonçalo Perdigão, Filipa Matos Baptista, and João Santos Pereira. A guide to leading in the Age of Generative AI. Have you ever wondered how generative AI could supercharge your organisation’s creativity, spark breakthrough ideas, and transform the way you work? This book is more than a guide, it’s a community. A space where innovators, entrepreneurs, and researchers converge to explore the frontiers of AI-driven creativity and bring those insights straight to you.

• 📖 Insanely Simple by Ken Segall the guy who literally named the iMac and worked on Apple’s famous “Think Different” campaign. Henrique Cruz from ROWS sums up this way: 'reading it feels like sitting in on an ad review meeting with Steve Jobs. You get a front-row seat to how Apple made decisions obsessing over simplicity, pushing agencies to do better, cutting anything that didn’t serve the core idea’

• 📖 The Startup Pitch by Chris Lipp according to Savio Meireles is an indispensable book if you want to understand in depth two things: Pitch structure, and Investor psychology

• 📖 The Little Book of Stoicism by Jonas Salzgeber It’s about understanding what’s within our control and letting go of the rest. This book delves into the core principles and authors of Stoicism, presenting them in an accessible and very practical way

July’s event lineup is looking stronger, there’s plenty of room to check Adamastor calendar and catch a talk, make new connections, and still sneak away to one of our beautiful beaches or a cool spot with A/C and cold drinks.

📝Investors Portugal is launching the Early Stage Investment Barometer to better understand market sentiment and perspectives from VCs and Business Angels in Portugal. Your input will help shape a more informed and impactful early stage investment ecosystem. Until July 25

• 🚨 call for speakers for lisbonai.xyz

✍ Quote of the week

Diaspora are not a loss to their home community, but stretch its reach to enable innovation and possibilities that simply would not happen otherwise

Ross Dawson

Week highlights go to:

• 🔷 Applications are open for the 3rd edition of the Startup Essentials Ignition Program A free, in person experience by Build Up Labs, a venture studio and startup incubator, designed to take you from zero to founder. Bring your startup journey to life - from idea to execution. You don’t need a business plan or a polished pitch. You just need to take the first step. Apply until August 17

• 🔷 Oeiras Move Tec Lab launches an Acceleration Program for entrepreneurs looking to take their innovative mobility sector projects and businesses to the next level. Applications open until September 3

• 🔷 Hospital Innovation Challenge: Real Hospital Needs Seeking Innovative Solutions. The submission phase is now open

• 🔷 Utility startups – ready to scale across Europe? Apply for DeepTech Alliance Utility 2025 and connect with leading corporates involved in infrastructure for public service

Congrats

• 👏 OW Ventures launches 10M fund to Scale Portuguese Tech SMEs

• 👏 Lyzer raises over €10M to Accelerate International Growth

Something to read, listen and watch

• 📚 Is Portugal Still Worth It for Digital Nomads in 2025? (An Honest Opinion) by Gonçalo Hall

• 📚 For a Europe that believes in itself by Ricardo Marvão

• 📚 Rebranding for Fun and Profit (But Mostly Fun) by Fernando Amaral

• 📚 You Should Be Able to Boil Your Strategy Down to a Single Clear Visualization. A one-slide representation is the best way to win over employees and investors by João Cotter Salvado and Freek Vermeulen

• 🎧 What is a Venture Studio by Ricardo Macedo (Laika Ventures)

• 🎥 Waseem Alshikh, co-founder and CTO of Writer, shares his extraordinary story. This episode is a masterclass in surviving chaos, scaling with focus, and building AI-first from Day One.

• 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.